Jake Walker's Wife Read Online Free PDF Page A

been leaning against the corral gate's top rail, and straightened at the sound of her voice. "Well, if it ain't Just Plain Bess," he said. "I might ask the same question...."
    "I couldn't sleep," she said. "I was—“
    " —looking out your window," he finished. "I know."
    She glanced up at the house, and realized that from where he stood, he could, indeed, have seen her sitting in her window seat. Bess ignored her hard-beating heart. "Are you aware that it's after midnight?"
    His quiet chuckle punctuated her commen t. "Don't you worry. Your daddy will get his money's worth out of me tomorrow."
    Bess gasped, and clutched her jacket tighter around her throat. " That isn't… I didn't…. I only meant...."
    He took a step nearer. "Whoa, there, Bess. Settle down. I was only funnin' with you."
    In the twilight, his eyes looked more silver-gray than blue. She thought again of the wolf, and hugged herself to fend off the unexpected chill that wrapped around her. Blinking, she forced herself to say, "That's an interesting accent you've got there. Where are you from?"
    "Texas."
    The retort was short and deliberately evasive, so she pressed him for more. "I've been to Texas."
    He took another step closer. "Is that so?"
    Bess didn't understand the worry lines that creased his brow. It took all her willpower not to step back, put more distance between them. She felt a little afraid, a little curious…and a whole lot interested. So she stood her ground and nodded in response to his question.
    "Went with Pa to Houston, on business."
    "Well," he drawled, smirking, "there's Texas, and then there's west Texas...."
    She didn't understand the comment, but the smug expression on his face told her he held the western part of the state in high esteem.
    He hadn't moved any closer, yet somehow, Jake's nose seemed only inches from hers. His eyes bored into hers with such concentration that it made her pulse race, and Bess didn't understand why his mere nearness inspired such an intense physical reaction in her. Her father had a favorite saying—“You learn with your ears open and your mouth shut." And her mother often said "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." With those witticisms to comfort her, Bess smiled.
    "Good lookin' horses ," he said, gazing into the corral.
    Her plan ? Make him feel so comforted by her friendly, non-threatening demeanor that he'd start yakking and not stop until he'd spilled his whole life's story. Instead, he'd distracted her with talk of horses of all things!
    Tucking in one corner of her mouth, Bess sighed. "Oh, they're all right, I suppose." And then, to hide the frustration in her voice, quickly added, "They're Shagya Arabians. Pa had them shipped here from Syria just over a year ago. He's hoping to breed them. They're as strong as they are beautiful, just as suited to pull a wagon as to seat a rider."
    When he met her eyes, both blond brows rose high on his forehead. "It ain't often you meet a lady who knows her way around horses."
    Shrugging, she stared at her feet. Until now, she hadn't realized how cold they were.... "I don't know much about most horses, but I made it my business to know about these ."
    "Hmmm." He spoke to the Arabian that was nuzzling his hand. "She's smart, pretty, a good cook , and honest, too. Hard not to like a woman like that...."
    Unnerved, she struggled for something clever to say. "Would you believe I've already forgotten where in Texas you said you're from?"
    His beautiful smile vanished like smoke. "So she's 'tricky,' too, is she?" he said, more to himself than to the horse. He met Bess's eyes. "Never said where I was from."
    His closed expression warned her to stay out of his business. Out of his life. She got an 'or else' message from those dangerous orbs, too. Or else what? she wondered. Bess swallowed hard, hoping to repress the tickle of fear bubbling in her throat.
    Well, food had always soothed the boys, and Pa, and the farm hands....
    "There's leftover chicken