Cowboy's Bride Read Online Free PDF

if I choose and when I
choose. What I do with my time is my concern, do you understand,
Mr. Longford? You're working as my foreman, not my keeper."
    His own anger rose, as much due to the
strumming tension being around her caused as the provocative sass
of her words.
    "You listen to me, Miss Boston. You want me
to work as the ranch foreman. If you don't like the orders I give,
fire me. But if you want to run this ranch, your first
responsibility is to learn as much as you can as fast as you so I
can quit and get back to my own place. If you have another agenda,
then I'll take myself off now and leave you to it today."
    His smoldering glare held her captive. The
heat radiating from him, the tight line of his lips, the rigid way
he held himself under control let Kalli know his temper could match
hers any day. Maybe beat hers. She had to face it, she couldn't
afford to have him leave. None of the other cowboys sounded as if
they knew what to do beyond their own particular jobs. She needed
Trace. And he knew it. But she'd watch him, make sure he didn't
make things more difficult for her. Though she couldn't imagine
things being any more difficult. The task ahead was monumental.
    Arrogant bastard, he knew it, too.
    She swallowed hard, not liking to back down.
"Excuse me. I stand corrected," she said, biting the words out
grudgingly. "If I've seen enough for today, perhaps we should head
back and you can tell me about castrating and tagging and record
keeping."
    It was just a matter of time, he thought as
they turned toward the house. She was getting a feel for how
complex and demanding the work was. She wouldn't last long.
    They rode in silence despite Kalli's request,
riding the horses hard until the last couple of miles when they
slowed them to a walk to cool them. By the time they reached the
ranch house, Kalli was wilted. She was hot, her hair like a blanket
on her back. Tired and sore and disheartened, she wished she could
ignore the list of decisions Trace had enumerated. There was more
to running this ranch than she thought. And being around Trace was
driving her crazy. She'd never wanted anyone to approve of her as
she did him. Never wanted anyone to be attracted to her as she did
him.
    First thing she should do is find a foreman
who wanted to run the ranch and let her sit on the porch and sip
tea. But until then, she needed Trace. She didn't even know how to
go about hiring another foreman. She wished she could treat him as
casually as her brothers. But the feelings swamping her weren't in
the slightest sisterly.
    As they drew up to the barn, Trace stopped by
the corral. Easily dismounting, he flung the reins casually over
the top rail and walked up to Kalli. She sat on the horse, too
tired to even dismount.
    Reaching up for her, he clasped his hands
lightly around her waist. "Come on, Boss Lady. Get down and go in
the house and fix us something cold to drink. A sandwich wouldn't
come amiss, either."
    Gently he drew her from the horse, sliding
her to the ground before him. He gazed into her eyes as Kalli
gripped his shoulders to steady herself.
    Her legs felt like wet spaghetti. Her senses
roared out of control with his touch at her waist, with his hard
body pressed against hers. His heat engulfed her, and she could
smell the faint hint of masculine sweat mixed in with the dust from
the corral and hay from the barn. Her hands tightened against the
hard muscles of his shoulders, feeling them contract as he drew her
even closer.
    "You're a tiny thing for a woman full grown,"
he said huskily.
    Kalli pressed against him, relishing the heat
that spread from her belly to each extremity. Looking up, she was
lost. Tilting her head, she slowly closed her eyes as his face
blotted out the sun, coming closer, closer until his lips touched
hers. She moved her lips against his and opened to him when he
sought more. His tongue plunged inside the hot cavern of her mouth,
learning every bit of her, tracing her teeth, the roof of her
mouth,