Read Online Cowboy Who Came For Christmas (Harlequin Romance) by Lenora Worth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lenora Worth
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, adventure, Romance, Contemporary, Thrillers, Adult, Western, romantic suspense, Christmas, Law Enforcement, cowboy, Holiday Spirit, Bachelor, Holidays, Attraction, stranger, texas ranger, Arkansas, Forever Love, Seasonal, snowed in, suspicion, Principles, Protect Law, Secrets. Shotgun, Winter Snow Storm, Locate Criminal, Hunted, Search, Hiding Secrets, Crescent Mountain
Ads: Link
your mind on that after I’ve been around a few days.”
She stopped on the snow-packed road so fast ice chips flew out around her boots. “Are you staying that long?”
He gave her a frown. “Ah, tired of me already?”
“Yes,” she said much to his surprise. “I want my nice, quiet life back. You’re annoying.”
“You make me laugh in spite of myself,” he admitted.
Then he decided while he had her out here in the open, he’d level with her. But he made sure they were in the middle of the slippery road and not near a plunging ravine before he confronted her. “Sophia, we really need to talk.”
She looked up at him, concern filtering through her poker face. “This is no laughing matter, is it?”
At least she knew the situation was dangerous. But she also needed to know he was serious. Dead serious. “No. Pritchard is desperate and he’s mean. That’s a dangerous combination.”
Her face went pale again. “Are you sure he’s still here?”
“If he came to this mountain with a purpose, he won’t leave until he’s fulfilled that purpose.”
She held a hand to her mouth and then dropped it to her side. “We need to check your truck and then get back. I don’t like leaving the others.”
Adan stopped on the side of the road and breathed deep, his words coming out through a cold mist. “Sophia, I’m not leaving this mountain until I have my man. If I have to drag Joe Pritchard back to Texas in a body bag, I’ll do it. I always get my man.”
Then he gave her one of his surefire Ranger glares. “Or my woman.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
S OPHIA TRIED TO calm the panic in her stomach, but the butterflies hitting at her insides caused her heart rate to jump and sputter. “What makes you think I’m involved in this?”
He squinted and gave her an unyielding glare. “You tied me to the bedposts. What other conclusion should I come to?”
“Maybe I had something else in mind?” she said on a sarcastic breath that belied the sharp pulse bumping against her temple.
“With Bettye there? Right.” The bemused look in his eyes didn’t change his frown.
“Look, I told you I was scared and... Bettye was just trying to help me. I didn’t do anything to you last night. So give me a break.”
“I want to give you a break,” he replied as they started carefully making their way down the road, sticking toward the more level side that butted up against the rock face of the mountain. “I can understand protecting your property, but y’all tied me up and gagged me for some reason.”
“We were scared,” she repeated. “And frankly, you’re scaring me now.” She lifted her gaze back to him, hoping she could convince him. “Look, Adan, we don’t get many visitors up here. Especially not Texas Ranger–type visitors.”
“Well, maybe you should,” he retorted. “I’ve been at this job long enough to know a thing or two, and my gut’s telling me y’all aren’t being completely honest with me.”
Maybe if she just told him a little bit of her history, Sophia thought. Would that be enough to shut him up and get him off her trail?
“Adan, I...”
“What in the—” He held up a hand and instantly drew his gun. “Get behind me.”
Sophia didn’t have time to act. He shoved her behind him so fast she almost slipped on a sliver of icy rock. “What is it?”
Adan lifted his chin. “Look at my truck.”
Sophia glanced a few yards downhill and into an embankment near a sharp curve. A black double-cab pickup sat at an odd angle against the snow-covered mound, all four of its tires flat.
“I don’t think the storm caused that,” she said, fear coursing through her in a cold rush that rivaled the freezing winter temperature. “He’s still out here.”
He’s alive.
Those two words hit her with the force of a ton of snow and drifted over and over in her mind with a twisting clarity.
He’s still alive.
“He must have doubled back and found my truck,” Adan said, oblivious to her
She stopped on the snow-packed road so fast ice chips flew out around her boots. “Are you staying that long?”
He gave her a frown. “Ah, tired of me already?”
“Yes,” she said much to his surprise. “I want my nice, quiet life back. You’re annoying.”
“You make me laugh in spite of myself,” he admitted.
Then he decided while he had her out here in the open, he’d level with her. But he made sure they were in the middle of the slippery road and not near a plunging ravine before he confronted her. “Sophia, we really need to talk.”
She looked up at him, concern filtering through her poker face. “This is no laughing matter, is it?”
At least she knew the situation was dangerous. But she also needed to know he was serious. Dead serious. “No. Pritchard is desperate and he’s mean. That’s a dangerous combination.”
Her face went pale again. “Are you sure he’s still here?”
“If he came to this mountain with a purpose, he won’t leave until he’s fulfilled that purpose.”
She held a hand to her mouth and then dropped it to her side. “We need to check your truck and then get back. I don’t like leaving the others.”
Adan stopped on the side of the road and breathed deep, his words coming out through a cold mist. “Sophia, I’m not leaving this mountain until I have my man. If I have to drag Joe Pritchard back to Texas in a body bag, I’ll do it. I always get my man.”
Then he gave her one of his surefire Ranger glares. “Or my woman.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
S OPHIA TRIED TO calm the panic in her stomach, but the butterflies hitting at her insides caused her heart rate to jump and sputter. “What makes you think I’m involved in this?”
He squinted and gave her an unyielding glare. “You tied me to the bedposts. What other conclusion should I come to?”
“Maybe I had something else in mind?” she said on a sarcastic breath that belied the sharp pulse bumping against her temple.
“With Bettye there? Right.” The bemused look in his eyes didn’t change his frown.
“Look, I told you I was scared and... Bettye was just trying to help me. I didn’t do anything to you last night. So give me a break.”
“I want to give you a break,” he replied as they started carefully making their way down the road, sticking toward the more level side that butted up against the rock face of the mountain. “I can understand protecting your property, but y’all tied me up and gagged me for some reason.”
“We were scared,” she repeated. “And frankly, you’re scaring me now.” She lifted her gaze back to him, hoping she could convince him. “Look, Adan, we don’t get many visitors up here. Especially not Texas Ranger–type visitors.”
“Well, maybe you should,” he retorted. “I’ve been at this job long enough to know a thing or two, and my gut’s telling me y’all aren’t being completely honest with me.”
Maybe if she just told him a little bit of her history, Sophia thought. Would that be enough to shut him up and get him off her trail?
“Adan, I...”
“What in the—” He held up a hand and instantly drew his gun. “Get behind me.”
Sophia didn’t have time to act. He shoved her behind him so fast she almost slipped on a sliver of icy rock. “What is it?”
Adan lifted his chin. “Look at my truck.”
Sophia glanced a few yards downhill and into an embankment near a sharp curve. A black double-cab pickup sat at an odd angle against the snow-covered mound, all four of its tires flat.
“I don’t think the storm caused that,” she said, fear coursing through her in a cold rush that rivaled the freezing winter temperature. “He’s still out here.”
He’s alive.
Those two words hit her with the force of a ton of snow and drifted over and over in her mind with a twisting clarity.
He’s still alive.
“He must have doubled back and found my truck,” Adan said, oblivious to her
Similar Books
