Read Online Home Is Where Hank Is (Cowboys To The Rescue 1) by Martha Shields - Free Book Online Page B

didn’t rise. For some reason he couldn’t fathom, he wanted to tell Alex. And it wasn’t just to prove he wasn’t like his father. Was it to see how she’d react? To make her take off in her little yellow car so this damned attraction would go away? Or did he want to see if she could ease this burden for him, too? She said it helped to open up. Maybe the reason he hadn’t was that he’d never had anyone who cared enough to listen.
    “My father,” he said more harshly than he intended. He cleared his throat and started again. “Claire—and Travis, too—believe Dad was such a great guy, but they didn’t know him like I did. They think I’m hard.” He released a bitter laugh. “I’m a feather pillow compared to him. He was after me constantly, pushing me, working me. Nothing I ever did was good enough. The argument between Claire and me earlier was nothing compared to the rows I used to have with Dad.”
    “So you left home when you were...what? Seventeen?”
    He nodded and finally met her eyes. The tenderness and sympathy there made some nameless something—some black, twisted knot deep inside him begin to unravel. “Barely.”
    “What did you do?”
    “Rodeo. It’s what I’d been doing for ten years to get away on the weekends. It became my life until they died.”
    “You were pretty good at it, weren’t you?”
    “I was on my way to the National Finals.” His brows suddenly came together. “Why the sad look?”
    “Sorry.” Alex took a deep breath to supply her lungs with air. Why else would her apology sound as breathless as it did?
    He must’ve heard in it more than she intended because his face softened and his voice lowered. “For me?”
    She could feel her face flame and she looked down, but said bravely, “Yes, for you. I don’t even remember my father, but at least my mother made me feel loved and wanted until she died.”
    “When did she die?”
    Alex shook her head. “One soul-baring is quite enough for one evening, don’t you think?”
    Hank bristled. He’d obviously taken her offer to open up too seriously. “I’ve never told anybody how I felt about my father. I shouldn’t have—”
    “Don’t be sorry,” she said, covering his hand with hers.
    He stared down at her hand so long that she began drawing it away. He immediately caught her fingers and brought them to his lips. The warmth of his mouth raced from her hand along every nerve in her body, leaving her breathless and weak with longing.
    “Thanks for listening,” he said.
    Their eyes met over their joined hands and held. Alex didn’t know how long the spell lasted. It could’ve been an eternity or just a few short seconds before the grandfather clock in the hallway chimed ten times.
    Alex pulled her hand away. “Five o’clock comes awful early.”
    He nodded, and they both stood. An awkward moment passed in silence, then they spoke at the same time.
    “Look. I—”
    “I’ve been—”
    Alex smiled and Hank’s mouth twitched in reply. She felt as if her stomach were free floating inside her body.
    “You first,” he insisted.
    “No, you go ahead.”
    “Alex...”
    “Okay.” She took a deep breath. “I just need...I mean I don’t want to be a bother, but—”
    “But what?” he pressed.
    “It’s just that I’m almost out of flour. And there’s a few other things I could use if you want the good meals to continue.”
    He shook his head. “You were afraid to point out that we need supplies?”
    “I just don’t want to be any trouble. I mean, I’m only here for a few weeks and...” She trailed off at the look in his blue eyes.
    “If that don’t beat all,” he said.
    “What?”
    “I’ve never met a woman who’s ashamed of asking for necessities. Hell, you’re cooking to fill our bellies.”
    “I’m not going to be here very long. I don’t want to fill the pantry with things the next cook won’t use.”
    Hank’s eyes seemed to burn into hers. He took half a step toward her, then