Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? Read Online Free PDF Page A

up a pitchfork and started cleaning Mystic’s stall in the waning light that filtered in through the openings in the walls. “Honestly, I tried to talk them out of it.” His voice broke the steady rhythm of the tool hitching straw.
    “You didn’t do a very good job,” Riley said. Seth said nothing, shifting his eyes away from Riley as he poked through the dirt. His brother wasn’t telling him something. “What’s going on?”
    “Nothing.”
    The heavy air in the stable weighed over Riley, but he stayed silent. Westley poked his nose over the wall and he rubbed the brown fur, keeping an ear on Seth while he worked it out.
    “It’s all my fault, Riley. If I’d been faster on my horse or with my gun, you wouldn’t’ve had to move home and Molly could’ve kept herself focused on the finances and reservations and Jeannie…” Seth’s voice trailed off and he turned away, using the pitchfork as support.
    Riley’s heart played hockey against his ribs while he sorted through the right comforting thing to say. He shoved his hands in his back pockets and examined the tips of his boots, pretending not to notice his brother wipe his eyes with the back of his hand. This was the first time he’d opened up on his own about what happened. “It wasn’t your fault, Seth.”
    Seth wrapped his arms around his stomach and his voice came out choked and thick. “You don’t know. You weren’t there. Everyone’s life is a mess because of me.”
    “It was bad luck. Bears always leave tracks. Dad either missed the signs or they hadn’t been on our land for long.” He reached over to hug his brother.
    Seth sat on an overturned bucket, holding his head in his hands and trembling. Riley bent down beside him instead.
    “You gave him a chance to say good-bye.” He wrapped his arms around Seth’s shaking frame and this time his brother let him complete the embrace. Riley knew Seth was reliving the moment of hearing the gunshots and finding their father barely clinging to life. If he could, he’d have traded places with him, no question. Not that Riley thought he’d be faster or could have saved their father. But then at least Seth wouldn’t be the one going through this. “You were with him when he needed you most, Seth,” he said quietly. “There is nothing you could’ve done differently. None of this is your fault.”
    “Looks, brains, and compassion.” Seth gave a choked laugh and took a deep breath while squaring his shoulders. Riley took the hint and backed off. If that was all Seth could get out, it would do. For now. “Those women don’t stand a chance.”

Chapter 3
    W ow, look at the mountains!” Ainsley twittered at her reflection in the bathroom mirror of the Jackson Hole airport. “We don’t grow them like that in South Carolina!” She shook her hair away from her face and stuck out her lower lip and dipped her chin in a sultry pout. “Why, aren’t you just a handsome hunk of cowboy. I’d like to ride you hard and put you up wet!” She frowned. What had Cecelia been thinking when she came up with this marry-a-cowboy idea?
    She took out some liner and applied it under her green eyes. What attitude would ensure the desperate, ill-tempered and possibly smelly cowboy took no notice of her or, if he did, to completely turn him off? Southern bumpkin? A wide-eyed innocent, or maybe a woman of low morals? Ice queen? “You don’t expect me to actually be in the same building as small, stinky, grunting animals, do you?” she asked, eyebrows raised with a hint of haughtiness—a perfect imitation of her mother. “I’m not going into any barn. I’ll get my Manolo Blahniks dirty.” She studied her ankle, imagining the highly priced shoes on her feet and nodded in satisfaction. “Well,” she told her reflection. “Now I have to find some Manolos. Somewhere. Here. In the least populated state in the country.”
    She claimed her luggage at one of the baggage carousels and made her way to a man in jeans