Roping the Wind Read Online Free PDF Page A

plain and too poor.’
    He raised his eyebrows as he carefully slid into the passenger seat, inhaling the luxurious scent of new leather and her unique spicy perfume. She didn’t seem too plain or poor now. And did he really want to know her personal history? He’d always avoided that trap with the women he’d slept with on the rodeo tour. Too afraid of them getting up close and personal and starting to expect things from him.
    He leant back in his seat as Dr Kinsale reversed smoothly out of the parking space and headed toward the exit. She spared him a glance as they approached the barrier. ‘Where are we going?’
    ‘The Ritz-Carlton on Stockton and California.’
    She kept staring at him until he had to grin. ‘What’s up? Did you think I’d take you to Burger King?’ He enjoyed the way color flooded her cheeks. ‘We can go there if you’d rather.’
    She swung into the flow of traffic and immediately came to a dead stop. ‘I’m just surprised you managed to get a reservation at such short notice.’
    Jay pretended to look out the window. Dr Kinsale didn’t need to know that being a resident in the Ritz-Carlton Club on Market, even if it was courtesy of his brother, came with a few attached benefits such as priority dinner reservations in any of their hotels.
    Despite the traffic, it wasn’t long before they approached the imposing entrance of the hotel. A valet whisked away the car and they were ushered into the cool luxury of the restaurant.
    Dr Kinsale took off her sunglasses and stared at his jeans.
    ‘Will they let you in wearing those?’
    He shrugged as they approached the reservations desk. ‘I sure hope so. I’ve already sacrificed one pair of jeans for your benefit. I’m not planning on losing these.’
    The maître d’ looked down his long nose as Jay approached him and didn’t smile. He obviously felt the same way about jeans as the good doctor did.
    ‘Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?’
    Jay smiled. ‘I sure do. Turner. Two for six-thirty.’ His smile disappeared as the guy ostentatiously ran his finger over the page.
    ‘Are you sure about that?’ His gaze lingered on Jay’s faded T-shirt. ‘Perhaps somewhere less formal might suit you better. There are several fast-food restaurants nearby.’
    Jay stepped in front of Helen, took out his wallet and flicked the Ritz-Carlton Club card Grayson had given him onto the open reservations book.
    A flush spread over the man’s face. ‘Of course, sir. Please come in, madam.’ His bad French accent miraculously disappeared. He turned to bow to Dr Kinsale. ‘We’ll have our best table ready for you in just an instant.’
    Jay picked up the card and didn’t move. He waited until the guy stopped blabbering and turned back to face him. ‘What’s your name?’
    ‘It’s Foster, sir, Charles Foster.’
    Jay nodded as he took Dr Kinsale’s arm. ‘I’ll be sure to mention you when I let the hotel know about the service here.’
    He thought he heard a choke of laughter and looked down to see Dr Kinsale struggling not to smile. He might be the black sheep of the Turner clan but he’d been around powerful men long enough to know how to deal with bad service.
    By the time they were seated and Mr Foster had practically prostrated himself at his feet, Jay had recovered his equanimity.
    Dr Kinsale gave him a suspicious look.
    ‘What did you do to make him seat us so fast?’
    He shrugged. ‘I dunno, doc. Perhaps he recognized me. He’s just the type to be a big PBR fan.’
    She smiled as she unfolded her napkin. ‘Somehow I doubt that.’ She sipped at her lemon-flavored water. ‘Can we drop the “doc”? My name’s Helen.’
    ‘And mine’s Jay. To be honest, calling you “doc” reminds me of all the painful hours I’ve spent in hospital this year.’
    Her expression changed. ‘It makes me remember all the painful hours I’ve spent there, too.’
    He raised an eyebrow. ‘I would’ve thought you loved it. Being the