Read Online Never Love a Cowboy by Lorraine Heath - Free Book Online
Authors: Lorraine Heath
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Jessye.
Occasionally, he caught her watching him. While most women would blush and look away, she challenged him with a tantalizing gaze that hinted she sought the secrets to a puzzle. A puzzle he could help her solve. He found it increasingly difficult not to offer her the solution.
“The cold weather shouldn’t last but a few days,” Jessye said. “This far south, it comes and goes.”
“Unfortunately, our supplies aren’t lasting either,” Kit said. “I propose we head back to Fortune with the cattle we have on hand, spend the holiday with friends, and finish rounding up our herd in the new year.”
“You’re talking about spending over a month sitting on our asses when we could gather more cattle,” Harrison said.
“We’re nearly halfway to our goal—”
“Nearly is not close enough as far as I’m concerned.”
“We won’t start herding the cattle north until March. That’ll give us two more months—”
“I’m not sitting in Fortune while someone else is out here gathering the strays I might have found. Leave me enough supplies to get by. I’ll bring what I find to Fortune before Christmas.”
“You can’t herd the cattle alone—”
“He won’t be alone,” Jessye said quietly. “I’ll stay with him.”
Harrison jerked his head around. “You are not staying. I am fully capable of herding a few cattle—”
“I know that, but it’s my money that’s invested in this venture. Every cow we find adds to my profit. I’ve got no desire to spend a month serving whiskey in Pa’s saloon when I could gather cattle.”
With the darkness of midnight surrounding him, Harrison drew up the collar on his duster and huddled within his clothing as the rain pounded his back. He should have insisted that Jessye return to Fortune with Kit and Magpie. The warmer weather had yet to make its return. Instead, colder winds had been joined by torrential rains.
Riding beside him, Jessye sat hunched in her saddle. They needed a warm fire, but he’d had no luck finding a dry spot. If she complained, he couldn’t hear her over the howl of the wind.
But he seriously doubted that she was complaining.They had traveled to the west and south for ten days and had yet to find a single cow. It seemed the beasts were more intelligent than either he or Jessye. Setting up camp was pointless when their saddles were warmer than the ground.
She had told him that towns were few and far between, but he had expected to find some sort of shelter. Even after spending several months in Texas, the absolute lack of civilization in this state astounded him. Perhaps they should look into building proper roads and decent taverns where a man could get a stiff drink and a soft, feminine body to warm him through the night.
Guilt pricked his conscience with that thought, and he cast a sideways glance at Jessye. Did she ever long for a hard, masculine body to warm her through the night?
She had asked no more personal questions of him since his fit of rage. They were business associates in the truest sense. If they talked at all, they discussed the cattle and the journey they would make come spring. In truth, he found the conversations utterly boring. The only consolation they afforded him was the opportunity to hear her raspy voice. He imagined that smoky inflection moaning with pleasure, urging him on with whispered words of passion. If only her price was one he could afford to pay.
She sat a little straighter and leaned forward slightly. She pointed her gloved hand. Her mouth moved, but the wind captured her words.
He sidled his horse closer to hers. “What?”
“A house!”
He squinted through the rain. In the distance, a faintlight beckoned. He nodded, not certain if she saw his actions. Not that it mattered. She was already guiding her horse toward the light. He hoped it was an inn, or at the very least a farm with a dry barn in which they could spend the night.
The rain and darkness distorted the light. A few
Occasionally, he caught her watching him. While most women would blush and look away, she challenged him with a tantalizing gaze that hinted she sought the secrets to a puzzle. A puzzle he could help her solve. He found it increasingly difficult not to offer her the solution.
“The cold weather shouldn’t last but a few days,” Jessye said. “This far south, it comes and goes.”
“Unfortunately, our supplies aren’t lasting either,” Kit said. “I propose we head back to Fortune with the cattle we have on hand, spend the holiday with friends, and finish rounding up our herd in the new year.”
“You’re talking about spending over a month sitting on our asses when we could gather more cattle,” Harrison said.
“We’re nearly halfway to our goal—”
“Nearly is not close enough as far as I’m concerned.”
“We won’t start herding the cattle north until March. That’ll give us two more months—”
“I’m not sitting in Fortune while someone else is out here gathering the strays I might have found. Leave me enough supplies to get by. I’ll bring what I find to Fortune before Christmas.”
“You can’t herd the cattle alone—”
“He won’t be alone,” Jessye said quietly. “I’ll stay with him.”
Harrison jerked his head around. “You are not staying. I am fully capable of herding a few cattle—”
“I know that, but it’s my money that’s invested in this venture. Every cow we find adds to my profit. I’ve got no desire to spend a month serving whiskey in Pa’s saloon when I could gather cattle.”
With the darkness of midnight surrounding him, Harrison drew up the collar on his duster and huddled within his clothing as the rain pounded his back. He should have insisted that Jessye return to Fortune with Kit and Magpie. The warmer weather had yet to make its return. Instead, colder winds had been joined by torrential rains.
Riding beside him, Jessye sat hunched in her saddle. They needed a warm fire, but he’d had no luck finding a dry spot. If she complained, he couldn’t hear her over the howl of the wind.
But he seriously doubted that she was complaining.They had traveled to the west and south for ten days and had yet to find a single cow. It seemed the beasts were more intelligent than either he or Jessye. Setting up camp was pointless when their saddles were warmer than the ground.
She had told him that towns were few and far between, but he had expected to find some sort of shelter. Even after spending several months in Texas, the absolute lack of civilization in this state astounded him. Perhaps they should look into building proper roads and decent taverns where a man could get a stiff drink and a soft, feminine body to warm him through the night.
Guilt pricked his conscience with that thought, and he cast a sideways glance at Jessye. Did she ever long for a hard, masculine body to warm her through the night?
She had asked no more personal questions of him since his fit of rage. They were business associates in the truest sense. If they talked at all, they discussed the cattle and the journey they would make come spring. In truth, he found the conversations utterly boring. The only consolation they afforded him was the opportunity to hear her raspy voice. He imagined that smoky inflection moaning with pleasure, urging him on with whispered words of passion. If only her price was one he could afford to pay.
She sat a little straighter and leaned forward slightly. She pointed her gloved hand. Her mouth moved, but the wind captured her words.
He sidled his horse closer to hers. “What?”
“A house!”
He squinted through the rain. In the distance, a faintlight beckoned. He nodded, not certain if she saw his actions. Not that it mattered. She was already guiding her horse toward the light. He hoped it was an inn, or at the very least a farm with a dry barn in which they could spend the night.
The rain and darkness distorted the light. A few
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