Liam Read Online Free Page A

hiding somewhere, because He sure wasn’t with us.” The anger, still prevalent, surprised him. He thought he’d gotten over it by now.
    Assaulted by memories still too painful to tolerate, he almost set her down and let her make her own way to the doctor’s place. But he was a gentleman and as such, he couldn’t do that.
    “Have you just returned? David and Becky didn’t seem to think you’d be back until sometime next month.”
    “I wasn’t expected. That’s why I was coming from the butcher before going home.”
    “You…you…weren’t going into The Gem , were you?” she asked, surprised.
    “No. I wasn’t.”
    She let out an audible breath, like she’d been holding it for a long while. “Oh, I thought you…well you know what I thought.”
    Liam watched her color rise. She was quite pretty in an understated way. Rich chestnut hair, deep blue eyes the color of the waning sky. Her bow shaped lips were full and immensely kissable. Slender, she weighed almost nothing in his arms.
    “If you’ll wrap your arms around my neck it will be easier for both of us,” said Liam.
    She did as he asked and the action brought her breasts flush against his chest. He hadn’t been this close to a woman since Mary died. Until now, he hadn’t felt any desire to do so. He was feeling a whole lot of things with this woman that seemed new to him. Maybe he should go visit The Gem and one of its soiled doves. Maybe then he could look at Eleanor with something other than lust on his mind.
    “Are you sure you weren’t going to use the ‘ offerings ’ at The Gem ?” she persisted.
    He kept walking, debating whether or not he should answer her questions. He answered, deciding he wanted to get to know this woman better and figuring he wouldn’t have a better opportunity. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I was not. I was simply passing by when you crashed into me. Do you always assume that every man that passes this way is going into The Gem ? What were you doing in there and why were you so anxious to leave?”
    She ducked her head and wouldn’t look at him. “Yes, I’m sorry about running into you. I wasn’t looking where I was going. You see, I minister to the women there and Mr. Swearengen doesn’t much like it. He was chasing me out, so to speak. Well, he wasn’t actually chasing me, just yelling at me. I don’t like it when people yell.”
    “I’ll have to remember that.”
    “Why would you care whether I like it when people yell or not?”
    “We might become friends. You already know my son and probably my daughter, too.” He had decided they would become friends. Perhaps even more than friends. Where his children were concerned, he gave his all, and if they wanted to be friends with this woman, then so would he.
    She smiled up at him. A beam so brilliant it nearly took his breath away. “Ah, dear Hannah. She’s so very smart. You know that don’t you? She knows her letters and is starting to read. And talk, goodness, she’ll talk your socks off if you let her.”
    He grinned. “And do you let her?”
    “Of course. I encourage all of our youngsters to explore their world. I told you, I also teach school here, didn’t I?”
    He shook his head. “No, you didn’t mention it.”
    “Oh well, Deadwood is a hard place to raise children and you have it even harder, trying to raise them out on that creek, which is more of a river than a creek. She has a good friend in Gemma.”
    “Um, Lily Sutter’s daughter?” Liam tried to keep up with Eleanor’s chatter. She changed subjects mid-stream with no warning. Yes, she tended to ramble, but he found it refreshing. He found her refreshing.
    Mary had been anything but a chatterbox, preferring to keep everything inside. He’d tried so many times to get her to talk to him about what bothered her. She refused. Always said everything was fine. He wondered now how long she’d really been sick before she died.
    “Yes, the girls have been spending