The Christmas Ball Read Free Page B

shrugged as if that explained everything.
    When he didn’t reply, she went on. “I had to work to help support them, but all I could do as a woman was sew, take in laundry or hire out as a domestic.”
    “And you didn’t want to do that?” He folded his arms over his chest.
    “It doesn’t pay all that well.” She scowled. “I took some of my brother’s clothes, cut my hair and got a job as a canal worker. It paid real well.”
    “And your family didn’t object to you doing that?”
    “Why would they?” She shrugged. “The farm income wasn’t enough to support all of us. If I could make better money pretending to be a man, why would they care?”
    “But didn’t they fear you’d be injured?”
    She shook her head. “It was no more grueling than what my brothers and me already did around the farm. My mother did all the cooking and most of the cleaning. I worked alongside the boys.”
    Understanding dawned. So that was how Sara had come to this point. “But how’d you end up in the army?”
    “While I was working at the canal, a Union recruiter tried to get all of us to sign up. He told us we could make more money in the army. So, I took a gamble no one would realize I was a woman and signed up.”
    “Just like that.” His lips twitched at her matter-of-fact attitude. “Hard work is one thing, but to sign up as a soldier.”
    She shrugged again. Although she appeared small and frail in her uniform, he was sure she’d developed muscles on the farm and working as a male, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to hide her sex.
    She rose, rubbing her hands over her arms. “You won’t tell on me, will you? My parents depend on the money I send home.”
    He sighed. “Not if you don’t want me to, but I don’t think this is a wise idea. You could serve just as well as a civilian nurse.”
    She shook her head. “I wouldn’t make near enough money, and I like being a soldier.”
    He rose and settled his hand on her shoulder. “I won’t betray your trust, Sara...er, Miss Brewster. I promise.”
    Her sharp intake of breath sent his gaze to her face. Her full lips parted and a blush colored her cheeks. He ran his hand down her arm and took her hand. It was work-roughened, the nails broken, but small, making her seem vulnerable and frail. She’d had a hard life by her reckoning. He wanted to do something for her, to help lighten her workload.
    To his surprise, she lifted his hand to her face and kissed the back of it. The softness of her lips on his knuckles sent a shiver through him.
    “Miss Brewster,” he said. “This isn’t a good idea.”
    She drew in a deep breath. “Doc Ellison, I’ve longed to do this ever since I first set eyes on you.”
    She reached up and circled his nape with her hands, drawing his face to hers. Standing on her toes, she kissed him.
    He stiffened for a moment. This wasn’t right. But her sweet lips on his, sent his own tingling and he couldn’t resist her no matter how hard he tried. He wrapped his arms around her back, drawing her close.
    She murmured in satisfaction, her moans urging him on. He deepened the kiss, pressing his body against hers. Her lips parted to give him complete access to the velvety inside of her mouth.
    He hardened in response to the softness and scent of her body. His impulse was to undress her, so he could feast on her woman’s body under the male clothing. His breath hitched and he pulled away a bit.
    She reeled, her eyes opened wide. Apparently she’d been as affected by the kiss as he. He reached out to steady her, then his fingers grazed the buttons of her sack coat. She stood stock still, as he slowly loosened each button, then slid the coat over her slim shoulders. She shrugged out of it and let the garment drop to the ground behind her.
    Of their own accord, his fingers reached for the buttons of her shirt.
    ****
    Sara closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Doc Ellison’s kiss had scattered her senses. For months she’d dreamed of being