Read Online Take Me Home by Nancy Herkness - Free Book Online Page A

East,” Claire said as he waved away her offer of a twenty-dollar bill. “Do you ever play foosball anymore?”
    “Only when I’ve had too much to drink. You?”
    “Not since college.”
    “I challenge you to a match,” he said, holding the door for her, “at the Sportsman Saturday night. Loser buys.”
    She hesitated. She still felt guilty about her Friday dinner date with Tim, but a late-night foosball game on Saturday wouldn’t have the same freight, since Holly always crashed in bed by nine o’clock.
    Glancing at Paul, she found anticipation blazing in his light eyes. She remembered that look, and suddenly, she wanted to feel the rubber grip of a foosball handle against her palm and the slide of cold beer down her throat. She grinned up at him. “Make it after nine, and you’re on.”
    “Just like the old days.”
    “Except this time, I’m going to pound you into the bar floor.”

    Claire’s fly-in clients surprised her by buying an abstract sculpture instead of a Boggs landscape. The commission wasn’t as large, but she was delighted for the artist, a taciturn local farrier she sometimes saw shoeing horses at Healing Springs Stables. That reminded her of Willow, and she checked the clock. If she closed up a little early, she could make a quick visit to her whisper horse.
    Thirty minutes later, she slipped into Willow’s stall, having changed only the sky-high heels Paul had commented on. The mare whinnied and abandoned the hay net she had been picking at, gently butting her head against Claire’s chest and then rubbing it up and down.
    “Hey, I’m glad to see you too, but this blouse is a Diane von Fürstenberg. Just because I got it on sale doesn’t mean you can use it as a face rag,” she said, laughing as she grabbed Willow’s halter to hold her still. She dropped a kiss on the white star on the mare’s forehead. “You’ve got more energy now, don’t you, girl? And your ribs aren’t quite as easy to count. Maybe Sharon’s right. Maybe you will be a beauty.”
    Willow stamped a hoof, sending the earthy fragrance of the thick straw bedding swirling around the stall. “Mmm,” Claire said, closing her eyes and pulling in a deep breath. “Warm, clean horse. Straw just out of the bale. Fresh-cut hay. It smells like home.”
    Her eyes flew open. No, that wasn’t right. Sanctuary was
not
home; it was the place she had left behind for all kinds of good reasons. For the first time since she’d returned here, she was feeling the pull of her roots. This was Paul’s doing; he had sucked her back into the past where she didn’t want to be.
    “Forward, I need to look forward,” she said, combing her fingers through Willow’s stubby mane. Which reminded her of her upcoming date with Tim. “I’m going to eat at the Aerie. It makes me feel guilty that I’m excited.”
    She lowered her voice to a murmur. “Truth is, I’m kind of excited about seeing Dr. Tim too. He’s...well, intriguing.” She thought of the strength that sent her hurtling onto Salty’s back and the way his hand wrapped around her knee as he checked the girth. Her body set up a happy little hum at the thought that he might touch her again.
    “It’s just a little harmless flirting. He wants my painting; I get to have a gourmet meal with a nice guy.”
    Willow snorted.
    “You don’t think it’s harmless?” Claire stroked the mare’s nose. “You might have a point. My track record with men is not impressive. But this relationship has an ending date already. I’ll be leaving Sanctuary, and Tim will be staying.”
    Willow shook her head, her ears flapping.
    Claire knew the horse couldn’t possibly understand her, but guilt still knotted in her chest. “You have lots of good people to take care of you besides me,” she said, wrapping her arms around Willow’s neck. “You don’t really need me.”
    The truth of that twisted a strand of regret in with the guilt, and she turned her face into the horse’s warm, solid