Brides and Betrayal (Reconciled and Redeemed Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

furniture.”
    Hunter was staring down at her. She rarely spoke of her past, and he knew it was a sensitive subject with her, though she had never elaborated why.
    “Do you really think you have the skills?”
    Hunter’s question deflated a little of the wind in her sails. Her voice was soft. “Yes, I do. I used to help him all the time. I think we could build this one.” Holly pointed to a tossing game fashioned like Noah’s ark. “It is pretty simple to cut this out.” She placed her hand on Hunter’s arm. “And you are pretty good at drawing. Could you make the animals?”
    Hunter shrugged. “Sure.”
    Seth clapped his hands once as if to signal the matter was over. “Well, if the lady believes we can do it, I say we trust her.”
    Seth had no idea how much his words cut at her heart.
    “Okay.” Hunter signed their names on the sheet and they gathered at a table in the corner, spending the next half hour discussing their plan of action.
    Holly took the lead, hesitantly at first, but growing bolder from the encouraging looks she received from both men. They parted ways, and Holly was feeling very proud of herself.
    The ride home was silent, and Holly caught Hunter shooting a questioning look every once in a while.
    As they walked into the house, Hunter shut the door and dropped his keys on a nearby table. The metallic clink on the glass surface and his words were the first break in the awkward silence that had prevailed since they left the church.
    “Elusive.”
    She turned toward him and raised an auburn eyebrow. “What?”
    He pulled her purse strap off her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace. “Elusive. I was thinking today that was the best word to describe you. After five years of marriage, I am just finding out you are a carpenter.”
    Holly willed her heartbeat to stop drumming in her ears at his nearness. If only he didn’t look so good, smell so good, I wouldn’t be filled with all of these thoughts.
    “I’m not a carpenter.” She blushed as he ran his hand up and down her back.
    His hand slipped into the auburn curtain of her hair, cupping her neck right below the ear. Using his thumb to tilt her face upwards, he lowered his lips to hers. “But you are elusive.”
    Holly pulled back. Did he mean cold? She didn’t want to be, but she didn’t want to give reign to her emotions. She knew all too well the pitfalls of letting your emotions control you. Her stepmother had always reminded her of Colossians 3:5, “So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires.” Reminded ? Holly scoffed. She hissed it at me day and night the entire two years I lived there.
    But as angry as she was with her stepmother, she had to accept the wisdom of her words. She had seen the consequences of letting those earthly things stay there. Her passion and desire for her husband was a raging thing that she fought with daily. And as good as it felt to be in his arms, she had to reign it in before it led to sin.
    “I don’t mean to be.” Her words were a whisper against his lips, and he hovered over her, as if waiting for her to respond to him. She opened her eyes and looked into his. It was if he was begging her to let go, just once. To let go of her tightly reigned-in passion.
    She pulled back a little more, and she didn’t miss the disappointment that registered in his eyes. “I love you.”
    “I know.” He rubbed his nose lightly against hers, but still refused to kiss her.
    Her restraint was snapping, and she knew if she kissed him now, her passion wouldn’t be controlled like she always kept it. She would have stepped out of his embrace, but he held her close. “I know you love me,” he whispered against her lips again. “Show me you want me.”
    With a moan of defeat, she gave in to the mounting temptation, with her stepmother’s accusations ringing throughout her head. If you don’t control all of your