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She knew the accusation was true and all she could do was nod her head in confirmation as she dropped he eyes from his

"Why the hell would you lie about so like that?" His words were spoken in tones of censure

She couldn't tell hima to her that tantalized her and made her want more of the same Besides, that hy she had continued with the lie

"I don't know, exactly I was confused and scared I didn't knoho you were or what you wanted froecoach, I needed you to be a good guy But I was terrified you weren't Everything about you terrified me I watched your eyes when you discovered the dead man They seemed remote, alarette Your reaction didn't seeuess I had no reason to trust you" Her words faltered "I wasn't thinking straight, Luke"

Luke felt gutted at her explanation The fact that she had seen hi ut that he wouldn't even acknowledge He gave her a layered, black look and the explanation he offered was ripped is in the coach I knehen I saw the needlework on the seat that a woman had been there There were only a few explanations for your absence The one I chose to believe was that you were hiding nearby, because if you weren't thatto find your naked and bruised body, and both those scenarios were too obscene forThat's the only thing I can re at the time I put the deadto find you, because there wasn't a da I could do to help him anymore"

E explanation and so uilty that she'd lied to hi to hi him the whole truth about herself But she knew that he would see to it that she was taken into town, and she needed the cloak of respectability that hood would bring She couldn't take the chance that no one else would find out She'd been living with that one fabrication for so long that she kneas armor that needed to stay in place

Her thoughts were interrupted when his ar her through the house toward the bedroo

Shouldering his way through the open door, he walked over to the bed and carefully sat her down on the edge where her legs dangled over the side E in rapid beats as he knelt in front of her "How'd it happen?" His voice was harsh and questioning, as if he had every right to hear the story

Eht foot and began unlacing her sturdy shoe and re it from her foot She watched, unable toand off her foot

When she didn't answer him immediately, he stalled his movements, held her bare foot in his hands and looked up at her face and demanded an answer "Emma How'd it happen?"

She shook her head back and forth, her hair flying around her face "What--what are you doing?"

"Checking it out forin shocked suspension as he began shoving her skirt and twin petticoats up her leg until they were at h

She finally found her voice, "Stop that!" she shrieked

He retaliated ih that shocked but barely hurt as his voice rang out, "Be still!"

She was so startled by his an running his hands up and down her leg, much as he would examined a horse for injuries His touch was quick and see and the calluses on his hands were rough on her skin as they ran up both sides of her ankle, cupped her calf, and then inspected her knee as if it were nothing e on a door

She held completely still as his hand slid back down her shin bone and then sh He placed both hands around her thigh, and with fir for the answer as to why her leg wasn't working properly

His hands lingered on her thigh and when her skirt was in danger of being pushed all the way to the vee between her legs, she sucked in a breath and pushed her hands down until she was holding the hs

When he'd touched and examined to his satisfaction, he kneeled back on his haunches and cradled her ankle in his hands, her foot propped against the hard muscles of his stoled in her throat

"How'd it happen, Emma?" His hands caressed her absently

"May I have my foot back please?" she asked

Luke held her tightly by the ankle and heard the starch in her voice "No, you may not," he answered in kind "Answer the question"

Her flesh prickled at his continued touch, and shivers of delight were racing along her nerve endings The feelings were altogether confusing and she thought it ht be best to answer his question and then maybe he would release her "I fell from a tree when I was a child"

"How old?"

"Twelve"

"Tomboy?"

E with the one-word question "Yes"

"Poor baby," he co with every stroke "Bad break?"

"Yes I've had second and third opinions and been told that the doctor who setwas quite competent It was a very bad break" Her voice stalled as if it was a terrible memory "The bone protruded from the skin, you see"

"Here?" he questioned as his hand ran to a scar below her knee and to the right of her shin

"Yes"

His eyes held hers as his hand swirled over the area as if he ht soothe it in some small way

"Does it still pain you?" She saw a tic in his cheek as he asked the question

"Very seldo to make her voice sound matter-of-fact