Read Online Her Rodeo Cowboy by Debra Clopton - Free Book Online

She spat a sunflower seed at the spittoon, and it hit the edge before landing on his boot. Perfect shot.
    The look on his face was priceless. She grinned at him.
    â€œCute. Real cute.” He slid across the floor to stand beside App. “I think I’ll watch you suffer from over here.”
    She wasn’t planning on losing, but App made his jump, and after she made her next move, the sly man wiped her out! Talk about feeling foolish…it was pitiful. After that, the game was short and not so sweet. It was humiliating. Chess was more complicated, and yet she’d lost to App like a schoolgirl who’d never played a game of chess or checkers.
    Eyeing her, App chucked a handful of sunflower seeds into his mouth and grinned, showing teeth all the way back to his molars. “That was like taking candy from a baby.”
    Luke chuckled. “Those very well could be fighting words, App. Montana doesn’t take losing very well.”
    Sam had stopped by to watch the last play, and now he snorted. “App don’t, either. Stanley usually whups him good.”
    â€œHe does not,” App grumbled.
    Sam hooted with laughter. “You can deny it all you want, Applegate Thornton, but you know it’s the truth.”
    â€œIt’s all right, App.” Montana grinned, feeling at peace with the loss. She’d enjoyed her game despite Luke’s presence. Why was it, when she didn’t want a man in her life, God sent one along who totally made her crazy?
    â€œFellas, it’s been fun, but I’ve gotta go,” she said.
    â€œBut you ain’t ate nothin’,” Sam said.
    â€œI just came in to say hi. I was picking up a few supplies down at Pete’s and thought I’d pop in.”
    App grinned. “You didn’t know you was gonna get yourself talked into a rowdy game of checkers, did ya?”
    â€œNo, App. I had no idea I was going to be a stand-in for Stanley. You tell him he better feel better soon, because I’m not doing his empty chair justice.”
    â€œI’ll tell him. I’m goin’ over thar in a few minutesta take him some chicken noodle soup ole Sam cooked up special fer him.”
    â€œYou better be careful and not catch his bug.”
    â€œI can’t catch it. I ain’t goin’ past the porch. He’s on his own from thar on out.”
    Montana could understand App’s attitude. He really didn’t need to catch what his buddy had. But what if Stanley needed someone to check on him more closely? Her immune system was excellent; she hadn’t been ill in ages. “What would he say if I took the soup by to him?”
    All three men stared at her as if she was the last person on earth they expected to offer such an act of kindness. “Why are y’all looking at me like I just said the last thing any of you expected me to say?”
    Sam slapped his white dishrag over his shoulder. “Fer starters, you don’t hardly know Stanley.”
    â€œI know Stanley. I’ve been in here several times since I came to town, and he’s been nothing but nice to me.”
    â€œThat is true,” App said. “Stanley’s loud, but he liked you from the moment you stomped in here with Lacy. ’Sides that, any friend of Lacy’s is a friend of ours…and better than that, yor her family.”
    â€œThat’s awful sweet of you to say. I liked the three of you from the first time I met y’all, too.” She included Sam in the three. She did not look at Luke on that one.
    Sam gave her a frank look. “I kin tell you fer shor that Stanley would prefer gettin’ his chicken soup delivered by a purdy gal like you a whole lot more than from a shriveled up old geezer like App. I’ll go fix it up right now.”
    Luke crossed his arms, watching her with an expression that was part amused, part amazed. Did he really not think she could be nice and take a sick man a bowl of