Read Online His Hometown Cowgirl by Anne Marie Novark - Free Book Online

in front and you on back?"
    Kelsey nodded and took a sip of her drink.
"Yeah. And remember how often we rode to the pond that one summer?
You taught me how to swim."
    Pete chuckled. "Hell, I had to. You jumped in
right after me and nearly drowned. I couldn't let that happen; your
dad would've killed me. Plus they'd have banned me from the ranch.
I taught you to swim strictly for personal gain. It was a matter of
self-preservation so I could keep visiting the Diamondback."
    He winked and she laughed. He loved it when
she laughed. The shroud of sorrow lifted for a moment, and Pete
couldn't help the warm feeling in his chest knowing he'd made her a
little happier.
    "Yeah, right," Kelsey said. "We went swimming
a lot that summer. We explored a lot, too. Remember the dugout we
found near the creek?"
    "Damn, I'd forgotten about the dugout." Pete
took a drink of his root beer. "I remember sheltering there a time
or two when we got caught in the rain."
    "I still go there sometimes," Kelsey said.
"You know, when I need a quiet place to think or to just get
away."
    "You mean that old house is still tucked away
in the side of the cliff? It hasn't caved in yet?"
    "Nope. Sometimes, I have to chase the
critters out, but other than that, it hasn't changed much."
    Pete grinned. "Speaking of critters . . .
remember the time we startled that mama skunk and her babies? I
thought we'd smell like skunk for the rest of our lives."
    "No, only a couple of weeks." Kelsey sighed.
"Life was simpler back then, wasn't it? Not complicated in the
least. Sometimes, being a grownup sucks." She bit her lip, lifted
her eyes to his for a split second, then stared across the room to
where the kids were playing in the arcade.
    Pete felt sucker-punched in the gut. It just
about killed him to see the twinkle in Kelsey's eyes dim with
sadness again. She'd always been so vibrant, so alive, so . . . Kelsey.
    This new mantle of somberness she'd assumed
didn't suit her at all. He wanted to see her blue eyes sparkle
brightly all the time. Like they'd sparkled before her heart had
been broken.
    He couldn't resist covering one of her hands
with his and giving a squeeze of comfort. She gazed for a moment at
the position of their hands on the tabletop then slowly rotated
hers beneath his, so she could return the clasp, palm to palm. The
heat generated from the contact shot straight to Pete's groin.
    Her eyes snagged his, and she quickly pulled
her hand away and curled her fingers around her tall icy glass of
root beer. "Thanks for understanding, Pete. I really appreciate
it." Her whisper-soft voice sent another jolt of desire down
below.
    Damn . How could a handclasp and the
sound of her voice affect him so strongly? He was only trying
to offer her comfort, for Christ's sake. This was no time to be
thinking about kisses and seduction. He reminded himself that with
Kelsey, no time would be right for such thoughts and
feelings. They were destined to be friends and nothing more. Only
friends, no matter how much he might wish it otherwise.
    Kelsey was right. Life had been
simpler when they'd been kids. The feelings and emotions had been
simpler, too.
    Pete flicked her nose again in an effort to
reestablish that simpler, safer feeling of childhood friendship. He
made himself smile at her. "No problem, kiddo. That's what friends
are for."
     
    ****
    November blew in with a vengeance. Kelsey
shrugged deeper into her jacket, gathering it more securely around
her as the brisk wind nearly blew her Stetson off her head. She
looked back at the customers she was leading on the trail ride
today. They were a motley crew: one middle-aged couple visiting
from Abilene, a younger couple who lived up near the Cap Rock, a
father and daughter who'd flown in from Dallas, and old Mr. Hurley,
who was a regular visitor at Farmtime Trails. This was one of the
things Kelsey enjoyed most about this business; she loved bringing
diverse groups of people together to enjoy a day of old-fashioned
fun.
    "Hey,