Western Pleasure (The Texas Two-Step Series, a Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page B

stepped into the formal dining room to take the call.
    While he was otherwise occupied, Ellen typed in the name of the online dating site Lily had mentioned, just to take a peek. She poked around on the website in the public areas to see what it was about.
    Apparently, if she wanted to set up a successful profile, she needed a photograph. She had a copy of one she liked on her flash drive, which sat on the end table. In the photo she was wearing a cute print summer dress and was holding up a platter of her prize-winning pecan praline cupcakes. She slid the flash drive into the slot, and it didn't take long for all the photos to transfer over to her spiffy new laptop.
    Following the easy directions, with the click of a few buttons, she created her online profile and uploaded the favorite photo of herself.
    "Is that the dating site?"
    Ellen jumped. She'd been so engrossed she hadn't heard Jim come back and take his place beside her. Talk about awkward.
    She nodded.
    "You're going to use that picture of you?"
    Waves of mortification threatened to pull her under. "I think it's a good photo of me, don't you?"
    "You don't want to give these men the wrong idea."
    What was he talking about? "I want them to think I'm attractive."
    "But maybe there's one of you showing less—"
    She waited for him to finish, but he said nothing.
    "Less what?"
    His eyes widened. "Leg."
    "I like my legs."
    "So do I," he said.
    She took a second to revel in the idea that he'd noticed her legs.
    "But you don't want these men to be interested only because you have great legs. Then they'll only be interested in one thing."
    Ellen couldn't decipher his gruff tone. Was he being protective like a brother or jealous like a lover? "Oh. I hadn't thought of that." She pulled up the photo folder. "How about this one?"
    "Too much skin."
    Huh? She was wearing slacks and a long sleeved shirt in that one.
    He pointed to a different photo of her. It was from a trip to see friends in Colorado, and she'd been wearing several layers of clothing culminating in a huge polar bear of a coat.
    "I think that might be going too far in the other direction. I look like I weigh over 200 pounds."
    "I think you should use it. Those men won't get the wrong idea with this one."
    Ellen laughed. "No, I'm going to use the first one. It's my favorite, and if they're leg men, then so be it."
    Jim had a mulish expression on his face, but he didn't say anything more about it as she moved on to choose her online screen name. What should it be? Cupcakelady sounded as heavy as that coated-photo of her made her look. Maybe simply Cupcakes?
    She tried it and it was accepted.
    Jim started choking so hard she feared he might need the Heimlich maneuver. "Are you okay?"
    "Fine. Just fine."
    "You don't like Cupcakes as my nickname?"
    "Did I say that?"
    "No, but your coughing fit sure did."
    "I just thought you'd go for something a little more serious-sounding, like Marriage-Minded-Mama."
    Ellen laughed. "Now that might scare all of the men off."
    "I don't know about that. Thoughtful men would be sure to be intrigued."
    "If you say so," she said, but she didn't believe it for one minute. Most men she knew—including Jim—weren't in any hurry to jump into marriage, especially with a woman they'd never met. Her own son was a perfect example. While he said he eventually wanted to marry, right now he appeared to be having too much fun playing the field to get involved with any one woman.
    Later on her profile could be tailored toward a man who wanted a woman with whom he might become serious with one day. But for now, she wanted to attract someone she'd enjoy being with. Someone fun.
    Cupcakes was fun, and she'd make that clear in her profile, along with the fact she was an excellent cook and an even better baker. Most men would like that.
    She began typing in the personal information box. "I think I'll lead with Like my cupcakes? —what do you think?"
    "Maybe consider starting with Looking for a good