Bone Deep Read Free Page A

struck by the vivid blue eyes in that exotic face.
    “Tom . ”
    “I’m Sarah.” She worried her lower lip. “Can you tell me more about yourself, why you left the carnival, where you’re planning on going?”
    He studied the linoleum again and didn’t reply.
    “ You don’t have any idea where you’re going , ” s he guessed .
    “No.”
    The bacon sizzled louder and its rich aroma filled the room.
    Sarah stared at the faded linoleum squares —the ones she’d wanted to replace but could never afford to. She thought about the changes she’d never made to John’s family home during the four years of her marriage. It wasn’t the farmers’ way to destroy anything that wasn’t completely worn out, but sometimes a person just wanted to break routine and do something new. She drew a deep breath and made an impulsive decision. “I have some odd jobs that need doing around here. You could do them in exchange for meals and a bed in the loft.”
    He frowned , scanning her face as though trying to read it. “Why? Why would you help me?”
    Memories of the previous night’s dreams and fantasies tumbled through her mind and she threw them into a closet and firmly shut the door . “ B ecause... I don’t know. Because you need help, I guess .”
    N ot wanting to really examine the why at all , she turned to crack a pair of eggs into the bacon grease. A quick glance at Tom as she threw the shells away caught him studying her, and a flush of heat raced through her body . Immediately, Tom looked away. Underneath the swirls of blue, she was sure he was blushing.
    She focused her attention on setting the table and serving breakfast. She slid a plate laden with toast, bacon and eggs in front of her guest and watched in shock as he grabbed the spoon, hunched over the plate and scooped one of the eggs into his mouth. He snapped it up like a hungry dog and swallowed it down. He jammed bacon and toast into his mouth as if it might be taken away if he didn’t hurry. His jaws bulged. The flames an d swirls flowed with his muscle s. In less time than it had taken her to crack open one of the eggs, he’d finished the meal .
    “Do you want more? I can make you another couple eggs.”
    He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and looked up at her with a doubtful frown. “Yeah?”
    She smiled. “Of course you can have more. It’ll only take a minute.”
    Twenty minutes later, he polished his plate for the last time. He ’ d eaten a half dozen eggs, four pieces of toast and eight strips of bacon plus two full glasses of orange juice.
    Sarah poured a cup of coffee for each of them then sat down at the table. She asked Tom a few more questions about himself and the carnival but only got monosyllables or silence in answer. She sipped her coffee and tried to think how to draw him out. Perhaps the best thing to put him at ease would be for her to tell him a little about herself.
    “This was actually my husband’s family farm. It’s been in the Cassidy family for three generations, but John and I never got around to making a fourth.” She added the words that still stuck in her throat, “He was killed in the war.”
    She waited for the obligatory “I’m sorry,” but he simply watched her with his strange eyes.
    “Since John’s parents had already passed on, I inherited the farm. I rent out the fields to some of the neighbors. My hands are full just taking care of the three acres around the house, the garden and the animals. It’s not really a one-person job, and there are things I’m simply not strong enough to tend to. I ’ d really appreciate having a handyman around for a few days.” She knew she was talking too loud and too fast, but his penetrating stare and utter foreignness made her extremely nervous. “Look, I don’t know what happened to you, what those people did, but if you want, we can drive into town and go to the police.”
    He started to rise . “No.” A stench of body odor made her nose crinkle . She