Free The Heavenly Surrender by Marcia Lynn McClure Page B

pronounced. “Ya should put yarself to bed, ya should.”
    Genieva brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and sighed. “I am tired. I work hard here, you know,” she reminded him rather curtly.
    “That ya do, lass.” Then much to her disquiet, he reached out and rested his powerful hands at her waist. “Now, which bed are ya plannin’ to put yarself in then?”
    “ Mine, of course. What do you mean?” she asked. Her eyes widened—her mouth gaping open as his insinuation struck her fully. As she felt him slowly begin to pull her body closer to his, she placed a tentative index finger against his chest in a gesture of stalling him.
    “ What a horrid thing to imply, Brevan. Especially when…when…”
    “When?” he prodded.
    “I’m going to bed now, Brevan. I’m tired,” she finished. She felt entirely unstable.
    Brevan released her waist. Yet one of his powerful hands cupped her chin firmly—drawing her face closer to his own. She could feel his breath on her lips as he spoke next.
    “Ya see, Genieva,” he began. “’Tis harder for me than ya think.”
    “What?” she breathed, completely in awe of the effect his nearness had on her senses.
    “Earnin’ that heifer,” he answered.
    “What?” Genieva asked—breathless from his touch.
    He released her and said, “Off with ya now, lass. Ya look done in.”
     
    Brevan watched Genieva slowly turn and disappear into her room, closing the door behind her. Running his fingers through his hair, he shook his head. Travis’s heifer had absolutely nothing to do with Brevan’s keeping his hands off Genieva thus far—it was pure common sense. He’d seen Brian and Travis both fall into that bottomless female trap. Blarney! There were even entire days that chores didn’t get done on their lands because the two lovesick lads couldn’t pull themselves away from those women long enough to concentrate on important things.
    Brevan was smart enough to admit this adorable, sassy lass named Genieva had gotten to him. She’d distracted him enough that his corn was already late getting in. If he faltered—if he let a mere ounce of further distraction muddle his thoughts—the whole farm would eventually be lost.
    Reassured, and with strength anew, Brevan retired to his bed. He’d get his corn in and have a new heifer too, he would.
    
    Genieva didn’t sleep well during the night. When she woke the next morning, her mind was still whirling—her nerves were agitated at the remembrance of being held by Brevan the night before. She could still sense his breath so close to her lips—so close that the taste of it was almost discernable. She busily worked all morning at her chores. Yet having finished the morning chores earlier than usual, she found she had merely created excess time to try to scatter the memory of Brevan’s teasing from her thoughts. This was how she found herself mixing a cake when Brevan entered just before midday.
    “Ya’ve certainly had the bee under yar saddle today, ya have,” Brevan greeted Genieva as he entered the house. He paused at the pump to wash his hands.
    “You mean a bee in my bonnet,” Genieva corrected shortly.
    “Same thing the way I see it. Whichever it is, ya’ve certainly worked fast this mornin’.”
    “Just wanted to get to some other things today. That’s all,” Genieva lied. She paused in beating the cake batter, setting the bowl on the counter as she turned to wipe the excess flour from the table.
    “Get your fingers out of that cake batter!” she screeched when she turned back to her bowl in time to see Brevan plunge his index finger into the batter therein. Brevan turned to face her as he licked the batter from his finger. Raising his eyebrows with rebellion, he then dipped two fingers into the chocolate batter. He licked his fingers dramatically and with an air of superiority, causing Genieva’s eyes to turn the color of the sweetness he was tasting. “I said, get your fingers out of that