Miss Greenhorn Read Online Free PDF Page B

disconcerting.
    â€œWhy…yes, a little,” she stammered.
    â€œThere’s a bar and grill in town. They have a country-western band and dancing every night. We could sit and drink beer and dance.”
    â€œI don’t drink,” she said, sounding apologetic. Then she held her breath, because he might not want to take her along at all.
    â€œThat’s all right. You can have ginger ale.” He smiled then, and her heart did a dance all its own.
    â€œThen, in that case, I’d like very much to go with you,” she said.
    â€œPut on a skirt,” he instructed. “Better for dancing.”
    Was it, she wondered, or did he just like feminine women? But she had to agree when she changed that her full white Spanish dress did a lot more for her than jeans and a loose, short-sleeved sweater had. She brushed her hair out long and wore sandals instead of high heels. When she was ready, she went looking for him. He was wearing dress slacks with a long-sleeved, Western-cut blue-print shirt and a turquoise and silver bola tie, and his feet were decked out in cream-colored boots that matched the Stetson slashed over one dark eyebrow. He looked cocky and arrogant and every inch a sophisticated, mature man. She caught her breath at the thought of spending an evening alone with him and dancing to boot.
    â€œThere you are!” George broke in just as she started to speak to Nate. “Why are you dressed up? I thought we were going to play chess.”
    â€œI’m going into town with Mr. Lang,” she said firmly. “Sorry, George.”
    The younger man looked unsettled for a moment. He glanced from Christy to Nate Lang, as if it hadn’t occurred to him that the other man could possibly be interested in Christy. “Oh, a date,” he said hesitantly.
    â€œThat’s right,” Nate said easily. “A date.”
    â€œWell, then I, uh, I’ll see you later, Christy. Or tomorrow.” George smiled nervously before he loped off in the direction of the recreation room.
    â€œHe’s smitten,” Nate told her as he took her arm and propelled her toward his Mercedes.
    â€œHe’s very nice,” she said, defending her colleague. “He’s sort of shy and he doesn’t mix well. I’m his security blanket.”
    â€œYou’re too much woman to be wasted on a kid who’s wet behind the ears,” he said.
    She waited until he’d put her in the passenger seat and had climbed in beside her to start the car before she answered him. She wasn’t quite secure herself, and this man was older than anyone she’d ever dated and very obviously experienced. She didn’t quite know how to take his interest in her.
    â€œI’m a little wet behind the ears, myself,” she began.
    He glanced toward her. “Are you?” he asked, and there was a cynical note in his tone that was lost on her. He grinned. “Fasten your seat belt. Your virtue is safe with me, Miss Greenhorn. For the time being, anyway,” he added.
    She wondered how to take that, and decided that he was kidding. She laughed softly. “Oh.” She fastened the seat belt and tried to look satisfied.
    â€œYou’re a new experience,” he remarked as he pulled the car onto the main highway and sped toward Tucson. “The women I usually attract don’t set limits.”
    â€œYou sound very cynical,” she told him.
    He shrugged. “I’m a target. I wish I was a little better-looking. Then I might think it was me instead of my bankbook that appealed to the fair sex.”
    â€œYou must be looking in the wrong kind of mirrors,” she said before she thought. She smiled self-consciously at the look he gave her. “Well, you’re not exactly repulsive, you know.” Her eyes fell to her lap. “You have this way of making people feel safe and at ease with you, and stirring them up all at the same time.”
    â€œThere’s