Cowboy Crazy (The Dalton Boys Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

anything to say. He was adorable and nice.
    His eyes glinted, and she turned away. “Thanks for bringing my suitcase upstairs.” He’d set it at the foot of the bed. Next to it was a pair of his boots.
    “Oh, let me get these out of your way.” In one long stride he reached the bed and bent over, giving her a perfect view of chiseled buns and long back. He moved the boots to a spot under the desk and straightened.
    She pretended her sandals were very interesting and she hadn’t been ogling him. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t a flirtatious person by nature, and she was fresh from a horrible relationship. The puckered skin on her hip was proof that she should stay away from men.
    Except Hank didn’t seem like someone she could dislike.
    “I’ll set the clock so I can get up early and help you with the car.”
    “No need. I’ll make a parts list by morning and we’ll figure out where to go from there.”
    “Wait—what do you mean a parts list? I thought we’d call around and find a garage.”
    “Yeah, but a garage and towing would be pricey. I can fix it.” Damn, his confidence was sexy.
    “But…” She must look like a fool with her mouth hanging open.
    “Let’s find out the damage first, okay? You can’t do anything right now anyhow, so why don’t you focus on a good night’s sleep?” He went to the door and paused. “Oh, you didn’t get to use our house phone. It’s at the bottom of the stairs. And bathroom’s right next door.”
    The way he pointed a long index finger made shivers of awareness ripple down her spine. “Thanks.”
    He vanished through the door, leaving her alone. She sank to the edge of the mattress, which was surprisingly comfortable. She threw herself back and slung an arm over her eyes. She didn’t have anybody to call, and no one knew she was here. Maybe she should leave some kind of trail in case things turned bad.
    Hating her inner cynic, she went downstairs and called her parents’ landline, knowing they’d never pick up. They used their cells for everything, but they did check messages.
    Charlotte ran back downstairs and glanced around the space. No one was in the room, and she figured Mrs. Dalton had returned to relaxing and Hank’s father had gone with him to get Charlotte’s car. Guilt washed over her. She hated just sitting back and letting people do things for her. She should have listened to her parents—she didn’t have enough money to make this life change. Yet working another six months to save while staying in a city that had been the location of such trauma didn’t…what had Hank said? Didn’t set well with her.
    The interior of the house was simple and homey. Pale walls and family photographs. Across the way, she picked out a group photo—five young guys in plaid and denim, a few with thumbs hitched in pockets.
    Feeling like a voyeur, she hurried back upstairs. She used the bathroom and changed into knit shorts for sleeping. Then she stretched out awkwardly on the bed.
    It wasn’t very late, but she was exhausted from her experience. Fear and worry had chipped at her energy reserves and now she felt weighted to the bed. Tomorrow she’d have to fork out some money for car parts, and what if she didn’t have it? She couldn’t get anywhere with no car, little money and a handful of department store cards.
    She’d be forced to call her parents for help. Ughh.
    Releasing a slow breath, she listened to the world around her. A rooster crowing. In the distance, a dog bark—maybe even Prince, out running the fields.
    And nothing else.
    No neighbor’s TV, garbage truck or sirens of the city. She could practically hear the fields growing. Peace and calm stole over her, and she did something she never believed possible in a strange house, in a stranger’s bed behind an unlocked door—she fell asleep.
    When she awakened, there was a glass of cold milk and a stack of cookies on a blue china plate.
    * * *
    Hank flipped the switch in the garage, and