Iron Cowboy by Diana Palmer Read Free Book Online

shock run through him. He hesitated, but only for a minute. His own arms slid around her. He held her close while the wind blew around them, through the tall trees that lined the country cemetery. It was like being alone in the world. Tony Danzetta was out of sight watching, of course, even if he couldn’t be seen. Jared couldn’t be out of his sight, even at a time like this.
    He let out a long breath, and some of the tension seemed to drain out of him. “I couldn’t talk about her. There’s a hole in my life so deep that nothing fills it. She was my world, and while she was growing up, I was working myself to death making money. I never had time to go to those swim meets, or take her places on holidays. I wasn’t even there last Christmas, because I was working a deal in South America and I had to fly to Argentina to close it. She was supposed to spend Christmas with me. She had Thanksgiving with her mother.” He drew in a ragged breath and his arms involuntarily contracted around Sara’s slim figure. “She never complained. She was happy with whatever time I could spare for her. I wish I’d done more. I never thought we’d run out of time. Not this soon.”
    â€œNobody is ever ready for death,” Sara said, eyes closed as she listened to the steady, reassuring heartbeat under her ear. “I knew Grandad was getting old, but I didn’t want to see it. So I pretended everything was fine. I lost my parents years ago. Grandad and I were the only family left.”
    She felt him nodding.
    â€œDid she look like you?” she asked.
    â€œShe had my coloring. But she had her mother’s hair. She wasn’t pretty, but she made people feel good just being around her. She thought she was ugly. I was always trying to explain to her that beauty isn’t as important as character and personality.”
    There was a long, quiet, warm silence.
    â€œWhy did you decide to live here?” she asked suddenly.
    He hesitated. “It was a business decision,” he replied, withdrawing into himself. “I thought new surroundings might help.”
    She pulled back and his arms fell away from her. She felt oddly chilled. “Does it help?”
    He searched her eyes quietly. After a minute, the intensity of the look brought a flaming blush to her cheeks and she looked down abruptly.
    He laughed softly at her embarrassment. “You’re bashful.”
    â€œI am not. It’s just hot,” she protested, putting a little more distance between them. Her heart was racing and she felt oddly hot. That wouldn’t do at all. She didn’t dare show weakness to the enemy.
    â€œIt wasn’t an insult,” he said after a minute. “There’s nothing wrong with being shy.” His eyes narrowed. “Who looks after you, if you get sick? Your boss?”
    â€œDee’s wonderful, but she’s not responsible for me. I look out for myself.” She glanced at him. “How about you?”
    He shrugged. “If it looked like I was dying, Tony the Dancer would probably call somebody if he was around—if he wasn’t on holiday or having days off. My lawyer might send a doctor out, if it was serious and somebody called.”
    â€œBut would they take care of you?” she persisted.
    â€œThat’s not their job.”
    She drew in a long breath. “I know you don’t like me. But maybe we could look out for each other.”
    His dark eyebrows lifted. “Be each other’s family, in other words.”
    â€œNo ties,” she said at once. “We’d just be there if one of us was sick.”
    He seemed to be seriously considering it. “I had flu and almost died last winter,” he said quietly. “It was just after I lost my daughter. If Tony hadn’t come back early from Christmas holidays, I guess I’d have died. It went into pneumonia and I was too sick and weak to get