Read Online In a Killer’s Sights by Sandra Robbins - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sandra Robbins
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scouted, and she intended to get that job done right away so she could be free to help with the planning when Gramps’s body was returned. Then she could get back to New York, where she belonged.
She stepped into the dining room behind Dean and stared in amazement at how the room had changed. “It’s so much bigger,” she said in disbelief.
He chuckled. “The space we had wasn’t big enough to accommodate the number of guests we wanted, so we knocked out the back wall and enlarged it.”
Gwen let her gaze drift over the room. Two long rustic wooden tables with benches stood in the center of the room, and smaller tables were scattered around the walls. She turned to Dean and shook her head in amazement. “I never dreamed you would have this many guests. How many do you usually accommodate at one time?”
He shrugged. “That depends on how many people are staying in the cabins. We have twelve on the ranch and some sleep as many as eight people. Then we have a few guest rooms here in the main house. Business has been good for the past few years, though, and we stay fully booked most of the time.”
She came to a halt and stared at him. “Are all your rooms in the main house occupied with guests right now?”
“Yeah. I think we’re at capacity.”
She narrowed her eyes and propped her hands on her hips. “So where did you think you’d put me when you talked me into coming home with you?”
“I thought I’d give you my room, and I would sleep in the bunkhouse with the ranch hands.” His eyes darkened and he swallowed. “But I guess I won’t have to do that now. I can put you in Granddad’s room.”
Her heart pricked at the sorrow on his face, and she reached for his hand. “Are you sure about this, Dean? If it’s going to cause you any stress to think about your grandfather’s room being occupied by someone else, I can go back to the motel.”
His gaze traveled over her, and her breath hitched in her throat. It was almost as if he was caressing her with his eyes. After a moment he pulled his hand free from hers. “The only thing that’s giving me comfort right now is the fact that you’re here with me. I don’t want to face this alone, and I don’t want you in further danger. So for the time being, let’s make the best of a bad situation.”
She was about to respond when the door to the kitchen burst open and Shorty barreled into the room. He grinned and held up two plates. “Here’s that supper I saved you from the cookout—chuckwagon steak, baked beans and my famous sourdough bread. Hot and ready to eat.”
Gwen’s stomach growled as the scent of the food tickled her nose. She closed her eyes and sniffed. “Oh, that smells delicious. I haven’t had sourdough bread since my last visit here.”
Shorty set the plates on one of the tables at the side of the room and wiped his hands on the long white apron he wore. “Well, missy, while you’re here, I’ll make sure you have enough to satisfy your appetite.”
Gwen laughed and walked to the table. She was about to pull out the chair to sit when she felt Dean at her back. Before she could move, he’d pulled the chair back from the table and held it for her.
She looked up at him and then dropped her gaze at the intense expression on his face. Without saying anything, she eased down into the chair. She could feel his hands against her back as he pushed the chair closer to the table, and a tingle of pleasure rippled through her body.
His hand brushed against her shoulder, and his breath fanned the side of her face as he leaned closer. “Welcome back to Little Pigeon Ranch, Gwen. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us and that we can repair some of the hurt we’ve caused each other.”
His voice held a pleading quality, and she glanced up at him. “I hope so, too, Dean.”
He smiled and walked around to the chair facing her. “Then there’s no better way to get started than to sit down to one of Shorty’s meals.”
Before she
She stepped into the dining room behind Dean and stared in amazement at how the room had changed. “It’s so much bigger,” she said in disbelief.
He chuckled. “The space we had wasn’t big enough to accommodate the number of guests we wanted, so we knocked out the back wall and enlarged it.”
Gwen let her gaze drift over the room. Two long rustic wooden tables with benches stood in the center of the room, and smaller tables were scattered around the walls. She turned to Dean and shook her head in amazement. “I never dreamed you would have this many guests. How many do you usually accommodate at one time?”
He shrugged. “That depends on how many people are staying in the cabins. We have twelve on the ranch and some sleep as many as eight people. Then we have a few guest rooms here in the main house. Business has been good for the past few years, though, and we stay fully booked most of the time.”
She came to a halt and stared at him. “Are all your rooms in the main house occupied with guests right now?”
“Yeah. I think we’re at capacity.”
She narrowed her eyes and propped her hands on her hips. “So where did you think you’d put me when you talked me into coming home with you?”
“I thought I’d give you my room, and I would sleep in the bunkhouse with the ranch hands.” His eyes darkened and he swallowed. “But I guess I won’t have to do that now. I can put you in Granddad’s room.”
Her heart pricked at the sorrow on his face, and she reached for his hand. “Are you sure about this, Dean? If it’s going to cause you any stress to think about your grandfather’s room being occupied by someone else, I can go back to the motel.”
His gaze traveled over her, and her breath hitched in her throat. It was almost as if he was caressing her with his eyes. After a moment he pulled his hand free from hers. “The only thing that’s giving me comfort right now is the fact that you’re here with me. I don’t want to face this alone, and I don’t want you in further danger. So for the time being, let’s make the best of a bad situation.”
She was about to respond when the door to the kitchen burst open and Shorty barreled into the room. He grinned and held up two plates. “Here’s that supper I saved you from the cookout—chuckwagon steak, baked beans and my famous sourdough bread. Hot and ready to eat.”
Gwen’s stomach growled as the scent of the food tickled her nose. She closed her eyes and sniffed. “Oh, that smells delicious. I haven’t had sourdough bread since my last visit here.”
Shorty set the plates on one of the tables at the side of the room and wiped his hands on the long white apron he wore. “Well, missy, while you’re here, I’ll make sure you have enough to satisfy your appetite.”
Gwen laughed and walked to the table. She was about to pull out the chair to sit when she felt Dean at her back. Before she could move, he’d pulled the chair back from the table and held it for her.
She looked up at him and then dropped her gaze at the intense expression on his face. Without saying anything, she eased down into the chair. She could feel his hands against her back as he pushed the chair closer to the table, and a tingle of pleasure rippled through her body.
His hand brushed against her shoulder, and his breath fanned the side of her face as he leaned closer. “Welcome back to Little Pigeon Ranch, Gwen. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us and that we can repair some of the hurt we’ve caused each other.”
His voice held a pleading quality, and she glanced up at him. “I hope so, too, Dean.”
He smiled and walked around to the chair facing her. “Then there’s no better way to get started than to sit down to one of Shorty’s meals.”
Before she
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