Read Online The Rancher And The RunawayBride: Part 2 by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Mallery
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what she knew about Ty. It was pretty close to nothing. He was
good on the ranch, a natural leader. When Brady had a couple of crews working, Ty
was always in charge of the second group. He was bright, capable, and she suspected
he had a degree. What on earth was he doing stuck on Brady’s ranch?
His hold tightened slightly, warning her of more complicated steps. She concentrated
and managed to keep up as he wove them through the other dancers.
She took a shot in the dark. “What’s her name?” she asked.
“Who?”
“The woman who taught you to dance?”
The smile faded as if it had never been, his mouth straightened and already dark eyes
turned black with pain. “Denise.”
There was something about the way he said the name. As if it had cost him plenty to
form the single word.
“I’m sorry,” Randi said quickly. “I shouldn’t have—” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “No big deal.”
But she knew it was. She’d been teasing him and had inadvertently bumped into an open
wound. A thousand questions filled her mind. Who was this mysterious Denise? Why wasn’t
he with her? What had happened? How long had he loved her?
Randi suspected it had been for a very long time. What would it be like to be loved
that much?
The song faded, then another one began. She recognized it, although she didn’t recall
the title. Something about an old flame burning bright. Ty winced visibly and dropped
his hands to his side.
“Thanks for the dance,” he mumbled, and left the floor.
Randi watched him go. She wanted to run after him and apologize, but it was too late
for that. Talk about blowing it.
She moved to the edge of the dance floor and glanced at the crowd. Families and friends
chatted together. For the first time since arriving, she felt out of place. Suddenly
that old phrase—alone in a crowd—made sense to her.
She was a long way from home, and she had a sneaking suspicion that no one in Grand
Springs was missing her tonight. Certainly not Hal. In the past couple of weeks she’d
decided they hadn’t even been friends, let alone in love.
“May I?”
She didn’t have to look at the speaker to know he was Brady. She shivered in anticipation,
then turned toward him. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.”
He took her in his arms. She tried not to notice how every nerve cell in her body
instantly went on alert. It wasn’t fair. She’d danced with nearly a dozen men tonight.
Some of them, like Ty, had been very good-looking. Most had been charming. And not
one of them had made her feel the way Brady did.
He held her gently, not pulling her too close. Which almost made her laugh, because
she would enjoy being hauled up against his chest. She would even like being kissed
senselessly. Was he thinking about that, too? Was he remembering their kiss, the passion
flaring between them, the heat, the—“What do you think of our country dance?” he asked.
Her fantasies popped like a balloon pricked by a needle. So much for him remembering
anything about that night.
“It’s fun,” she said. “Everyone has been really nice. The guys have all danced with
me. I tried to get Ty to admit there was a conspiracy, but he denied it.”
“There isn’t as far as I know.” He smiled. “Dancing with you is hardly tough duty.”
She looked up at the dimple in his left cheek and thought about swooning. Unfortunately,
she’d never swooned in her life and didn’t know how to go about doing it. She suspected
Brady wouldn’t appreciate the gesture. If the man had a single clue as to what he
did to her he would take off for the hills.
A couple in their early sixties moved next to them. The wife asked Brady about his
parents. He answered, then the older couple moved off.
“This is very different from where I grew up,” she said. “I had dance lessons for
three years and I hated every one of them. The only way my mom got me to go was to
good on the ranch, a natural leader. When Brady had a couple of crews working, Ty
was always in charge of the second group. He was bright, capable, and she suspected
he had a degree. What on earth was he doing stuck on Brady’s ranch?
His hold tightened slightly, warning her of more complicated steps. She concentrated
and managed to keep up as he wove them through the other dancers.
She took a shot in the dark. “What’s her name?” she asked.
“Who?”
“The woman who taught you to dance?”
The smile faded as if it had never been, his mouth straightened and already dark eyes
turned black with pain. “Denise.”
There was something about the way he said the name. As if it had cost him plenty to
form the single word.
“I’m sorry,” Randi said quickly. “I shouldn’t have—” She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “No big deal.”
But she knew it was. She’d been teasing him and had inadvertently bumped into an open
wound. A thousand questions filled her mind. Who was this mysterious Denise? Why wasn’t
he with her? What had happened? How long had he loved her?
Randi suspected it had been for a very long time. What would it be like to be loved
that much?
The song faded, then another one began. She recognized it, although she didn’t recall
the title. Something about an old flame burning bright. Ty winced visibly and dropped
his hands to his side.
“Thanks for the dance,” he mumbled, and left the floor.
Randi watched him go. She wanted to run after him and apologize, but it was too late
for that. Talk about blowing it.
She moved to the edge of the dance floor and glanced at the crowd. Families and friends
chatted together. For the first time since arriving, she felt out of place. Suddenly
that old phrase—alone in a crowd—made sense to her.
She was a long way from home, and she had a sneaking suspicion that no one in Grand
Springs was missing her tonight. Certainly not Hal. In the past couple of weeks she’d
decided they hadn’t even been friends, let alone in love.
“May I?”
She didn’t have to look at the speaker to know he was Brady. She shivered in anticipation,
then turned toward him. “Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.”
He took her in his arms. She tried not to notice how every nerve cell in her body
instantly went on alert. It wasn’t fair. She’d danced with nearly a dozen men tonight.
Some of them, like Ty, had been very good-looking. Most had been charming. And not
one of them had made her feel the way Brady did.
He held her gently, not pulling her too close. Which almost made her laugh, because
she would enjoy being hauled up against his chest. She would even like being kissed
senselessly. Was he thinking about that, too? Was he remembering their kiss, the passion
flaring between them, the heat, the—“What do you think of our country dance?” he asked.
Her fantasies popped like a balloon pricked by a needle. So much for him remembering
anything about that night.
“It’s fun,” she said. “Everyone has been really nice. The guys have all danced with
me. I tried to get Ty to admit there was a conspiracy, but he denied it.”
“There isn’t as far as I know.” He smiled. “Dancing with you is hardly tough duty.”
She looked up at the dimple in his left cheek and thought about swooning. Unfortunately,
she’d never swooned in her life and didn’t know how to go about doing it. She suspected
Brady wouldn’t appreciate the gesture. If the man had a single clue as to what he
did to her he would take off for the hills.
A couple in their early sixties moved next to them. The wife asked Brady about his
parents. He answered, then the older couple moved off.
“This is very different from where I grew up,” she said. “I had dance lessons for
three years and I hated every one of them. The only way my mom got me to go was to
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