Never Marry a Cowboy by Lorraine Heath Read Free Book Online Page B

up.”
    â€œYou’re among friends. They won’t care. Or if you’d rather, I can send them on their way.”
    â€œNo!” It was the craziest thing, but she wanted an audience. She wanted people to see her taking a chance when she’d never taken a chance for fear it would shorten her life.
    She barely noticed her shawl falling from her shoulders as she swiped her damp palms over her skirt,trying not to focus on the sweat glistening over his chest. Surely he would put his shirt back on before he climbed on the horse behind her. “I’m willing to give it a try.”
    â€œGood.” He removed the rings from the lance. “Johnny!” The boy loped over. “Put these back into place, will you, lad?”
    Johnny grinned broadly. “She gonna do it?”
    â€œOf course.”
    â€œUncle Harry said you could talk an angel into sinnin’.”
    â€œHe spoke out of turn.”
    â€œMaybe so, but he still won the wager.” He grabbed the rings and ran off.
    â€œWhat wager?” she asked.
    â€œWho knows?” he mumbled as he took her hand and pulled her toward the gelding. “Harry would make a wager on whether or not the sun would come up if he could find a taker.”
    He hoisted her into the saddle as though she weighed no more than a petal on the flower he’d given her. Her skirt and petticoats rose to an indecent height. She was jerking them down when he wrapped his roughened palm around her calf. She froze.
    â€œYou have lovely legs, Miss Robertson.” He eased her foot out of the stirrup. “But I need the stirrup.”
    He vaulted up behind her. She thought if she didn’t fall from the saddle, she might expire from a heart that pounded with too much force. Her mouth went dry when his arms came around her.
    â€œGrab the lance,” he ordered, his breath skimmingalong her ear, sending delicious shivers cascading over her body.
    She did as he’d ordered, tucking the lance in close to her body. His hand covered hers, his arm brushing against hers, his chest pressing against her back. His bare chest. The warmth was enough to make her wonder how he survived the summers.
    â€œHold onto the pommel with your free hand, and I’ll take charge of the reins and the horse. With my arms around you, I promise you won’t fall. We’ll lope, not gallop.”
    Nodding, she took a deep breath. His tanned hand was so much larger than hers, his fingers longer than hers. Her paleness stood out in stark contrast.
    He guided the horse around and her body instinctively nestled against his.
    â€œWhat’s the horse’s name?” she asked as they neared the start of the track.
    â€œLancelot. Relax, Miss Robertson, or the horse will shy away from his task.”
    â€œI am relaxed.”
    â€œLiar.”
    Before she could respond, he urged the horse into a trot. She tightened her fingers around the lance as though that insignificant action could hold her in place.
    Kit’s body curled around her in a protective gesture that caused all her fears to recede. The wind caressed her cheeks. With her ribbon dangling at the end of the lance, her loosened hair flew around her face with wild abandon. Her heart thundered in rhythm to the horse’s pounding hooves.
    She felt the lurch and heard the ping as the lance hit the first ring. Amazingly it spun toward her hand. She wanted to laugh. Instead she focused on the next ring. As it sang its way down the lance, she realized victory held a sweetness she’d never experienced. Until this moment, her only victories had been waking up to welcome the arrival of the dawn.
    They missed the third ring, but she didn’t care. The remaining rings found their way home.
    Kit brought the horse around, and only then did she hear the cheers and clapping. She thought she could sail to the clouds on the joyous sound.
    â€œFive rings. Not bad for a beginner,” he said, his warm breath