Reckless Promise by Jenny Andersen Read Free Book Online Page B

pool.
    She acted almost as though she didn't want
him to be with Alice. But he didn't have time to think about that.
He locked his arms around her and took her with him. A man could
drown happy this way, with Poppy plastered against him, her legs
tangled with his. She broke away and streaked for the shallow
end.
    He raced right behind her. She grabbed a big
ball and tossed it at him. Treading water, he caught it and threw
it back, intending to dive and swim underwater to ambush her.
Before he could move, three people had joined the game and there
went his chance to get close and physical under cover of the
water.
    An eternity later, the game ended, and he had
a chance to get within touching distance of her. She twisted to
pull one strap away from her shoulder and check for sunburn. "I am
getting pink. I'd better get out, too," she said.
    Never one to waste an opportunity, he put a
couple of fingers on her back and pressed lightly. "You're right,"
he said. "A little pink, but not too bad." He smoothed his hand
down her back, surprised the film of water didn't turn to steam
from the intensity of his thoughts. "Not too bad at all."
    "Sun screen." She drifted away toward the
steps.
    He watched with appreciation the unveiling of
the curvy, scarlet-clad rear and the world-class legs. Maybe she'd
like him to go back to her cabin and put some lotion on her
back.
    He hurried out of the pool to join her. Tom
had come back out and stood talking to her. He arrived just in time
to hear "...get together."
    Tom looked up. "Oh, Mac. Alice wants you in
the office."
    Damn.
    "See you later." Poppy moved off toward her
cabin.
    Mac went inside, cursing his sister's rotten
timing. The minute he set foot through the office door, she grabbed
his arm.
    "What's up?" he asked.
    "I want to talk to you."
    "I got that." He sighed. "Now what?"
    "What happened out by the pool?"
    "She asked about riding tomorrow."
    "That's all?"
    "That's all."
    "But she sat so close to him she might as
well have been in his lap. And she probably wouldn't say anything
with you there. And—"
    "Alice—"
    She covered his mouth with one hand. "I
know." She sighed. "Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill?"
    "Yes." He patted her shoulder and hoped he
hadn't lied. The way Tom had looked at Poppy at that first meeting
flicked across his mind, but he ignored it and gave Alice a hug.
"Okay now?"
    She nodded. "Okay. Back to work."
    He watched her walk down the hall. He'd never
seen Tom interested in another woman before. And he couldn't figure
Poppy out at all. One minute she acted pure bimbo, seduction on the
hoof, and the next, an intelligent and captivating woman.
    Whatever she was, Tom represented a problem.
Time for that talk. By the time he'd looked everywhere in the
house, his temper simmered close to full boil. Tom had slipped out
of the house, almost as though he knew Mac wanted him. Mac stamped
out onto the front porch and stood for a minute to cool off,
soaking in the view of sky and mountain, pastures with sleek
horses. His horses.
    His sister's marital mess.
    So he went looking for Tom. Not at the
corral. Or inside the barn. Moses glanced up from mending a
stirrup.
    "Seen Tom?" Mac asked.
    "Nope. Popular guy, though."
    "How's that?"
    "That redhead come pokin' through here.
Didn't say what she wanted, but it sure wasn't me."
    Mac glared at him, but Moses bent over his
work, oblivious, and Mac stalked back outside. He headed back up
toward the house, cutting through the row of guest cabins.
    And there Tom stood. Leaning against the door
of Poppy's cabin, clearly on his way out and so involved in the
conversation that he didn't notice Mac.
    Poppy said something, urgent but too low for
Mac to hear.
    Tom laughed. "Mac!" He slapped his knee. "You
thought Mac and Alice—" The words were lost in gales of
laughter.
    She scowled.
    "Poppy," Tom said when he could talk again.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed, but that's so
ridiculous—"
    "You didn't see them," she snapped.