Read Online Into the Arms of a Cowboy by Isabella Ashe - Free Book Online
Authors: Isabella Ashe
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just kind of got to me for a minute.” She grinned, her cheeks still wet and shiny. “If you hang around me long enough, you’ll figure out that I cry at the drop of a hat. You know those Hallmark commercials, the ones they show around Christmas time? I bawl like a baby. I guess you think I’m a total idiot, huh? ”
“No,” Jess said, smiling down at her. “No, I don’t think that. Come on, Goldilocks, let’s go inside.”
Jess’s cabin was just as cute inside as out. It consisted of only one room and a loft, but Cassie decided Jess was right--it looked bigger than it actually was. Everything fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, from the kitchenette and pine bookshelves to the storage nooks an stacked plastic organizers in the tiny bathroom. The entire cabin was a model of efficiency and order, especially by Cassie’s admittedly lax housekeeping standards.
No TV, she noted with relief , and no sign of a computer . At least Jess wouldn’t see her picture on the nightly news or stumble across it online . By now, the police must know she’d been the last person to see Andrew alive. There would be an APB out for her arrest. Photos in all the papers. A nationwide search, maybe. But as long as she and Jess remained up here at the cabin, chances were she’d be safe.
Cassie forced her thoughts back to the present. She glanced at the plaques and shiny belt buckles covering half of one wall, a testament to Jess’s rodeo prowess. “You won all these?” she asked, dazzled.
“Yeah, I guess. No big deal.”
“How about this one? ‘PRCA World Champion All-Around Cowboy’. Sounds like a pretty big deal to me.”
“Maybe,” he said, shrugging modestly, but he grinned like a man savoring a memory of long-ago glory.
By the time he wrapped up the 30-second tour, though, Jess’s grin had faded. His skin was pale and he balanced precariously on his crutches. “You will at least stay the night, won’t you?” he asked.
Cassie shrugged, pretending a nonchalance she didn’t feel. In fact, she wanted very much to stay. “I can hardly take off before you’re out of danger from the concussion. Speaking of which, you should probably lie down now and elevate the ankle.”
The image of Jess’s long, muscular body stretched out on a bed brought an instant flush of sexual heat along with it. Even injured, Jess radiated virility and confidence and a sheer, masculine sexiness that made Cassie feel a little crazy. If, for example, she stared at that firm, chiseled mouth too long, she just might stand on her tiptoes and kiss him. Strictly as an experiment, of course. How would he react? With shock? Pleasure? Would he kiss her back?
“About the sleeping arrangements,” Jess said.
Cassie gave a guilty start. “Oh, right. Sleeping arrangements. Um, what about them?”
“Well, obviously I can’t get up the ladder to the loft, so you can take my bed up there.”
The prospect of sleeping in Jess’s bed sent an electric thrill up her spine. “What about you?”
“The couch folds out into another bed, if you’ll give me a hand.”
“Of course.” Jess’s request snapped Cassie back to attention. She’d come along to take care of Jess, and so far she hadn’t done much tending to him. “You just have a seat and I’ll take care of everything.”
“For God’s sake, I’m not an invalid,” he snapped, as he maneuvered his way to the couch and began pulling off the plaid cushions. “After I help you with this, I’ve got to feed Harry. He’s probably out in his dog house right now thinking I’ve abandoned him. Then I have to call into work and let them know I won’t be in for a few days. Maybe, when that’s done, I’ll sit down.”
“Oh, is that right?” Annoyed, she rounded the couch and grabbed one of the cushion away from him. “You just fell off a bull, mister. You look like hell. I told the doctor I’d take care of you, and I’m a woman of my word.” She gestured toward a comfy-looking
“No,” Jess said, smiling down at her. “No, I don’t think that. Come on, Goldilocks, let’s go inside.”
Jess’s cabin was just as cute inside as out. It consisted of only one room and a loft, but Cassie decided Jess was right--it looked bigger than it actually was. Everything fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, from the kitchenette and pine bookshelves to the storage nooks an stacked plastic organizers in the tiny bathroom. The entire cabin was a model of efficiency and order, especially by Cassie’s admittedly lax housekeeping standards.
No TV, she noted with relief , and no sign of a computer . At least Jess wouldn’t see her picture on the nightly news or stumble across it online . By now, the police must know she’d been the last person to see Andrew alive. There would be an APB out for her arrest. Photos in all the papers. A nationwide search, maybe. But as long as she and Jess remained up here at the cabin, chances were she’d be safe.
Cassie forced her thoughts back to the present. She glanced at the plaques and shiny belt buckles covering half of one wall, a testament to Jess’s rodeo prowess. “You won all these?” she asked, dazzled.
“Yeah, I guess. No big deal.”
“How about this one? ‘PRCA World Champion All-Around Cowboy’. Sounds like a pretty big deal to me.”
“Maybe,” he said, shrugging modestly, but he grinned like a man savoring a memory of long-ago glory.
By the time he wrapped up the 30-second tour, though, Jess’s grin had faded. His skin was pale and he balanced precariously on his crutches. “You will at least stay the night, won’t you?” he asked.
Cassie shrugged, pretending a nonchalance she didn’t feel. In fact, she wanted very much to stay. “I can hardly take off before you’re out of danger from the concussion. Speaking of which, you should probably lie down now and elevate the ankle.”
The image of Jess’s long, muscular body stretched out on a bed brought an instant flush of sexual heat along with it. Even injured, Jess radiated virility and confidence and a sheer, masculine sexiness that made Cassie feel a little crazy. If, for example, she stared at that firm, chiseled mouth too long, she just might stand on her tiptoes and kiss him. Strictly as an experiment, of course. How would he react? With shock? Pleasure? Would he kiss her back?
“About the sleeping arrangements,” Jess said.
Cassie gave a guilty start. “Oh, right. Sleeping arrangements. Um, what about them?”
“Well, obviously I can’t get up the ladder to the loft, so you can take my bed up there.”
The prospect of sleeping in Jess’s bed sent an electric thrill up her spine. “What about you?”
“The couch folds out into another bed, if you’ll give me a hand.”
“Of course.” Jess’s request snapped Cassie back to attention. She’d come along to take care of Jess, and so far she hadn’t done much tending to him. “You just have a seat and I’ll take care of everything.”
“For God’s sake, I’m not an invalid,” he snapped, as he maneuvered his way to the couch and began pulling off the plaid cushions. “After I help you with this, I’ve got to feed Harry. He’s probably out in his dog house right now thinking I’ve abandoned him. Then I have to call into work and let them know I won’t be in for a few days. Maybe, when that’s done, I’ll sit down.”
“Oh, is that right?” Annoyed, she rounded the couch and grabbed one of the cushion away from him. “You just fell off a bull, mister. You look like hell. I told the doctor I’d take care of you, and I’m a woman of my word.” She gestured toward a comfy-looking
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