Lady With A Past. Ryanne Corey

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СКАЧАТЬ farmer?

      She heard footsteps on the gravel, looked over her shoulder and realized she could ask him herself.

      He was walking towards the corral in a crimson haze of late-afternoon sunlight. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his jeans and his sneakers kicked up little clouds of dust as he walked. Creating disturbances, it seemed, came naturally to Connor Garrett. The baseball cap was missing and his longish golden-brown hair moved over his forehead with the restless evening breeze. His head was tilted quizzically as he approached, his bright-eyed gaze never leaving her face. And Boo, that traitorous canine, was bobbing along beside him like a drooling, furry welcome committee.

      No place to hide, Maxie thought miserably. Which left her no alternative but to bluff. She climbed off the fence, slapping her palms clean on her jeans. “Well, this here’s a surprise,” she drawled. “I didn’t expect to see you again. You lost, or somethin’?”

      “Save the country-girl accent,” Connor suggested. “It’s overdone, anyway. You forgot your fertilizer, Maxie. Young Robby at the feed store gave me your address, so I thought I’d bring it out to you. I put it on your porch.”

      “Such a good Samaritan.” Maxie forced a tight smile. “And what did you give young Robby in exchange for my address?”

      “A picture,” he said softly, “of you.”

      In truth, Connor thought it a miracle he could make any sound at all. He’d stood face-to-face with any number of celebrities, had wined and dined them and cheerfully pushed the necessary buttons to get a good story. This was different. Connor couldn’t quite get away from the fact that he was a fully functioning male and she was…hell, she was Glitter Baby.

      Two years, he realized, had changed her in remarkable ways…and yet not at all. Her eyes, completely free of makeup, were intensely violet against her sun-browned skin. Her shoulder-length hair, glossy brown with deep auburn highlights, had been freed from its ponytail and washed over her shoulders in no particular style. The impossibly generous shape of her dusky rose lips had inspired many a male fantasy, an understandable reaction. Connor was somewhat inspired himself at the moment. How on earth had this unforgettable lady escaped recognition? Was everyone in this town blind?

      Maxie watched him with the cool composure of one who was used to being the focus of attention. “Your mother should have taught you better manners. It’s rude to stare.”

      “My mother was a politician’s wife. She paid people to stare at her. It made her very happy. Besides, it couldn’t bother you too much. You spent eight extremely profitable years being stared at.”

      “I can’t imagine what you’re talking about.”

      Connor grinned, admiring her pluck. “You know damn well what I’m talking about.”

      “You poor confused man. Do you have a short-term memory problem? How old are you, forty-five or so? That’s quite young to be going senile.”

      “Thirty-four,” Connor corrected. “And I still have all my own teeth, too.”

      Maxie shrugged. “You look much older in person than on television.”

      “You know who I am?” Pleased, he crossed his arms over his broad chest and began rocking back and forth on the heels of his sneakers. “I’m flattered. Why didn’t you say something when I met you at the feed store?”

      “I said I knew who you were, Mr. Garrett,” Maxie retorted. “I didn’t say I was a fan. Thank you for delivering my fertilizer. Having said that, I’m now going to walk you to your car and wave enthusiastically while you drive away.”

      “I’m beginning to feel unwanted.” Connor lagged behind as she marched towards the house, a blissful smile on his face as he thoroughly appreciated the indignant rhythm of her rounded derriere. “We need to talk. Can’t you spare me a minute? I promise, it could be well worth your while.”

      “My mother told me never to talk to strangers. You’re very strange, therefore I don’t want to talk to you.”

      “Now who’s being rude? I’ve done nothing to—” He gave a low whistle. “Will you look at that? Holy cow…!”

      Ever mindful of her Holsteins’ health, Maxie stopped and looked back. Connor Garrett was down on his haunches in front of the vegetable garden in the side yard. Boo had crouched down likewise, his head tilted inquisitively. “What are you doing?” she demanded, her patience wearing thin.

      He looked up at her, his finger jabbing in the direction of the cabbages. “I just saw a rabbit.”

      “And your point is?”

      “It had bent ears,” Connor stressed. “Like they were broken or something. I swear, it was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. He just ducked under the cabbages.”

      Maxine rolled her eyes. “His ears are supposed to look like that. That’s Harvey. He’s a lop-eared rabbit. He lives in the garden and helps me eat the produce. You don’t get out to the country much, do you?”

      Connor stood up, a wave of color rising in his face. “Hey, very few of my acquaintances keep rabbits as pets, bent-eared or otherwise. When I saw him, I thought the poor guy was crippled or something. Why the name Harvey?”

      “I’m a big Jimmy Stewart fan.”

      “So why didn’t you name it Jimmy Stewart?”

      “Didn’t you ever see the play Harvey? Or the movie? Jimmy Stewart had this imaginary rabbit—” She broke off abruptly. Connor Garrett was the enemy, and it wouldn’t be smart to strike up any sort of friendship. “Never mind, Mr. Garrett. I’m sure you have better things to do than talk about my rabbit.”

      “Not really. Why won’t you call me Connor?”

      She gave him a killer smile, a weapon left over from her life in the fast lane. “I treat all people of your advanced age with respect, Mr. Garrett. Let’s get moving. It’s getting cold out here and you’re keeping me from my dinner.”

      Connor dropped in behind her again, making a soft “meow” sound deep in his throat. She glared at him over her shoulder, but kept walking. Connor’s low-slung canary-yellow rental car looked quite ridiculous next to her rugged power-wagon. It also appeared…locked. With the keys in the ignition.

      “Are you kidding me?” Maxie walked around the car, trying both doors. “What kind of idiot locks his keys in the car?”

      “I resent that,” Connor said in an injured tone. “Are you implying I did it on purpose? You have a definite ego problem if you think I want your story that bad.”

      “What about the sunroof? Maybe we could slide it—”

      Connor tried to look suitably mournful. It was difficult, considering he was enjoying himself enormously. “The sunroof doesn’t work. It’s broken. I plan on giving that rental company a piece of my mind when I return the car. I was assured this car was in perfect working—”

      “Oh, shut up.” She stared at him, murder in her violet eyes. “You probably worked this whole thing out in advance. Locked the keys in the car, glued the sunroof closed—”

      “I’m not СКАЧАТЬ