Chase Wheeler's Woman by Charlene Sands Read Free Book Online Page B

her a look that said he’d just treated her like a woman and look where that had got them. There was a hint of sympathy in his eyes, and another emotion as well. It was something she never thought she’d elicit from him. Pity.
    “Letty Sue.”
    “Good night, Chase,” she said, and with head held high, walked out of the tack room.
    Chase rode Tornado hard, testing the stallion’s strength, his endurance. There wasn’t a better horse on the ranch, and Tornado appeared more than willing to prove it. After riding out quite a ways, Chasebrought the horse to a slow trot, giving them both a respite. He checked the line fences on the southern end of the property, looking for damage—a section down or an area where the barbed wire wasn’t fastened properly.
    He found Sam Fowler working on a broken fence. Chase dismounted, ground tethering Tornado. When the horse didn’t take flight, Chase felt immense pride. Taming the stallion hadn’t been as hard as he’d thought.
    But taming one wayward woman had Chase warring with emotions so perplexing he couldn’t piece together two consistent thoughts. Conflicting battles waged inside his head. Letty Sue made it clear she wanted to be treated as a woman, and Chase knew dozens of ways to satisfy her in that regard.
    But he’d made a pledge to Joellen, and one thing Chase Wheeler had never done was go back on his word. And as womanly as Letty Sue was on the outside, with her enticing body and beckoning blue eyes, Chase feared she really didn’t know her own mind. She was a true child at heart, playing at being a woman.
    “Howdy, Chase,” Sam called out.
    “Sam.” Chase walked over and inspected the downed fence. “Need some help here?”
    “Sure wouldn’t refuse a hand.” Sam struggled to lift the heavy fence post. Chase braced the post from below, and the two managed to ease it upright. “Got it,” Sam announced.
    Chase held it firm.
    Sam took a large hammer and pounded it in, until the post was steady. “Much obliged.” He removed his gloves, using them to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “Got three more broken sections down the line a piece.”
    “Well, let’s get to them.”
    Sam smiled and nodded. “Appreciate it.”
    They mounted up and slowly ambled along the fence line. The blazing sun beat down hard, the way everything seemed to happen here in this rugged land. Nothing subtle about Texas, Chase thought. The majority of the land was wild, free and formidable, just the way he liked it. He lowered the brim of his hat, fighting off sunlight.
    “Heard you met Sally Henderson the other day,” Sam said, twisting a long strand of switchgrass in his mouth.
    “Sure did.”
    “She invite you to the church social?”
    “She did. I’m thinking about going,” Chase said.
    “Sally’s great. Got loads of brothers and sisters. One of her brothers married a sweet young gal. She’s part Indian. Family embraced her like a cowboy throwing his best loop. They sorta roped her right in. Know what I mean? ”
    Chase slanted him a look.
    “And well, I know Sally…she’d take to you right fine. You gonna bid on her lunch basket?”
    “Sam,” Chase said evenly, “you been skirting around something worse than a saloon girl doing a jig. Say it outright or don’t say it at all.”
    Sam tossed his reed of switchgrass away and eyed Chase. “All right. I’m bidding on Letty Sue’s basket. I outbid everyone for the past five years. Just thought I’d warn you.”
    Chase chuckled. “How’d you stomach her food?”
    A wry grin crossed over Sam’s face. “You know about her cooking?”
    “Word gets around.”
    Sam’s lips twitched. “Joellen usually does up the basket for the church social. But it don’t matter. I’d bid on Letty Sue’s basket if there was nothing in it.”
    “Might be a safer choice for your gut.”
    “Yeah,” he agreed. “But still, it’s been my honor for as long as I’ve known her, and I’d like it to stay that way.”
    Chase nodded.