By the Book Bride: Ryder (A BBW Western Romance) (Matchmaking A Marriage 1) Read Online Free PDF

behind him. Turning, he glared at his oldest sibling. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
    The typical, cocky grin disappeared, replaced by a thunderous anger that Cal intuitively knew wasn’t directed at him—or even Ryder.
    “Nothing’s wrong with me. I wish everybody would shut the hell up and stop asking me that.” He turned on his heel and stalked away, his usual answer to anything of importance.
    Cal sighed, carefully setting his cup beside the others. He loved his brothers, truly, he did. But he wondered if there would ever come a day when he could stop being the mediator, the peacemaker? The one that made sure everything was done.
    ˜**˜
    Georgia’s heart pounded at the knock on the door. Determined to be warm and friendly, she went to open it. Ryder stood on the threshold, gray Stetson in hand, a wary expression in his brown eyes. Her throat went dry as she looked at the tall cowboy, once again struck by his physical presence. How could one man be so mouthwateringly gorgeous?
    Old insecurities surfaced and she hid them behind her oversized glasses and gave what she hoped passed for a welcoming smile. “Come in.” She pushed the door open wider, allowing him room to enter. “I’ve started on the hallway.” She glanced over her shoulder, her body doing odd things as the big cowboy followed behind her. “The taping, that is. I’m almost finished. See?”
    She groaned inwardly. Taking a deep breath she turned toward him, mentally commanding herself to stop talking like an eager sixth-grade girl dealing with the class hottie. “Do you want to help me finish that or get started on the ceiling?” She’d done most of the taping for the floorboards, leaving only one end of the hallway near the door of the bedroom that she’d chosen for herself.
    Still reeling from the sight of her rounded backside in the cutoff denim shorts, Ryder swallowed against a dry throat and searched for words that remained hidden beneath the unexpected rush of sexual desire coursing through him. As much as he’d like to watch her bend over in those sexy shorts, he didn’t think his heart could take it. Taking the roll of tape from her hand, he grinned, “Why don’t I finish this while you get started on the trim?”
    Damn those dimples, Georgia thought, as she strove for a bland-yet-friendly expression. That his smile was doing more to arouse her than the practiced efforts of her few past relationships confounded her. For a woman who prided herself on having her head screwed on straight, the feelings he stirred were damn confusing. “That’ll work.”
    The quirk of her lips was like a shot of whiskey to an already inebriated man. With a nod, he turned, glad for a few minutes reprieve. Taping off the remaining section of the wall was a no-brainer and his mind kept straying to her pink, bow-shaped mouth. He wondered if her lips were as soft as they looked.
    Dammit, he needed to find a break between working with the horses and working here and go on an actual date. With someone who knew the south end of a horse from the north end—someone familiar with his way of life and the day-to-day operations of a working ranch. Getting involved with a book-smart librarian would not be a good idea. Besides, she might up and decide to go back home.
    “What brought you to Devil’s Spur, if you don’t mind my asking?” Ryder glanced over his shoulder, immediately regretting his decision to do so when he caught sight of her on the ladder, stretching up to painstakingly paint a line close to the papered trim, her lush bottom lip caught between straight white teeth as she concentrated on her task.
    Georgia kept her attention on the line of Antarctic White paint as she carefully guided the brush in her hand, willing it not to shake and make a mess of the whole thing. She’d found it easier to talk to Ryder when she wasn’t looking at him. Used to looking people in the eye all day at her job, connecting with them so that they felt