The Cowboy’s Angel: Steamy Mail Order Bride Western Romance (Courage County Brides) by Mia Brody

Author:Mia Brody [Brody, Mia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-04-18T18:30:00+00:00

7

MALLORY

He’s retreated from me again. I thought maybe we were going to have a moment here together on the couch. But as soon as he returned with the popcorn, he was a different person. So guarded and distant.

I noticed that he brought two bowls back with him. He wouldn’t even share one with me. Not for the first time today, I send up a prayer that my grandfather was right. It’s starting to strike me as silly that I married him based only on the tattoo. Who finds their soulmate that way?

Lily makes a small sigh against my chest, and I rub her back. If only her father’s affection was as easy to win.

Finally about an hour into the movie, River asks, “Is this one your favorite?”

It’s the first time he’s talked to me since it started. I don’t understand silent viewers. I want to discuss what I’m watching with the person I’m enjoying the film with. To me, it’s part of the fun. “Yeah, I used to watch it all the time with Grandpa.”

He drums his fingers on his thigh. He did that in the truck when he was talking about Celine. Do I make him nervous? That can’t be it. “Are you still close with him?”

“He got his angel wings three years ago,” I explain. I’ve always liked the idea of my grandpa graduating to angel status and watching over me. At least, now he’s not in pain from the cancer anymore. “Maybe he’s up in Heaven talking with your grandfather.”

River chuckles. “I don’t know. Grandpa wasn’t exactly a talkative fellow.”

“Kind of like you,” I answer, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

“What about your parents?” He asks. “Are you close to them?”

“They died in a boating accident when I was six. After that I had to go live with my brother who was fifteen years older than me.” I can’t keep the sadness from my tone. Losing my parents was traumatic enough. But living with my brother was even harder.

“He didn’t take good care of you, angel?” He practically growls the words. I’m learning that protectiveness is part of River’s nature. It doesn’t mean that I’m anything special to him.

“He wasn’t very nice to me, sometimes. He’d push me down the stairs and wouldn’t feed me. I was a terrible burden to him.” My eyes burn and I have to blink. More than anything, I don’t want that to happen again. I don’t want River to look at me that way.

He takes my hand and rubs his thumb along the back of it. “You didn’t deserve that.”

“I just want to be somewhere that I’m wanted,” I admit, my voice a broken whisper.

He puts an arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer, careful not to jostle Lily in the process. “You’re wanted here,” he whispers. There’s a funny note to his voice. Not like he’s lying. More like he’s upset too.

Despite the fact that I probably shouldn’t, I snuggle deeper into his chest. I inhale his masculine scent and hope that his words are true.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.