Read Online Dream Kisses (Romance on the Ranch Series #1) by Verna Clay - Free Book Online
Authors: Verna Clay
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her massive headache.
At
issue now was how to leave the ranch without facing Sage. She didn't want to
hurt Julie by abruptly flying the coop, but her desire to avoid Sage outweighed
even that resolve. Her stay at Lazy M Dude Ranch had forever cured her of
hands-on research. From now on, research would take her only as far as her
laptop and the internet.
She
returned to the bedroom and tentatively sipped her orange juice. It stayed
down. Feeling strong enough to get dressed, she pulled on a pair of turquoise
slacks and matching shell. While she was sitting on the bed attempting to
rewrap her foot, she heard another knock. Thinking it was Julie, she called,
"Come in."
Sage
opened the door. Sarah glanced up from fastening the hook on the wrap and
almost fell on the floor. He started toward her and she jerked a staying hand
at him. He stopped.
Her
mouth moved, but no words came out.
He
said, "How are you feeling?"
She
still couldn't find her voice.
He
glanced at the glass of orange juice she'd set back on the nightstand.
"The juice will help."
Sarah
knew he was saying anything to fill the awkwardness. "I'm leaving,"
she finally voiced.
Sage
leaned against the door frame. "You mean running, don't you?"
She
gaped at him and then resorted to a teenage response, "Whatever."
"You
know, Sarah, nothing happened. It was only a little kiss."
She
remembered the expertise of his mouth. Yeah, right.
He
continued, "Look, I'll make a deal with you because I'd hate for you to
miss the wagon train next week and all that great research…I'll move you to the
dorm today. That way you won't have to be around me as much." Again, he
paused. "Sarah, I'm really sorry. I never get involved with my guests. I
take full responsibility. You were a little…imbibed…and appealing. I lost my
head."
Sarah
honed in on one word— appealing. He thought she was appealing. What a crock. Now she was even more determined to leave and her face must have
mirrored her resolve.
Sage
stepped into the room, angry. "You don't believe me, do you? You think I'm
full of horseshit…just flattering you so you'll stay and not ask for a refund.
Lady, you are a piece of work. I've bent over backwards to make up for my screw
up in New York, and now I'm doing the same thing for my screw up last night.
You know, I think you just don't like men. Sure, you write your novels about
dashing heroes, but real-life men have no place in your world. You need to see
a shrink, Mims."
Sarah
couldn't move. She either wanted to lash a retort or run from the room, but
neither her legs, nor her mouth worked, so she just stared wide-eyed at him. He
didn't budge. Finally, the only body part that worked, were her tear ducts. Big
fat drops welled and rolled down her cheeks.
"Aw
shit. I can't do anything right." He strode across the room and knelt in
front of her. Placing his hands over hers, he said gently, "Look, I don't
want you to leave. I want you to finish your research. At least stay for the
wagon train. It'll be fun and you'll learn a lot about the Old West. I promise
I'll behave and try not to have foot-in-mouth disease again. If you leave now,
we'll both feel like shit." He reached a hand toward her face, but it only
hovered a second before he dropped it. Standing, he walked to the bathroom and
grabbed a wad of Kleenex. Pressing the tissues into her palm, he said low,
"Will you give me another chance, please Sarah?"
Sarah
inhaled a shuddering breath. He may be a jerk, but he was a nice one, and he
was right about one thing, she'd feel like shit. She knew he was exaggerating
about himself, but for her, it was not an exaggeration. She needed to leave
this ranch on good terms. If she didn’t, it would haunt her. Slowly she nodded.
He
whooshed, "That's my girl."
Sarah
wanted to glare at him for the endearment, but she didn't have the courage.
"Do
you think you'll be ready to move to the dorm by late afternoon?"
She
nodded again.
* * *
Julie
helped Sarah pack the last of her
At
issue now was how to leave the ranch without facing Sage. She didn't want to
hurt Julie by abruptly flying the coop, but her desire to avoid Sage outweighed
even that resolve. Her stay at Lazy M Dude Ranch had forever cured her of
hands-on research. From now on, research would take her only as far as her
laptop and the internet.
She
returned to the bedroom and tentatively sipped her orange juice. It stayed
down. Feeling strong enough to get dressed, she pulled on a pair of turquoise
slacks and matching shell. While she was sitting on the bed attempting to
rewrap her foot, she heard another knock. Thinking it was Julie, she called,
"Come in."
Sage
opened the door. Sarah glanced up from fastening the hook on the wrap and
almost fell on the floor. He started toward her and she jerked a staying hand
at him. He stopped.
Her
mouth moved, but no words came out.
He
said, "How are you feeling?"
She
still couldn't find her voice.
He
glanced at the glass of orange juice she'd set back on the nightstand.
"The juice will help."
Sarah
knew he was saying anything to fill the awkwardness. "I'm leaving,"
she finally voiced.
Sage
leaned against the door frame. "You mean running, don't you?"
She
gaped at him and then resorted to a teenage response, "Whatever."
"You
know, Sarah, nothing happened. It was only a little kiss."
She
remembered the expertise of his mouth. Yeah, right.
He
continued, "Look, I'll make a deal with you because I'd hate for you to
miss the wagon train next week and all that great research…I'll move you to the
dorm today. That way you won't have to be around me as much." Again, he
paused. "Sarah, I'm really sorry. I never get involved with my guests. I
take full responsibility. You were a little…imbibed…and appealing. I lost my
head."
Sarah
honed in on one word— appealing. He thought she was appealing. What a crock. Now she was even more determined to leave and her face must have
mirrored her resolve.
Sage
stepped into the room, angry. "You don't believe me, do you? You think I'm
full of horseshit…just flattering you so you'll stay and not ask for a refund.
Lady, you are a piece of work. I've bent over backwards to make up for my screw
up in New York, and now I'm doing the same thing for my screw up last night.
You know, I think you just don't like men. Sure, you write your novels about
dashing heroes, but real-life men have no place in your world. You need to see
a shrink, Mims."
Sarah
couldn't move. She either wanted to lash a retort or run from the room, but
neither her legs, nor her mouth worked, so she just stared wide-eyed at him. He
didn't budge. Finally, the only body part that worked, were her tear ducts. Big
fat drops welled and rolled down her cheeks.
"Aw
shit. I can't do anything right." He strode across the room and knelt in
front of her. Placing his hands over hers, he said gently, "Look, I don't
want you to leave. I want you to finish your research. At least stay for the
wagon train. It'll be fun and you'll learn a lot about the Old West. I promise
I'll behave and try not to have foot-in-mouth disease again. If you leave now,
we'll both feel like shit." He reached a hand toward her face, but it only
hovered a second before he dropped it. Standing, he walked to the bathroom and
grabbed a wad of Kleenex. Pressing the tissues into her palm, he said low,
"Will you give me another chance, please Sarah?"
Sarah
inhaled a shuddering breath. He may be a jerk, but he was a nice one, and he
was right about one thing, she'd feel like shit. She knew he was exaggerating
about himself, but for her, it was not an exaggeration. She needed to leave
this ranch on good terms. If she didn’t, it would haunt her. Slowly she nodded.
He
whooshed, "That's my girl."
Sarah
wanted to glare at him for the endearment, but she didn't have the courage.
"Do
you think you'll be ready to move to the dorm by late afternoon?"
She
nodded again.
* * *
Julie
helped Sarah pack the last of her
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