Read Online Her Cowboy Hero (The Colorado Cades) by Tanya Michaels - Free Book Online

replenish her energy so that she had enough left to deal with her spirited son, an aged, cantankerous ranch hand and a newcomer who was so surly that he apparently hadn’t smiled a single time in three days?
    The oregano-laced aroma of spaghetti sauce drew him from his musings and reminded him of his purpose. He was punching buttons on the microwave when he heard an odd thump. From somewhere above him? Maybe a critter on the roof or in the attic. But when the second thump came, he revised his opinion. That would be an awfully big critter. Scarlett. The dog was in the house somewhere, so—
    Wait a minute. The dog was in the kitchen with him, sitting patiently next to the counter and watching with expectant brown eyes, drool forming at the corner of her mouth. Living with a kid, she was probably accustomed to plenty of food being dropped for her enjoyment.
    “Hello?” Colin called. Maybe Hannah was back from her shopping expedition.
    Curious, he retraced his steps to the living room. This time, he rounded the sectional sofa, which sat with its back to the kitchen, to get a better look. Henry was asleep on the couch, a DVD case covered with superheroes in his hand and a mostly empty bowl of popcorn kernels on his chest.
    “Henry?” Colin shook the man’s arm. The babysitter muttered in his sleep, but didn’t wake.
    Colin winced in realization. The thumping was Evan unsupervised somewhere in the house—hopefully in his own bedroom, where he was doing nothing more hazardous than circling toy trains over a plastic track. But the noise had sounded as if it came from above. He strode quickly toward the back hallway. What kind of shape were those upstairs rooms in? What items were stored there that might be equal parts fascinating and dangerous to a little boy? Having watched Hannah with her son, he doubted she’d intentionally leave anything like matches or power tools in plain sight or easy access, but—
    “What are you doing?” The shout erupted before Colin could contain himself, and he bolted toward the top of the stairs just in time to throw his arms around the kid and keep him safely on the landing.
    Evan gave him one wide-eyed look of surprise, then burst into tears.
    Okay, that probably hadn’t been the best way Colin could have handled the situation. He took a deep breath, making a concerted effort not to raise his voice again or shake the boy by the shoulders. It wasn’t unheard of for a child to attempt sliding down a banister, but headfirst? That would have been a terrible idea even if the railing weren’t rickety and led straight to a sharp-edged newel that looked capable of putting an eye out.
    “Evan?” Henry’s voice came from below, groggy and filled with concern.
    When Colin turned to answer, “He’s up here,” Evan took the opportunity to scamper around him and dart down the steps. During his escape, the ever-present train blanket fluttered from his shoulders and landed on the staircase. It was evidence of the kid’s panic that he didn’t return for it.
    Colin met a shame-faced Henry at the bottom of the stairs.
    “I screwed up,” the other man said. “We were watching a movie, and I guess I dozed.”
    “No harm done.” What would be the point in Colin telling the man about how Evan had been about to take a dive down the balustrade? It had scared a year off Colin’s life, and Henry needed all the years he had left. “But I think I startled him. I don’t know about you, but I could use some coffee. Would you mind starting a pot while I go have a talk with him, man to man? I reckon you know where Hannah keeps all the coffee stuff. She talks about you like you’re family.”
    The man’s hunched shoulders rolled back as pride lit his expression. “Happy to brew some. But it’ll be good old-fashioned regular coffee. I ain’t using that fancy cappuccino thing she brought with her from Colorado Springs.”
    Henry shuffled off to the kitchen, and Colin walked down the hallway. In the