Canyon Shadows Read Online Free PDF Page B

padded back into the room, water dribbling from both sides of her mouth. “For the record, that isn’t a new development. She’s always been a drooler. Again, thank you. The thought of losing her ...”
    “You didn’t.” He patted her shoulder.
    Just like that, she came as close to collapsing against him as she had earlier. Before that could happen, she again forcefully reminded herself that she was a strong, modern woman who didn’t believe in jumping into the sack with near strangers.
    “No, I didn’t. And I am wrapping my mind around that. Ah, do you want to look at the two Dobermans I told you about now? That’s what you came for. I don’t want your trip out to be for nothing.”
    “It can wait.” That said, he sat on the couch Ona and she had vacated. “I’m guessing that’s no more on your mind right now than it is on mine.”
    “True, but I needed to ask. Obviously you don’t have much free time these days.”
    He frowned, the thin line between his eyes adding character. For reasons woven into her reaction to his presence in her bare-bones house, she settled into the chair opposite him and leaned back. The form-fitting cotton shirt threatened to stop her thoughts.
    “Cowboy boots,” she came up with. “They’re comfortable for what you’re doing?”
    He glanced down. “I tried other footwear, but I think my feet have molded to these, so the answer is yes, they’re comfortable.”
    Another silence settled between them. Her work brought her in contact with more men than women. She’d even had a few of those men in this room while the sun streamed in through the windows. None of them had scraped her skin the way Maco did. He wasn’t handsome, much too rugged for that, complete with a slightly peeling nose and a hairline that had started to pull back. But then she’d never understood why advertisers used so many pretty boys in their commercials. Life experience made men interesting—and more. Especially this man.
    “Where’s your Stetson?” she blurted. “That’d complete the outfit.”
    He blinked. “In my Jeep. I didn’t want it blowing off.”
    So he wore a western hat. Black she decided, midnight black.
    “Ah, from what you said about having to ask around about where to go for the dogs you need,” she stumbled over, “I take it you don’t live in the area.”
    “Not until recently. Like I said, I grew up in Wyoming on the family ranch in the middle of nowhere. Because I’m going to be here for several years, I recently bought a place.”
    “I’ve never been to Colorado.”
    He smiled, the gesture drawing her attention to the stubble-haze over his jaw and cheeks. “Some of it can be pretty harsh, but I love the open spaces. I’ve never been one for cities.”
    Grateful for the bit of personal information, she pointed at her picture window. “That’s part of why I chose this property. Not only does it have the room I need, I’m surrounded by open land.”
    “No cities for you either, then?”
    Not anymore, thank goodness. “It’s all I can do to make myself go to town for supplies.”
    “Have you been out to the dam site? Maybe the news clippings are all you need to see. After all, except for the machinery and equipment, there’s nothing but a hole in the ground, trees, and rocks.”
    Despite the image he’d created in her mind, she struggled to concentrate. Surely he knew the impact his voice had on women. Maybe that’s what this conversation was about, softening her up and making her amenable to his suggestion that they have sex.
    Right. Getting you out of your dirty clothes is the last thing on his mind.
    She swallowed. “That’s what the dogs will be expected to patrol then? The trees and rocks in the canyon.”
    His gaze held. “That and equipment worth more than I want to think about. Jason—he’s my brother—and I brought in our chopper late last week. Without it up and operating, we’re out of business.”
    “Helicopter, you mean?”
    Another smile