Free Lorraine Heath by Texas Destiny Page A

pray that I would grow up fast so that the nightmares would go away.” She gently placed her hand on his arm, hoping to gain his attention. Ignoring her, he focused his gaze on the fire and clenched his jaw tightly. “When I grew up, I learned that nightmares don’t go away. They just become more terrifying because we understand so much more.”
    She worked the tin cup from his grip, held his hands, and willed him to look at her. He continued to stare into the fire. “Do you want to talk about your dream?”
    “Nope.”
    “You don’t have to be embarrassed because you were frightened by a dream.”
    He broke free of her hold and surged to his feet. “Frightened by a dream? Woman, I’m afraid of life!”
    “Do you think you’re alone—”
    “Yes! Goddamn it! I’m alone!”
    Houston regretted his outburst as soon as he saw the stricken expression fall across Amelia’s lovely face. She looked as though he’d taken his fist to her. He’d had moments in his life when he’d felt small, but he’d never felt this small or this ashamed. Lord knew, he’d done plenty that he could be ashamed of.
    He took a step toward her, his hands moving like a windmill in a slow breeze. He didn’t know what to do with them. He didn’t want to frighten her, but he was afraid she might grab his hands if he held them still, and he’d end up wrapping his arms around her just so he’d have a tether to hang onto so he’d feel safe. Only a woman shouldn’t make a man feel safe. A man was supposed to protect a woman. “Amelia—”
    She tilted her head slightly, the wounded expression retreating until she smiled so sweetly that he thought his heart might shatter. Every word he’d ever known rushed out of his head.
    “I remember the first time I slept alone,” she said softly, her voice drifting on the calm breeze as she shifted her gaze to the fire. “The bed was so large. The night so dark. I thought surely both would devour me. And the sounds. I heard a door creak and a board moan. I felt so incredibly alone.” She wrapped her arms around herself and began to rock back and forth. “My father died during the war. And my sisters. Allison and Amanda.”
    The serenity of her gaze fascinated him. His hands had settled into a stillness as her voice floated toward him. She had a hell of a way of distracting a man. Her remembrances had lulled his memories back into oblivion, his shakes and sweats going along with them. She glanced up at him.
    “My mother liked names that began with A. My father’s name was Andrew, and I often wondered if that was why she married him.”
    “That’s not a very practical reason for marrying someone,” he said.
    “Is my reason for marrying your brother practical?”
    He stepped closer to the fire, wishing he could attain her composure. She always seemed at peace, relishing each moment as it came. Resting on the balls of his feet, he cautiously bent his knees until his gaze was only slightly higher than hers. “I don’t know your reason.”
    “Because I hate being alone.” She closed her eyes. “And because I want to share someone’s dream.”
    “Don’t you have your own dream?”
    She opened her eyes and smiled mischievously. “A question?”
    Lord, he loved the glimmer in her eyes as though she’d trapped him, and he wasn’t altogether certain that she hadn’t. He lowered his gaze to the fire and watched the orange and red flames writhing in a contorted waltz.
“1
had no right to ask.” But damn, he wanted to know everything about her, about her dreams, her reasons for traveling such a great distance to marry his brother.
    “I dream of not being hungry. I dream of being warm.”
    He shifted his gaze to her. The smile had left her face.
    “I dream of regaining something of what I lost during the war: a family, a promise that tomorrow will come, and that it will be worth living, savoring, and remembering.”
    “And you think Dallas will give you all of that?”
    Her lips tilted up.