Free Dalakis Passion 3 - Stefan's Salvation by N.J. Walters

communities to meet and share news
or just hang around and gossip. You could buy everything at the market from fresh
vegetables, eggs, butter and herbs, to homemade soap and an assortment of craft items.
They did a good trade during the tourist seasons when people traveling through North
Carolina would stop and purchase some of the local handicrafts.
Laurel Rose set up in her usual spot at the far end of the field, slightly away from
the other vendors. She knew she made people uncomfortable, so she kept to herself for
their sakes, mostly. Climbing out of her truck, she took a deep breath of the fresh
autumn air. Its crisp, invigorating scent filled her lungs, giving her a much-needed
boost of energy. She was tired--little wonder considering the activities of the previous
night.
Her body still tingled even hours later and she could almost feel Stefan's fingers
gliding over her torso and caressing her breasts. Her womb clenched tight, reminding
her that she'd been left wanting more. Taking another deep breath, she rolled her
shoulders and shook off the sensual thoughts. She had work to do.
Hurrying around to the back of her truck, she lowered the tailgate and hauled out
her folding table and chair. Her quick, practiced motions had both set up within
seconds. Reaching into the bed of the truck, she yanked several boxes down to the end.
Within minutes, she had a pretty green cloth on the table and had set out an array
of her homemade soaps and a variety of herbs from her garden. She loved the smells
that wafted up from the hand-cut bars of soap. It reminded her of her garden where she
harvested all the herbs that scented her soaps. Their colors were like a rainbow spread
across her table and pride filled her every time she set them out for sale. Stacking the
soap one bar on top of the other, she made colorful pyramids and placed name cards
with prices in front of each stack.
Satisfied that she was ready for business, she hoisted herself into the back of the
truck and moved several trays of seedlings to within easy reach. She'd found that many
people liked to purchase the small herb plants when they bought the herbs and Laurel
Rose had started offering them for sale last year. So far, she'd done well with them.
Holding on to the side of the truck, she lowered herself to a seated position and
scooted off the back. The trays, filled with their green plants, made a nice backdrop
when she sat at her table. She'd sold the last of her vegetables the week before and from
here on in would mostly sell her soap and some small rugs she'd hooked over the
winter and summer months. People were already thinking ahead to Christmas and she
found that many tourists were eager to purchase handmade products as gifts. Fall was
her best time of year for selling.
Positioning her folding chair to her liking, she settled into it and waited for her first
customer. The lot was beginning to fill up even though the market didn't officially open
for another ten minutes. Most folks came early for the best selection. As Laurel Rose
was mulling over the possibility of making some biscuits and bottling jam to sell at next
week's market, a shadow fell across her table.
She barely stifled her groan of dismay when she looked up and saw him. This was
no customer. Jeremiah Stoner was pastor of one of the local churches. A real fire and
brimstone kind of preacher, he continually sermonized about the wages of sin and the
glory of salvation from the pulpit of his church. There were rumors that some members
of the congregation, including the pastor, still practiced the controversial and illegal
practice of serpent handling.
Laurel Rose didn't know if the rumors were true or false and she really didn't care.
What she did know was that she did not like Jeremiah Stoner, not one little bit. The man
always seemed to be preaching at people and never talking to them. And the fanatical
gleam in his pale blue eyes could be downright scary at times. Still, she was a