Chance For Love (Colorado Blues) Read Online Free PDF Page A

her.
    “I wanted to see if it would put you off. You see, I’m
used to people pandering to me because of who I am. I figured if I said I was a
crippled rancher who needed hard working help, it might get me someone who
really was interested in me and not my money or my fame.”
    A mix of emotions rolled around in her stomach. Money
and fame. Two things she knew nothing about. “Gee, thanks for telling me that
now.”
    “Why, would you have come if I’d said I was rich?” He
smirked in her direction before looking back at the road.
    “Who knows? I have experience with neither so it’s all
new territory to me. But I don’t understand it, why you would want a bride from
Australia who now sounds like she won’t fit in with your lifestyle? Seems like
you could have anyone you wanted if you could get past that chip on our
shoulder.” She looked at him trying to figure out what he was hiding from her.
“You know why I took the job—I have no money which I desperately needed and no
prospects, but I’m a hard worker.”
    “I don’t have a chip on my shoulder.”
    “Just telling it how I see it.” She looked out the
window at the desert. No point pulling punches with this guy. She wasn’t used to
saying things just to make people feel better. Callie couldn’t see the point of
sugar coating anything when the truth did just fine.
    “Now see, that’s exactly why I chose you; your
attitude to life. And it’s not like you’re not easy on the eye. You obviously
don’t have expensive tastes and high expectations like most of the women I
know. You were keen to marry to get security, but don’t mind working for it
too.” He tapped his long fingers on the steering wheel. “I checked you out,
Callie. You seem like a nice person and I want a normal life. I’m sick of the
circus being in the public eye is and now my career is over thanks to Terror,
who you will meet tomorrow. I want someone who is prepared to work on a
marriage and a life. I don’t know any women who would be prepared to take that
on with me unable to do as much as I’m expecting from you.”
    She glanced at him. “What did you do?”
    “I was a bull rider on the rodeo circuit. Did really
well for myself too, but the last accident was the one that ended that career
for good.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that. Surely you must have friends
who could help you out though, or family. Seems kind of extreme to me to marry
someone just for that.”
    “My brothers have their own lives. I don’t expect them
to drop everything to help me while letting their own places slide backwards.
Besides, I have breeding program worked out and I need to be there to oversee
it. I need you to be my legs until I can cope on my own if that will ever
happen.” He took a deep breath. “And in return, you get a handsome payout for
every year we’re together.”
    Callie swallowed. It was too late for pride to rear
its ugly head. She’d already banked the first check and paid out most of the
family’s urgent debts. The bank would come after her for more sooner or later,
but for now they were happy with what she’d given them. “Thanks. I appreciate
it.”
    The sun started to disappear behind a cloud and she
rubbed her arms. The dress wasn’t warm enough for the cool of the day as it got
closer to late afternoon.
    “Here,” Chance hooked his jacket from over the back of
his seat and pushed it toward her. “Put this on, it gets pretty cool out here
from midafternoon on. Do you have anything warm in
your bag? You didn’t bring many clothes with you.”
    “I don’t have much. Never saw the point of it really.
Just a couple pairs of jeans, and shirts, and my work boots. Never had reason
for a pretty dress like this one.”
    “We’ll drive until its dark and then find a motel on
the highway. Once we get closer to the ranch I’ll stop and you can get some
more clothes. No point freezing your butt off out here. Snow’s already on the
hills.”
    She smiled whipping her head