Bluebonnet Belle Read Free Page B

“She’s fainted!”
    April hadn’t, but she certainly wished she had. Not only had she humiliated herself, she was going to have a whale of a headache.
    Moaning, she stirred ever so slightly at the feel of a cool hand on her cheek. She kept her eyes tightly closed, wishing everyone would leave her alone so she could just crawl away, unnoticed.
    â€œIs she injured?”
    â€œOh, my, my.” A hand gently fanned her face. “Someone bring me a dipper of water!”
    â€œStand back!” another woman cried. “This man says he’s a doctor!”
    April froze when she heard his voice. Drat. Now she’d really done it. Of course Dr. Fuller would offer his services!
    â€œSomeone get this table out of the way.” Gray Fuller waded through the crowd, issuing orders. “One of you ladies loosen her collar. Please, the rest of you stand back and give her some air.”
    April felt the pressure of four manly fingers rest against her neck for a brief moment. A pleasant woodsy scent drifted down to her, and she wondered why he smelled so good when other men smelled like…like…well, men.
    Embarrassed, she groaned in frustration at the situation she’d gotten herself into. Most of the women she knew would give their eyeteeth to draw the handsome doctor’s attention. She might feel the same if the circumstances were different. She’d hoped to be introduced to him at church, or a social function, not while lying on the ground surrounded by broken glass and brown, sticky goo.
    Pressing his head to her chest, he pretended to listen for a heartbeat as he whispered, “You’re going to have to groan louder. They didn’t hear you.”
    April’s left eye flew open, then quickly closed. “Wh…what?”
    Lifting his head, he grinned.
    Cracking her eye open once more, April looked up into a pair of startling dark green eyes set off by lashes so thick any woman would envy them.
    His smile, focused directly on her, was decidedly wicked. The firm set of his jaw drew her. She had never seen that look on Henry’s face.
    She mentally cringed. If they were handing out awards for good looks, Dr. Fuller would take the prize. His practiced masculine gaze ran over her lightly. She shivered, even though the day was blazing hot.
    She felt a warm wave of breath in her ear as he repeated, “You’ll have to groan louder. They can’t hear you.”
    Embarrassed that he had seen through her ruse, she mumbled through closed lips, “Are you sure?”
    â€œTrust me.”
    Of course. Trust him. The first thing he was sure to do would be tell Grandpa that she was helping the controversial Lydia Pinkham sell her medicinal elixir. And when Riley heard that, along with what had happened here today, he’d have a fit of apoplexy.
    â€œMoan!” Fuller ordered quietly.
    Complying, April rendered a loud, mournful wail.
    â€œStand back,” he demanded, rising to clear a path through the crowd. The women obediently stepped aside, murmuring approvingly among themselves about the man’s quick action.
    â€œIs she all right, Doctor?”
    â€œShe appears to be coming around.”
    The women oohed and aahed, their eyes anxiously trained on the young woman lying on the ground like a rag doll.
    Assisting April to her feet, Gray led her to a nearby bench. She pretended to still be dazed, and if the truth were known, the good doctor did set her head spinning.
    Although uneasy at the sudden physical intimacy, she kept up her pretense, wavering convincingly for the women who watched with open concern.
    With the excitement over, the crowd began to break up. Most refused to leave without purchasing a bottle of Lydia E. Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound.
    Henry Long rushed to April’s side, concern on his babyish features. “April, are you ill, darling?”
    Patting Henry’s hand consolingly, she assured him she wasn’t, only a bit