Read Online Rocky Mountain Valentine by Carol Steward - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carol Steward
Ads: Link
the radio, which took precedence over conversation when the weather alert came on, upgrading the forecast to a winter storm warning.
Adam looked at his watch as he pulled into the church parking lot. “You sure you don’t want to come in? Church’ll be an hour or two, and it’s going to cold out here.”
“I’ll wait out here.”
“If you’re upset about last night, I’m sorry.” Adam fumbled with the silken strip of fabric until he had it tied into knots. “Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”
Just hearing the words from his mouth made her heart do a little dance. Had he truly been ready to kiss her? Lisa felt a huge sigh of relief escape. She’d scolded herself all night for overreacting. “Well, I’m happy to know I wasn’t imagining things.”
Adam tipped the rearview mirror down so he could see what he was doing. “At least one of us is happy.” He slipped the knot up to his throat and straightened the two strips of fabric.
“So just because I didn’t let you kiss me, we’re going to be at each other’s throats again?”
“And just because I was crazy enough to care about you for a few minutes, you think you can get what you want by flirting?”
“Flirting? With you?” She straightened her back and turned toward him. “I was just trying to keep the peace, joke around a bit...”
“Well, don’t. Tomorrow you ask your questions, take your pictures and get on the road.” He opened the door. “See you in a couple of hours.”
Adam stopped in the men’s rest room once inside the store, hoping to clean up. Looking in the mirror, he realized it was no use. Other than chipping the mud from his face, there was little he could do. His clothes were a disaster. If it hadn’t been for Lisa’s presence, he would have turned around after the flat tire. He hadn’t been about to let her win this argument. Lot of good his stubbornness did him.
Why is it that the only woman I’ve been remotely interested in in three years is the one woman who wants nothing to do with me or my ranch?
Adam didn’t linger after the services ended. He was anxious to get back to Lisa. With any luck at all, he’d be able to convince his houseguest that she’d be more comfortable spending the remainder of her time in Colorado with one of her sisters. Maybe they could help Lisa heal.
He stepped outside, snow and icy wind slapping him in the face. Lisa had to be freezing. How could he have left her sitting in a cold vehicle in the middle of a blizzard? As Adam hurried through the parking lot, people headed inside, bundled in their winter coats and boots.
Adam wasn’t at all happy with the pull he kept feeling toward Lisa. He didn’t need someone in his life, and Lisa didn’t want to settle down.
The wind chilled Adam’s neck and snow pelted his skin. He glanced at the cars as he rushed past. Windshields were iced over. A good inch of snow had fallen since he’d gone into the church.
When he arrived at the pickup, he wiped the snow from the windshield with his leather glove. She had to be freezing cold and madder than—
He swiped his hand over the passenger’s side window....
She was gone.
He took off his glove, pulled his keys from his pocket to unlock the doors and searched the interior of the truck for an explanation. She’d left her camera bag, but no note. He slammed the door and looked around.
The snow had been packed down around his truck, leaving no hope of following her footprints. He ran back into the building and looked around, hoping that Lisa had gone inside, if for no better reason than to stay warm.
After striking out, Adam finally called his brother’s house. “Hey, Alex. Did Lisa find you as you were leaving?”
“No. I thought she was with you.”
“I thought so, too, but she’s...” He felt a pang of guilt, remembering the way he’d spoken to her before he abandoned her. “She’s not out here. I left her in the truck, but when I came back she wasn’t there. I
Adam looked at his watch as he pulled into the church parking lot. “You sure you don’t want to come in? Church’ll be an hour or two, and it’s going to cold out here.”
“I’ll wait out here.”
“If you’re upset about last night, I’m sorry.” Adam fumbled with the silken strip of fabric until he had it tied into knots. “Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”
Just hearing the words from his mouth made her heart do a little dance. Had he truly been ready to kiss her? Lisa felt a huge sigh of relief escape. She’d scolded herself all night for overreacting. “Well, I’m happy to know I wasn’t imagining things.”
Adam tipped the rearview mirror down so he could see what he was doing. “At least one of us is happy.” He slipped the knot up to his throat and straightened the two strips of fabric.
“So just because I didn’t let you kiss me, we’re going to be at each other’s throats again?”
“And just because I was crazy enough to care about you for a few minutes, you think you can get what you want by flirting?”
“Flirting? With you?” She straightened her back and turned toward him. “I was just trying to keep the peace, joke around a bit...”
“Well, don’t. Tomorrow you ask your questions, take your pictures and get on the road.” He opened the door. “See you in a couple of hours.”
Adam stopped in the men’s rest room once inside the store, hoping to clean up. Looking in the mirror, he realized it was no use. Other than chipping the mud from his face, there was little he could do. His clothes were a disaster. If it hadn’t been for Lisa’s presence, he would have turned around after the flat tire. He hadn’t been about to let her win this argument. Lot of good his stubbornness did him.
Why is it that the only woman I’ve been remotely interested in in three years is the one woman who wants nothing to do with me or my ranch?
Adam didn’t linger after the services ended. He was anxious to get back to Lisa. With any luck at all, he’d be able to convince his houseguest that she’d be more comfortable spending the remainder of her time in Colorado with one of her sisters. Maybe they could help Lisa heal.
He stepped outside, snow and icy wind slapping him in the face. Lisa had to be freezing. How could he have left her sitting in a cold vehicle in the middle of a blizzard? As Adam hurried through the parking lot, people headed inside, bundled in their winter coats and boots.
Adam wasn’t at all happy with the pull he kept feeling toward Lisa. He didn’t need someone in his life, and Lisa didn’t want to settle down.
The wind chilled Adam’s neck and snow pelted his skin. He glanced at the cars as he rushed past. Windshields were iced over. A good inch of snow had fallen since he’d gone into the church.
When he arrived at the pickup, he wiped the snow from the windshield with his leather glove. She had to be freezing cold and madder than—
He swiped his hand over the passenger’s side window....
She was gone.
He took off his glove, pulled his keys from his pocket to unlock the doors and searched the interior of the truck for an explanation. She’d left her camera bag, but no note. He slammed the door and looked around.
The snow had been packed down around his truck, leaving no hope of following her footprints. He ran back into the building and looked around, hoping that Lisa had gone inside, if for no better reason than to stay warm.
After striking out, Adam finally called his brother’s house. “Hey, Alex. Did Lisa find you as you were leaving?”
“No. I thought she was with you.”
“I thought so, too, but she’s...” He felt a pang of guilt, remembering the way he’d spoken to her before he abandoned her. “She’s not out here. I left her in the truck, but when I came back she wasn’t there. I
Similar Books
