Tenderness by Dorothy Garlock

Author:Dorothy Garlock [Garlock, Dorothy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9780446606851
Publisher: Warner
Published: 1993-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

* 13 *

While Molly was being hitched to the buggy and the picnic basket loaded, Jesse had a few minutes alone with Wade on the back porch.

“I’ll be down one evening soon. Will your father object if I call on you?”

“Papa considers me a grown woman, perfectly capable of making my own decisions.”

“—And, I know, I’ll have to stand in line behind those two other fellows.” He laughed a deep chuckling laugh as his hand reached out to squeeze her shoulder.

Jesse smiled up at him and said softly, “If you come, I’ll see that you go to the head of the line.”

Wade’s heart beat with pure joy. He caressed her with his eyes. His throat was so tight that he couldn’t speak for a long moment. When he did, it was to say something he was determined to tell her before she left.

“About this fellow they call The Looker. I talked to Dusty Wright the other day. He hasn’t a clue as to who he is. Promise me you won’t go out after dark alone and that you women will stay together at night.”

“He’s not likely to come to our house even if Papa is gone. Susan and I sleep in one room. Pauline and Mrs. Lindstrom are across the hall.”

“He might not know that until he’s in the house.”

“It’s strange. Papa and I have talked about it. This man knows when the women are alone. Papa used to think it was someone from out of town. Now he thinks that he’s someone we know, someone who lives in Harpersville and has a reputation beyond reproach.”

“That lets me out. Dusty tells me that I’m the prime suspect.”

“But… that’s silly!”

“The Harpers will hang it on me until the man is caught. Does that bother you?”

“Yes, it bothers me because it’s so unfair.”

“Have you thought about your own reputation? It will suffer if you’re seen with me.”

“No, I’ve not thought about it and I don’t intend to. I have a right to choose my friends. If people don’t like it, the… devil can take the lot of them.” Jesse’s tone more than her words showed her frustration.

“I want to be more than a friend, Jesse.”

What she read in his eyes brought a flush to her cheeks.

“I know.” Her soft whisper came to him. Her eyes were misty. Here in the hills it seemed so natural to be with him, but down below people in the town would be horrified that Jesse Forbes would even consider being friends with the notorous Wade Simmer.

His body throbbed with the need to hold her, and it took a supreme act of will to let his hand slide down her arm to take hers. Only God knew how much he wanted her, how he dreaded the lonely days until he could see her again.

“You’ve got to go, honey. I want you home before dark.”

Honey. Jesse’s insides warmed with pleasure as she looked into his quiet dark face. She wanted once again the warmth of his arms, the scrape of his afternoon whiskers on her cheek.

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