Mistletoe & Marriage: Snowbound Cowboy. Patricia Thayer

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СКАЧАТЬ the men around here blind? Even after only a few days together, she was going to be hard to leave.

      “Amelia,” he called to her.

      She turned around. “What?”

      “Worrying isn’t going to help.”

      She seemed to relax a little and offered him a hint of a smile. “I know.” She sighed. “I guess I’m the one with cabin fever now.”

      “It’s understandable.”

      “We haven’t had a bad storm like this for a few years. I guess we’re overdue.” She looked out the window at the fading light. “I normally love this time of year. It’s beautiful here with the mountains covered in snow.” She raised her startling green eyes to his. “I guess I miss Kelley and my grandmother, too. What if something has happened to Gram, and Kel can’t reach me?”

      He shook his head. “You can’t think that way. From what you’ve said about her, she’s a strong woman.”

      A smile appeared on her pretty face. “Yeah, she is. We had to fight to even get her to go to the hospital. And the doctor said she was healthy enough to handle this procedure.”

      “See. She’s strong like I said.”

      “You have to be when you run a ranch.”

      Amelia enjoyed talking with Boone. She didn’t get much male companionship, and she never realized how much she missed it. And she had to admit, it was nice to lean on someone for a change. Just so she remembered that he was doing a job, and he’d be leaving for Texas soon. If she were looking for something serious, Boone wasn’t the man. He wasn’t even from around here. And Montana was her home.

      Besides, she wasn’t sure she could trust a man again. That foolish girl who’d been willing to run off with the first guy who’d given her attention no longer existed. She was a mother now and had to think about her child. No matter how attached Jesse was getting to Boone, she had to make him understand that the ranch hand wasn’t staying around.

      His voice broke into her thoughts. “It’s nice you have your family.”

      She nodded. “They’ve both been there for me and my son.”

      “From what I gather from Jesse, his dad hasn’t been in his life.”

      Amelia never explained her life to strangers. She’d never needed to before. “It’s no secret that I never married Jesse’s father. When Russ found out I was pregnant, he took off. Never heard from him again.”

      “You must have been pretty young.”

      She glanced away. “And naive. It’s funny how easy it is to let love cloud your judgment. Yet, at nineteen, I’m not sure we even know what it is.”

      “Love can do that to you.”

      Something in his low tone of voice caused her to turn around. “Sounds like you have your own experiences.”

      He shrugged. “Past history. I found out in time.”

      Amelia could see a flash of hurt. She wanted to reach out to him, but she held back. “Were you married?”

      His dark eyes met hers. “No, but we planned to, before I lost the ranch.”

      “She left you?”

      His jaw tightened. “I don’t blame her. I didn’t have anything to offer her.”

      “Don’t say that. You had love. She should have stood by you. Together you could have worked to get it back. That’s what love is, working for a future.” She crossed her arms. “Well, you’re lucky to be rid of her.”

      An easy smile crossed his face. “You are fierce when riled. Remind me never to cross you.”

      “I’m sorry. It just seems that so many people just walk away when things get too rough. A commitment means sticking it out through the hard times as well as the good times.” She blinked at the sudden tears welling in her eyes. “You had to be devastated, losing your home, then someone you love. I’m sorry.” She moved away, swiping at the rush of tears. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

      He touched her arm. “No, Amelia. Please, you have no reason to be sorry.” He came closer. “Besides, it was a long time ago. I don’t think about Kendra anymore.”

      “Good. She doesn’t deserve your time.”

      “God, Amelia. I wish…”

      His dark gaze held hers, and Amelia knew it could be trouble. She wanted to blame what she was feeling on the storm and their being thrown together.

      “If only I had met someone like you,” Boone began.

      “Yeah, right. A single mother with a child. Not that I’ve been pining after Russ after all these years. I haven’t. It took a while, but I realized I don’t need a man to make me complete. Of course, that doesn’t mean men are exactly beating down my door.”

      “Then, they aren’t worth your time. And they sure don’t deserve you. If things were different—”

      Amelia held up a hand. She didn’t need to hear his reasons why he couldn’t be that man. “It’s okay, Boone.”

      She started to move away, but he stopped her. “I was about to say there are things you don’t know about me. And there’s also the fact that you live in Montana and I live in Texas.”

      Three hours later Boone was in his room. Restless, he’d done a fifteen-minute workout, hoping exhaustion would help him sleep. He should be used to the confinement after living and working on the oil platform, except there he had television and other guys to talk to.

      All he had here was a five-year-old boy and one beautiful woman, making him realize what was missing in his life. And tonight he nearly stepped over the line. Just touching Amelia’s softness had him reeling with need. It had taken everything in him to keep from dragging her into his arms and kissing her senseless. Great, he was turning into some sex-starved maniac.

      Boone suddenly heard the puppies’ cries. He hurried to the pantry, hoping they hadn’t woken up anyone else in the house. Amelia was already there. She was leaning over the box. He started to move away, but she turned toward him.

      “Seems they want some attention.” She stroked the tiny animal in her hands.

      Boone couldn’t resist and sank down beside her, trying not to notice as his leg rubbed against hers. He scratched Izzy’s head, then gently scooped up one of her crying babies. “You know, you’re spoiling them,” he told her.

      “Everyone needs some spoiling. Besides, I don’t get to keep them long. All these precious babies will be in other homes soon.”

      He smiled down at the now-sleeping chocolate-colored pup. He wouldn’t mind having one of these himself. He shook away the thought. It would be another connection to Amelia Hughes, and give him a reason to keep in touch. She probably wouldn’t want to when she learned the truth about him.

      Amelia СКАЧАТЬ