AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A black flash caught her attention. A scraggly dog flew by, a chunk of meat clenched tightly in his jaw. His coat matted and filthy with red dirt, he dodged shoppers in his way.
“Come back here, you mutt.” Mr. Eichelberger charged past from his store’s entrance, a white apron smeared with blood wrapped around his middle, his fist raised.
Ellie watched as the animal ran in confused circles, the butcher on his heels. Ellie raced forward, got down on one knee, and called to the animal. He turned back to her, his eyes darting from side to side. After hesitating for a second, he headed for the street. A horse stepped back as he ran under him, barely missing the dog’s head. Buggy drivers and automobiles wove in and out as the dog continued to run in circles, clearly terrified. Ellie ran faster. The poor little thing would be killed under a horse’s hoof or a motorcar wheel. A man came out of the barbershop. She shouted at him. “Catch the dog.”
Startled, he turned, his jaw hanging down, but didn’t move, so Ellie sprinted past him. She reached for the dog, which skittered away and sped around a building, then off into the fields. Unable to stop her momentum, she slipped in a mud puddle and landed face first into the water trough in front of the saloon.
Ice-cold smelly water surrounded her. Her mouth opened in surprise, and she swallowed a large gulp of water. She came up sputtering when two strong hands pulled her up by her shoulders. Her feet still in the water, she closed her eyes, bent over, and coughed, trying to drag air into her lungs. A strong hand slapped her on the back as she wheezed. Finally her lungs were able to fill with air.
Ellie glanced down at herself. “Damn, I’m soaked.” She laughed and shook her hands. Her hat had fallen off, and sopping curls tumbled into her eyes and around her shoulders. She turned to thank her rescuer and peeked between strands of wet hair directly into the surprised, dark blue eyes of Max Colbert. Oh dear.
“Miss Henderson!” Max choked out. The woman stood before him, dripping wet, in trousers—trousers! Her unbuttoned coat displayed the man’s shirt she wore, plastered to her chest, the peaks of her cold, wet nipples prominent against the wet fabric. Soaked pants outlined her legs, as if she were naked.
She continued to laugh and pushed the hair out of her eyes. The movement of her arms caused her breasts to shift, the rosy nipples pointing directly at him. Max yanked her jacket closed and buttoned it up.
His jaw tightened as he took her hand and helped her out of the trough. She covered her mouth with her other hand, trying to stifle her laughter.
“Miss Henderson, I don’t see any humor in this whatsoever. You are an upstanding citizen of this town, a member of a prominent family, and a teacher. A teacher!” He took her by the elbow and moved her forward. “I can’t believe you would appear in public dressed in trousers.”
Ellie pulled away from him. “I have to go back to the meat store and get my bag.”
Max took her elbow again and walked her in the direction of the bag, resting against the large glass store window where she’d left it. Her shoes squished with every step she took, and she continued to shake herself like a dog. A trail of water followed them. She retrieved her package and turned, her lips blue, her body shaking with the cold. “Thank you v-v-very much, Mr. C-C-Colbert. I guess I will s-s-see you Monday.”
He continued to stare at her wide-eyed. “Miss Henderson, I have no intention of allowing you to continue wandering around town dressed in soaking wet trousers. You’ll catch your death of cold and miss school. I will escort you home.” He stopped and stared at her. “Where is it you live?”
She pulled her hair to the side and squeezed. Max jumped back when the water hit his highly polished boots. “The b-b-boardinghouse on Elm and S-s-seventh.”
“Very well. My house is closer. I’ll drive you home in my automobile.” He grabbed her elbow again, and Ellie stumbled along, taking two steps to his every one.
“M-m-r. Colb-b-bert, you’re dr-r-ragging me.” She yanked her arm.
He slowed his steps and glanced sideways at her while they walked. “A boardinghouse? I thought your family lived right outside of town?”
She nodded her head furiously. “Y-y-es they do, b-b-but I prefer to live on my own-n-n.”
He took her elbow again and hurried her along. At this rate, she’d be frozen before they got to his house. “And your family allows this?”
Ellie pulled her arm from his grasp again. “They d-d-don’t have to allow anything, Mr. C-c-colbert. I am a woman g-gr-grown, with my own j-j-job. There’s no need for m-m-me to live with my f-f-family.”
His gaze raked her up and down. “Indeed. It appears to me you need supervision.” They continued to walk. “Why is it you’re not married, anyway?” He bristled.
Her back stiffened. “I don’t n-n-need a husband, nor do I w-w-want one.”
They crossed the street and continued down Evergreen, Ellie still running to keep up with his long strides. “Nonsense. Every woman wants a husband.”
She sniffed her answer.
“Here we are.” He stopped in front of his house. “If you wait here, I’ll bring my automobile around.” He ran up the steps and entered the boardinghouse. Mrs. Davis turned from where she’d watched them out the window and looked at him expectantly. “Who’s your lady friend?”
“She’s not my lady friend. God help me if she were.” He ripped out the words impatiently.
“The poor woman is all wet. You shouldn’t leave her outside, Mr. Colbert, she’s shivering, poor dear. Bring her inside and I’ll give her some tea.”
“Thank you very much, Mrs. Davis, but I’ll be driving her home as soon as I get my driving gloves. She can warm herself and drink tea in her own house.” He stalked past her, got his leather driving gloves from his room, and went out the back door where his Oldsmobile stood.
Ellie’s body shook uncontrollably with shivers when he pulled the automobile in front of the house. Guilt settled in his stomach. Should he have brought her into the house for Mrs. Davis to mother? No, better to get her away from him. The thought of her soft body inside her wet clothes, probably covered with goose bumps that he could run his hands over, warming her, drove him crazy. The outline of her long trim legs was still emblazoned in his memory. The woman had no shame. Parading herself around town dressed in those clothes. Her uncle should be horsewhipped for allowing that.
Before he could help her in, Ellie jumped into the automobile and settled herself. She glanced at him and grinned, her arms wrapped tightly around her. “I hope I don’t get your motorcar all w-w-wet and muddy.”
