Judith Stacy by The Heart of a Hero

Author:The Heart of a Hero [Hero, The Heart of a]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“What was Jimmy’s bad dream about?”

The afternoon breeze swirled around the hem of Sarah’s skirt as she walked Maggie home, listening to the story she was telling.

“I don’t know.” Maggie pursed her lips. “But Uncle Jess came in and made him feel better. Then Jimmy wet the bed.”

“Was your uncle upset?”

“No.” Maggie shook her head, sending her braids swaying. “Uncle Jess never gets upset.”

Oddly enough, Jess seemed to have the patience of a nun with the children. Sarah had never seen him lose his temper.

At the house they went in through the back door. Delicious cooking aromas filled the air, but it was strangely quiet.

“I wonder if your uncle forgot that I was coming this afternoon?” Sarah crept across the kitchen.

“Uh-uh. He said we could have supper with you tonight before Jimmy and me go to Bible study.” Maggie laid her speller on the kitchen table and pointed. “There’s Uncle Jess.”

In the rocker in the corner sat Jess, his head resting on the back of the chair. Jimmy was on his lap, curled against his shoulder. Both were sound asleep.

A feeling of calmness and contentment came over Sarah, watching them sleep so peacefully. Jimmy looked enviably comfortable snuggled on Jess’s wide chest, secure beneath his sturdy arm. For a moment she imagined how it would feel to be in Jimmy’s place, safe, secure and loved.

Jess looked just as comfortable, his features relaxed in sleep, his chest rising and falling rhythmically, his eyes closed behind a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles Sarah had never seen before. The vision of Jess wearing those spectacles—and nothing else—sped through her mind like a runaway freight train. Sarah shuddered.

Suddenly feeling guilty for ogling him in his sleep, Sarah decided to wake him. Strange feelings twined inside her as she imagined touching her hand to his shoulder, giving him a little shake, maybe sliding it farther across his chest.

Jess came awake with a start. Sarah jumped back.

He sat up, grabbing the book balanced on his knee just before it slipped onto the floor, and tightening his grip on Jimmy.

“Hi, Uncle Jess.” Maggie skipped over and kissed his cheek. She picked up the book. “Which one is this?”

Jess hugged her, then shook his head to get his bearings and caught sight of Sarah. He surged to his feet, holding Jimmy against him.

Sarah felt her cheeks burn. Could he sense what she’d been thinking? “I didn’t mean to startle you, I just—”

“It’s okay.” What a sight to wake to. Jess’s chest tightened.

“Maggie told me Jimmy kept you up last night.”

Jimmy began to squirm. Jess lowered him to the floor, then stretched, raising his arms upward, rising on his toes, muscles flexing. He scrubbed his hands over his face. “Yeah, he—”

Jess froze as his fingers touched his spectacles. Embarrassed, he pulled them off and tossed them aside. “I, ah, I only need them for reading.”

A silly giggle bubbled up in Sarah, bringing a scowl to Jess’s face. “I’m not laughing at you—at myself, really. I thought you couldn’t read.”

“What?” One brow crept upward.

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