Never Marry a Cowboy by Lorraine Heath Read Free Book Online

generous by evening, a kiss. No more than that.” He sighed deeply. “God knows I have nothing else to give.”
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    Ashton had not meant to fall asleep. She despised the moments lost when she drifted into a shadowy world of dreams. Abbie had been telling her how Grayson, Kit, and Harry had worked her farm, picking cotton, when they had first arrived five years earlier. Ashton had wanted to hear the story, every detail she could glean about Kit, but a heaviness had settled over her and Abbie’s gentle voice had lulled her into sleep.
    Something soft and velvety tickled her nose. She brushed it away, but it returned more insistent than before. She squinted and was greeted by the sight of silvery blue eyes and a yellow flower.
    â€œI came over here to get something to eat, but I’mhalf tempted to nibble on you,” Kit said in a low, seductive voice.
    She widened her eyes and pushed herself to a sitting position. He sat beside her, one arm draped over his raised knee, while he feathered the flower over her face with his other hand. She was fully awake now, but her voice still seemed to be asleep.
    â€œHave you eaten?” he asked.
    She shook her head. “I have so little appetite of late, although I’ve never really been a hearty eater.”
    â€œI suspected as much.” He reached across her, grabbed a wicker basket, and dragged it nearer. “Abbie always has something good to eat. Gray got the better end of the deal when he was selected to stay with her, although none of us thought so at the time.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    He removed a piece of chicken from the basket, tore off a section of meat, and offered it to her. “Eat, and I shall explain.”
    Even though she wasn’t hungry, she nibbled on his offering, anything to hear the rich timbre of his voice.
    â€œShortly after the war, we came here to work in the cotton fields. There were seven men altogether, and seven merry widows each agreed to take in one boarder. Abbie got Gray. Harry and I spent one evening looking the area over and decided we wanted to return to Galveston, where our ship from Liverpool had originally docked.” He slipped another piece of chicken into her mouth before shrugging. “But Gray wanted to stay so stay, we did, and soon learned that picking cotton is a harsh undertaking.”
    She glanced toward the older boy who was galloping along the track, gathering rings. “So the three older children must be from Abbie’s first marriage. How did the jousting get started?”
    She wanted to protest that she was full when he teased her lips with another strip of chicken. Instead, she chewed because she could tell from the gleam in his eyes that without her acquiescence, he would not continue the story.
    â€œHave you ever read Ivanhoe ?”
    â€œYes—” He slipped another piece of chicken into her open mouth. The rascal. She nodded, his warm smile dousing any anger she might have felt at being manipulated.
    â€œGray had brought the book with him, and he read to the children every night. They were enthralled with the notion of knights and jousting, and he was enthralled with them, so we made poles, rings, and lances, and taught them what we knew of our ancestors’ penchant for games.”
    â€œI think it’s—” Another piece of chicken which she spoke around. “Wonderful.” She swallowed and held up a hand. “I really can’t eat anymore.”
    â€œBlackberries, then.” He reached behind his back and brought forth a bowl filled with the tiny fruit. “Picked them myself especially for you.”
    â€œIt’s a good thing we’re leaving tomorrow,” she said as she plucked one from the bowl and popped it into her mouth.
    â€œAnd why is that?”
    â€œI think you could easily break my heart.”
    He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Breaking hearts is not what I