Read Online Rocky Mountain Rebel by Vivian Arend - Free Book Online Page B

don’t remember learning to read, what do you think you learned first?”
    “ABCs and basic words.”
    “Right, and I teach math, so the kids learn number order, adding, subtracting. Each next step builds on the previous skills.” She took a bite of her sandwich before continuing. “Is this helping?”
    God, the ideas racing through his brain. “Yes. Anything more?”
    “Last thing that leaps to mind. Celebrate your successes.”
    He picked up the pad of stickers from the desktop, the ones with neon stars. “No farm creatures saying ‘Way to Go’? I loved those.”
    “I teach high school, but yeah, stickers still go over surprisingly well. But use praise, or even a pat on the back. When you do break something down it’s tempting to rush through the easy steps, but learning often works best when you do a little, celebrate, and then do it all over. Build in the information until it becomes instinctive. Or set a goal reward, like once you learn the times tables you get a new book.”
    His abstract plans for teaching Vicki how to love horses suddenly didn’t seem nearly as far-fetched.
    Add in the last of Beth’s suggestions and, well hell, they gave him ideas .
    Rewards? Setting goals? This could work.
    He rose to his feet and came around the desk to hug her. “You’re brilliant. I’m so glad you’re one of us.”
    “Glad I could help. And if you need anything while you’re going along with your teaching assignment, whatever it is, let me know.”
    She was gloating. He resisted sticking out his tongue. “You’ll find out eventually.”
    “Of course I will. Keeping secrets around the Coleman clan? Good luck. And Joel?” She pointed at his face. “You totally have a secret. It’s written all over you.”
    “Dammit…”
    “Your poker face sucks. Sorry to tell you this, but it’s true.”
    “Be nice, or I’ll tell them you’re done for the day.”
    She mock-glared. “Out. And not a word.”
    He ducked from the room and rejoined the male side of the equation. Through the rough-and-tumble happiness of the next couple hours, he enjoyed the change of pace. Hide and seek with the boys, good-natured teasing with Daniel.
    The entire time his brain popped with plans for teaching Vicki all sorts of lessons.
     
     
    Tired. Scared. Hungry. It was like the most wretched trio of sensations, and all of them had arrived in spades this morning. Awesome way to start the adventure.
    Vicki stared at the red barn doors before her and considered making a mad dash home. She could crawl back into bed and pretend none of this had ever happened. That she didn’t have a chance to escape Rocky. That Joel had never touched her hand in such an innocent way, and caused such an erotic response…
    And that’s where the damn thing fell apart. She physically ached to experience more, and desire had gotten her tired ass out of bed and brought her back to the ranch only a day after setting up the stupid deal with Joel.
    The doors blocking her path were the first challenge. Vicki grabbed the large iron loop attached to the right side and tugged.
    Nothing happened.
    She pulled harder.
    Nothing budged. Not when she put her full weight behind it and leaned back.
    “Vicki?”
    She jerked upright so fast she had to scramble to find solid footing. Joel stood eight feet to her left, a much smaller man door open at his back.
    She smoothed her T-shirt and pretended she’d just been hanging out as she managed to join him without tripping over her still-uncoordinated self. “Hey. How are you today?”
    “Great.” There was laughter in his voice. “You ever open a set of barn doors before, darling?”
    She refused to apologize for her ignorance. He knew he was getting a raw recruit. She lifted her chin and batted her lashes. “Nope.”
    He turned and led her back to the dratted handle she’d been whaling on.
    “Man doors open like doors. These? Slide sideways.” He took her hand and placed it back on the handle. “Try again.”
    The