Kentucky Crime Ring by Julie Anne Lindsey

Author:Julie Anne Lindsey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-07-14T16:42:33+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Allison woke to Bonnie’s happy coos. She yawned and stretched beneath the impossibly soft sheets, smiling at her infant, who was contentedly wiggling in the crib beside Allison’s bed.

Derek had changed the sheets for her, but he’d forgotten the pillowcase, and it smelled exactly like his warm hugs. The fresh, earthy scent of the outdoors, interlaced with a cologne-and-body-wash combination she was beginning to associate with him alone.

She shed the toasty, comfy blankets and swung her feet onto the floor, eager to get her arms around her precious baby. “Good morning, sweet girl,” she whispered, pulling Bonnie from the crib. “You had a big night’s sleep for such a little lady.” According to the clock on the nightstand, Bonnie had slept eight consecutive hours. A personal record. Allison, on the other hand, had struggled to put more than a few minutes of rest together at a time. Her mind had been busy reviewing her fears and worries. Replaying the awful things she’d seen and experienced these past few days, along with a slew of horrific possibilities her imagination had conjured for the days ahead.

The raging storm outside hadn’t helped. Whistling winds. Booming thunder. And the slosh of rain against the windows had only served to punctuate her unease until late in the night.

Now, with sunlight streaming through the glass, and her baby snuggled in her arms, Allison was hit with a fresh rush of adrenaline and purpose. She rushed through the morning routine, preparing herself and Bonnie to greet their host and ask for a favor.

Allison dressed in faded jeans and a long-sleeved blue T-shirt, then tugged fuzzy white socks over her feet. Bonnie wore a similar outfit, though her top was polka-dotted with cartoon ladybugs and her pants pockets were outlined in lace. A few strokes of Allison’s hairbrush, toothbrush and mascara wand later, and the Hill ladies were ready to go. She’d done her best to cover the darkening bruise on her forehead with a little concealer, but makeup application had never been her strongest skill. In the end, her thin fringe of bangs was the better camouflage.

She opened the bedroom door and nearly groaned in anticipation. Based on both the sweet scent of syrup and rich aroma of pancakes hanging in the air, Derek was already up and making breakfast.

Soft country music drifted from the kitchen as she and Bonnie drew near. Derek sang along with the familiar lyrics as he transferred pancakes from a griddle to a nearby platter. “Hey,” he said, smiling at the sight of them. “I hope you like pancakes.”

“I love pancakes.” She stopped at the counter to assemble Bonnie’s bottle, trying not to stare at her handsome protector.

He was so at home in his kitchen, barefoot and whipping up a meal to share with her. He was at ease with the animals and with his family. Doing his job or just hanging out. Derek was comfortable in his skin. Confident and self-assured in ways she aspired to be. And her admiration of him grew a little more with each passing experience at his side.

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.