have thought him handsome — no not handsome; this man was beyond handsome—b ut when her gaze slid up to meet his eyes … her breath froze… the arresting blue hue left her totally dumbstruck. After several mindless moments, reality returned and she snapped her mouth shut , but confusion continued to swirl through her mind as she returned his equally puzzled gaze . Never had she seen eyes so captivatingly blue.
* * *
Craig Langston studied the woman he’d collided with in a fashion as openly fascinated as she appeared to be. She was young, probably in her early twenties, very pretty, with cornflower blonde hair streaked with silvery strands pulled into a half- hazard bun. Her ebony eyes contrasted viv idly with pale milky skin, and t he delicate bone structure of her heart shaped face deserved more than a casual glance. This woman was undoubtedly a timelessly classic beauty. However, it wasn’t the young woman’s looks which held Craig Langston enthralled, but her attire.
She was clad in a pale blue uniform of sorts which somewhat resembled a sailor’s dungarees. The clothing was constructed of a light-weight fabric, pale blue in color, and consisted of an unrestricting short sleeved blouse tucked into similarly unrestricting trousers that tied off with a draw string at the waist. The blouse had a V neck which, when she leaned fo rward as she did now , revealed a great deal more flesh than the girl probably would have liked; she was certainly not wearing any sort of chemise or undergarments he was accustomed to. The woman’s appearance was scandalous at best, and he couldn’t help but notice how the thin fabric clung provocatively to her voluptuous curves. Tearing his eyes away from her peculiar attire he forced hi mself to look at her face again. She looked positively stricken. He surmised her expression was likely a result of her inappropriate state of dress and their compromising position a few moments before.
“Captain Langston!” a voice called out.
Craig startled and turned to see Mrs. Harris practically sprinting across the field toward them. A long full skirt hindered her pace and black high-heeled boots showed beneath her flying petticoats. He tugged his jacket swiftly back into place and leaned forward, grasping the peculiar young woman beneath the arm and helping her to her feet.
“Thank you so much for stoppin’ by, sir,” Mrs. Harris drawled breathlessly. She smiled sweetly, drawing his attention away from the girl.
“No, trouble at all, ma’am.”
“If the mare isn’t any better by tomorrow I’ll send Fredrick out for you again, ” Mrs. Harris’s s aid casually . She didn’t seem at all perturbed by the odd woman on her farm. “If that is all right with you of course.”
“Perfectly, fine, Mrs. Harris.” He glanced again toward the younger woman, wondering at the bewildered expression lining her face.
“Oh, where are my manners!” Mrs. Harris exclaimed. She reached for the girl. “Captain, I see you’ve met my niece.”
Edge of Time 230
Two
N i e ce?
S tunned, Marissa flicked he r gaze to the lady Captain Langston had referred to as Mrs. Harris. Concern flickered briefly in the other woman’s pale eyes.
“You must forgive my niece’s attire, sir, but she is just arrived from Atlanta and has been helping me with some handiwork around the farm. With all the men gone to fight in the war we women have had our hands full.”
Atlanta? I’ve never seen more than the airport in Atlanta, Marissa thought but her voice froze again .
Captain Langston nodded in immediate understanding. “Of course, Mrs. Harris. These are times when we must all do our share to help one another. As for your mare, there is no need to send Fredrick out tomorrow, I’ll make a point of stopping by in the afternoon when my shift at the hospital is through.”
“Why thank you , Doctor ,”
* * *
Craig Langston studied the woman he’d collided with in a fashion as openly fascinated as she appeared to be. She was young, probably in her early twenties, very pretty, with cornflower blonde hair streaked with silvery strands pulled into a half- hazard bun. Her ebony eyes contrasted viv idly with pale milky skin, and t he delicate bone structure of her heart shaped face deserved more than a casual glance. This woman was undoubtedly a timelessly classic beauty. However, it wasn’t the young woman’s looks which held Craig Langston enthralled, but her attire.
She was clad in a pale blue uniform of sorts which somewhat resembled a sailor’s dungarees. The clothing was constructed of a light-weight fabric, pale blue in color, and consisted of an unrestricting short sleeved blouse tucked into similarly unrestricting trousers that tied off with a draw string at the waist. The blouse had a V neck which, when she leaned fo rward as she did now , revealed a great deal more flesh than the girl probably would have liked; she was certainly not wearing any sort of chemise or undergarments he was accustomed to. The woman’s appearance was scandalous at best, and he couldn’t help but notice how the thin fabric clung provocatively to her voluptuous curves. Tearing his eyes away from her peculiar attire he forced hi mself to look at her face again. She looked positively stricken. He surmised her expression was likely a result of her inappropriate state of dress and their compromising position a few moments before.
“Captain Langston!” a voice called out.
Craig startled and turned to see Mrs. Harris practically sprinting across the field toward them. A long full skirt hindered her pace and black high-heeled boots showed beneath her flying petticoats. He tugged his jacket swiftly back into place and leaned forward, grasping the peculiar young woman beneath the arm and helping her to her feet.
“Thank you so much for stoppin’ by, sir,” Mrs. Harris drawled breathlessly. She smiled sweetly, drawing his attention away from the girl.
“No, trouble at all, ma’am.”
“If the mare isn’t any better by tomorrow I’ll send Fredrick out for you again, ” Mrs. Harris’s s aid casually . She didn’t seem at all perturbed by the odd woman on her farm. “If that is all right with you of course.”
“Perfectly, fine, Mrs. Harris.” He glanced again toward the younger woman, wondering at the bewildered expression lining her face.
“Oh, where are my manners!” Mrs. Harris exclaimed. She reached for the girl. “Captain, I see you’ve met my niece.”
Edge of Time 230
Two
N i e ce?
S tunned, Marissa flicked he r gaze to the lady Captain Langston had referred to as Mrs. Harris. Concern flickered briefly in the other woman’s pale eyes.
“You must forgive my niece’s attire, sir, but she is just arrived from Atlanta and has been helping me with some handiwork around the farm. With all the men gone to fight in the war we women have had our hands full.”
Atlanta? I’ve never seen more than the airport in Atlanta, Marissa thought but her voice froze again .
Captain Langston nodded in immediate understanding. “Of course, Mrs. Harris. These are times when we must all do our share to help one another. As for your mare, there is no need to send Fredrick out tomorrow, I’ll make a point of stopping by in the afternoon when my shift at the hospital is through.”
“Why thank you , Doctor ,”
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