The Cowbear's Mail Order Bride (Curvy Bear Ranch 6) Read Online Free PDF Page B

a plan.”
    As they rode past the edge of the frozen lake, she took in the stunning scenery. Rolling white hills covered much of the landscape, but paled in comparison to the large mountains in the distance. Everywhere she turned, snow blanketed the land, giving it an ethereal shimmer.
    As they descended a hill, she glanced over her shoulder. With the houses out of view, it felt like she and Drew were the last two people on earth. If only that were true. She could get used to watching him bounce in the saddle. Every once in a while, he’d lift that tight butt up, giving her a great view.
    Too bad he hadn’t turned out to be the real deal. She could have hidden out in a place like this for years without fear of being found. Maybe she could have even brought her daughter with her. No one would ever find her here, especially if she continued to be careful with her digital footprint.
    She’d been as careful as possible, but every once in a while, she’d had to stop at a bank to withdraw more funds. Each time, she’d wondered if she’d be detained. It was her own damn money, but she couldn’t be sure they weren’t tracking her that way.
    Ten minutes later, Drew circled back to ride beside her.
    “You’re good in the saddle,” he said.
    “Thanks. My brother taught me how to ride when we were kids.”
    They rode along in silence for several minutes. She fought the urge to steal glances at his rugged form. Out of the corner of her eye, she took in his large presence. He had to be at least six feet tall. Broad shoulders and a tapered waist only added to his appeal. How could fate be so cruel as to put someone like him in her path only to steal him away months later?
    “I want to ask you something, but I don’t want to offend you,” he said in a tentative voice.
    “Shoot.” Her heart kicked up a few notches.
    “Why on earth did you have to go online to find a husband?” he asked. “You seem like a fun girl and you’re not bad to look at.”
    “Thanks?” she said in an incredulous tone.
    “That came out wrong,” he said. “You’re just really pretty, so I can’t understand why you’re still single.”
    “Thank you, for the pretty part,” she said. “Relationships can get… complicated. I guess I’m just looking for the perfect man.”
    “And you thought I was the one?” he asked.
    “Yeah.”
    “Oh, Madison.” He sighed. “I can’t apologize enough for her. She’s a good person. She just doesn’t know when to stop sometimes.”
    “I probably didn’t seem like a big deal to her, but things slowly slipped out of control. I get it.”
    “Sometimes I wish I were an only child,” he said.
    “Being an only child is a lonely life. Be happy you’re surrounded by family,” she said.
    “I thought you said you had a brother.”
    Shit! She needed to be vague with her answers so she wouldn’t get caught up in the tangle of lies. The less she told him the better.
    “I do, but he’s a lot older than me, so I didn’t spend much time with him growing up. That’s why I felt like an only child,” she said.
    Hopefully he’d believe her lame answer. She held her breath for the moment that it took him to respond.
    “That makes sense,” he said.
    “Families can be a challenge,” she said.
    That was the understatement of the year.
    “I know what you mean. All of my brothers have found mates in the last few months,” he said. “Since I’m the only single one left, I think they’ve decided I need to find a wife too. They don’t get that I’m happy alone. Relationships tend to cause more grief than they’re worth, at least in my experience. If it were up to me, I’d be single for the rest of my life.”
     
    ***
     
    Drew rode on, relishing the silence. Some women had to fill the emptiness with incessant chatter, but Sharon was content to simply enjoy the peacefulness. He appreciated having her with him more than he’d anticipated. She was a hell of a good rider. Hannah wasn’t usually