To Tempt a Wilde by Kimberly Kaye Terry Read Free Book Online

her heartbeat strumming against her chest.
    She placed the broom to the side and walked slowly toward the entry. She was out in one of the less populated areas of the ranch, alone with the exception of the few animals that grazed on the south pasture. Looking outside the opened double doors she scanned the area, seeing nothing more than what she’d expect,and slowly turned around and walked back inside, picking the broom back up and continuing.
    She was alone. She shook off the nagging feeling, one she’d become used to, that hinted that he was just there, around the corner, ready to pounce.
    He couldn’t have found her. She’d been so careful this time. When she’d left Montana, she’d driven for miles in the opposite direction, checking her rearviewmirror constantly to see if there was someone following her. Once she’d been assured there wasn’t, she’d taken the turnaround and gone in the direction of the ranch.
    Her hand brushed over the scar beneath the bangs she wore to hide it. She would never be caught unaware, ever again.
    With a shaky sigh, Althea forced the painful memories away. As she worked, she still couldn’t shake the feelingthat she wasn’t alone. On edge, she quickly went back to work cleaning and restocking the individual stalls with fresh hay.
    A loud banging had her swinging around, broom in hand, clenched tightly and placed in front of her. Ready to fight, she spied a small cat scurrying away after toppling over one of the bales of hay.
    â€œI’ve got to get it together. He’s not here,” she whispered, relaxing hergrip on the broom.
    Blowing out a sigh, she quickly finished. It was just nerves. She’d been on edge, the nagging feeling that she was being watched had started making her see things, thinking Reggie had somehow found her. And thoughts of Nate Wilde hadn’t made it any easier.
    She hadn’t had an encounter with him in over a week, not since their first meeting. The few times she’d actually seenhim, he’d seemed to go out of his way to avoid her. She would feel him watching her, a prickling awareness racing along her nerve endings would have her turning around to find the source. Not that she needed to. No one had ever had the type of effect on her that he had. It was as though some magnetic pull drew her to him, one she neither wanted nor needed in her life.
    She’d had enough drama inher life to last a lifetime, she thought, finishing the last stall.
    With the sun beginning to set, she wearily climbed onto the back of the horse she’d been assigned and made her way to the main house, pleased with the work she’d done but ready to go to the cottage, strip and take the longest, hottest shower of her life.
    Dismounting, she led the horse to its stall, fed andwatered it and waswalking toward her the cottage when Jake, the foreman, approached her.
    â€œHow’d it go today?”
    â€œAll done. Thought I’d make my way home…uh, to the cottage,” she said, correcting herself before continuing, “and get something to eat.”
    â€œNo problem. You can finish the rest tomorrow, it’s no rush,” he said, walking alongside her.
    â€œActually I’m done. Just finished the last one.”
    He stopped and frowneddown at her. “You finished them all?” At her nod, his frown deepened. “Didn’t expect you to do it all in one day, Ms. Althea. You had the week to finish,” he said, and she laughed.
    â€œGuess that means I’ll get to laze around the pool the rest of the week then, huh?” she asked, a smile playing around her lips.
    He grinned down at her. “Well…I can’t offer you that, but why don’t you come with me?A few of the men are trying to break in a new stallion. Stallion ain’t having it. It always is a good time to see them try anyway,” he said, laughing.
    Although she wanted nothing more than to scrub the filth