Cowboy Crushin' (Dalton Boys Book 3) by Em Petrova Read Free Book Online

reaction to him wasn’t ordinary, he looked at her hard. Don’t do this, her blue eyes seemed to plead. He pushed out the breath he’d been holding and gave Alex his attention.
    He scrubbed a hand over the boy’s head and Alex leaned against his thigh, a warm, solid weight that brought Witt back in control of his surging desires. His mouth tugged into a smile. “I’d like you to come to my ranch and see Kiser.”
    “I want to but Mom hasn’t said yes.” He screwed up his eyebrows.
    Shelby drifted closer to him and Alex. “Actually I’ve been thinking about that. I’ve decided…we’ll come with you to the ranch, won’t we, Alex?”
    Witt jolted in surprise and his heart broke free like a wild mustang. He locked his gaze on Shelby for a long second while his mind jumped ahead to getting her alone, learning every corner of her brain—and body—then proving his worth.
    He cleared his throat. “I’d like that. When do you close?”
    “It’s Saturday so…” She trailed off as if she’d forgotten, staring at his shirt buttons.
    “Four o’clock,” Alex piped up.
    “Smart boy,” Witt praised him. “I’ll be back for you at four then.”
    Shelby twisted her hands together. “Today?”
    “Do you want to tell this face he has to wait another week?” He tipped Alex’s head up so his mother could see his puppy-dog eyes.
    “Good point.” A soft smile toyed with her lips.
    Something deep broke inside Witt.
    He removed his hand from Alex’s mop of hair and reached for Shelby. When he covered her warm hands with his, emotion shifted in his chest. Undeniable. All he had to do was persuade her that they needed to explore this attraction. He didn’t need much more time to contemplate the protective feeling she raised in him—he never dragged out a decision, especially once he knew what was right.
    She pulled away from his touch. “Witt…”
    He gave her a smile. “Yeah?”
    “M-maybe I shouldn’t have agreed. I was too hasty in saying we’d come.”
    “Not getting out of it now.” He ducked his head to fix her in his stare. “Besides, Momma’s got a big supper planned for you.”
    “But you didn’t know I’d say yes!”
    “I’m an optimistic man, Shelby.” He squeezed her hands and released them. “What do you say I take Alex to the school playground and introduce him to Mac at the general store while you finish the day?”
    Alex bounced. “Yes!”
    “Shelby?”
    She sank her teeth into her lower lip, looking indecisive.
    “I promise to take good care of him, and you know I won’t be stuffing him with sweets since you’ve got the only shop in town.”
    “There’s always the coffee shop.”
    “Good point. I can’t guarantee I won’t buy him an espresso.” He grabbed Alex’s hand and headed to the door. “Or a puppy,” he said before the bell jingled behind them.
    As he led Alex down the sidewalk, the boy skipped and jabbered. He was glad to see him happy but it weighed on Witt. When he’d placed his hand in Witt’s and led him out of the shop, Shelby’s eyes had welled with tears.
    He didn’t totally understand her worries over Alex, but he was damn well going to get her talking. Confiding, spilling her guts, sharing hopes and dreams. Maybe nothing would come of their mutual attraction in the end, but at least she’d know she had a friend in him.
    Witt watched Alex go down the sliding board about 200 times. Then he pushed him on the swing until the boy said his stomach hurt. So Witt sank to the neighboring swing and they talked about fishing and hunting.
    Alex said he didn’t have a daddy in his house to take him fishing. Witt studied the boy’s deep brown eyes, wanting so bad to offer to take him. But he bit his tongue before he made promises Shelby wouldn’t like him to keep.
    “Think it’s time to help Mom close up shop?” he asked the boy. They’d never gotten to the general store. Alex had been easily entertained at the playground.
    “Let me check the time.”