Roping Ryan (The West Series Book 6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

laughed. “No, Saddleback is a few miles out of town.”
    “Oh.” She jogged to catch up with him.
    “How did you change?”
    He smiled and shook his head. “Secret.”
    She frowned. “I know what’s in that bag, and those clothes are not in there.”
    “Nope, all that’s in here are girl clothes, a 9MM, and three hundred in cash.” He glanced at her as her frown grew.
    “Then how?” She pulled on his sleeve until he stopped.
    “If I tell you, will you walk faster? I’m starving and I know that my cousin will gladly make me some homemade waffles and eggs.”
    He heard her stomach growl and smiled. Then she looked up at him and nodded. “Agreed.”
    “Fine. I found someone on the bus fitting my size and paid him for a change of clothes, razor, and a pair of very dull clippers.” He turned and started walking again.
    “Why didn’t I think of that?” she said, following him as she shook her head. “I must be more tired than I thought.”
    He chuckled. “Now…” He turned towards her. “Tell me how you found me.”
    He watched her blush, then start walking again. “Oh, no, you don’t. I answered your question, you have to answer mine.”
    She stopped and put her hands on her hips. “I ran into you.”
    He nodded. “And?”
    “Literally.” She watched him frown.
    He looked at her, not getting it. “I don’t understand.”
    “I’d been all over Houston. To the hospitals, nightclubs, everywhere. No one knew anything about you. I had no leads. Then, I was coming out of a gas station and there you were.” She turned and started walking again.
    “Wait.” He pulled on her arm again, chuckling. “You saw me on the street and knew who I was?” She nodded. “How?”
    She laughed. “Well, for starters I had a picture of you from when you were in the hospital.”
    “And?”
    “I’ve met your brother.” She shrugged her shoulders and blushed a little. “You are identical twins. I didn’t need much more than seeing you on the street to know who you were.” She started walking again.
    After a moment of silence, he caught up with her. “How is Reece?”
    “This is the first time you’ve asked me about him.”
    It was his turn to blush. “We’ve been busy.”
    When she just looked at him, he shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I feel bad for how things turned out.”
    “You left him.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down.
    “It wasn’t as if I had much of a choice. Not at first.”
    “What...?” she asked.
    He shook his head. “One secret a day, princess.” He started walking again. His stomach was leading him across the hills; he could almost smell the waffles.
    “He’s getting married,” she said behind him.
    He looked over his shoulder and nodded. “I’d heard.”
    “What?” She caught up with him. “How did you hear?”
    He smiled. “I have my ways.”

Chapter Four
    R yan didn’t know what to expect when he walked up onto the front porch of the big white house. When he knocked, he noticed that his hand shook, and he cursed under his breath. This was his family. His cousins had always been there with open arms for him and his brother. He didn’t know why there was a thread of doubt running through his mind.
    He could feel Nikki standing behind him and for a moment wished they were somewhere else. Anywhere else.
    Then the door swung open, and he saw his cousin’s matching green eyes light up. The screen door was yanked open and Lauren was in his arms hugging him tighter than ever before.
    “Ryan.” She kept saying his name over and over again. He felt her body shaking as she cried.
    “Lauren, is everything okay?” He heard a male voice and looked up to see a man standing in the doorway, a little girl with dark curly hair and green eyes in his arms.
    “Chase, it’s Ryan,” Lauren said against his chest. Ryan nodded to Chase. He’d heard that she’d married, but hadn’t heard the details. Actually, all three of his cousins were now married and