Wish Upon a Cowboy by Maureen Child, Kathleen Kane Read Free Book Online Page A

the task would fall to him. God help 'em all.
    "No reason for you to feel bad," he said, letting his gaze slide away from the chickens. "Juana's fine. In better shape than me, except for that sore ankle."
    She inhaled deeply and released the breath on a sigh. "Thank goodness." Stepping farther into the room, she went on. "I didn't want anything to happen to her."
    "Why should you? You don't even know her," he rubbed aching eyes, hoping for relief, and was disappointed.
    "True," Hannah said as she walked toward him. Picking up the coffeepot, she carried it to the stove. Then, still talking, she bent down, fed kindling into the firebox, and poked at the hot ash until the slumbering flames caught. "Of course," she said, "I wanted this job, but naturally I wouldn't wish harm on Juana."
    "Who said you did?" He leaned back against the pump sink and didn't even try to get rid of the little cat again. What would be the point? Mac watched Hannah as she made her way expertly around the big room. She might talk in circles, but at least she wasn't a stranger to a stove.
    "No one," she agreed, giving him a brief smile. "And it was very kind of you."
    Kind of him not to accuse a stranger of stuffing Juana's leg down a gopher hole and then twisting it?
    She took off her green wool cape and draped it over a chair back before turning to the counter behind her. Opening one crock after another for a peek inside, she finally found the ground-up coffee beans.
    "Still," she continued, "since Juana is injured, despite my best intentions, you do need a cook after all," she gave him another smile as she measured several scoops of coffee into the pot, then set it on the stove to boil.
    Satisfied, she half turned, spotted the broom leaning against the wall and smiled to herself. Standing stock-still, she stretched out her left hand toward it.
    Jonas watched, frowning, as she muttered something under her breath and shook her fingers at the broom. His frown deepened as she took a mincing step closer to the thing, clenched and unclenched her fist as if grasping at the air, and whispered fervently. "Come."
    She stared at the damn broom so long and so hard, even Jonas half expected it to straighten up and answer her summons by gliding across the floor of its own accord. He gave himself a shake as that thought flickered across his mind. Lord, he needed sleep more than he'd thought.
    "For heaven's sake!" she said on a disgusted sigh and this time held out both hands, fingers outstretched.
    Naturally, the broom didn't move.
    He didn't have time for this.
    Keeping a wary eye on her, Jonas leaned to one side, snatched up the broom, and thrust it at her. "It works better if you just pick it up."
    Clearly disappointed, she ran both of her small hands up and down the thick broomstick. "I don't understand it," she murmured to herself. "It works at home."
    Blowing a rush of air from his lungs, Jonas told her, "It'll work here, too. All you have to do is pick it up and move it over the floor."
    She ignored him and continued to let her hands explore the length of that damned broomstick. Up and down, she covered every inch of the thing with a soft, gentle touch that began stirring things up inside him. He sucked in a deep gulp of air and with great effort, tore his gaze from those small, white hands and exploring fingers.
    Distinctly uncomfortable now, he shifted his stance and asked tightly, "What was that all about?"
    "Hmmm?" She glanced at him, then lowered her gaze to the broom again. Then she shook her head and said softly, "Nothing. Nothing at all."
    Oh, he thought, it was something. He just didn't know what. But it seemed she was through talking about it. As he watched, she took tight hold of the broom and started sweeping the accumulated dust and dirt into a neat pile. It seemed that once she actually held a broom, she knew well enough what to do with one.
    But even as she worked, she went on talking, listing the reasons he should hire her and telling him all