A Rich Man for Dry Creek and A Hero For Dry Creek: A Rich Man For Dry Creek / A Hero For Dry Creek. Janet Tronstad

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СКАЧАТЬ brown.” Jenny shook her hair away from his hand. No wonder he was in the running for the number one bachelor. He was a charmer, all right. “Plain brown and flyaway on top of that.”

      Robert shook his head. “I’d say more chestnut than anything, golden highlights. The kind of hair the masters used to paint in all those old European pictures. Mona Lisa colors.”

      “Next you’ll be saying my apron is the latest fashion from Paris.”

      Robert could see the amusement begin in her eyes and he could feel her relaxing.

      “Just see if it doesn’t catch on.” Robert guided her closer so they could waltz. He felt her momentary resistance before she moved toward him.

      “I used to love to dance.” Maybe the shadows will hide my apron, Jenny thought to herself as Robert started them on their way.

      “Ever dip?”

      Jenny shook her head. “And don’t you dare. I’d feel foolish with everyone looking.”

      “Everybody’s too busy to care.”

      Jenny looked around at the other couples. It was true. Almost. “The ranch hands are watching.”

      Robert looked at the cluster of men standing by one of the side heaters. Half of them held coffee cups in their hands. A few of them did seem to be looking at him and Jenny, although he’d wager they weren’t interested in her apron. The dismay he saw in the eyes of a couple of them told him they’d been waiting for the coffee passing to stop so they’d have their own chance at a dance with Jenny.

      “They’ll just have to get their own dates,” Robert stated firmly as he gathered Jenny a little closer and inhaled. She smelled of some very pleasing scent. He’d guess cinnamon.

      Jenny almost stumbled. “Date?”

      Robert looked down at her face and smiled. “You. Me. Dancing. That’s a date, isn’t it?”

      “But we can’t be on a date.” Jenny stopped dancing.

      “Why not?”

      “You’re my boss.”

      “I’ve never paid you a dime. You work for my mother.”

      “It’s the same difference,” Jenny sputtered. “Besides—” she hated to sound like her sister, but there it was “—I’m Jenny, the chef, and you’re Robert Buckwalter the Third.”

      “You can call me Bob.”

      “What?” Jenny hadn’t realized how close Robert had pulled her until she’d stopped dancing.

      “Bob. Call me Bob.”

      Jenny looked up at him skeptically. He smelled faintly of some expensive aftershave. The tie around his neck was pure silk and probably Italian. His suit had to be hand tailored. “You don’t look like a Bob.”

      Robert gently started Jenny dancing again. He liked the way she felt in his arms. Her head reached his chin. Not too tall. Not too short. Just right. “What does a Bob look like anyway?”

      Jenny was silent a moment. “Plaid shirt. Sneakers.”

      Robert started to chuckle. “I can’t do much about the shirt right now, but I left my sneakers in the bus when we drove over. I could go get them if it’d make you happy. We could both go.”

      “It’s dark out there.”

      “The stars are out.”

      “Mrs. Hargrove said we’re supposed to stay close to the barn.” Jenny tried to hold on to her propriety.

      Jenny remembered how soft the black sky was outside. Shadows layered over shadows amid the cars and trucks parked in the middle of Dry Creek. The bite of the air would be cold and sharp enough to make the inside of the bus a cozy place to talk. A much too cozy place when all was said and done.

      “She’s just worried about that kidnapping rumor.” Robert watched the temptation play across Jenny’s face. He could watch her for hours. “But only a fool would kidnap anyone in a cold spell like the one tonight. There’s three feet of snow out there in some places.”

      “I suppose.”

      Robert noticed the frown didn’t go away. “If you’re worried about me, don’t be. I’m a gentleman. You can trust me.”

      Jenny snapped back to reality. “You’re not a gentleman. You’re the bachelor of the year.”

      Robert came back to reality with her. “I am? Have you talked to your sister? Have they decided?”

      “No.”

      “The whole thing is cruel and unusual punishment.”

      Jenny nodded. She supposed the waiting and suspense did seem like that to him. He must really want the slot. “My sister says the winner will be able to write his own ticket with the advertising companies.”

      Robert groaned. “I’d forgotten about that part of it. I may need to fly Charlie in to take those calls after all.”

      “Who’s Charlie? Your attorney?”

      Robert started to chuckle. “No, Charlie is an acquaintance of another kind.”

      “Oh.” Don’t tell me he has an agent, Jenny thought in dismay. He certainly had the looks to go into modeling. But somehow, she was disappointed. “I hope you draw the line at underwear.”

      Robert blinked. “Underwear?”

      “You know, in the endorsements. I wouldn’t want to see you in a magazine in your underwear.”

      Jenny felt the blush creep up her neck. He didn’t have to look at her that way—like she was picturing him right now in his underwear. “I just think it wouldn’t be a good example for the kids around here.”

      “You’re worried they’ll grow up to be underwear salesmen?” Robert was entranced. He’d seen precious few blushes in his day. That must say something about the kind of women that usually flocked around him.

      “Well, it’s not very steady work.”

      “I don’t know about that. People always need underwear.”

      If they hadn’t been talking, Jenny was sure she would have noticed that the music had stopped.

      She did notice the loud voices from the front of the barn near the door.

      A woman’s voice called, “Francis? Anyone seen Francis?”

      There was a loud shuffling as the boots of the ranch hands who were sitting by the heater hit the floor with a united thud.

      A man’s rough voice demanded, “Garth? Where’s Garth?”

      Finally one of the teenage girls opened the barn door from the outside and shrieked, СКАЧАТЬ