Published: May 2nd, 2014
Description:
Chastity Lilly is no flapper. In 1920s New York, she's determined to find a career as a teacher so she can support her family upstate. But one thing leads to another, and the company she keeps in the big city leads her down a very different path than the one she sought.
When she helps a handsome rancher in town looking for his own errant sister, can she turn her act around? Will she take his offer of a teaching position in Wedlock, Montana and make a brand new start? And if she does, can she--and the rancher--leave the past behind to forge a new future together?
Not if the rancher's sister has her way.
There are no PG-13 or R-rated scenes.
“I’ve embarrassed you again,” he said quietly. He stopped and turned to face me. “Please forgive me. In Montana I’m used to dodging cow piles, but since I’ve met you I seem to have a gift for stepping right in ‘em!”
I laughed. “You’re funny, Mr. Ward. Please stop asking my forgiveness. I’m afraid we’ll be forever locked in a battle of who can be the most polite!”
It was his turn to laugh. His wide smile and perfect teeth went a long ways toward smoothing things over.
“I’ve got an idea,” I said. “Let’s go to the police station together. We can inquire about my friend and about your sister there.”
He nodded. “Excellent idea. I’ve visited as many stations as I could since I got to town, but there’s one on Broadway I’ve yet to see. Shall we?”
The traffic on Broadway was thick, but faster moving than Wall Street. After a few blocks, Mr. Ward gestured to a police station on the opposite side of the street. “It’s just this way,” he said, and then he did the unthinkable, stepping out into the street without looking.
I pulled him back onto the sidewalk so hard, he lost his balance and toppled on top of me.
“So sorry!” he said as he fell, but it was too late. In a moment, I was out of breath, Mr. Ward’s chest atop mine, our bodies entangled as he wrapped his arms around me, trying to break my fall.
Although Henry had begged me until I submitted to some kissing, I’d never felt my flesh come alive with heat and desire like it did for the handsome cowboy atop me now. I knew I should have been mortified, but all I could do was stare up into his eyes, praying he would kiss me. Praying he wouldn’t feel the heat that seemed to radiate from my secret places at the thought of his lips on mine.
He looked equally stunned, and he seemed to be struggling both to right himself, as well as to stay atop me.
“Get a room!” a man huffed, stepping around us on the crowded pavement.
It was scandalous, indeed, but Mr. Ward and I both erupted into laughter. Sometimes you must laugh to keep from crying, I’d come to learn.
But the laughter wouldn’t last long. As Mr. Ward helped me to my feet, something in a nearby alley caught his eye.
Not something. Someone.
“Don’t get any ideas,” she said, her hat covering most of her face as she lay in the grass.
“May I sit with you?”
“Sit, sure. But don’t get your hopes up about my brother.” She said it louder than I would have liked.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” I said, sinking to my knees to sit beside her. Old Round Top rose prominently on the horizon, just past the flowing river waters.
“This ain’t like the city, honey,” she said. “You can’t pretend he’s just another fella on the street.” She cocked her hat backward and eyed me sharply. “He feels obliged to you for God only knows why—I’d have come home when I was good and ready. Didn’t need rescuing and I’m not convinced you were the Florence Nightingale he makes you out to be.” She pushed her hat back over her face.
“It’s so beautiful here, I don’t think I’ll ever understand why you left.” The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them.
“You’ll see. You’ll miss New York. I give it a month, and you’ll be begging for a train ticket back.” She sat up and adjusted her hat, then turned to point at the horses. “You see that Palomino?”
I nodded.
She continued. “That’s Grace. Carl’s mare is Temperance. The gelding you rode in on is Redemption. I don’t know if you’ve picked up on this or not, but my brother is what you’d call ‘holier than thou.’ It ain’t happening for ya, Toots.”
I started to protest, but she cut me off. “Look, Chastity—God, I bet he loves that name!—I know you think you’re a bit of goody-goody yourself, but I know what your deal was in New York. You’re as big of a whore as any of the women from your penny dreadfuls, and don’t try to hide it. Takes one to know one.”
About the author:
Leslea Tash is a journalist-turned-novelist, an avid bird nerd and the happily married mom of four. She has been a professional writer for many years. This is her first romance novel.
Leslea Tash is a journalist-turned-novelist, an avid bird nerd and the happily married mom of four. She has been a professional writer for many years. This is her first romance novel.
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