Once Upon a Mail Order Bride - Linda Broday Page 0,13

loose.

“I’m fine.” His voice was quiet as he studied the worry lining her face. “I won’t melt.”

She gave her customary nod then lowered her gaze. The next second, she jumped at a peal of thunder and clutched him. He put an arm around her, just enough pressure to reassure her. “Let’s get you inside.” A light touch on her back guided her to the hotel doors and into the lobby.

Outside her room, Adeline turned to him like she wanted to say something. When no words came, she lowered her gaze.

“Did you leave a light on so it won’t be dark?” he asked.

She provided a yes answer the only way she could.

“Okay. I’ll see you in the morning.” He waited for her to slip inside then went downstairs. The ride out to his house in the rain wasn’t appealing, so he sat in the hotel lobby to wait out the storm.

The chair offered far too much comfort, and he leaned his head back to rest his eyes. Sometime later, a gigantic boom shook the hotel, followed by piercing screams. He jumped to his feet, roused by the chaos. Lightning had struck! He took the stairs two at a time and banged on Adeline’s door.

The smell of smoke filled the hall. Ridge tried the knob. Locked. He kicked the door in and rushed inside the dim room. The smell of seared wood met his nose, and through the french doors could see the balcony smoking from what appeared to have been a direct lightning strike.

He covered his face with an arm to block the smoke. “Adeline, it’s Ridge! Where are you?”

The scuffle of shoes against the floor led him to a corner where her trunk sat open. Adeline was stuffing her belongings into it, her face pale.

“Leave that. This smoke’s getting thick, and we have to get out of here. I don’t want to scare you, but I’m going to pick you up now.”

Although visibly nervous, she reached for him. He lifted her up, and she slid an arm around his neck. She was still fully dressed, even down to shoes, which told him she’d probably been lying atop the covers instead of crawling into bed. Maybe she’d intended to sleep as she had in prison.

Out in the hallway, he glanced down at her small form, her face buried against his chest. A flood of tender feelings washed over him, filling a portion of his dark, empty places with light.

An angel with a broken halo. That perfectly described her.

It was too soon to know if he loved her, however, he intended to try. But Adeline—she didn’t know what a rotten deal she’d gotten in him. Who knew if he could ever learn how to be a proper husband?

“Where’s the smoke coming from?” A large man puffed, out of breath from hurrying up the stairs. Five more were behind him in various stages of undress or nightwear. All carried buckets of water.

“Inside this room on the balcony. So far just smoldering.” He tightened his hold around his soon-to-be wife.

Luke and Josie were waiting in the lobby and rushed up when they saw him. Ridge set Adeline on her feet, but she clung to his hand. “She’s all right. Lightning struck her room, but I didn’t see any damage other than smoke yet. They’re dousing it now.”

“Thank goodness.” Josie put an arm around Adeline.

“I’ll go check to see if they can move her to another room.” Luke strode to the desk and rang the bell. The clerk appeared from the back.

It didn’t matter if they had another room or not. Ridge had already decided to take Adeline out to their home, where he could watch over her. Besides, she didn’t seem inclined to turn his hand loose anytime soon.

They moved to a sofa, and he told her his idea. Her nod of agreement was all he needed.

When Luke returned with news that there were no other accommodations, Ridge told him the plan.

“But it’s raining,” Josie objected. “And you can’t get to her things until the men up there finish.”

He hadn’t given that any thought. “Adeline, is there anything you can’t live without until daylight?”

A headshake settled it.

“Sounds like the rain is letting up, and my place isn’t far.” Ridge removed his coat and buttoned Adeline up inside it, then grabbed an umbrella from the stand in the lobby. Soon they were headed beyond the lights of town.

Within twenty minutes, he parked the buggy in front of their home. The rain had slowed to a