Read Online Love in Romance Arkansas by Jim Northum - Free Book Online

as she went under. When she came up, he hit the water, ducking her again. “Are you out of your mind?” she screamed. “This water is freezing.”
    “Yeah, but it feels good after the heat and dust of the hay field.” He ducked under the water and pulled her under also. They came up in each other’s arms. He looked at her for an instant, pulled her close and kissed her as she had never been kissed before. Her response was to clutch him and devour his lips with the same fervor. She was sure the hardening of her nipples was much more than the shock of the cold water. He held her at arm’s length and looked at her clinging wet tee-shirt. “Nice Jenny, very nice.” He pulled her in again.
    Suddenly the water didn’t seem cold at all as she snuggled into his arms. The most natural thing was to wrap her legs around this waist and hold on. They stayed that way until the chill of the water drove them out. They must have looked like drowned rats as they climbed out of the pool.
    John held her close. “Now that wasn’t so bad was it?”
     

Chapter Ten
     
     
    The monthly rodeo was a relaxing time for her. She didn’t always win, but she was a tough competitor. One time a new girl and boy came to the rodeo driving an old truck with a homemade horse trailer. They were dressed in neatly patched old clothes. They both rode the same non-descript horse with an old saddle and worn tack. Some of the regulars made snide remarks because they didn’t even have boots. However, Jenny noticed both were excellent riders and the horse, though not on par with most, was well mannered and well trained.
    The boy and girl stayed to themselves most of the time. As Jenny approached them, she heard the girl say, “I bet she is coming to tell us to leave—we should’ve never come here. We don’t belong here, let’s go.”
    The boy replied, “Hold on a minute Sue. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this rodeo and the new owner of this ranch. As you know, there are snotty people everywhere. Don’t let a few stuffed shirts ruin the day. Let’s enjoy the fun while we are here.”
    Jenny held out her hand, “Welcome to our little rodeo. I haven’t seen you before. I’m Jenny.”
    The young man shook her hand with a firm grip and looked her in the eye. “I’m Bill and this is my sister Sue. We’re from across the river. Guess we’d better head home, since the rodeo is over. We had a good time. Appreciate your hospitality.”
    “Aren’t you going to stay for the cookout? Everyone is welcome.”
    “We didn’t bring anything, so we wouldn’t feel right about eating,” Sue replied.
    “People only bring something if they want to share a special recipe. Some of the desserts are out of this world. You are more than welcome. Come on, get to know some of the people here and enjoy a good meal.”
    “When you put it that way, we’ll be glad to stay,” the boy replied.
    Jenny found John before the meal started. “John, I invited the new boy and girl to join us for the cookout. They thought they weren’t welcome because they didn’t bring anything. I also caught that the girl feels like they don’t belong here. Let’s try to make them feel at home so they can enjoy a good afternoon.”
    Jenny seated Bill and Sue between John and herself. During the meal, she noticed they both were well mannered and good conversationalists. Bill and John were soon deep into a discussion of ranch work and cattle production. Sue was a knowledgeable cook who could taste any dish or dessert and tell the ingredients. She also expressed a keen interest in horses.
    As the meal wound down, John said, “Bill, how would you like a summer job now that school is out?”
    “I just need a job period. I graduated this spring and can’t afford to go to college right now, so I need a job. Hopefully I can make enough money to go with the scholarship I got to go at least one year.”
    “Sue, do you need a job too? We always have jobs that need to be