Wild legacy Read Online Free
Author: Copyright Paperback Collection (Library of Congress) DLC, Phoebe Conn
wrists so she couldn't scratch or hit him again. "Do you have any idea what I do when I'm away?"
"It's enough that I know what you do when you're home!"
Falcon knew he deserved that insult, too, but he kept after her. "Listen to me! I don't serve with the regular militia anymore. I fight with guerilla bands that strike the British from ambush. We steal supply wagons, weapons, ammunition. When I'm not doing that, I take my rifle, get as close as I can to the enemy's camp, and start shooting the officers. I'm the best marksman in Virginia, and I can shoot a man in the heart from 200 yards. If I'm just as dangerous when I get home, I can't help it."
Belle closed her eyes, but she couldn't shut out his stirring words, or the fiery warmth of his embrace. She leaned
her head back against his shoulder, and remembering last night, wondered why he thought he was the only one who could be described as wild.
affection last night, and had become far more cautious as a result. "Would you have come looking for me this morning if I hadn't been in the study last night?" she inquired softly. " Would you have still said you thought of me if you weren't burdened by guilt?"
Falcon had already admitted he would say whatever it took to please her, and he was disgusted with himself for being so tactless. "I'm cold sober, so there's no reason to doubt my words. I'm sorry you had to prompt me last night. I should have said that I love you a long time ago."
Belle closed her eyes to savor his vow, but was it spontaneous, she agonized, or had she merely coaxed it from his lips a second time? Sadly, she feared she had. Apparently he had not loved her until they had chanced to cross paths while he was at a weak moment. "Perhaps I should have waited up for you in the study last year."
Tightening his hold on her waist, Falcon yanked her around to face him. There wasn't a trace of affection in his expression now. "Don't laugh at me, Belle. I'll readily admit I didn't behave as a gentleman should, but are you going to forgive me, or am I going to hear about it every single time you're cross with me for the rest of our lives?"
His eyes had narrowed to menacing slits, and it was all too easy for Belle to imagine him picking off British officers with a cold precision. He had been eager to make love to her last night, but wouldn't any warm and willing woman have inspired the same response in a weary soldier? Again, the answer was all too clear. Overcome with sadness, she shook her head.
"No, I think we'd both be better off if we forgot last night ever happened." She forced a smile, but it trembled on her lips. She offered her hand. "Agreed?"
For a long moment, Falcon simply regarded Belle with a forbidding stare, but then, overcoming his anger, he at last took her hand and drew her close. He didn't want to make another costly mistake, and phrased his proposal with
the care it deserved. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Belle drew in a sharp breath for there was nothing she wanted more, but not like this. "You've apologized, Falcon. You needn't offer marriage, too."
While his initial reaction was immense relief, his heart was swiftly flooded with numbing disappointment. He had never proposed to another woman, and it had not even occurred to him that Belle might turn him down. He took it as a grave insult.
"What you're really saying is no, isn't it? Why? If you hadn't stopped me when you did, I'd have no choice about marrying you."
Before the war, Falcon had been easygoing rather than hot-tempered, but Belle refused to make any allowance for what he must have suffered when he had just made it abundantly clear he was thinking only of himself. She yanked her hand from his and stepped back. "But I did stop you, and I want us both to have a choice."
Falcon was half a foot taller than Belle, and when he moved close she was forced to crane her neck to look up at him. "You've forgotten something," he insisted darkly. "I may have had too
"It's enough that I know what you do when you're home!"
Falcon knew he deserved that insult, too, but he kept after her. "Listen to me! I don't serve with the regular militia anymore. I fight with guerilla bands that strike the British from ambush. We steal supply wagons, weapons, ammunition. When I'm not doing that, I take my rifle, get as close as I can to the enemy's camp, and start shooting the officers. I'm the best marksman in Virginia, and I can shoot a man in the heart from 200 yards. If I'm just as dangerous when I get home, I can't help it."
Belle closed her eyes, but she couldn't shut out his stirring words, or the fiery warmth of his embrace. She leaned
her head back against his shoulder, and remembering last night, wondered why he thought he was the only one who could be described as wild.
affection last night, and had become far more cautious as a result. "Would you have come looking for me this morning if I hadn't been in the study last night?" she inquired softly. " Would you have still said you thought of me if you weren't burdened by guilt?"
Falcon had already admitted he would say whatever it took to please her, and he was disgusted with himself for being so tactless. "I'm cold sober, so there's no reason to doubt my words. I'm sorry you had to prompt me last night. I should have said that I love you a long time ago."
Belle closed her eyes to savor his vow, but was it spontaneous, she agonized, or had she merely coaxed it from his lips a second time? Sadly, she feared she had. Apparently he had not loved her until they had chanced to cross paths while he was at a weak moment. "Perhaps I should have waited up for you in the study last year."
Tightening his hold on her waist, Falcon yanked her around to face him. There wasn't a trace of affection in his expression now. "Don't laugh at me, Belle. I'll readily admit I didn't behave as a gentleman should, but are you going to forgive me, or am I going to hear about it every single time you're cross with me for the rest of our lives?"
His eyes had narrowed to menacing slits, and it was all too easy for Belle to imagine him picking off British officers with a cold precision. He had been eager to make love to her last night, but wouldn't any warm and willing woman have inspired the same response in a weary soldier? Again, the answer was all too clear. Overcome with sadness, she shook her head.
"No, I think we'd both be better off if we forgot last night ever happened." She forced a smile, but it trembled on her lips. She offered her hand. "Agreed?"
For a long moment, Falcon simply regarded Belle with a forbidding stare, but then, overcoming his anger, he at last took her hand and drew her close. He didn't want to make another costly mistake, and phrased his proposal with
the care it deserved. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Belle drew in a sharp breath for there was nothing she wanted more, but not like this. "You've apologized, Falcon. You needn't offer marriage, too."
While his initial reaction was immense relief, his heart was swiftly flooded with numbing disappointment. He had never proposed to another woman, and it had not even occurred to him that Belle might turn him down. He took it as a grave insult.
"What you're really saying is no, isn't it? Why? If you hadn't stopped me when you did, I'd have no choice about marrying you."
Before the war, Falcon had been easygoing rather than hot-tempered, but Belle refused to make any allowance for what he must have suffered when he had just made it abundantly clear he was thinking only of himself. She yanked her hand from his and stepped back. "But I did stop you, and I want us both to have a choice."
Falcon was half a foot taller than Belle, and when he moved close she was forced to crane her neck to look up at him. "You've forgotten something," he insisted darkly. "I may have had too
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