Free His Yankee Bride by Rose Gordon Page A

gulp.
    Carolina frowned and set the tray with the remaining glass on the ground. “Are you sure? Your skin is going to blister and burn if you continue to stand in the sun.”
    John's blue eyes went wide as if he'd just remembered he wasn't wearing a shirt. Lacking all sense of grace whatsoever, he quickly lifted the jar of water to his lips and gulped it down as fast as he could, heedless of the two rivulets of water that were streaming out either side of his mouth. If her mother were here, she'd gloat about being right about him being no gentlemen. He finished his glass and wiped the back of his forearm across his wet lips then handed her his empty glass. “I need to—”
    “Be getting back to work,” she finished for him. “It seems that's what you always say to me.”
    “That's because you always seem to find me when I'm working.”
    She cocked her head to the side. “Does that mean, if I sought you out when you weren't working, you'd talk to me?”
    “No.”
    If she didn't want to marry him so badly, she'd shake him silly for his belligerent tone and foolish stubbornness. Employing every ounce of self-control she possessed so not to break her agreement with Bethel, she simply nodded. “All right, then. Get back to work. But here, take this with you.” She reached down and grabbed the other glass jar of water and shoved it in his direction.
    “Take it with me?”
    “Yes, so you can drink it later.”
    He rolled his eyes. “And just where do you think I'll keep it until it's time to drink it, Carolina, in my pocket?”
    “No, just take it up there with you and set it down close to where you're working.”
    He pushed her hand away from him. “Did you not see me slide down the roof? If I put that jar of water down on the roof, it'll slip right off.”
    She shrugged. “Then stand here and drink it. I don't mind.”
    “I'm sure you wouldn't,” he muttered under his breath. “Carolina, truly, I thank you for bringing me the water. It was a very nice thing for you to do, but I cannot continue to stand here and drink water when I should be working. It's not fair to your father. He's paying me to do a job, and I'm not doing it.”
    “Oh, don't worry about that,” she said with a dismissive flick of her hand. “Once we mar—” She bit her lip to stop herself. She cleared her throat. “You could pour it into your canteen.”
    “I already have water in my canteen,” he said with a hint of annoyance.
    His annoyance with her only served to make her more annoyed with him. “Then give it to one of the other men. I'm sure that unlike you they'd be more than appreciative to have some fresh water.”
    He ground his teeth. “Do you see anyone else up there working with me?”
    Carolina glanced to the carriage house and blinked. She hadn't even noticed he was the only one who'd been working up there. Of course, when she'd walked up, she'd only been looking for him, so hadn't noticed he'd been alone. She shrugged. “All right, how about if I just leave it for you under the tree over there?”
    “Fine,” he all but growled.
    Irritation bubbled in her blood. “There is no reason for you to be treating me this way. Everyone else out here has to drink hot water from a dirty, old canteen or go to the well. One would think you'd be a little more grateful. Not only did I bring you a cool drink now, but I'm offering to leave you another glass. Yet, you act annoyed that I called you down to take a break for a little refreshment.”
    “I was busy,” he said through gritted teeth. “Unlike you, I work for my keep, and I don't have time to take frequent refreshment breaks.”
    Carolina sucked in a sharp breath at his cold words, and before she could think better of it, she splashed the contents of the jar in John's handsome face. “There. I do believe the dilemma of what to do with this second jar of water has been solved.”

 
     
    ~Chapter Ten~
     
     
    Carolina dropped her head into her hands. “I cannot bring