Riding for Love (A Western Romance) by Tina Susedik Read Free Book Online Page A

coat of red paint designed to replicate miniature barns, complete with hitching posts.
    “You know this is entirely wrong, don’t you, Josie? I should be helping get ready for the first customers coming next week. They’re a group of executives from a Milwaukee advertising firm looking for a place to rejuvenate their creative juices. Can you believe it? They booked all six cabins for the entire week. If they enjoy themselves hiking and riding horses and using the lodge for meetings, I can market to other corporations for retreats.” Eve leaned her head back on the chair and grinned at her friend. “Not that I mind your company, but what brings you out here?”
    “I thought you could use a friend right now.”
    Eve set her glass down. “Josie Franks, what are you talking about?”
    “I bumped into Tom at the store yesterday. He told me about the problems you’re having.”
    Suspicion reared. “And you came out here for that?” She sat up, grabbed a piece of chocolate, peeled off the wrapping, and popped the decadent treat into her mouth. “There’s something else going on. Spill, Josie.”
    “Rose Johanson was with him.”
    “And . . .?”
    “She told me about Denton being back in town.”
    “Uh huh?”
    “And that you had a little altercation with him.”
    Eve snorted. “No altercation. My truck rammed into his SUV. My insurance will pay for the damage. End of story.” She crossed her ankles on a stool. “So, how are Mike and the kids?”
    This time Josie snorted while topping off their glasses. “Don’t change the subject, Eve. What about your escapade at dinner with Max?”
    “Geez, Rose talked a lot, didn’t she?”
    “C’mon, girl. Your old boyfriend, whom I know you’ve never gotten over, returns to town and in a span of a few days, you bump into him twice. Sounds like providence to me.”
    Eve slugged back her wine and hiccupped. “Providence, schmovidence.”
    Josie took Eve’s glass. “I forgot how quickly you get drunk. We need to get some food into you.” She pushed herself out of the chair and went into the house.
    Eve sighed. Her friend was lucky. Married to a great guy. Two kids. A dog. Job she loved. At least she had a job she loved—the ranch, horses, employees, Tom. Sometimes, no a lot of the time, the longing for someone to share these details came over her like a buffalo stampede. Someone to help with the burdens and the joys of owning a business. Someone, who at the end of a long day, joined her on the front porch swing with a glass of wine, discussed the day’s happenings and enjoyed their children’s antics as they chased the dog around the yard.
    The man’s arm would be draped lazily across her shoulders. Bees hummed as they happily gathered nectar from the hundreds of flowers growing in the center garden in the raindrop-shaped driveway turnaround, along the paths to the cabins and lodge and the walkway to her house. Birds singing their night songs and the sounds of horses nickering from the pasture in the front of the barn would add to the relaxed atmosphere. He would turn her face toward his and his blue eyes would gaze lovingly into her brown ones before his mouth gently touched hers in a welcoming kiss.
    His love of horses would, of course, match hers. She visualized quiet rides together where they would go to her secluded lake to make love, maybe even creating one of their four children. Many times she and her imaginary lover would get wild and crazy and enjoy each other on the back of a horse. A horseback love scene in one of her favorite romance novels got her excited every time she read it. She wasn’t sure how it would even work, but the idea held merit.
    The phone rang, interrupting her highly erotic visions. Josie’s voice came through the open window.
    “Oh, hi. How have you been? Yes, it’s been a long time. Evie? She’s outside. Hold on, Denton, I’ll get her for you.”
    Eve jumped out of her chair, searching for a place to hide. A dive under the