Read Online A Match Made In Texas by Anne Marie Novark - Free Book Online
Authors: Anne Marie Novark
Tags: Diamondback Ranch#3
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invading his dreams. Making him extremely uncomfortable and frustrated as hell.
How could he have allowed himself to be bamboozled into coming along? He didn't know if he wanted to strangle Kelsey or applaud her triumph. Most of the parents and kids in her class, as well as her teacher, had shown up for the hayride.
"Dad, could you at least pretend you're having a good time?" Kelsey whispered in his ear. "Smile, why don't you?"
She sat on his right side, Theresa on his left. It was a tight squeeze with so many kids and parents participating. There wasn't enough room for everyone to sit on the stacked bales of hay. Some, like himself, were stuck down on the bed of the trailer. His entire left side burned with awareness. It was difficult to smile when his body was on fire, but he managed.
"You're hopeless, you know it?" Kelsey said. "I'm wondering why you bothered to come."
"Because you asked me." He tried to keep his voice low so they wouldn't be overheard.
He was startled when Theresa suddenly leaned across him. "Why did you ask him, Kelsey? You know your father doesn't enjoy things like this."
Kelsey leaned across Austin on the other side. "All the parents were invited. Since I got everyone together, Dad had to come."
"Ladies, do you mind?" He pushed Kelsey away, then placed his hand on Theresa's shoulder to push her away, too.
Theresa froze for a moment. She turned her head to look at him, their faces only inches apart. "And how do you know I'm not enjoying myself?" Austin asked her softly. He dropped his gaze to her lips, remembering how it felt to kiss her, taste her. The quick intake of breath, the way she jerked away, told him she remembered, too.
Suddenly, Austin couldn't stand being so close to her. His body was betraying him. Betraying Deborah.
"Change places with me, Kels." His voice sounded rough to his ears.
"But why?" she asked, shooting him a strange look.
He didn't wait to argue. He picked up his daughter, scooted sideways and deposited her between him and temptation.
"Dad!"
"I know I've embarrassed you. Get used to it. It's going to happen a lot."
"Did your parents embarrass you when you were a kid?" she asked Miss Rogers.
Theresa nodded. "It's a fact of life, but it won't last forever. Hopefully, by the time you're twenty-five, your father will have outgrown the tendency."
Kelsey giggled and Theresa laughed softly. Austin gritted his teeth. The sound of her laughter washed over him, making him even more edgy.
Some of the kids and parents were singing a song as the tractor pulled them along the darkened road. The moon had cooperated and shone full and bright.
"Hey, Kels! When are we going to eat? I'm starved!" Amelia called from her seat in the trailer.
"It shouldn't be long now," Kelsey said. "We're going to stop at the park overlooking the canyon."
The trailer slowed down, pulled to the side of the road, then came to a complete stop.
"Am I good or what?" Kelsey said with a grin. She hopped up from the floor of the trailer. "We're going to cook the hotdogs here," she announced to the group. "I thought it would be neat seeing the canyon in the moonlight." Climbing down from the trailer, she immediately began overseeing the building of the fires in the barbeque pits.
Theresa shook her head in wonder as she started to rise to her feet. She was surprised when Austin offered a hand. Gingerly, she placed her hand in his. His grasp was warm and hard. He let go as soon as she was standing.
"I'm always a little in awe of Kelsey," she said, studying his profile. "Her leadership abilities are amazing."
Austin nodded, watching his daughter direct her troops. "And she's modest, too," he said, rolling his eyes.
For a moment, Theresa forgot to breathe. Was Austin McCade actually being playful with her? His lips had lost their grimness. The hard lines of his face had relaxed. It was the first
How could he have allowed himself to be bamboozled into coming along? He didn't know if he wanted to strangle Kelsey or applaud her triumph. Most of the parents and kids in her class, as well as her teacher, had shown up for the hayride.
"Dad, could you at least pretend you're having a good time?" Kelsey whispered in his ear. "Smile, why don't you?"
She sat on his right side, Theresa on his left. It was a tight squeeze with so many kids and parents participating. There wasn't enough room for everyone to sit on the stacked bales of hay. Some, like himself, were stuck down on the bed of the trailer. His entire left side burned with awareness. It was difficult to smile when his body was on fire, but he managed.
"You're hopeless, you know it?" Kelsey said. "I'm wondering why you bothered to come."
"Because you asked me." He tried to keep his voice low so they wouldn't be overheard.
He was startled when Theresa suddenly leaned across him. "Why did you ask him, Kelsey? You know your father doesn't enjoy things like this."
Kelsey leaned across Austin on the other side. "All the parents were invited. Since I got everyone together, Dad had to come."
"Ladies, do you mind?" He pushed Kelsey away, then placed his hand on Theresa's shoulder to push her away, too.
Theresa froze for a moment. She turned her head to look at him, their faces only inches apart. "And how do you know I'm not enjoying myself?" Austin asked her softly. He dropped his gaze to her lips, remembering how it felt to kiss her, taste her. The quick intake of breath, the way she jerked away, told him she remembered, too.
Suddenly, Austin couldn't stand being so close to her. His body was betraying him. Betraying Deborah.
"Change places with me, Kels." His voice sounded rough to his ears.
"But why?" she asked, shooting him a strange look.
He didn't wait to argue. He picked up his daughter, scooted sideways and deposited her between him and temptation.
"Dad!"
"I know I've embarrassed you. Get used to it. It's going to happen a lot."
"Did your parents embarrass you when you were a kid?" she asked Miss Rogers.
Theresa nodded. "It's a fact of life, but it won't last forever. Hopefully, by the time you're twenty-five, your father will have outgrown the tendency."
Kelsey giggled and Theresa laughed softly. Austin gritted his teeth. The sound of her laughter washed over him, making him even more edgy.
Some of the kids and parents were singing a song as the tractor pulled them along the darkened road. The moon had cooperated and shone full and bright.
"Hey, Kels! When are we going to eat? I'm starved!" Amelia called from her seat in the trailer.
"It shouldn't be long now," Kelsey said. "We're going to stop at the park overlooking the canyon."
The trailer slowed down, pulled to the side of the road, then came to a complete stop.
"Am I good or what?" Kelsey said with a grin. She hopped up from the floor of the trailer. "We're going to cook the hotdogs here," she announced to the group. "I thought it would be neat seeing the canyon in the moonlight." Climbing down from the trailer, she immediately began overseeing the building of the fires in the barbeque pits.
Theresa shook her head in wonder as she started to rise to her feet. She was surprised when Austin offered a hand. Gingerly, she placed her hand in his. His grasp was warm and hard. He let go as soon as she was standing.
"I'm always a little in awe of Kelsey," she said, studying his profile. "Her leadership abilities are amazing."
Austin nodded, watching his daughter direct her troops. "And she's modest, too," he said, rolling his eyes.
For a moment, Theresa forgot to breathe. Was Austin McCade actually being playful with her? His lips had lost their grimness. The hard lines of his face had relaxed. It was the first
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