Saving Allegheny Green by Lori Wilde

Author:Lori Wilde [Wilde, Lori]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction
ISBN: 9781459253995
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 759574
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2013-05-15T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THE BOYS, CHATTERING like tree monkeys, awoke before dawn. All they talked about was finding the secret underwater caves. I groaned and rolled over onto my side, my back stiff from the ground, my midsection tender from Conahegg’s impromptu administration of the Heimlich maneuver the night before.

My, Sheriff, what strong arms you have.

I was confused about my relationship with Conahegg. I wanted him and yet I didn’t. I yearned for his kisses but yet the thought of making love to such a masculine guy scared me witless.

Bottom line?

I was terrified.

Afraid to trust him. Afraid to trust myself. Afraid to let loose. Afraid of getting hurt.

Ah. There was the rub.

I’d had boyfriends before. After a fashion. I’d been kissed. I’d had sex.

But I’d never had real intimacy. I’d never snuggled next to a man confident that he was mine, that I didn’t have to worry. I’d never spilled my darkest secrets to a man, confiding to him things people didn’t even tell shrinks. I’d never whispered those three powerful words—I love you—to a man.

Part of it was because of my family. How could I get intimate with a man when my family always came first? But I’d started thinking that maybe part of the fault lay with me. Had I been using my family as an excuse, a buffer against my fears of intimacy? Maybe I needed them as much as they needed me.

The thought was revolutionary.

Most importantly, what was I so afraid would happen if I fell in love and why?

“Ally? You up?” Conahegg stuck his head in my tent, a good-morning grin on his face”.

My heart caught.

“Who could sleep with that noise?”

“Those boys are wound up tighter than fresh boot camp recruits on their first leave.”

I groaned again. “It’s too early in the morning for Marine analogies.”

The smile deepened to include his eyes. “Rise and shine.”

I lifted a hand to my tousled hair. I must look like hell. “Aye, Aye, sir.” I gave him a mock salute and crawled from my sleeping bag.

I hated not having a shower but I did sponge bathe with bottled water, a washcloth and one of those complimentary bars of soap you pick up in hotels. Neither the boys nor Conahegg bothered with even a spit bath. They were wild river men, they didn’t need no stinkin’ soap and proceeded to tell me so repeatedly. They didn’t have to say anything. I could smell them.

The boys stripped off their shirts and went around like extras on the set of Lord of the Flies. Luckily, Conahegg kept his shirt on. Undoubtedly, he didn’t want me choking on a breakfast sausage.

“Okay, troops,” Conahegg said when the sun had risen to a respectable zenith and the young heathens had gulped down the eggs and bacon he’d cooked. “Time to pack up the canoes. It’s off to the caves.”

A cheer went up and they set to work, busy as ants, folding tents, stuffing backpacks, carting ice chests. Try getting ten boys that excited about arithmetic or cleaning their rooms.

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