Because of Rebecca - By Leanne Tyler Page 0,15

be answered.”

Jared shook his head. “Women get a look about them when they’re expecting as if you can tell they’ll have a son or a daughter.”

“You could be wrong.” She stopped under the shade tree.

“The joy would go to Paxton if I am.” He pointed at a stream a few yards ahead. “Let’s take a break from the heat and go wading.”

The idea of taking off her shoes and stockings and pulling up her skirts to mid-calf to go wading tempted greatly. However, the thought of Josephine having another “spell” if she found out made her think twice before she finally answered him.

What harm could a little wading do?

Rebecca closed her parasol and offered him her hand in response. They ran like children, laughing on the way to the stream. Once there, she sat down on a nearby log to unlace her boots.

“Here, let me do that.” He knelt before her on one knee and her heart skipped a beat as she watched him meticulously unlace each. He gently held her calf in his hand as he removed the boot. Tingles of gooseflesh shivered up her leg from the bottom of her foot as his fingers gently brushed along the underside. Her sheer stockings provided little protection from his intimate caress.

Her throat went dry because his actions were highly improper. She should stop him before she found herself enjoying his touch. Her heart fluttered and foreign warmth spread through her. “I—I better do the rest.”

He looked up, his blue eyes darker than she recalled. She quivered at his intense stare and shyly looked away.

“Last one in has to kiss a salamander,” he challenged.

She laughed and hastened to remove her stockings, determined not to kiss a salamander unless it had blue eyes, blond hair and looked like Jared Hollingsworth. She wasn’t sure what had come over her, but if this was living dangerously, she liked it.

To her delight, she reached the water’s edge first. She lifted her skirt and dipped her toe in to test the water when he caught up to her.

“I said in the water, not on the edge,” he teased, grabbing her hand and pulling her along with him into the cool stream.

“Jared!” she shrieked, her feet landing in the icy water, toes sinking into the muddy sludge.

“Jumping in is more fun than dipping a toe.” He kicked the water with childlike abandon.

Cool droplets splattered the front of her already damp dress. “You do not play fair, sir,” she accused with mock indignation. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had as much fun. It had been years since she and Mariah had slipped off to a nearby stream to frolic without Aunt Josephine being the wiser.

A fleeting sadness engulfed her for a moment as she missed those cherished times with her sister. However, Jared’s chuckle brought her back to the merriment at hand.

“Playing fair isn’t fun.” He sidestepped her attempt to splash him with water.

“Is that why you decided to help Ruth?” Rebecca raised her skirt higher than before so it did not drag in the water any more than it already had. Then she carefully stepped on a medium size smooth rock in the middle of the stream. Planting her feet firmly on the rock’s sides, water rushed over her toes and she wiggled them, tipping her head back to enjoy the sun.

“Help?” Confusion evident in his voice, she looked over and saw his brow furrowed as if he didn’t know what she meant.

“Yes. I’m most anxious to help Ruth reach her family. Don’t you share this desire?”

****

Jared frowned. Why did she keep talking about a woman named Ruth? And why should Rebecca want him to join her efforts? They had only just met, but it was clear that whoever Ruth was Rebecca was sincere in her desire to help.

“Exactly what do you have in mind?” he asked.

She puckered her lips. Damn, but she was a vision of loveliness with the sun cascading down around her.

“I would assume you had a plan,” she said slowly.

A plan? Why would he have a plan?

Confound it! He found her talk confusing. But that really didn’t matter because right now he was far too tempted to kiss her when she turned her face from the sun and smiled at him.

“How else will I take her with me?” She slipped her feet from the rock back into the water. “That is, as soon as you tell me where I can find her. Do you have her hidden on your plantation?”

He laughed