Read Dacey: Bride of North Carolina (Amercan Mail-Order Bride 12) for Free Online Page B

past him in hopes he’d meet one that struck his fancy.
    The girl currently sitting next to his mother was the only one who had struck it with such force, he still reeled from the impact.
    Enthralled with Dacey, he admired the way the light from the fire created a fiery glow around her head of rich auburn curls.
    Frustrated by the amorous thoughts that filled his head, Braxton shifted restlessly on the seat he’d taken near his father, scrambling for an excuse to leave the room.
    Before he had the opportunity, his mother jumped to her feet and grabbed his father’s hand. “Oh, Daniel, it completely slipped my mind that we need to go over the guest list for the Harvest Ball. We must send out the invitations right away.”
    “Let’s see to it, then, Bea.” Daniel stood and smiled solicitously at Dacey before he turned to Braxton. “I trust you will entertain our guest the remainder of the evening, son.”
    Braxton glowered at his mother but nodded his head. He knew for a fact the list had been finalized last week and the invitations sent because he’d personally gone over every detail with Beatrice.
    Annoyed by her continued scheming to push Dacey at him, he simply couldn’t abandon the girl on her first night in their home.
    He also knew he couldn’t continue to ogle her as the firelight cast a spell around her, leaving him bewitched by her beauty and rustic charm.
    Abruptly getting to his feet, he offered her his hand. “If I’m not mistaken, we failed to give you a proper tour of the house earlier.”
    Dacey smiled and took his hand, gracefully rising to her feet. “I’m to blame for that since I keeled over on your front step. I’m mighty sorry about that, Mr. Douglas.”
    “Please, call me Braxton.” Disturbed by the charged sensations racing up his arm at the slightest contact with the girl, he released her hand and motioned for her to precede him out of the room. As she walked, he admired the fetching way the gown swayed around her hips. “If anyone should be sorry about this misfortunate misunderstanding, it’s my mother for involving you in her subterfuge.”
    “Don’t be angry with her. She’s such a dear, and she means well.” Dacey stopped in the hallway and placed a hand on Braxton’s arm. The heat of her fingers threatened to burn through the fabric of his jacket and shirt right down to his skin.
    He stared at her hand as she suddenly jerked it back. Although he wanted to take her fingers in his, mesh their palms together, he stepped away. Common sense dictated he keep as much distance from her as possible.
    “She’s a calculating, plotting fraud full of chicanery,” he said with a flicker of amusement in his gray eyes. “Even if her heart is in the right place, Mother’s methods could use some work.”
    Dacey grinned and followed Braxton as he strode to the end of the hall then turned right. He showed her the library and encouraged her to read from the extensive collection of books housed there.
    They walked past the office he and his mother used to maintain the plantation’s business affairs. Dacey admired the twin oak desks and a bank of windows that lit the room with light from the setting sun.
    “It’s so beautiful here, so different,” Dacey said as she gazed outside. The last of the daylight faded into the horizon in streaks of gold and coral.
    “Different?” Braxton asked, stepping beside her, transfixed by the way the gilded light softened the contours of her face.
    “There are so many trees here, and everything is so green, even though it’s early autumn. Back home, everything is brown this time of year. Out on the ranch, we don’t have many trees, except some cottonwoods by the creek.”
    “If you were to count them, you’d find more than a hundred different species of trees in North Carolina.” He pointed out the window to the distant hills.
    Dacey’s eyes widened and she turned from the window. “Perhaps I can count a few while I’m here.” She took a few