Read Online The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nicholas Sparks
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didn’t know how to answer, because he wasn’t sure himself. “Why are you so interested?” he countered.
“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe because it’s a world I know nothing about? Or maybe I’m just naturally curious. Then again, I might just be making conversation.”
“Which one is it?”
“I could tell you,” she said, her green eyes seductive in the moonlight. “But how much fun would that be? The world needs a little mystery.”
Something stirred in him at the veiled challenge in her voice. “Where are you from?” he asked, feeling himself being reeled in and liking it. “I take it you’re not from around here.”
“Why would you think that? Do I have an accent?”
“I suppose that depends on where you’re from. Up north, I’d be the one with the accent. But I can’t really tell where you’re from.”
“I’m from New Jersey.” She paused. “No jokes, please.”
“Why would I joke? I like New Jersey.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“I’ve been to Trenton. I rode in a few events at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Do you know where that is?”
“I know where Trenton is,” she answered. “It’s south of where I live, closer to Philadelphia. I’m up north, by the city.”
“Have you been to Trenton?”
“A handful of times. But I’ve never been to the arena. Or to a rodeo, for that matter. This is my first time.”
“What did you think?”
“Other than being impressed? I thought you were all crazy.”
He laughed, charmed by her frankness. “You know my last name, but I didn’t catch yours.”
“Danko,” she said. Then, anticipating his next question: “My dad is from Slovakia.”
“That’s near Kansas, right?”
She blinked. Her mouth opened and closed, and just as she was about to explain the concept of Europe to him, he raised his hands.
“Joking,” he said. “I know where it is. Central Europe, part of what was once Czechoslovakia. I just wanted to see your reaction.”
“And?”
“I should’ve taken a picture to show my friends.”
She scowled before nudging against him. “That’s not nice.”
“But it was funny.”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “It was funny.”
“So if your dad is from Slovakia…”
“My mom is French. They moved here a year before I was born.”
He turned toward her. “No kidding…”
“You sound surprised.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever met a French Slovakian before.” He paused. “Hell, I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone from New Jersey before.”
When she laughed, he felt something relax in him, and he knew he wanted to hear the sound again. “And you live close by?”
“Not too far. A little north of Winston-Salem. I’m right outside of King.”
“Sounds fancy.”
“That’s one thing it isn’t. It’s a small town with friendly people, but that’s about it. We have a ranch up there.”
“We?”
“My mom and I. Well, actually it’s her ranch. I just live and work there.”
“Like… a real ranch? With cows and horses and pigs?”
“It’s even got a barn that makes this one here look new.”
She surveyed the barn behind them. “I doubt that.”
“Maybe I’ll show you one day. Take you horseback riding and everything.”
Their eyes met, holding for a beat, and again she reached out to touch his arm. “I think I’d like that, Luke.”
4
Sophia
S ophia wasn’t sure exactly why she’d said it. The words had simply come out before she could stop them. It occurred to her to try to backtrack or play it off somehow, but for whatever reason, she realized that she didn’t want to.
It had less to do with his appearance, despite the fact that Marcia had been exactly right. He was unmistakably good-looking in a boyish kind of way, with a friendly, open smile highlighted by dimples. He was lean and wiry, too, his broad shoulders a contrast to his narrow hips, and the unruly mass of brown curls under his battered hat was definitely sexy. What really stood out were his
“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe because it’s a world I know nothing about? Or maybe I’m just naturally curious. Then again, I might just be making conversation.”
“Which one is it?”
“I could tell you,” she said, her green eyes seductive in the moonlight. “But how much fun would that be? The world needs a little mystery.”
Something stirred in him at the veiled challenge in her voice. “Where are you from?” he asked, feeling himself being reeled in and liking it. “I take it you’re not from around here.”
“Why would you think that? Do I have an accent?”
“I suppose that depends on where you’re from. Up north, I’d be the one with the accent. But I can’t really tell where you’re from.”
“I’m from New Jersey.” She paused. “No jokes, please.”
“Why would I joke? I like New Jersey.”
“Have you ever been there?”
“I’ve been to Trenton. I rode in a few events at the Sovereign Bank Arena. Do you know where that is?”
“I know where Trenton is,” she answered. “It’s south of where I live, closer to Philadelphia. I’m up north, by the city.”
“Have you been to Trenton?”
“A handful of times. But I’ve never been to the arena. Or to a rodeo, for that matter. This is my first time.”
“What did you think?”
“Other than being impressed? I thought you were all crazy.”
He laughed, charmed by her frankness. “You know my last name, but I didn’t catch yours.”
“Danko,” she said. Then, anticipating his next question: “My dad is from Slovakia.”
“That’s near Kansas, right?”
She blinked. Her mouth opened and closed, and just as she was about to explain the concept of Europe to him, he raised his hands.
“Joking,” he said. “I know where it is. Central Europe, part of what was once Czechoslovakia. I just wanted to see your reaction.”
“And?”
“I should’ve taken a picture to show my friends.”
She scowled before nudging against him. “That’s not nice.”
“But it was funny.”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “It was funny.”
“So if your dad is from Slovakia…”
“My mom is French. They moved here a year before I was born.”
He turned toward her. “No kidding…”
“You sound surprised.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever met a French Slovakian before.” He paused. “Hell, I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone from New Jersey before.”
When she laughed, he felt something relax in him, and he knew he wanted to hear the sound again. “And you live close by?”
“Not too far. A little north of Winston-Salem. I’m right outside of King.”
“Sounds fancy.”
“That’s one thing it isn’t. It’s a small town with friendly people, but that’s about it. We have a ranch up there.”
“We?”
“My mom and I. Well, actually it’s her ranch. I just live and work there.”
“Like… a real ranch? With cows and horses and pigs?”
“It’s even got a barn that makes this one here look new.”
She surveyed the barn behind them. “I doubt that.”
“Maybe I’ll show you one day. Take you horseback riding and everything.”
Their eyes met, holding for a beat, and again she reached out to touch his arm. “I think I’d like that, Luke.”
4
Sophia
S ophia wasn’t sure exactly why she’d said it. The words had simply come out before she could stop them. It occurred to her to try to backtrack or play it off somehow, but for whatever reason, she realized that she didn’t want to.
It had less to do with his appearance, despite the fact that Marcia had been exactly right. He was unmistakably good-looking in a boyish kind of way, with a friendly, open smile highlighted by dimples. He was lean and wiry, too, his broad shoulders a contrast to his narrow hips, and the unruly mass of brown curls under his battered hat was definitely sexy. What really stood out were his
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