AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Gray patted his belly absently. “You know, some women find me quite charmin’.”
“Hmm. I’ll have to take your word on that.”
He chuckled, a gravelly sound that caused her breath to catch in her throat, and she got an inkling why others might find him charming. Not that she wanted to admit it to him. Still, she didn’t look away as the seconds stretched, and her cheeks started to warm.
“You know, you could take more than my word for it,” he murmured as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.
“What are you doing?” She planted her hands on his chest, finding it suddenly difficult to draw in a full breath.
“People are watchin’. I’m bein’ a fiancé.”
“Gray…”
“Yes?” He bent his head just close enough to brush the tip of his nose along her jawline.
“I…” She swallowed hard and tried to remember all the reasons she wanted this man out of her life as fast as possible.
She glanced up and caught a glimpse of Martha hurrying toward the door, her face alight with excitement.
Mercy pushed away from Gray and tried her damnedest to regain some composure. “Martha’s coming.”
He blew out an exasperated sigh and released her. “Quit devilin’ me, woman. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Martha came bustling out a moment later, her hands full of a delicious-looking pie. Gray’s eyes widened with interest, and Mercy looked to the heavens. That man and food.
“Welcome to Desolation,” Martha said, thrusting the pie into his hands.
Mercy had to keep her lips pinched together to keep from laughing at the expression on his face. That insatiable stomach of his was obviously pleased with the pie, but he didn’t seem to know what to do with Martha’s exuberant welcome.
“Thanks,” he grunted. “Much obliged.”
“Martha, this looks wonderful,” Mercy said, gesturing to the pie. “Thank you so much. Apple?”
Gray gave a quiet groan that made Mercy want to kick him in the shins.
Martha shook her head. “Cherry.”
“Cherry?” Gray said, perking up.
He held the pie to his nose for a good sniff. The low moan of pleasure that escaped his throat had Mercy and Martha both staring at him with open mouths. How could such an alluring sound come out of a man who was so…not?
Even worse, with every moan, half grin, and invasion of her personal space that he committed, she saw less and less of the more unappealing aspects of her counterfeit fiancé—and there were a great many of those, to be sure—and she began to see the man beneath it all. The man he must have been before his hard-living life beat him down. The man he might still be for all she knew, if she could get to know the realhim.
That man…well, he was one who tempted her. Who put dangerous thoughts in her head and had her body tingling from one end to the other as he admired a pie.
And that just wouldn’t do.
Mercy took the dessert from him before he could moan again. Or start eating it with his bare hands. Nothing would surprise her at this point. She placed it on the seat of the wagon and turned to make introductions.
“Gray, this is my good friend, Martha Clifford. Martha, Gray Woodson.”
“I’m so pleased to make your acquaintance,” Martha said.
Gray grunted something unintelligible at her, but it was enough for Martha to beam.
“I’m just so thrilled for you and Mercy. She’s just the best girl out there. You couldn’t find yourself a better wife if you tried a hundred years.”
“Perish the thought,” Gray said, in what Mercy was fairly sure was a truly horrified tone of voice.
