Claiming the Rancher's Heart. Cindy Kirk

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СКАЧАТЬ know why she was so charmed. Maybe it was because Mr. Sweet River attorney had gotten an F in the manners department. He hadn’t opened a single door for her or even asked what movie she wanted to see. Instead they’d watched an action flick he’d chosen.

      Josh, on the other hand, not only opened the door without being asked, but he waited until she was settled inside the truck before shutting the door and rounding the front of the vehicle.

      She watched him through the window, admiring his sure, purposeful stride. The cowboy exhibited a confidence that many women would find appealing. But as he slid into the driver’s seat, her attention was drawn to the rifle hanging in the window behind her head. Her earlier reservations flooded back.

      But how would she tell this nice guy that he wasn’t her type?

      “I can’t get used to how flat the streets are,” she said, buying herself some time. “When Anna talked about her hometown, I pictured a town high in the mountains, not one in a valley.”

      “It can be disappointing when things aren’t what we expect,” he said in an even tone.

      “Not always.” Stacie’s gaze met his. “The unexpected can often be a pleasant surprise.”

      They drove in silence for several seconds.

      “Did you know I’m psychic?”

      She shifted in the seat to face him. “You are?”

      “My powers,” he continued, “are sending me a strong message.”

      “What’s the message?” Stacie didn’t know much about paranormal stuff, but she was curious. “What are your powers telling you?”

      “You really want to know?” Josh’s blue eyes looked almost black in the shadows of the truck’s cab.

      “Absolutely,” Stacie said.

      He stared unblinking. “They’re telling me you don’t want to be doing this.”

      Stacie stilled, and for a moment she forgot how to breathe. She adjusted her seat belt, not wanting to be rude and agree, but hating to lie. “What makes you say that?”

      “For starters, what you said about cowboys.” His smile took any censure from the words. “That, coupled with the look in your eye when you first saw me.”

      Though he gave no indication she’d hurt his feelings, she knew she had, and her heart twisted at the realization. “You seem very nice,” she said softly. “It’s just that I’ve always been attracted to a different kind of man.”

      His dark brows pulled together, and she could see the puzzlement in his eyes. “There’s more than one kind?”

      “You know,” she stumbled over her words as she tried to explain. “Guys who like to shop and go to the theater. A metrosexual kind of guy.”

      “You like feminine men?”

      She laughed at the shock he tried so hard to hide. “Not feminine…just more sensitive.”

      “And cowboys aren’t sensitive?”

      “No, they aren’t,” Stacie said immediately, then paused. “Are they?”

      “Not really.” Josh lifted a shoulder. “Not the ones I know, anyway.”

      “That’s what I thought,” Stacie said with a sigh, wondering why she felt disappointed when the answer was just what she’d expected.

      “So what you’re saying is this match stands no chance of success,” Josh said.

      Stacie hesitated. To be fair, she should give him a shot. But wouldn’t that only postpone the inevitable? Still, there was something about this cowboy…

      Cowboy. The word hit her like a splash of cold water.

      “No chance,” Stacie said firmly.

      Josh’s gaze searched her face, and she could feel her cheeks heat beneath the probing glance.

      “I appreciate the honesty,” he said at last, his face showing no emotion. “For a second I thought you might disagree. Crazy, huh?”

      For a second she had been tempted to argue… until she’d come to her senses. Josh might be gentlemanly and have the bluest eyes she’d ever seen, but she could tell that they were too different.

      “That doesn’t mean we can’t be friends,” Stacie said. “Of course, you probably have plenty of friends.”

      “None as pretty as you,” he said. He cleared his throat and slowed the truck to a crawl as they entered the business district. “If you’re hungry we can grab a bite. Or I can show you the sites and give you some Sweet River history.”

      Stacie pondered the options. She wasn’t in the mood to return to the house or to eat. Though Anna had given both her and Lauren a tour when they’d first moved to Sweet River, she didn’t remember much of the town’s history.

      “Or I can take you home,” he added.

      “Not home.” She immediately dismissed that option. Since they’d cleared the air, there was no reason they couldn’t enjoy the evening. “How about you do the tour-guide thing? Then, if we feel like it, we can eat.”

      “Tour guide it is.”

      They cruised slowly through the small business district with the windows down. She learned that the corner restaurant had once been a bank and that the food mart had been resurrected by a woman who’d moved back to Sweet River after her husband died. He gave an interesting and informative travelogue, interspersed with touches of humor and stories from the past.

      “…and then Pastor Barbee told Anna he didn’t care if she dressed it like a baby—she couldn’t bring a lamb to church.”

      Laughter bubbled up inside Stacie and spilled from her lips.

      “I can’t believe Anna had a lamb for a pet.” She couldn’t keep a touch of envy from her voice. “My parents wouldn’t even let me have a dog.”

      He looked at her in surprise. “You like dogs?”

      “Love ‘em.”

      “Me, too.” He chuckled. “I better…I’ve got seven.”

      Stacie raised a brow. “Seven?”

      “Yep.”

      She marveled that he could look so serious when telling such a tall tale.

      “Wow, we have so much in common.” Stacie deliberately widened her eyes. “You have seven dogs. I have seven pink ostriches.”

      Josh cast her a startled glance. “I’m serious.”

      “Yeah, right.”

      “Okay, one dog and six pups,” he clarified. “Bert, my blue heeler, had puppies СКАЧАТЬ