those."
As she stood her skirt flared, showing the frayed hem was streaked with black soot. Kid took a second look. Several long brown scorch marks trailed up the front of the material.
"Jessie, did you have trouble starting a fire in the stove today?"
101
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
"Huh? Starting a fire? No, no, I didn't have any problems starting a fire today." She set the dishes down on the counter, shaking her head.
Kid stepped forward to get a closer look. His foot stumbled against the dog again. "Damn it, Sammy, move!" The dog yelped and jumped to scramble out of his way, leaving a large black spot on the floor. Thinking it was mud from the dog, Kid ran the toe of his boot over the area.
"Kid, uh, Mr. Quinter, I'm so terribly sorry. It really was an accident." Jessie's face became distorted. It made her look even more adorable. She lifted her hands, hiding the view from him.
"An accident?" he asked, taking a quick glance around the room.
She lowered her hands, wrung them together, and stared at the spot below his boot.
He slipped his foot aside, taking a closer look at the darkened area. Recognition followed closely by concern made his throat tighten. His gaze went to the scorch marks on her dress.
"Jesus! Did you catch yourself on fire? Are you burnt?" Heart pounding, he leaped forward, landing on his knees. Without thought to impropriety, he lifted her dress to check her legs for burns.
"Should I get the balm?" Flipping the material over his shoulder, his hands moved over the white, smooth skin, searching for red blisters or welts.
102
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
The back door flew open, hitting the wall with a smack.
"Hey boss, we gotta talk about this new fella you brought home."
Kid turned to the sound, one hand fought to push frayed material out of his eyes. Flour dust puffed from the fabric as he batted it aside. When it settled, draping his head and shoulders, he stared up at Joe.
"Oh, uh, sorry!" Joe turned beet red and shot back out the door.
Blood rushed to his cheeks, burning and tingling. Had he just been caught with his head under her skirt? Something under his fingers trembled, making him realize one hand was still wrapped around her leg. All of a sudden his fingers felt like they were on fire.
Blowing out a gust of air, Kid pulled his fingers from her shin and backed out from beneath her skirt. "You, um." He paused, cleared his throat. "You didn't get burnt?" It hadn't helped, he sounded like a croaking frog.
"No, no, I didn't."
Frozen—like a petrified rock—he stayed there, on his hands and knees, staring at the varnished wood floor. After the universe had tick-tocked what felt like an hour, but most likely was less than a minute, he stood and taking the chance his weather-beaten face wouldn't show his embarrassment, looked at her.
"What happened?"
"I accidentally set a towel on top of the stove and when I pushed it off, the air made it catch afire. My dress got scorched while I was stomping it out. I'm so sorry I burned 103
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
your floor. I scrubbed it, but I'm afraid the wood is scorched." Both hands were pressed against her chest and with eyes as sad as a hound dog, she faced him. Her whole body shivered like leaves in the wind.
He stepped forward, cradled the soft skin of her cheeks with his palms. Cheerless blue eyes tugged at his heart.
"Don't worry about the floor, sweetheart. All that matters is you weren't hurt."
"I wasn't." Her head gave a sad little shake. It was so easy to care about her, so easy to want to comfort her. He pulled her forward and slipped his arms around her trembling frame. With a mind of their own, his lips lowered to kiss the top of her head. A puff of flour almost made him sneeze. "You've had quite a day." Her head nodded against his chest.
He tightened his hold, wanting to absorb the quakes. Slowly her shivers
As she stood her skirt flared, showing the frayed hem was streaked with black soot. Kid took a second look. Several long brown scorch marks trailed up the front of the material.
"Jessie, did you have trouble starting a fire in the stove today?"
101
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
"Huh? Starting a fire? No, no, I didn't have any problems starting a fire today." She set the dishes down on the counter, shaking her head.
Kid stepped forward to get a closer look. His foot stumbled against the dog again. "Damn it, Sammy, move!" The dog yelped and jumped to scramble out of his way, leaving a large black spot on the floor. Thinking it was mud from the dog, Kid ran the toe of his boot over the area.
"Kid, uh, Mr. Quinter, I'm so terribly sorry. It really was an accident." Jessie's face became distorted. It made her look even more adorable. She lifted her hands, hiding the view from him.
"An accident?" he asked, taking a quick glance around the room.
She lowered her hands, wrung them together, and stared at the spot below his boot.
He slipped his foot aside, taking a closer look at the darkened area. Recognition followed closely by concern made his throat tighten. His gaze went to the scorch marks on her dress.
"Jesus! Did you catch yourself on fire? Are you burnt?" Heart pounding, he leaped forward, landing on his knees. Without thought to impropriety, he lifted her dress to check her legs for burns.
"Should I get the balm?" Flipping the material over his shoulder, his hands moved over the white, smooth skin, searching for red blisters or welts.
102
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
The back door flew open, hitting the wall with a smack.
"Hey boss, we gotta talk about this new fella you brought home."
Kid turned to the sound, one hand fought to push frayed material out of his eyes. Flour dust puffed from the fabric as he batted it aside. When it settled, draping his head and shoulders, he stared up at Joe.
"Oh, uh, sorry!" Joe turned beet red and shot back out the door.
Blood rushed to his cheeks, burning and tingling. Had he just been caught with his head under her skirt? Something under his fingers trembled, making him realize one hand was still wrapped around her leg. All of a sudden his fingers felt like they were on fire.
Blowing out a gust of air, Kid pulled his fingers from her shin and backed out from beneath her skirt. "You, um." He paused, cleared his throat. "You didn't get burnt?" It hadn't helped, he sounded like a croaking frog.
"No, no, I didn't."
Frozen—like a petrified rock—he stayed there, on his hands and knees, staring at the varnished wood floor. After the universe had tick-tocked what felt like an hour, but most likely was less than a minute, he stood and taking the chance his weather-beaten face wouldn't show his embarrassment, looked at her.
"What happened?"
"I accidentally set a towel on top of the stove and when I pushed it off, the air made it catch afire. My dress got scorched while I was stomping it out. I'm so sorry I burned 103
Shotgun Bride [The Quinter Brides Book One]
by Lauri Robinson
your floor. I scrubbed it, but I'm afraid the wood is scorched." Both hands were pressed against her chest and with eyes as sad as a hound dog, she faced him. Her whole body shivered like leaves in the wind.
He stepped forward, cradled the soft skin of her cheeks with his palms. Cheerless blue eyes tugged at his heart.
"Don't worry about the floor, sweetheart. All that matters is you weren't hurt."
"I wasn't." Her head gave a sad little shake. It was so easy to care about her, so easy to want to comfort her. He pulled her forward and slipped his arms around her trembling frame. With a mind of their own, his lips lowered to kiss the top of her head. A puff of flour almost made him sneeze. "You've had quite a day." Her head nodded against his chest.
He tightened his hold, wanting to absorb the quakes. Slowly her shivers
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