A Family For The Rancher. Allison Collins B.
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Название: A Family For The Rancher
Автор: Allison Collins B.
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Вестерны
isbn: 9781474077330
isbn:
Her outrage was so absolute he was surprised the water didn’t start boiling around them. Her black as sin hair plastered to her head, and she scooped it out of her eyes.
A tickle rose up his throat, and he tried to cough it back. Which only made it worse. It turned into a snort.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” The accusatory finger aimed his way could have been a lethal weapon.
Choking back another laugh, he held his hands up. “No, ma’am. Honestly, I didn’t.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she swiped a hand down her face. “Better not have, mister,” she muttered, heading for the shore.
Another laugh bubbled up, and it felt so foreign, he let it out. Which was followed by another laugh, sounding rusty even to his ears.
She froze and slowly turned to face him. Drawing her hand back, she swooshed it across the surface, sending a tidal wave of water into his face.
It should have pissed him off, but even as he coughed out the water, he admired her feistiness.
Reaching the shore a few yards from the rocky ledge, she turned around to wait for him. “Hurry up. I need to get packed up and back to the cabin for Maddy’s nap.”
He swam forward, cursing himself for being naked.
“The bank is more of a gentle slope here. I’ll put my arm around you, and you lean on me however much you need to.”
God, he hated this. Having to depend on someone to help him grated on every last nerve. And to rely on a woman, any woman, made it worse.
Her hand slid across his back and around his side as she tried to support him, leaving a trail of fire over his slick skin. Oh geez. Think of something else. Anything else besides her hand on me. He pictured the pile of horse manure he’d had to shovel as punishment one hot summer as a teenager just to get him the few yards till he could grab his towel.
He tried not to pant as they hobbled together out of the water. Hated showing weakness, even if she was a therapist. As soon as they were close enough, he leaned forward and grabbed his towel off the rock, wrapped it around his waist. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Her voice sounded breathless, and he glanced up to see her hurrying away. She stopped suddenly. “You okay from here?” she asked without turning around.
“Yeah.”
Leaves crunched as she hurried away, leaving him alone with the crickets. He dried off, then leaned against the rock, looked around the serene setting. This place had always been his sanctuary, a place to be completely alone.
And now it would always remind him of limitations.
And desperate need.
Kelsey couldn’t settle down, even hours later, after catching Nash in the pond.
Naked.
Scars notwithstanding, his body was perfection. Muscles that in no way came from a gym curved under tight, tanned skin. Even with the scars, he was perfect.
And not someone she should be thinking of in this way. He was her patient.
She’d had her happiness before, even with the heartache. Didn’t want to be with another man. Couldn’t take that chance. Not with her heart, or her daughter’s.
Her mother rushed into the living room. “Are you ready? Is Maddy ready? I don’t want to keep Angus waiting.”
“Mom, calm down. We’re all ready to go.” They’d been invited to dinner with the family at Angus’s house that night. She wondered how much of that invite was finagling on her mother’s part, and how much came from Angus being smitten with Bunny.
She grabbed her mother’s hand, hoping to instill some reality. “Mom, you know we won’t be here all that long.”
“I know, pumpkin. But can’t we make friends while we’re here?”
Suppressing an eye roll, Kelsey packed up Maddy and her bag of toys, and they all piled in her car. She turned the key, heard nothing but grinding. Please, not now. Behave till I can save up some money!
She switched the ignition key off, waited a beat, tried again. This time it groaned to life, protesting the whole way.
Reaching the main lodge a short time later, they were invited inside by a beaming Angus. She scanned the big rustic living room, really hoping Nash wasn’t in attendance. She had the feeling from something Hunter had said at the barbecue that Nash didn’t do many family things since he’d been discharged from the Army.
“Glad y’all could make it tonight,” Angus said.
“It was nice of you to invite us.”
He pulled her aside, away from the laughter of his sons. “How’s my son doing with therapy?”
“We’re working hard every day. He’s really coming along.” At least she hoped so, at this point.
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