Mail Order Bride: Westward Christmas Novel (Montana Mail Order Brides, Book 11) Read Online Free Page B

dismounting.  Knowing a little of his history, Sasha understood that he’d been raised to be chivalrous.  She offered no objection as he helped her from the mare’s back and set her on the ground.
    He looked down at her and Sasha thought she was going to swoon as those fabulous green eyes locked on hers.  She’d never had such a reaction to a man before.  Then he smiled at her and it got worse.  Sasha was very glad that it was so cold out because she was suddenly very hot.  “Thank you, Ben,” she said, trying to sound poised when she was not.
    “My pleasure,” Ben said, and couldn’t stop smiling for a few moments.  Then he remembered that they were in the middle of the road.  “All right.  I’ll get these pretty ladies tied to the buggy and we can be on our way.”
    Sasha watched Ben work, noting once again the contained kinetic energy in his movements.  It intrigued her and reminded her of a panther.  While he was very considerate and gentlemanly towards her, she had briefly glimpsed something darker in him when Ben had taken her to dinner earlier in the year.
    After their meal, Ben had gone to retrieve his buggy while Sasha waited for him.  A man had gotten a little too friendly with her.  When Ben had arrived and had seen what was happening, he’d jumped out of the buggy and had taken ahold of the offender.  Instead of hitting the man as Sasha had expected, Ben had leaned over and whispered something in the man’s ear.  Then Ben had given the man a malicious smile, the kind that chilled the blood.  It wasn’t but a few seconds until the man had apologized to her and left.
    When Ben had Sasha’s horses secured, he took her reticule and stowed it in the back of the buggy.  He took her hand to help her into the vehicle and they both felt a spark of awareness pass between them.  Unconsciously Sasha’s gaze settled briefly on his sensual mouth, and she longed for him to kiss her.  Then she looked in his eyes and saw the same desire mirrored in their jade depths.  Quickly she lowered her eyes and got in the buggy.
    Ben smiled as he went around in front of his horse to get to the opposite side of the buggy.  It was obvious to him that she had wanted to kiss him as much as he had wanted to kiss her.  He slid onto the buggy seat, took up the reins, and smiled at her.
    “We’ll get you to town and settled in no time,” he said as they started out again.
    Sasha said, “I am very excited to see my new house.  I never got around to visiting Hannah and Owl at home last time.  There was so much going on with the holidays and then…all that nasty business with Sparrow’s ex-husband.”  A little shiver ran through her as she remembered being held at spear point by Lakota braves from a different tribe than the local Lakotas.  She’d never witnessed anything like it before, and hoped never to again.
                  Ben saw her shudder and knew it had nothing to do with the cold.  He placed a hand over hers and said, “I’m so sorry for everything you went through.  No one should have to endure such a brutal event.”
                  “Thank you, Ben.  You’re very kind,” Sasha said as she squeezed back a little.
                  “There shouldn’t be any trouble now, I hope,” Ben said.  “So far so good.  I hope it stays that way.”
                  “As do I,” Sasha said.  “I’ve been around Indians before, but I’ve never been involved in anything like that.  I mean, Sparrow and I are the best of friends, and it never mattered to me that she was Lakota.  I’ve missed her and I’m looking forward to spending more time with her and seeing their little boy.”
                  Ben smiled as he thought about little Danny.  “He’s adorable, to say the least.  Such a happy little fellow.”
                  Sasha smiled and then realized that she still held his hand.  “Oh, I’m so sorry,”