Quotes from Mary Connealy

Maizy went to work. Knowing Rylan was watching her made her conscious of every move. She tried to stand in a more ladylike way, though heaven only knew exactly what that was. Her dress choked her a bit less when she stood straight, so she tried to think of being ladylike as a way not to strangle.

She'd do whatever Rylan asked. And if her collar strangled her, or if it was awkward scrubbing floors in a dress, then she'd remember Jesus on the cross and how He'd suffered. Then she'd compare her own meager pain and endure it quietly. A trace of peace crept through her as she prayed…

Praying should help, remembering Bible verses should help. Rylan figured he must be doing it wrong because it was only making him worry more. So he forced his thoughts from those worries and found himself watching every move Maizy made. That was another kind of madness.

Rylan tried not to share so many of his worries. She was so sympathetic it made him want to succeed all the more, and that made his fear of failing cut so deep he couldn't stand it. Rylan wasn't good at church attendance. He was a believer, but he found Sundays to be as demanding on a ranch as every other day, and he'd let his worship time slip.

The truth was he'd overreacted that day because he didn't like running into her. Sure, there was danger from wild bulls and grizzlies in the area—though Rylan hadn't foreseen the two tangling. But the real reason it upset him to find her was she wasn't exactly safe from him. Oh, he'd never physically harm her, but he might end up spending time with her and talking and learning all about her.

We need to settle a few things before tomorrow." "We sure do." Rylan suspected they wanted to talk about different things.

If he could have reached it, he'd have kicked his own backside.

Mary Connealy is a Carol Award winner and a RITA Award finalist. An author, journalist, and teacher, she lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters—Josie, married to Matt; Wendy; Shelly, married to Aaron; and

You propose marriage with the same breath you tell me you're ashamed of me.

I don't know what things were like between you and Griff, but I'm not like him. I want a woman to stand beside me, not trail along behind. That was Griff 's way, but it was wrong. I don't want you to be afraid of me. And maybe if you sass me a little, even if I get mad, you'll see that you can trust me to never hurt you. I promise it before you and before God. I want you to believe me.

A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.

run off, are you?" Rafe hesitated. "Nope, I'm not running