Cullen's Bride Read Free Page B

sustained her through those dark, lonely months.
    Riverbend was home, and she was determined to stay.
    â€œIf anyone got hurt,” she said calmly, “it was the boy.”
    â€œIf the Trask kid touched you—”
    â€œHe didn’t. Cullen took care of me, and he took care of the boy.”
    â€œDid Cullen touch you?”
    There was a coldness in Cole’s eyes, a bite to his enquiry, that made her bristle. “He helped me up after I tripped over some of the stuff that had fallen out of my hag. I guess if you call a helping hand ‘touching,’ then yes, he did touch me.”
    â€œThat wasn’t what I meant.”
    Rachel controlled a flash of anger. After the loss of Rachel’s mother at her birth. Cole and her other brothers had taken more than the usual brotherly interest in her, even after she’d been sent to hve with her Aunt Rose in Auckland. Looking out for her had got to be a habit with them. Unfortunately, their methods were often blunt and heavy-handed; they generally didn’t try to understand her point of view so much as manage her. “Cullen Logan extricated me from a situation I couldn’t handle. He was kind enough to gather up all my things, then he dealt with the boy who attacked me. That was all.”
    â€œDid you tell him who you are?”
    Rachel frowned. “I told him my name, but I don’t see why that should mean anything other than that I could be some relation to you.”
    Satisfaction took some of the chill out of Cole’s expression “If he knows you’re a Sinclair, he won’t waste his time even thinking about you.”
    â€œI don’t believe you said that!”
    Cole shrugged and busied himself turning his bacon over. “The only reason Cullen’s back in the area at all is because Carson, the old guy who leased his land and ran his stock for him, has died. Word is that Cullen’s only staying long enough to get his farm into a fit state to sell, then he’s out of here for good. So far he’s had the good sense to keep to himself. He’s also not stupid. You’re way out of his league. Do you want me to give you a lift to the police station this afternoon? I’m going into Fairley around two. While I’m collecting weed spray and feed, you can make your statement.”
    Rachel’s half-empty cup hit the bench with a snap. Her nerves were still humming from last night, and now, on top of that, she was mad. “I’m quite capable of driving into Fairley myself and doing whatever is required.”
    Cole shot her a wry glance. “I just want to make sure you do the right thing and don’t end up feeling sorry for the guy who attacked you.”
    â€œIf I were you, I’d concentrate on that bacon. Smells to me like you’re burning it.”
    Cole’s hands shot up in the traditional sign of surrender, but Rachel wondered what his reaction would be if she told him that his suspicions were all twisted the wrong way. When Cullen had strode into the alley behind her salon, he’d radiated a clean strength and purpose that were still imprinted on her mind. If anyone had wanted to do any touching, it had been her. She’d been the one who had wanted him to stay.
    And Cullen hadn’t been able to get out of that alley fast enough.

Chapter 2
    C ullen parked his truck across the road from Rachel Sinclair’s salon just before closing.
    He’d timed it carefully. He needed to speak to Rachel about Dane, ASAP, and with any luck, most of her customers would have gone, granting them some measure of privacy.
    Especially since he now knew just exactly who she was.
    Even before he’d known for sure that she was old money—the oldest in town—and Cole Sinclair’s pampered only sister, his instincts had told him to leave her alone. Cullen wasn’t big on backing away from trouble, but he wasn’t about to walk smack into it, either. And