The Rancher Read Online Free PDF Page B

heart for even noticing the man. "An apple for the
teacher." She looked up, gave him a blank look and sighed. "How
very… typical."
     
    She turned, walked into the
classroom and shut the door behind her, leaving Holden on the front
stoop while her heart stammered away in her chest. She crossed the
room, stepped behind her desk and inhaled deeply, telling herself
it was okay to be so rude to Holden, that if she wasn't, he'd never
leave her alone.
     
    Picking up her lesson book, she
flipped to today's lesson's, scanning what she'd written for each
age group and lifted her head to look at her class just as the door
to the classroom opened. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw Holden
framed in the doorway, looking as handsome and strong as he always
did, that blasted smirk on his face. This man would be the death of
her.
     
    He crossed the room, his gaze
locked on her, and stopped in front of her desk. "Your fancy words
and hateful attitude won't make me go away, Laurel." He leaned
toward her, his words a bare whisper. "If nothing else, they amuse
me." He sat the apple in front of her, grinning up at her as he
leaned back. "Have a good day. I'll see you this afternoon."
     
    The sound of his boots hitting
the floor as he walked away echoed in her head. The light from the
open door dimmed as he shut it behind him.
     
    The man obviously wasn't about
to give up. Apparently she wasn't rude enough. She had to dissuade
him from pursuing her but how? He was obviously stubborn to the
core but so was she. She'd chased off more men than her father
could parade in front of her and a cowboy in the middle of nowhere
wouldn't get the best of her. She wouldn't allow it.
     
    It was several minutes before
she was able to focus on her class. When she looked up, everyone
was staring at her, one face in particular catching her attention.
Alexandra Avery looked madder than a wet hen and if Laurel had to
guess, she'd say it was because of her father. He was obviously
trying to court her and his daughter knew it. And didn't like it
one bit.
     
    Ignoring them all, she turned
her attention back to her lesson plan and tried to overlook the
flutter in her chest every time she looked at that apple.
     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Holden walked into the
jailhouse. Morgan dropped the papers in his hand and look up as
Holden shut the front door. His brother shook his head and leaned
back in his chair. "If you're here to complain about the new school
teacher, I've heard it all already."
     
    "Steady complaints about her
then?"
     
    "You wouldn't believe it."
Morgan grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Ben wanted me
to arrest her for calling him a drunk."
     
    Holden laughed and grabbed the
chair across from Morgan's desk, turning it backwards and straddled
the seat. "Can't arrest people for speaking the truth."
     
    "No, you can't." Leaning
forward, Morgan laid his arms across his desk. "So, what brings you
by?"
     
    "Laurel Montgomery."
     
    Morgan laughed. "Why am I not
surprised?"
     
    "She's hiding something." When
his brother lifted one eyebrow, Holden knew he was intrigued.
"Don't you find it peculiar she's so… ornery?"
     
    "Not really. A lot of people
are. Take Edna Pierce for example."
     
    They shared a laugh before
sobering. "She doesn't look old enough to be as bitter as she is.
What do you know about her?"
     
    "Nothing much." Morgan stood,
picked up the papers on his desk and tossed them into the stove.
"Comes from somewhere in Arizona, I think."
     
    "You think?" Holden shifted in
his seat. "Can you find out for sure?"
     
    Morgan gave him a curious look.
"Why?"
     
    Holden shrugged his shoulder.
"No reason."
     
    His brother laughed as he picked
up his hat, placing it on his head. "You're a terrible liar,
Holden. I can see it in your eyes." He walked around the desk and
motioned to the door. "Come walk the town with me and you can tell
me all about Laurel Montgomery. I'm sure you know more than any
other man in town does."
     
    "What