Read Online Cowboy with a Cause by Carla Cassidy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carla Cassidy
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and months ahead he looked forward to seeing how much character she had, if she had the strength to truly rise above what had happened to her. He hoped so; he wanted that for her.
He rode at a sedate gait for about a half an hour, his mind replaying the night out with Melanie. Finally he turned around to go back to the stables. He gave Jasper more rein and the horse responded by breaking into a brisk run.
The cool morning air emptied his head of all thoughts as he simply enjoyed the scent of pasture and autumn that rode a slight breeze.
The Benson ranch was very profitable and belonged to Sam, Adam and Nick. The profits were split between the three, providing a very good living for all of them. At the moment Sam’s money was tied up in his defense, and Adam had insisted Nick take a bigger cut as he was the one taking care of the ranch now. Still, it provided a good lifestyle for Adam, although he’d always been rather frugal with his money. Without a wife or family, without even a girlfriend, there had been few things to spend his money on, so most of it had been put into savings.
When he reached the stables, Adam dismounted and gave Jasper a quick rubdown. He headed for the house in the distance, not ready to go back into town yet.
By this time he knew his brother’s family would all be awake and hopefully Courtney would be in the middle of fixing some kind of breakfast.
The front door was unlocked, and he opened it and stepped into the foyer, which smelled of frying bacon and fresh-brewed coffee. “Anyone home?”
“Unc Dam!” Garrett came running toward him, diaper in hand. He was clad in a pajama top and nothing else.
“Hey, buddy. Aren’t you supposed to be wearing that instead of carrying it?” Adam said with a grin.
Nick came chasing after Garrett, a look of frustration on his face. “He’s the slipperiest worm on the planet.” He scooped up the half-naked child. “Courtney’s in the kitchen. Help yourself to the coffee, and I’ll be in once I wrangle this little bull and get a diaper on him.”
He disappeared down the hallway with a giggling Garrett as Adam headed for the kitchen. There were times when Adam envied his brother for finding love and for having a son. He admired the fact that Nick had never doubted his own sanity, had somehow managed to put Cherry’s death and Sam’s crime behind him to move forward to a happy place. Adam was still seeking his happy place.
As he entered the kitchen, Courtney turned to face him, a bright smile lighting her face. “I knew there was a reason that I decided to fry up some extra bacon this morning.”
“Nothing like an unexpected guest for breakfast,” Adam said as he walked over to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup of the fragrant brew.
“Maybe unexpected, but never unwelcome,” Courtney replied. “I heard you were out last night with your landlady.” She began cracking eggs into a large mixing bowl.
“Wow. News travels fast.” He sat down at the table and took a sip of his coffee.
“I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who said the two of you were eating dinner together at the café.” She flashed him a wry grin. “So was it a date?”
“No,” he replied hurriedly. “It was just an outing. I built a ramp from her front door to the sidewalk and this was her first trip out since she went into the wheelchair seven months ago.”
Courtney turned to the skillet and flipped over several slices of bacon. “How did she do?”
“She was a little nervous, but she did just fine.” Adam took a second sip of his coffee and thought about the night before. “I think it was a bit overwhelming for her and she was pretty exhausted by the time I took her home.”
Once again he thought of that moment when they’d been on her porch, when he’d wanted nothing more than to taste her lips. She’d just looked so darned kissable.
It was crazy. He’d known her for less than a week but he already somehow felt invested in
He rode at a sedate gait for about a half an hour, his mind replaying the night out with Melanie. Finally he turned around to go back to the stables. He gave Jasper more rein and the horse responded by breaking into a brisk run.
The cool morning air emptied his head of all thoughts as he simply enjoyed the scent of pasture and autumn that rode a slight breeze.
The Benson ranch was very profitable and belonged to Sam, Adam and Nick. The profits were split between the three, providing a very good living for all of them. At the moment Sam’s money was tied up in his defense, and Adam had insisted Nick take a bigger cut as he was the one taking care of the ranch now. Still, it provided a good lifestyle for Adam, although he’d always been rather frugal with his money. Without a wife or family, without even a girlfriend, there had been few things to spend his money on, so most of it had been put into savings.
When he reached the stables, Adam dismounted and gave Jasper a quick rubdown. He headed for the house in the distance, not ready to go back into town yet.
By this time he knew his brother’s family would all be awake and hopefully Courtney would be in the middle of fixing some kind of breakfast.
The front door was unlocked, and he opened it and stepped into the foyer, which smelled of frying bacon and fresh-brewed coffee. “Anyone home?”
“Unc Dam!” Garrett came running toward him, diaper in hand. He was clad in a pajama top and nothing else.
“Hey, buddy. Aren’t you supposed to be wearing that instead of carrying it?” Adam said with a grin.
Nick came chasing after Garrett, a look of frustration on his face. “He’s the slipperiest worm on the planet.” He scooped up the half-naked child. “Courtney’s in the kitchen. Help yourself to the coffee, and I’ll be in once I wrangle this little bull and get a diaper on him.”
He disappeared down the hallway with a giggling Garrett as Adam headed for the kitchen. There were times when Adam envied his brother for finding love and for having a son. He admired the fact that Nick had never doubted his own sanity, had somehow managed to put Cherry’s death and Sam’s crime behind him to move forward to a happy place. Adam was still seeking his happy place.
As he entered the kitchen, Courtney turned to face him, a bright smile lighting her face. “I knew there was a reason that I decided to fry up some extra bacon this morning.”
“Nothing like an unexpected guest for breakfast,” Adam said as he walked over to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup of the fragrant brew.
“Maybe unexpected, but never unwelcome,” Courtney replied. “I heard you were out last night with your landlady.” She began cracking eggs into a large mixing bowl.
“Wow. News travels fast.” He sat down at the table and took a sip of his coffee.
“I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who said the two of you were eating dinner together at the café.” She flashed him a wry grin. “So was it a date?”
“No,” he replied hurriedly. “It was just an outing. I built a ramp from her front door to the sidewalk and this was her first trip out since she went into the wheelchair seven months ago.”
Courtney turned to the skillet and flipped over several slices of bacon. “How did she do?”
“She was a little nervous, but she did just fine.” Adam took a second sip of his coffee and thought about the night before. “I think it was a bit overwhelming for her and she was pretty exhausted by the time I took her home.”
Once again he thought of that moment when they’d been on her porch, when he’d wanted nothing more than to taste her lips. She’d just looked so darned kissable.
It was crazy. He’d known her for less than a week but he already somehow felt invested in
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