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Authors: Karen Michelle Nutt
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dang it, she
just saw him ride.
Tye glanced over his shoulder to where he'd
spotted Mayor Dirkly earlier, sitting next to Toby in the
announcer's booth. He led them in the Pledge of Allegiance and announced the first event. The seat stood empty now and he
sighed with relief. When he turned toward Jolie again, he couldn't
stop his lips from curving into a pleased smile. "Looks like you
just missed him."
His gaze swept over his reluctant wife. She
must have gone home to change. She wore a sundress now and cowboy
boots with blue and peach stained leather to accent the flower
design. Her long hair was swept into a loose braid draping behind
her back and her tan lightweight cowboy hat sat nice and pretty
upon her head, but he'd like nothing more than to remove it, draw
her close, and kiss her proper. Somehow, he managed to keep his
hands to himself.
"I won't pretend I don't know your motive for
speaking to the man," he told her, "but what's the rush, Jolie?
This is only the first day of the rodeo. Why don't we see where
this goes? Let me take you out to dinner, just you and me. We used
to be able to talk to each other. Perhaps we can find our way back
to...being friends." He liked that and he hoped she would to. He
held his breath as he waited for her to answer, praying she
wouldn't shoot him down on the first go.
"Do you really believe chats over dinner will
make up for the years you were gone?"
"No, but I'd like to start somewhere. Just
give me a chance."
She chewed on her lower lip as she stared at
him with those oh so stormy colored eyes. Finally, she granted him
an answer he could live with. "Okay, dinner. We'll talk."
His lips slid into a wide grin.
"And that's all!" she shot at him before he
could say more. "Don't think we're tumbling into bed again."
He chuckled. "No sex, huh? See, we're already
acting like a married couple." He leaned down and brushed a kiss
against her cheek before she could come back with a retort. "I'll
pick you up at seven-thirty, Mrs. Casper." He strode away with a
snap to his step, but he could feel her heated gaze burning a hole
in his back. She hadn't agreed to remain married, but she opened
the door for the possibility.
Yep, he could definitely work with a
maybe.
Chapter Twelve
It took a second for Tye's words to register
in Jolie's mind. One little brush of his lips – on her cheek, no
less – and she couldn't see straight. He called her Mrs.
Casper and didn't that just sound right to her ears, she
thought on a sigh, but then shook her head. "Get your head out of
the clouds," she murmured, but the memories of the boy she fell in
love with came to the forefront, clear and untarnished.
She fell in love with Tye when he was a mere
boy. She understood this all too well now. She'd only been a girl
herself, a young woman who had yet to find herself. They'd both
grown in the time he'd been away, not just physically, but also
emotionally. She couldn't be swept away by memories of how she once
loved Tye. That boy didn't exist anymore, and the man who rode into
town was no more than a stranger to her.
But you married him
anyway , her nasty little conscience whispered in her ear.
"Shut up," she said out loud and glanced over her shoulder to see
if anyone heard her talking to herself. Luckily, no one had. Tye
had only been back in town a day and he was already driving her
crazy.
Her cell phone vibrated in the pocket of her
sundress, and she retrieved it. Her daddy... "Time to face the
music." Only she didn't like what the band was playing. Her gaze
caught sight of the white medical tent in the field just to the
left of the arena. A large red cross was painted on each side of
the tent to make sure there wasn't any confusion where to go if
anyone needed medical attention.
Her father, Dr. Lockhart had a doctor's
office in town, been in practice for almost forty years. He
volunteered his services every year at the rodeo.
The phone was still buzzing and her daddy's
smiling face was looking
just saw him ride.
Tye glanced over his shoulder to where he'd
spotted Mayor Dirkly earlier, sitting next to Toby in the
announcer's booth. He led them in the Pledge of Allegiance and announced the first event. The seat stood empty now and he
sighed with relief. When he turned toward Jolie again, he couldn't
stop his lips from curving into a pleased smile. "Looks like you
just missed him."
His gaze swept over his reluctant wife. She
must have gone home to change. She wore a sundress now and cowboy
boots with blue and peach stained leather to accent the flower
design. Her long hair was swept into a loose braid draping behind
her back and her tan lightweight cowboy hat sat nice and pretty
upon her head, but he'd like nothing more than to remove it, draw
her close, and kiss her proper. Somehow, he managed to keep his
hands to himself.
"I won't pretend I don't know your motive for
speaking to the man," he told her, "but what's the rush, Jolie?
This is only the first day of the rodeo. Why don't we see where
this goes? Let me take you out to dinner, just you and me. We used
to be able to talk to each other. Perhaps we can find our way back
to...being friends." He liked that and he hoped she would to. He
held his breath as he waited for her to answer, praying she
wouldn't shoot him down on the first go.
"Do you really believe chats over dinner will
make up for the years you were gone?"
"No, but I'd like to start somewhere. Just
give me a chance."
She chewed on her lower lip as she stared at
him with those oh so stormy colored eyes. Finally, she granted him
an answer he could live with. "Okay, dinner. We'll talk."
His lips slid into a wide grin.
"And that's all!" she shot at him before he
could say more. "Don't think we're tumbling into bed again."
He chuckled. "No sex, huh? See, we're already
acting like a married couple." He leaned down and brushed a kiss
against her cheek before she could come back with a retort. "I'll
pick you up at seven-thirty, Mrs. Casper." He strode away with a
snap to his step, but he could feel her heated gaze burning a hole
in his back. She hadn't agreed to remain married, but she opened
the door for the possibility.
Yep, he could definitely work with a
maybe.
Chapter Twelve
It took a second for Tye's words to register
in Jolie's mind. One little brush of his lips – on her cheek, no
less – and she couldn't see straight. He called her Mrs.
Casper and didn't that just sound right to her ears, she
thought on a sigh, but then shook her head. "Get your head out of
the clouds," she murmured, but the memories of the boy she fell in
love with came to the forefront, clear and untarnished.
She fell in love with Tye when he was a mere
boy. She understood this all too well now. She'd only been a girl
herself, a young woman who had yet to find herself. They'd both
grown in the time he'd been away, not just physically, but also
emotionally. She couldn't be swept away by memories of how she once
loved Tye. That boy didn't exist anymore, and the man who rode into
town was no more than a stranger to her.
But you married him
anyway , her nasty little conscience whispered in her ear.
"Shut up," she said out loud and glanced over her shoulder to see
if anyone heard her talking to herself. Luckily, no one had. Tye
had only been back in town a day and he was already driving her
crazy.
Her cell phone vibrated in the pocket of her
sundress, and she retrieved it. Her daddy... "Time to face the
music." Only she didn't like what the band was playing. Her gaze
caught sight of the white medical tent in the field just to the
left of the arena. A large red cross was painted on each side of
the tent to make sure there wasn't any confusion where to go if
anyone needed medical attention.
Her father, Dr. Lockhart had a doctor's
office in town, been in practice for almost forty years. He
volunteered his services every year at the rodeo.
The phone was still buzzing and her daddy's
smiling face was looking
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