RESCUED BY THE RANCHER Read Online Free PDF Page A

option but to head in and get some things to see her through the next few days.
    It was still early, so all she could hope for
was that she could get in and out as quick as possible.
    “Come on, Tommy,” she said. “Leave that poor
dog in peace and come have some breakfast.”
    Her little man gave the dog a look that said
his mom was the biggest pain in the butt ever, but he followed. And so did Sam . It made her smile
because she and Tom had been on their own for his entire life. Now, having a
faithful dog trotting along beside them like there was no place else in the
world he’d rather be made her feel… wanted .
And it had been a long time since Faith had felt wanted by anyone other than
her son.
    “Mom, how long will we be here for?”
    She looked down at Tom, hoisting her boy up
into her arms as they walked into the kitchen. She spied the keys and a decent
chunk of cash sitting on the counter where Jake had said it would be.
    “I don’t know, honey. As long as we need to be,
I guess.”
    Faith had no idea why he’d taken them in, why
he was being so kind to them, but she knew she had to do something to repay
him. There weren’t many people who did things like that out of the kindness of
their hearts, and she intended on thanking him properly. And she needed to find out exactly why he had women’s clothing in his
closest in her size, and why his eyes sometimes flashed with such obvious pain
she wanted to reach out and touch him, just to let him know he wasn’t alone.
    Being alone was a feeling she knew only too
well and a man like Jake didn’t deserve it.
    But there was more to it than just wanting to
comfort him. After so long without a man in her life, of never letting anyone get
close, Jake had made her feel something that she hadn’t experienced even once
in her life. With this handsome stranger she felt protected and she had no idea
why, other than the fact that her heart skipped like an overactive child every
time he came near.
    Which meant she couldn’t stay here for long . Faith had survived on her own because she never trusted anyone, never
let anyone too close. The moment she did, she knew she’d be vulnerable, and she
wasn’t ever going to be a victim again. Her dad kicking her out and leaving her
with no one in the world to turn to had made her too strong to let anyone stand
in her way.
    She’d come back to Fairview to finish her
family affairs for good, to move forward in a way that meant she’d never have
to look back again. So as nice as Jake was? As much as
he made her feel things she’d often longed for and never experienced? She had
to make plans to leave. Fast.
    The
last thing she needed was to be tempted by a black eyed, dark haired cowboy…
    Faith looked out the window and caught sight of
Jake crossing the closest field, rope slung over his shoulder.
    Who
was she kidding? Being tempted was exactly what she needed. So long as she
didn’t let herself fall in love.

CHAPTER FOUR
    JAKE paused in the doorway. He kicked off his
boots and inhaled. If had been a long time since he’d walked into his own home
and smelled dinner cooking, without having to have prepared it himself.
    He followed his nose, heading down the hall and
into the kitchen. Jake stopped again, took a deep breath and watched a scene
he’d never expected to experience.
    The boy was lying on his stomach watching
television, legs in the air and crossed at the ankles, His dog had already
snuck back inside for the day and was stretched out beside him, and Faith had
her back to him as she stood at the range.
    Jake clenched then unclenched his fists, took a
deep breath before making his presence known. He’d be lying if he said he was
comfortable, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t going to make an effort.
    He cleared his throat.
    “Hey.” Faith spun around, eyes bright as she
smiled. She had an apron on, her hands messy from whatever it was she was
making. “I was hoping to have this finished before you came back