Read Online By the Book Bride: Ryder (A BBW Western Romance) (Matchmaking A Marriage 1) by Patricia Mason, Joann Baker - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Patricia Mason, Joann Baker
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behind him more sedately.
“Good morning, lovely.” Gabe stopped at the foot of the bed, his dark eyes raking over her in a way she would have found exciting if all her attention wasn’t focused on the cowboy who had somehow gotten the mistaken impression that she was tired of him. As if that could ever be possible.
“Good… Good morning, Gabe. Cal.” She inclined her head, wishing she could magically appear better groomed and beautiful. Like her sisters. They wouldn’t be caught dead letting three gorgeous men see them with their faces shiny and devoid of makeup, rats nests in their hair and wearing crumpled day-old clothing. Somehow Lynn and Faye would have found a way to be perfectly quaffed and presentable while at the same time appearing meek and helpless.
She sighed. It just wasn’t in her DNA to let anyone take care of her—no matter how much she liked it when Ryder did it.
“Did Ry let you sleep in your clothes?”
Ryder’s face flooded with color at his older brother’s words. Damn it, he’d been so wrapped up in worrying about her pain before getting lost in her kisses that he’d forgotten about everything else. It was a wonder he’d even remembered the ice pack.
“Losing your touch are you, little brother?”
Ryder stiffened at the insinuation. He knew his brother’s suggestive words hadn’t been lost to Georgia when her spine straightened and her small chin jutted out. Damn it, the last thing he needed was for his big-mouthed brother to foul up the headway he’d been making into getting to know the woman sitting on the bed, her shoulders rigid with injured pride. Shit, shit and double shit. He needed to get out of there before things went from bad to worse.
“I’ve got horses to train.” He walked toward the door, then turned back to look at his brothers, Gabe in particular. For some reason, he didn’t want his panty-collecting brother anywhere near Georgia when he wasn’t around. “Y’all coming?”
“I thought maybe I should stay and help Miss Georgia Peach eat her breakfast.”
The slow wink from Gabe had Georgia’s stomach doing flip-flops. Yes, he was gorgeous and no, she wasn’t immune to his particular brand of charm. She’d have to be dead and even then she bet she’d still be affected by the big cowboy’s attention. Still, he wasn’t Ryder. Her eyes went helplessly to the tall man standing like a statue at the bedroom door.
“Get on out to the arena, Gabe,” Cal’s low voice cut through the tension building in the room, “those two-year futurity horses aren’t going to get themselves ready for the Breeder’s Stakes.” He turned solemn chocolate brown eyes to Georgia as his brothers left the room, their booted footsteps echoing on the wooden staircase. “If you need anything, just call out.” His face twisted into something that was probably supposed to resemble a smile. “I’ll be in the office most of the morning working on the books and Pops is always roaming around somewhere.”
“Thank you, Cal,” Georgia whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat. Ryder was upset with her, and she didn’t understand why. And least of all, she didn’t understand why his being upset with her upset her so much.
“Give him time, Georgia. Like Gabe and me, Ry doesn’t have much experience when it comes to being loved by a woman.”
Caught off-guard by the quiet cowboy’s perception, Georgia didn’t know what to say. Was he right? Had her feelings for Ryder gone deeper than lust or attraction?
“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”
“Not possible,” she whispered to herself as the door closed quietly. There was no way she was in love with Ryder. Love didn’t happen that quickly.
Still, as the day wore on and Ryder didn’t reappear, she found the ache in her chest worse than that in her foot. Pops had checked on her several times, bringing her lunch and magazines. Cal had stopped in briefly late morning to make sure she was okay before he
“Good morning, lovely.” Gabe stopped at the foot of the bed, his dark eyes raking over her in a way she would have found exciting if all her attention wasn’t focused on the cowboy who had somehow gotten the mistaken impression that she was tired of him. As if that could ever be possible.
“Good… Good morning, Gabe. Cal.” She inclined her head, wishing she could magically appear better groomed and beautiful. Like her sisters. They wouldn’t be caught dead letting three gorgeous men see them with their faces shiny and devoid of makeup, rats nests in their hair and wearing crumpled day-old clothing. Somehow Lynn and Faye would have found a way to be perfectly quaffed and presentable while at the same time appearing meek and helpless.
She sighed. It just wasn’t in her DNA to let anyone take care of her—no matter how much she liked it when Ryder did it.
“Did Ry let you sleep in your clothes?”
Ryder’s face flooded with color at his older brother’s words. Damn it, he’d been so wrapped up in worrying about her pain before getting lost in her kisses that he’d forgotten about everything else. It was a wonder he’d even remembered the ice pack.
“Losing your touch are you, little brother?”
Ryder stiffened at the insinuation. He knew his brother’s suggestive words hadn’t been lost to Georgia when her spine straightened and her small chin jutted out. Damn it, the last thing he needed was for his big-mouthed brother to foul up the headway he’d been making into getting to know the woman sitting on the bed, her shoulders rigid with injured pride. Shit, shit and double shit. He needed to get out of there before things went from bad to worse.
“I’ve got horses to train.” He walked toward the door, then turned back to look at his brothers, Gabe in particular. For some reason, he didn’t want his panty-collecting brother anywhere near Georgia when he wasn’t around. “Y’all coming?”
“I thought maybe I should stay and help Miss Georgia Peach eat her breakfast.”
The slow wink from Gabe had Georgia’s stomach doing flip-flops. Yes, he was gorgeous and no, she wasn’t immune to his particular brand of charm. She’d have to be dead and even then she bet she’d still be affected by the big cowboy’s attention. Still, he wasn’t Ryder. Her eyes went helplessly to the tall man standing like a statue at the bedroom door.
“Get on out to the arena, Gabe,” Cal’s low voice cut through the tension building in the room, “those two-year futurity horses aren’t going to get themselves ready for the Breeder’s Stakes.” He turned solemn chocolate brown eyes to Georgia as his brothers left the room, their booted footsteps echoing on the wooden staircase. “If you need anything, just call out.” His face twisted into something that was probably supposed to resemble a smile. “I’ll be in the office most of the morning working on the books and Pops is always roaming around somewhere.”
“Thank you, Cal,” Georgia whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat. Ryder was upset with her, and she didn’t understand why. And least of all, she didn’t understand why his being upset with her upset her so much.
“Give him time, Georgia. Like Gabe and me, Ry doesn’t have much experience when it comes to being loved by a woman.”
Caught off-guard by the quiet cowboy’s perception, Georgia didn’t know what to say. Was he right? Had her feelings for Ryder gone deeper than lust or attraction?
“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”
“Not possible,” she whispered to herself as the door closed quietly. There was no way she was in love with Ryder. Love didn’t happen that quickly.
Still, as the day wore on and Ryder didn’t reappear, she found the ache in her chest worse than that in her foot. Pops had checked on her several times, bringing her lunch and magazines. Cal had stopped in briefly late morning to make sure she was okay before he
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