Read Courting Miss Adelaide for Free Online

which she’d never seen. Newspapers, books and a jumble of paper littered the surface and spilled over onto the floor. Her gaze surveyed three coffee cups, two tumblers, one filled with water, the other with pencils, an ink well, scissors, a glue bottle, a crumpled rag stained with ink, rubber bands, an apple and, gracious, the remainder of a half-eaten sandwich.
    “Oh, my.”
    Mr. Graves stiffened. “Something wrong?”
    “Nothing really.” Adelaide clasped her hands together to keep them from organizing the desk and then giving it the dusting—well, more like the good scrubbing—it needed. That Mr. Graves could work amidst such a mess amazed and baffled her.
    He motioned to a chair. “Please, have a seat.”
    She glanced at the chair he’d indicated, only to find it piled with newspapers. With a boyish grin, Mr. Graves removed them, obviously unconcerned with disarray. She started to sit when she spotted the crumbs.
    He followed her gaze. “Let me take care of that.” He took out a handkerchief and swiped it over the seat, sending crumbs tumbling to the floor.
    She cringed. Heavenly days, fodder for bugs, or worse, rodents. But then he bent near and she caught the smell of leather and soap mingled with ink and filled her lungs, reveling in the scent of him. Suddenly woozy, she dropped into the now tidy seat before she did something foolish, like telling him how good he smelled.
    The fumes must have made me light-headed.
    The editor cleared a space, then perched on the corner of his desk. His dark gray pants and vest hugged a flat midriff with nary a sign of a potbelly. Her gaze lingered on his hands. Ink-stained, the tips of his long fingers fascinated her. Large, capable, strong—a man’s hands, not at all like her own.
    With great effort, she pulled her gaze away to look into his eyes and caught him studying her, a puzzled look on his face. Heat climbed her neck. What was the matter with her? She was behaving like a schoolgirl, as if she’d never seen a man.
    “Miss Crum? You’re here because…?”
    Her hand fluttered upward, easing her collar from the heat of her neck. “I want to place an advertisement in your paper.”
    He folded his arms across his chest. “I’d welcome your business, but I believe you already advertise with us.”
    He’d paid attention, knew she ran a monthly ad, but then that was his job. “Yes, but I need a special advertisement to promote the sale of my latest creations.” She worried her lower lip. “I’m overstocked.”
    “I see. Perhaps a larger, eye-catching ad would bring in those ladies who didn’t get a new bonnet for Easter?”
    Adelaide smiled. “Exactly.”
    “Let’s check our type selection for a suitable hat.”
    Adelaide took in a deep breath. “Before we do, there’s another reason I’ve come, a more important reason.”
    “More important than business?” He gave her a teasing grin.
    “Much.” She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “I, ah, owe you an apology.”
    He raised a brow. “For what?”
    “For my outburst the day of the distribution. I don’t know what got into me.” She sighed. “I behaved badly and I’m sorry.”
    “You surprise me, Miss Crum.”
    Adelaide glanced at her hands, then met his gaze. “When I’ve done wrong, the Bible teaches me to apologize.”
    His eyes searched her face. “Apparently you do more than carry that book on Sunday mornings.”
    What a strange comment. One he wouldn’t have made if he knew how she’d struggled of late with reading the Bible. “The Bible also says you’re to forgive me.”
    “Yes, if need be, seventy times seven.” A smile took over his solemn face. “Forgiving you is an easy task, Miss Crum.”
    Like rainfall after a drought, his words seeped into her thirsty heart. “Thank you.” She shot him a grin. “Though, I trust my behavior won’t require quite that much clemency.”
    He leaned toward her. “That’s too bad.”
    Adelaide’s mouth went dry. What did he mean?