Once a Rebel by Sheri Whitefeather Read Free Book Online Page A

belt came next. She could hear the clank of the buckle.
    She didn’t think he was as modest as he seemed. He’d probably done it out of respect to her.
    Finally, he walked over to an oak armoire and removed a pair of socks from the single drawer. The cabin didn’t have a bedroom, and she shifted on the sofa, realizing she was sitting on his bed.
    He reached for his boots and sat next to her, pulling them on. His dark brown hair, she noticed, had yet to dry. He wore it short and just a little messy. His temples bore fine threads of gray, barely visible, but still a testament of time, of the years that had passed.
    â€œDon’t wear a hat,” she said.
    He made a face. “Why not?”
    â€œI like how you look without it.” And she didn’t want him to hide beneath the brim.
    He ran a hand through his hair, trying, it seemed, to tame it. But his finger combing didn’t make much of a difference. “I feel naked.”
    But he wasn’t, she thought. He was fully clothed now. “I heard that hats make men go bald.”
    â€œThen I’d really be naked.” He gave his Stetson or Resistol or whatever it was a longing glance. “This bites.”
    She smiled, knowing she’d won. “Maybe I’ll kiss you tonight.”
    His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Really?”
    â€œOn the cheek.”
    â€œTease.” He stood and offered to help her up.
    She accepted his hand and his sense of humor. His eyes were twinkling, as blue as the sea, as the sky, as every poetic description she could think of.
    A moment later, they took his truck and left for the restaurant in companionable silence.
    Red was a converted two-story hacienda brimming with charm. The first floor served as the eatery, with dark wood tables and terra-cotta tiles. Leafy plants and dim lighting offered a cozy atmosphere.
    Susan and Ethan sat at a candle-steeped table, and from her vantage point, Susan could see the courtyard where paper lanterns were strung, like leftover holiday lights bouncing off red umbrellas.
    The waitress, a friendly brunette, brought them their menus, took their drink orders and departed with a swishof her flouncing uniform. Susan glanced around. Amber, she assumed, was blond.
    â€œThe combination platters are really good,” Ethan said.
    Susan quit scouting the room and scanned the menu instead. Not a blonde in sight. “Everything looks good.”
    â€œYeah. I’m starving.” After a busboy delivered their drinks and placed a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa on the table, Ethan dived into them. “I eat out a lot. It’s a hassle to cook for myself.”
    â€œFor me, too.” She pondered over a beef burrito or a chicken enchilada, then gave in to her curiosity. “Did you meet Amber here?”
    â€œYep.” He said it casually, reaching for another chip. “She was separated from her husband and going through a rough time.”
    â€œAnd you helped her?”
    â€œOh, sure.” He laughed a little. “I helped her come to the conclusion that she was still in love with her husband.”
    Susan dipped into the salsa, waking up her taste buds. “I guess she isn’t working tonight.”
    â€œNot tonight or any other night. She doesn’t work here anymore.” He frowned at her. “Did you think I picked this place because of her? I don’t play those kinds of games.”
    â€œI didn’t see it as a game. Besides, I heard that we look alike.”
    â€œWho? You and Amber?” He sat back in his chair, the frown digging deeper into his skin. “Who told you that?”
    â€œCathy.”
    â€œCathy?”
    â€œThe teenager whose mom used to babysit Amber’s son.”
    â€œOh, that Cathy. The kid who sneaks cigarettes. I’ll bet she got to you.”
    â€œYes, she did. In fact, she’s the reason I came to see you. But first I want to know if what she said is true.”
    He