"Young Hearts" by Gabriella Mahoney (Short Story)

Genre:  Western Romance

Type of Short Story:  Short Story

Summary:  Orphaned at an early age, Katherine Parker has been forced to be practical her entire life. She has been a been a nanny, a cook and now a school teacher. 

At twenty-six she has just about given up hope of ever finding a man that might see her as more than just the hired help. That is until Alex Dermott, her best friend growing up, comes back into down and seems interested in being far more than just friends...

Excerpt:

Katherine wasn’t entirely certain why she had made such a rebellious statement. It was totally uncharacteristic of her. Normally she was very careful about presenting a respectable public image. Nor was she entirely certain why a hint of tenderness crept into her heart as she draped the quilt over Alex and watched him sleep for a moment.

Her normal, practical self said that she was being ridiculous. That she was simply enamored with his looks. And what woman wouldn’t be? He was entirely too good-looking for anyone’s well being. And certainly far too attractive to be interested in the likes of her. He probably had scores of women wanting to be with him.

Refusing to be one of the many who had fallen prey to his charms, Katherine fixed herself some supper and then lit a fire in the living room fireplace so Alex wouldn’t get cold. Then deciding that she didn’t want to leave him alone in case he became feverish, she sat down in the armchair by the sofa to work on some mending.

“Why aren’t you married?” she heard Alex ask again softly about an hour later, causing her to look up from her sewing.

She considered how to answer this for a moment. “Well… I’m poor for one. For another, I’ve been a nanny at some point to virtually every man my age in this town. That’s not exactly the groundwork for romance.”

Alex moved closer to one side of the sofa and motioned for Katherine to come sit in the empty space he had made.

Katherine later rationalized this as being caught up by the intimate setting the fireplace made. At the moment, she walked over and sat on the sofa without so much as a second thought. The feeling of being so close to his warm, male body felt inexplicably right and made her shiver with pleasure.

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