Read Online The Golden Rules of Love: Western Romance by Tammy Andresen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tammy Andresen
Ads: Link
to the camp?”
“I had to warn you. I couldn’t―“
His lips came crashing down on hers. It was a brief intense kiss that curled Annie’s toes. “You are the bravest woman I know.”
“And the most stubborn?” she asked ruefully.
“That too. I know you can take care of yourself, Annie, but please come with us today. I’m asking.”
She nodded her head. “You were right and I was wrong. This is a dangerous place and we are only going to make it together.”
He gave her the most stunning smile causing Annie to blink twice. It nearly blinded her. “I’ve got to get this mess cleaned up. You check the damage to your supplies.” He slowly set her back on the ground and unwound his arms from around her.
Annie scowled. His arms had felt so good. She was starting to realize that walking the world alone was a lonely proposition. She had also forgotten that some of the Indians had made off with her goods. She didn’t have very much money left. Certainly not enough to pay Mack for the return trip home. If she had to buy more food now, she didn’t know how she would return.
She knew Mack would take her back anyway but he was working hard for his money. She didn’t want to be a burden on him.
Grabbing Mary Beth’s hand, the two walked over to their wagon and climbed in. As they searched around, Annie’s heart sank. All their food was gone. So was her small money purse.
She climbed back out of the wagon and leaned against the back. Mary Beth followed her. Her voice trembled, “What are we gonna do, Annie?”
Annie shook her head. “We’ll figure something out.”
Mary Beth wrapped her arms around Annie, “I don’t know what that could possibly be.”
“Do you think Mack will hire us?”
Mary Beth laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t know if he’d hire you but he’d marry you, I bet. That seems easier.”
Anne made a face, “Maybe to you.” She dropped her head closing her eyes.
Mary Beth squeezed her a little harder. “Mack would never do what Garrett did.”
“I know Mack is a good man. Everything he does shows me that. But I don’t know if I am lovable. Maybe it was me, not Garrett.”
“Oh honey. How can you think that?”
“Mack told me to leave yesterday. I drive everybody away.”
“Annie.” Mack’s voice came from nearby. It sounded raw and scratchy.
Annie still didn’t look up. She felt Mary Beth’s arms unwrap from around her. Her friend gave her a squeeze and then disappeared around the other side of the wagon. She took a deep breath. She didn’t want to talk about her feelings with Mack. “All of our money and our food are gone.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to let you starve.” He had moved closer, so his body was nearly touching hers. She could feel his heat.
“I know but you’ve got your own problems and goals. You don’t need to take on mine.” She kept her head down, but his hand softly came to her cheek. He tilted her head up till she was looking at his face.
“I didn’t tell you to go away because you’re not lovable. I told you to go away because I care about you and I can’t watch you get hurt. It would tear me to pieces. There is a big difference, Annie, and I need you to see it.”
She nodded her head. His face drifted closer to hers. His nose gently rubbed the tip of hers. A soft smile curved her lips. “Thank you for saying that, Collin.”
He returned the smile, another hand coming around her waist. “I like it when you use my given name.” Their bodies just touched. “I’m not going to lie, you drive me a little crazy but in a way that is exciting. No one is ever going to be perfect. I’ll drive you crazy too, if you’ll let me.”
“I don’t know.” Annie bit her lip, uncertainty filling her eyes. He grinned. “Well that’s a good deal better than what you’ve been saying.” He pressed her closer. “We’ve got to head down to the harbor in a few minutes. Then we’ll figure out how to replace your goods.”
She
“I had to warn you. I couldn’t―“
His lips came crashing down on hers. It was a brief intense kiss that curled Annie’s toes. “You are the bravest woman I know.”
“And the most stubborn?” she asked ruefully.
“That too. I know you can take care of yourself, Annie, but please come with us today. I’m asking.”
She nodded her head. “You were right and I was wrong. This is a dangerous place and we are only going to make it together.”
He gave her the most stunning smile causing Annie to blink twice. It nearly blinded her. “I’ve got to get this mess cleaned up. You check the damage to your supplies.” He slowly set her back on the ground and unwound his arms from around her.
Annie scowled. His arms had felt so good. She was starting to realize that walking the world alone was a lonely proposition. She had also forgotten that some of the Indians had made off with her goods. She didn’t have very much money left. Certainly not enough to pay Mack for the return trip home. If she had to buy more food now, she didn’t know how she would return.
She knew Mack would take her back anyway but he was working hard for his money. She didn’t want to be a burden on him.
Grabbing Mary Beth’s hand, the two walked over to their wagon and climbed in. As they searched around, Annie’s heart sank. All their food was gone. So was her small money purse.
She climbed back out of the wagon and leaned against the back. Mary Beth followed her. Her voice trembled, “What are we gonna do, Annie?”
Annie shook her head. “We’ll figure something out.”
Mary Beth wrapped her arms around Annie, “I don’t know what that could possibly be.”
“Do you think Mack will hire us?”
Mary Beth laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t know if he’d hire you but he’d marry you, I bet. That seems easier.”
Anne made a face, “Maybe to you.” She dropped her head closing her eyes.
Mary Beth squeezed her a little harder. “Mack would never do what Garrett did.”
“I know Mack is a good man. Everything he does shows me that. But I don’t know if I am lovable. Maybe it was me, not Garrett.”
“Oh honey. How can you think that?”
“Mack told me to leave yesterday. I drive everybody away.”
“Annie.” Mack’s voice came from nearby. It sounded raw and scratchy.
Annie still didn’t look up. She felt Mary Beth’s arms unwrap from around her. Her friend gave her a squeeze and then disappeared around the other side of the wagon. She took a deep breath. She didn’t want to talk about her feelings with Mack. “All of our money and our food are gone.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to let you starve.” He had moved closer, so his body was nearly touching hers. She could feel his heat.
“I know but you’ve got your own problems and goals. You don’t need to take on mine.” She kept her head down, but his hand softly came to her cheek. He tilted her head up till she was looking at his face.
“I didn’t tell you to go away because you’re not lovable. I told you to go away because I care about you and I can’t watch you get hurt. It would tear me to pieces. There is a big difference, Annie, and I need you to see it.”
She nodded her head. His face drifted closer to hers. His nose gently rubbed the tip of hers. A soft smile curved her lips. “Thank you for saying that, Collin.”
He returned the smile, another hand coming around her waist. “I like it when you use my given name.” Their bodies just touched. “I’m not going to lie, you drive me a little crazy but in a way that is exciting. No one is ever going to be perfect. I’ll drive you crazy too, if you’ll let me.”
“I don’t know.” Annie bit her lip, uncertainty filling her eyes. He grinned. “Well that’s a good deal better than what you’ve been saying.” He pressed her closer. “We’ve got to head down to the harbor in a few minutes. Then we’ll figure out how to replace your goods.”
She
Similar Books
