Hunter's Moon (Hunter Family Saga; Half-Moon Ranch 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

believed it until now.
    "Well, welcome to the Six Gun, Brent Hunter."
    "It's my pleasure to be here. You did a good job
handling that drunk."
    "Why, thank you."
    Our Miss Opal is good at everything she does,"
the bartender put in as he stopped to refill Brent's
glass again.
    "I can tell," Brent said.

    "Well, Brent, would you like to buy me a drink?"
Crystal asked with a teasing smile.
    "Another sarsaparilla?"
    "That's right."
    "Will it get me a kiss like Andy?" he found
himself asking in a teasing manner.
    "Oh, no. Andy's my hero. He's the only man I'm
going to kiss tonight." She looked over to where the
elderly man was sitting and waved flirtatiously at
him.
    Andy grinned and winked boldly in response.
    A foreign emotion jarred Brent, and he actually
found himself resenting the old man. He frowned,
puzzled.
    "You might as well drink up, friend," the
bartender said with a chuckle when he saw the
frown. "Opal's made an art out of playing hard to
get."
    She laughed at his statement. "Are you saying that
I drive men to drink, Bill?"
    "Yes, Opal, I am, and I'm mighty glad of it.
Business has been booming since you started singing
here."
    They laughed together, and even Brent joined in.
    "I would be honored to buy you a drink," Brent
offered.
    "Thank you." Crystal looked up at him, amazed
by the transformation in him when he smiled.
When she'd first seen him she'd thought he was
handsome, but now, when he was smiling, she thought him the most attractive man she'd ever met.
"You should smile more often."

    Brent suddenly realized he was smiling, and
stopped. His expression sobered.
    "Why did you stop smiling?" she asked.
    "Some days there's not much to be happy about."
    "Well, you're at the Six Gun. Enjoy yourself." She
wondered what was troubling him so deeply. A man
like him should have the world at his feet.
    "I am," he admitted to his own surprise. "You've
been the highlight of my day."
    "I'm glad I could make things better for you."
    He gazed down at her and could see the
earnestness in her expression. A part of him believed
she really meant it.
    "Are you sure your Andy won't be jealous of me
buying you a drink?" Brent asked, evoking a
mischievous smile from her.
    "Andy is very understanding that way," Crystal
quipped. "He won't mind."
    "Good."
    "So what brings you to San Antonio? Are you
from around here?"
    "No, I'm just passing through, but I'm glad I
came into the Six Gun tonight."
    "So am I," she answered.
    For a moment, as their gazes met again, it seemed
to both of them that time was standing still.
    Only the raucous sound of the piano player as he
began pounding out the tune that signaled her sec and performance was about to begin jarred Crystal
back to reality. She gave herself a mental shake and
took one last sip of her drink.

    "I have to go."
    Crystal hurried away to return to the stage,
leaving him without a backward look. Applause
erupted from the crowd again as she broke into song.
    Even as she entertained them, though, Crystal's
thoughts lingered on the man named Brent. She
never flirted seriously with her customers. She always
made it a point to be friendly, but nothing more.
She couldn't risk getting involved with anyone, but
she had to admit there was something about Brent
Hunter that set him apart from all the others.
    Crystal brought herself up short. She told herself
she was being ridiculous. The man was just passing
through town. After tonight she would never see
him again. But all the logic in the world didn't
change the fact that she was drawn to him in a very
elemental way-and it was something she'd never
experienced before.

     

Chapter Four
    Brent had had too much to drink, and he smiled to
himself as he realized it. It wasn't often that he
indulged his need to escape reality, but tonight he
had, and he had to admit it felt good.
    Brent stayed on at the saloon until Opal had
finished her last song and disappeared from the
stage. Only then did