waiting.
She blew out a breath and turned away, walking to the end of the hall, then rotating to look at him. “I don’t need your help. I’ve done fine without anyone since our parents died and I won’t start taking charity now—from anyone. The doctor refuses to take anything from me, and Amos won’t discuss it at all.” She paced to within a foot of him. “That leaves you, and I will pay you back every cent.”
Luke held his silence a few more moments until he felt certain she’d finished, then dropped his arms to his sides. “I don’t expect you to pay me back.”
“If you don’t want money, what do you want?”
He tilted his head at her, not comprehending what she asked. “I want nothing from you.”
“I don’t believe you. My experience with men may be lacking, but I do know they don’t do something for you unless they want something in return. Well, all you’ll get is money—nothing else.”
His anger surfaced as her meaning became clear. He couldn’t believe she’d think that of him and the more he focused on it, the hotter his temper flared. His expression turned to stone as his gaze bored into hers.
“You think I want to bed you in exchange for the money?” His deep, calm voice held an edge she’d never heard before, causing Ginny to take a step backward. He moved forward until her back hit the wall and he stood inches away, towering over her. “Is that what you think?” he asked again. He trapped her against the wall with a hand on either side of her head. She had nowhere to go.
Ginny swallowed the lump in her throat and shifted her eyes away.
He’d have none of it and captured her chin between his thumb and forefinger, turning her to face him. “Well?”
Tremors swept over her at his closeness and her heart beat so hard, she thought it might burst from her chest. She could feel heat washing over her cheeks. They stood in a small, confined area. Ginny felt certain the temperature had risen well above normal as dampness formed on her skin. She tried to squirm from his grip without success. She lifted her chin in defiance and locked eyes with him.
“Yes.”
Luke cursed under his breath and released his grip, pacing a few feet away as he speared a hand through his hair. He shook his head, then spun toward her, his face impassive.
“First, I would never expect what you’re thinking from any woman. If a woman is in my bed, it’s because she wants to be, not because I forced her. Second, if a woman was what I wanted, I’d find one. You’re not much older than a child.”
The moment the words passed his lips, he could see the hurt they caused and he regretted being so blunt. However, he knew no other way to get Ginny to understand he wanted nothing from her. He may be attracted to her, want to bed her, but it would never go that far.
She pushed away from the wall, trying to regain what dignity she could, and clasped her trembling hands in front of her. She’d never fooled herself into believing she was attractive like other women. Her figure seemed more like a boy’s than a girl’s, and she dressed in whatever she had, never caring much about fancy hairstyles or rouge. Even so, the truth of his words stung. Of course he’d want someone beautiful and charming, someone who would turn men’s heads. That wasn’t her.
Ginny cleared her throat, her face emotionless as she met his stare. “All right. Then I will find some way to pay you back.” She walked past him, not letting Luke object.
He watched her disappear into the kitchen, realizing that instead of the anger he experienced moments before, he felt hollow, as if she’d taken a part of him with her.
Chapter Five
A week passed, then another, bringing cooler days. There’d been no snow, although it had threatened a few times.
Luke, Bull, and the others worked from dawn to dusk. By the end of the second week, they’d completed as much of the first and second stories as possible without the last of the supplies.
She blew out a breath and turned away, walking to the end of the hall, then rotating to look at him. “I don’t need your help. I’ve done fine without anyone since our parents died and I won’t start taking charity now—from anyone. The doctor refuses to take anything from me, and Amos won’t discuss it at all.” She paced to within a foot of him. “That leaves you, and I will pay you back every cent.”
Luke held his silence a few more moments until he felt certain she’d finished, then dropped his arms to his sides. “I don’t expect you to pay me back.”
“If you don’t want money, what do you want?”
He tilted his head at her, not comprehending what she asked. “I want nothing from you.”
“I don’t believe you. My experience with men may be lacking, but I do know they don’t do something for you unless they want something in return. Well, all you’ll get is money—nothing else.”
His anger surfaced as her meaning became clear. He couldn’t believe she’d think that of him and the more he focused on it, the hotter his temper flared. His expression turned to stone as his gaze bored into hers.
“You think I want to bed you in exchange for the money?” His deep, calm voice held an edge she’d never heard before, causing Ginny to take a step backward. He moved forward until her back hit the wall and he stood inches away, towering over her. “Is that what you think?” he asked again. He trapped her against the wall with a hand on either side of her head. She had nowhere to go.
Ginny swallowed the lump in her throat and shifted her eyes away.
He’d have none of it and captured her chin between his thumb and forefinger, turning her to face him. “Well?”
Tremors swept over her at his closeness and her heart beat so hard, she thought it might burst from her chest. She could feel heat washing over her cheeks. They stood in a small, confined area. Ginny felt certain the temperature had risen well above normal as dampness formed on her skin. She tried to squirm from his grip without success. She lifted her chin in defiance and locked eyes with him.
“Yes.”
Luke cursed under his breath and released his grip, pacing a few feet away as he speared a hand through his hair. He shook his head, then spun toward her, his face impassive.
“First, I would never expect what you’re thinking from any woman. If a woman is in my bed, it’s because she wants to be, not because I forced her. Second, if a woman was what I wanted, I’d find one. You’re not much older than a child.”
The moment the words passed his lips, he could see the hurt they caused and he regretted being so blunt. However, he knew no other way to get Ginny to understand he wanted nothing from her. He may be attracted to her, want to bed her, but it would never go that far.
She pushed away from the wall, trying to regain what dignity she could, and clasped her trembling hands in front of her. She’d never fooled herself into believing she was attractive like other women. Her figure seemed more like a boy’s than a girl’s, and she dressed in whatever she had, never caring much about fancy hairstyles or rouge. Even so, the truth of his words stung. Of course he’d want someone beautiful and charming, someone who would turn men’s heads. That wasn’t her.
Ginny cleared her throat, her face emotionless as she met his stare. “All right. Then I will find some way to pay you back.” She walked past him, not letting Luke object.
He watched her disappear into the kitchen, realizing that instead of the anger he experienced moments before, he felt hollow, as if she’d taken a part of him with her.
Chapter Five
A week passed, then another, bringing cooler days. There’d been no snow, although it had threatened a few times.
Luke, Bull, and the others worked from dawn to dusk. By the end of the second week, they’d completed as much of the first and second stories as possible without the last of the supplies.
Similar Books
