blond ponytail, baseball cap, sunglasses … great ass, in a pair of nice-fitting jeans. She lifted a hand and waved,fast and casual, not even slowing down. He couldn’t see her face well, because of the baseball cap, but he was sure he’d never met her. It wasn’t like he knew everyone who lived near or shopped in Battle Ridge, but he’d damn sure have remembered that ass.
I’d look good on that
, he thought, his eyes following the fine ass all the way to the library.
The instant thought was accompanied by a burst of heat in his groin, reminding him that it had been way the hell too long since he’d had sex, even with his fist. He’d been too damn tired after they got in from cutting hay, but thank God that was done now and he felt better about having enough hay to see the herd through the winter. Now he could think about other things, first and foremost being how it would feel to have a woman under him—maybe even that sassy blond, whoever she was. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her before, but the town was small enough he could probably find out who she was by asking one or two people.
Maybe he should check out a book …
After he parked Zeke headed for the hardware store, not the library. Nice ass aside, he had errands to do, and the blonde probably had a husband or a boyfriend. Or a face that could stop traffic—and not in a good way. A nice ass did not mean the rest of her was as appealing. Maybe he should just enjoy the memory of the unexpected sight and continue with his day.
Still, it was amazing what the mere sight of a heart-shaped butt in a pair of tight jeans could do to improve his mood.
C ARLIN HAD BEEN in Battle Ridge for eleven days, long enough to have learned the rhythm of the town. The breakfast rush was over, Kat was working on the day’s pies, and a fifteen-minute break was just long enoughfor her to cut catty-corner across the street to the small library, which was tucked in just a couple of doors down from the hardware store. A pickup truck coming down the street slowed, allowing her plenty of time to cross. She couldn’t see the driver well enough to tell if she recognized him, but she threw him a quick “thank you” wave as she picked up her pace. She was getting used to doing stuff like that. Already some people—regulars in The Pie Hole—smiled and waved when they saw her, as if they’d known her all their lives, as if she was one of them.
It was a little disconcerting. Until Brad had forced her out of her comfortable life, she’d been accustomed to the anonymity of cities, where she could come and go without being acknowledged by anyone outside of her circle of friends and acquaintances. She’d always felt safer, being anonymous. Yeah, that had worked out well, hadn’t it? Regardless of that, being noticed still made her feel exposed.
She also felt guilty, being the recipient of such unguarded friendliness. She wasn’t one of them, and she didn’t plan to stay around very long. But because it was the proper thing to do, and the move that would attract the least amount of attention, she always smiled and waved back.
The cool quietness of the library enveloped her, and she went directly to the public-access computers. She wouldn’t put her family in danger by contacting them directly, but that didn’t mean she was willing to completely lose track of Kinison, or Robin and her family. A fake Facebook profile connected to a free online email account and an old friend who served as intermediary made it possible for Carlin to touch base, now and then. She could let her family know she was okay, and see the occasional photo of her nieces and nephew. They were growing so fast, changing every day. It wasn’t as if she’d seen them all that often before her life had fallen apart,but they’d talked regularly. And she’d always known she could go see them at any time, if she wanted to. Now she couldn’t, and that loss cut deep. It was when she was in front of the
I’d look good on that
, he thought, his eyes following the fine ass all the way to the library.
The instant thought was accompanied by a burst of heat in his groin, reminding him that it had been way the hell too long since he’d had sex, even with his fist. He’d been too damn tired after they got in from cutting hay, but thank God that was done now and he felt better about having enough hay to see the herd through the winter. Now he could think about other things, first and foremost being how it would feel to have a woman under him—maybe even that sassy blond, whoever she was. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her before, but the town was small enough he could probably find out who she was by asking one or two people.
Maybe he should check out a book …
After he parked Zeke headed for the hardware store, not the library. Nice ass aside, he had errands to do, and the blonde probably had a husband or a boyfriend. Or a face that could stop traffic—and not in a good way. A nice ass did not mean the rest of her was as appealing. Maybe he should just enjoy the memory of the unexpected sight and continue with his day.
Still, it was amazing what the mere sight of a heart-shaped butt in a pair of tight jeans could do to improve his mood.
C ARLIN HAD BEEN in Battle Ridge for eleven days, long enough to have learned the rhythm of the town. The breakfast rush was over, Kat was working on the day’s pies, and a fifteen-minute break was just long enoughfor her to cut catty-corner across the street to the small library, which was tucked in just a couple of doors down from the hardware store. A pickup truck coming down the street slowed, allowing her plenty of time to cross. She couldn’t see the driver well enough to tell if she recognized him, but she threw him a quick “thank you” wave as she picked up her pace. She was getting used to doing stuff like that. Already some people—regulars in The Pie Hole—smiled and waved when they saw her, as if they’d known her all their lives, as if she was one of them.
It was a little disconcerting. Until Brad had forced her out of her comfortable life, she’d been accustomed to the anonymity of cities, where she could come and go without being acknowledged by anyone outside of her circle of friends and acquaintances. She’d always felt safer, being anonymous. Yeah, that had worked out well, hadn’t it? Regardless of that, being noticed still made her feel exposed.
She also felt guilty, being the recipient of such unguarded friendliness. She wasn’t one of them, and she didn’t plan to stay around very long. But because it was the proper thing to do, and the move that would attract the least amount of attention, she always smiled and waved back.
The cool quietness of the library enveloped her, and she went directly to the public-access computers. She wouldn’t put her family in danger by contacting them directly, but that didn’t mean she was willing to completely lose track of Kinison, or Robin and her family. A fake Facebook profile connected to a free online email account and an old friend who served as intermediary made it possible for Carlin to touch base, now and then. She could let her family know she was okay, and see the occasional photo of her nieces and nephew. They were growing so fast, changing every day. It wasn’t as if she’d seen them all that often before her life had fallen apart,but they’d talked regularly. And she’d always known she could go see them at any time, if she wanted to. Now she couldn’t, and that loss cut deep. It was when she was in front of the
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