Free The Christmas Mail Order Bride (Holiday Mail Order Brides, Book One) by Kit Morgan Page A

washed over him.  How did this happen?  How could a beautiful woman such as this go unnoticed as a child? So much so that she went her entire life without being adopted by a set of loving parents?  It was one of life’s many cruelties and he hated it.  As a lawman he’d seen his fair share of cruelty to people, especially women.
    His hands balled into fists for a moment before he suddenly took her in his arms and held her close. “I’m sorry Miss James. I’m sorry you’ve never had any one to belong to. I can’t imagine, can’t begin to fathom …”
    She trembled in his arms and cried.  He now understood her panicked display in town, what caused her to fall into such hysterics.  It was like the icing on the proverbial cake of rejection.  To finally think that for once in your life you were going to belong somewhere and to someone, only to be sent back …
    Clayton shut his eyes tight against the realization he’d caused the woman in his arms such anguish.  Worse, he didn’t realize he had until he and Spencer were bringing her back to the farm.
    “There now, you don’t need to cry.  You’re safe here, understand?”  And Clayton suddenly realized she was.  How could he possibly think of sending her back when he knew what she’d endured? Of course he would m arry her and one day, (he hoped) they would come to love each other. But that could take time, Sarah’s death had left a hole in his heart the size of Texas and he wasn’t sure if anyone could fill it.  But at least the woman in his arms would provide him with some company and fill the lonely nights in his bed.
    “I … I … I’m sorry I’m being such a ninny.  I don’t usually cry so much, it’s just that…”
    “You don’t need to explain yourself, honey.  You’ve been through more than anyone should.  I’m glad you told me. It helps me make more sense of things.” He held her away from him and looked down at her.  Even with tear filled eyes and a nose red from cold and crying she looked adorable in the moonlight. “Tomorrow you and ma can talk wedding details while I’m working.  I’ll give her some money and when you’re up to it, the two of you can go into town and get what you need.”
    She smiled at him like a child who’d just been given the best Christmas present in the world. “Oh thank you, Mr. Riley!  Thank you!”
    He gathered her into his arms again and held her close.  He was going to have to get her out of the cold and into the house but couldn’t resist holding her a few minutes more.  She fit into his embrace like a glove and he liked the feel of her small body wrapped in his strong arms.  How he missed this!  What had he been thinking all these years denying himself the company of a woman?  Sarah had been gone for six years, six! Waiting for so long had done nothing but make him even lonelier, more bitter.  But the woman in his arms was beginning to melt the winter in his heart.  How aptly named she was!  Summer.  Summer to his cold, barren, wasteland of a life. 
    Of course, none of it meant Spencer was going to get out of the licking of his life!  Clayton still wanted to kill him!  If only for his pride’s sake! He inwardly chuckled at the thought before giving the woman in his arms a healthy squeeze.
    “There now sugar, you just let me take care of everything and before you know it, you’ll be up and around and we’ll be married.”
    “Thank you again, Mr. Riley!” She mumbled into his chest.
      He smiled. “Don’t you think it’s time you started calling me Clayton?”
    She sniffed back more tears and looked up at him. “Thank you, Clayton.”
    He smiled again as he looked down at her and wiped some of her tears away with a finger. “What was I thinking all these years?”
    “I beg your pardon?” She said between little hiccups.
    He shook his head.  “Nothing to concern yourself with, honey.  Suffice to say I can be stubborn at times, not to mention stupid.  You might