The Rancher's Bride by Stella Bagwell Read Free Book Online Page B

She could never lose sight of that fact.
    Once they reached the barnyard on the Flying H, Emily tossed her reins to Harlan. “Will you take care of my horse, Daddy? I’m going to run ahead to the house and get things started in the kitchen.” She giggled sheepishly as she slid from the saddle. “It might need a little tidying up before Rose sees it.”
    “I would almost bet it needs a little more than tidying up,” Harlan said dryly and motioned her on. “Go ahead. We’ll be up to the house in a few minutes.”
    Rose watched the girl dash off toward the house. Harlan shook his head. “She’s excited about having you here,” he said. “I guess you can tell.”
    “I’m very flattered that she seems to like me,” Rose admitted.
    He dismounted and slung the bridle reins from both horses over a nearby hitching post. “I’m beginning to think being around you has put some life back into her.”
    Rose was more than a little surprised by his words. “Oh, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that. Emily hardly knows me.
    “It doesn’t take Emily long to form an opinion about people. She makes friends much faster than I do.”
    Intrigued by his comment, she asked, “Do you have many friends around here?”
    Pausing by Pie’s shoulder, he looked up at Rose. “A few. I lost one of them when your father died.”
    “Yes. Well, I’m sorry for both of us,” she said quietly.
    Harlan thought she looked on the verge of exhaustion and he continued to study her face with concern. “Do you need me to help you down from your horse?”
    Embarrassed at letting her thoughts stray to him instead of the business at hand, she quickly slung her leg over the back of the saddle.
    “No,” she said to him. “I can make it.”
    Rose stepped down from the saddle. But as soon as her feet touched the ground, her knees immediately threatened to buckle. Panicked by the weakness and the weird tilting in her head, Rose grabbed for the nearest thing to her, which turned out to be the stirrup, and clung to it desperately.
    “Rose?” Suddenly he was right behind her and his hands came around her waist. “What’s wrong?”
    She dropped her head forward but it didn’t seem to help. Everything was whirling like a slow waltz. “I’m…feeling sorta…punchy.”
    With one hand on her forehead, Harlan pulled her back against his chest. “Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths,” he said against her car. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.”
    She did as he instructed and quickly felt her strength begin to return. After a few moments she said, “I’m not going to faint.”
    “Good.”
    “You can let me go now.”
    “I don’t think so,” he murmured.
    Suddenly Rose’s heart began to pound as she becameaware of his rock-hard body pressed against the back of hers, the feel of his warm fingers on her waist and forehead.
    “Why?” she asked in a voice gone hoarse.
    Slowly he turned her in his arms until she was facing him. “Because I’m going to kiss you.”
    Her senses had gone completely fuzzy. Not from exhaustion, but from the sheer impact of being in his arms. “I don’t want you to kiss me.”
    Harlan grinned and all at once he felt that nothing else mattered except touching her, tasting her. He knew it was crazy and he knew he’d probably hate himself tomorrow. But at this very moment he couldn’t resist her.
    “How do you know you don’t want me to kiss you?”
    Hoping it would clear her thinking, she sucked in a deep breath. “Because you’re a man.”
    His grin deepened. “Yeah,” he whispered and his brown eyes glinted down at her. “Thank God you came along and reminded me of that.”
    She needed to shake her head, to get the word no past her lips. But before she could do either one, his lips swooped down and covered hers. Stunned by the intimate contact, Rose stiffened and brought her hands up to push him away. But by the time her palms landed against his shoulders, she’d forgotten her