Cody's Montana Sweetheart: A New Montana Brides Ebook (The New Montana Brides) Read Online Free PDF Page B

after him. I believe he’s headed for California, but I’m not sure.”
    “How old is he?” Mose asked.
    “Fourteen,” Cody answered.
    “Pretty young to be traveling alone. Thunder’s worth a good deal more, but considering what you’re doing, I’ll let you have him for fifty dollars.”
    “Make it seventy-five and you’ve got a deal,” Cody said.
    “I don’t know where you learned to haggle, but you’re not very good at it,” Mose said. They shook hands on the deal, and Mose wrote up a bill of sale. “You still didn’t get cheated,” Mose said. “He’s a good horse.”
    “I know,” Cody said. “If it’s all right with you, I’ll use the saddle to get back to Miss Simms place and she’ll return it next time she’s in town.”
    “That works for me,” Mose said. “Been a pleasure doing business, Cody,” Mose said.
    “Likewise,” Cody said and swung into the saddle. “Mose, would you kindly point me to the church. I’m meeting Miss Simms there.”
    “You going to get married?” Mose asked.
    “I wish,” Cody answered and waved as he rode off.
     

chapter Nine
    The Map
    At the church, Annabel introduced Cody to the preacher, Jack Owens and his wife, Letty. “Are you about ready to put this show on the road?” he asked.
    “I am,” she said. To Jack and Letty, she said, “I promise I’ll try and make it to church more often.”
    “Nice to have met you folks,” Cody said.
    As they rode off, he said to Annabel, “Nice couple. If she wasn’t taken, I might make a run at her myself.”
    “I still have my shotgun,” she reminded him. “I know how to use it too.
    “By the way, I made a deal with Mose to buy Thunder. I’ll use one of your saddles, and I told him you would drop it off the next time you’re in town.”
    After the dinner dishes had been cleaned away, he spread the newly purchased map out on the table. Annabel had received four letters from Jeremy. He put a mark on the map at each of the points where a letter had been posted.
    “Look at this,” he said, “It looks to me like he’s headed for California. I’ll bet he’s going to where Bethany was.”
    She leaned over to look, brushing against his shoulder, as she did so. “Mm, you smell good,” he said.
    She blushed, “Thank you. It’s nice to hear a compliment once in a while, even if it is about the way I smell,” she said, with a grin. “I think you’re right about what he’s doing. How are you going to do this?” she asked.
    “I thought I would take the train to where the last letter came from. I can put Thunder in a horse car. His last letter is, what, two months old?”
    “About that,” she said. “Won’t that be expensive? I can help with it. I’ve got a little saved back.”
    “That’s not necessary. I’m good to go. I didn’t spend much while I was in the Army, and I’m a pretty good poker player.”
    She was still leaning over his shoulder, looking at his map. He turned his head; their lips were just a few inches apart. Her eyes met his, and almost without realizing it, their lips touched. She shuddered.
    He straightened. “I’m sorry; I don’t know why I did that. It happened before I knew it.”
    “”Who cares why? I didn’t mind.” she said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down, so their lips met again. Shocks raced throughout her body. Pressing herself against him, she kissed him eagerly.
    “In my dreams,” she said, “You kissed me thousands of times. This was the first time I’ve been kissed in years.” she said.
    “Why?” he asked. “I don’t understand it. You are a stunningly beautiful woman. There must have been some who tried.”
    “Oh, a few,” she said. “I just didn’t find them interesting.”
    “Would you like some coffee?” she asked.
    “It’s too much trouble, you’d have to heat the stove to make it.”
    “Actually, I don’t. Start a fire in the fireplace, and I’ll hang a pot on the hook. The fire will knock down