Read Online Hell on Wheels: A Loveswept Classic Romance by Karen Leabo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Leabo
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going nowhere without the Chasemobile, and that was final.
She couldn’t really blame Roan, she thought as she closed her computer. He probably thought she was an overcautious fussbudget. But until he experienced a twister firsthand, he wouldn’t understand her overriding respect toward storms, or her insistence on caution.
Even then he might not agree with her if he was as devoid of survival instinct as Amos believed.
She gave the map she’d plotted one final, longing look before folding it in half. Better to miss the action than put herself or anyone else at risk.
Roan reentered Candy’s Cafe just as Victoria wasstanding and stretching the kinks out of her back. “Hey, they have a pioneer museum here, in the city hall,” he said in the same tone of voice he might have used to announce that he’d struck gold. “Let’s check it out.”
A pioneer museum? Oh, well, what else was there to do? She’d analyzed the data to death, and a little walking would do her good. Besides, his grin was infectious. “All right, you sold me,” Victoria said. “But I think I’ll put my computer back in the van.”
That chore taken care of, they headed down Main Street to the unassuming city hall. Roan opened the door and ushered her inside.
The Pioneer Museum, in the coolness of the basement, was a hodgepodge collection of nineteenth-century farm and ranch implements, moth-eaten clothing, deeds and land grants, and samples of barbed wire. The skulls of long-dead cattle were mounted on the walls at regular intervals, staring down with hollow eyes. Sepia photographs depicted the pioneers’ lives.
Fixating on the distant past wasn’t high on Victoria’s list of interesting things to do. She soon grew weary of the musty museum, but Roan didn’t. He read every single description of every exhibit, sometimes out loud, his astute blue eyes taking in every detail.
She had to smile. His enthusiasm reminded her of a little kid, full of wonder and curiosity. While she tried to stuff her head with weather data, he seemed to have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge about everything under the sun. If there was anything pleasurable about hanging around this rusty, moldering stuff, it was watching Roan take it all in.
“You’re not really liking this, are you,” Roan said.
Victoria jumped. Her mind had been on her earlier calculations, and she hadn’t felt Roan come up behind her. Did he have to stand so close? She could feel his breath on her hair and the heat of his body radiating toward hers.
“Uh, well … I guess history isn’t my strongest suit,” she said.
“Why didn’t you say you were bored?” He immediately dragged her upstairs.
Victoria was glad to get out into the fresh air again, even if it was hot. She paused outside the city hall to study the sky. It was clear blue, with just a few flat cumulus clouds.
“Doesn’t look like much of a storm day,” Roan commented.
“Not here,” Victoria agreed. “But a hundred and fifty miles away, those cumulus towers are already forming.” She glanced at her watch, then toward the garage, tempted. New data would be available.…
“Oh, no you don’t,” Roan said, taking her by the hand and practically dragging her in the opposite direction. “You’re better off not knowing what’s happening a hundred and fifty miles away. You’ll only torture yourself. C’mon.”
She sighed and followed him meekly. He was right. She didn’t really want to know what she was missing.
Next thing she knew, he ushered her into an ice cream shop called the Dairy Dilly. His hand at her waist was completely innocent, yet it sent pleasurable shivers through her body. He could be so damned appealingwhen he wanted to be. She hadn’t missed the fact that he was trying awfully hard to keep her entertained, thus distracting her from their dismal situation.
And he was doing a pretty good job.
Victoria reveled in the air-conditioning for a few moments as she studied the Dairy
She couldn’t really blame Roan, she thought as she closed her computer. He probably thought she was an overcautious fussbudget. But until he experienced a twister firsthand, he wouldn’t understand her overriding respect toward storms, or her insistence on caution.
Even then he might not agree with her if he was as devoid of survival instinct as Amos believed.
She gave the map she’d plotted one final, longing look before folding it in half. Better to miss the action than put herself or anyone else at risk.
Roan reentered Candy’s Cafe just as Victoria wasstanding and stretching the kinks out of her back. “Hey, they have a pioneer museum here, in the city hall,” he said in the same tone of voice he might have used to announce that he’d struck gold. “Let’s check it out.”
A pioneer museum? Oh, well, what else was there to do? She’d analyzed the data to death, and a little walking would do her good. Besides, his grin was infectious. “All right, you sold me,” Victoria said. “But I think I’ll put my computer back in the van.”
That chore taken care of, they headed down Main Street to the unassuming city hall. Roan opened the door and ushered her inside.
The Pioneer Museum, in the coolness of the basement, was a hodgepodge collection of nineteenth-century farm and ranch implements, moth-eaten clothing, deeds and land grants, and samples of barbed wire. The skulls of long-dead cattle were mounted on the walls at regular intervals, staring down with hollow eyes. Sepia photographs depicted the pioneers’ lives.
Fixating on the distant past wasn’t high on Victoria’s list of interesting things to do. She soon grew weary of the musty museum, but Roan didn’t. He read every single description of every exhibit, sometimes out loud, his astute blue eyes taking in every detail.
She had to smile. His enthusiasm reminded her of a little kid, full of wonder and curiosity. While she tried to stuff her head with weather data, he seemed to have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge about everything under the sun. If there was anything pleasurable about hanging around this rusty, moldering stuff, it was watching Roan take it all in.
“You’re not really liking this, are you,” Roan said.
Victoria jumped. Her mind had been on her earlier calculations, and she hadn’t felt Roan come up behind her. Did he have to stand so close? She could feel his breath on her hair and the heat of his body radiating toward hers.
“Uh, well … I guess history isn’t my strongest suit,” she said.
“Why didn’t you say you were bored?” He immediately dragged her upstairs.
Victoria was glad to get out into the fresh air again, even if it was hot. She paused outside the city hall to study the sky. It was clear blue, with just a few flat cumulus clouds.
“Doesn’t look like much of a storm day,” Roan commented.
“Not here,” Victoria agreed. “But a hundred and fifty miles away, those cumulus towers are already forming.” She glanced at her watch, then toward the garage, tempted. New data would be available.…
“Oh, no you don’t,” Roan said, taking her by the hand and practically dragging her in the opposite direction. “You’re better off not knowing what’s happening a hundred and fifty miles away. You’ll only torture yourself. C’mon.”
She sighed and followed him meekly. He was right. She didn’t really want to know what she was missing.
Next thing she knew, he ushered her into an ice cream shop called the Dairy Dilly. His hand at her waist was completely innocent, yet it sent pleasurable shivers through her body. He could be so damned appealingwhen he wanted to be. She hadn’t missed the fact that he was trying awfully hard to keep her entertained, thus distracting her from their dismal situation.
And he was doing a pretty good job.
Victoria reveled in the air-conditioning for a few moments as she studied the Dairy
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