Her Christmas Protector Read Free

sidewalk, her bags jostling at her sides.
    She turned the corner as Luke climbed into a dark green Bronco. An instant later, the engine roared to life. He backed his vehicle out of the parking place, the tires crunching on the snow-covered gravel. Faith dropped her bags and ran toward him.
    “Luke! Luke, wait!”
    The Bronco screeched to a stop. Luke rolled down his window. “Faith, are you okay?”
    His deep voice washed over her, smoothing the rough edges of her nerves.
    Nodding, she blinked up at him. “I…I wanted to ask you something.”
    He gave her a curious stare. “Ask away.”
    Anxiety threatened to wrap itself around her throat, but she bolstered her courage and plunged ahead. “I’d like to apply for that job you mentioned earlier.”
    A confused frown marred his brow. “Job?”
    Faith took a deep breath. “For your mother. The helper you needed.”
    “I thought you were just passing through?”
    “I changed my mind. The country air agrees with me.” She breathed in deep, the cold air filling her lungs and making her cough. It was either the air or she was losing her mind.
    She probably was nuts to be doing this, but would she be found in this out of the way town in the middle of the Oregon Mountains? And on a ranch?
    No, she didn’t think so. She was ninety-nine percent sure she’d be safe.
    She’d worry about the other one percent later.

TWO
    H ire her, Luke thought to himself immediately, and then heard himself say, “You’re hired.”
    Her eyes rounded in surprise. “Just like that?”
    Luke hesitated. He knew next to nothing about this woman and yet, when he looked into her eyes, the haunted expression that had bothered him earlier seemed to recede. “Just like that.”
    “I’ll…get my bags.”
    “Here, let me,” Luke offered as he opened the door. But she was already hurrying away.
    Luke drummed his fingers on the door. Okay, Lord. I trust You know what You’re doing. Whatever You have planned, I’m with You.
    Still, he couldn’t shake the unsettled knot in the pit of his stomach.
    As Faith approached, Luke climbed out from behind the wheel and took her bags. He put them in the back and then helped her into the rig. “You travel light for someone who’s been out touring the country.”
    “Easier to pack up and go.”
    Luke climbed back behind the wheel and wondered what made her need to “pack up and go.”
    He clamped his jaw tight. Why couldn’t God have provided some nice grandmotherly type, someone he could easily dismiss from his mind?
    Luke slanted Faith a glance as he pulled out onto the street. Something about the way she held herself spoke of a quiet strength he found appealing. He wasn’t immune to her physical charms, either.
    He liked the straight line of her nose and the stubbornness of her jaw. Her blond hair swung about her shoulders and he could almost imagine the feel of the silken strands gliding across his palm.
    Resolutely, he shook the sensation away. He really didn’t need this.
    Suddenly, Faith moved, throwing herself on the floor and he nearly careened into a building. He eased up on the gas pedal. “What are you doing?”
    Her hunted expression reappeared, making her look wide-eyed and scared. “I…think my…ear…earring fell out,” she stammered and patted the floorboards.
    For several seconds she continued to search the floor.
    There’d been no jewelry adorning her ears. Interesting. “Find it?”
    “Yes.” She attempted to sit up but her purse went flying to the floor, scattering paraphernalia at their feet. Diving down, she retrieved her goods.
    Luke could have sworn she’d nudged her purse off the seat on purpose. Curiosity burned in his gut. “Room and board.”
    He glanced down at her bent head. He noticed one hand held her purse while the other put air into the purse’s opening. His curiosity cranked up a notch and his brows drew together.
    She peeked at him through a veil of blond hair. “Excuse me?”
    She was acting