Read Online The Rancher's Twin Troubles by Laura Marie Altom - Free Book Online

Let’s head over to the real animals. If you’re good, we’ll get snow cones.”
    â€œO-okay.”
    While Dallas’s new promise at least provided temporary calm, throbbing rock from the midway combined with temperatures in the muggy high-eighties proved not a good combination when Josie was already worn out from a tough day at school.
    The petting zoo was more quiet, but also more frenzied with dozens of little bodies darting in all directions.
    â€œWant to find an out-of-the-way bench?” Dallas asked.
    â€œSounds perfect.”
    While Josie found a seat, Dallas purchased feed for the girls, instructing them to stay within the fenced area.
    â€œFeels good to take a load off,” he said, gazing towardhis daughters who giggled while tiny goats nuzzled grain pellets from their palms. “Ready?”
    â€œFor what?” she asked with a sideways glance, trying to ignore tingly awareness on the side of her body where their thighs and shoulders brushed. She’d forgotten his size. How just being around him filled her with the sense that whatever happened—aside from kid disasters—he’d be in control.
    â€œTo tell me what was wrong Friday night?”
    Her stomach sank. “Why do you care?”
    â€œYou’re spending all of this time helping me with the twins, yet aside from buying you a half-dozen fried Twinkies, I’ve done nothing for you.”
    â€œFirst, I only had two Twinkies, thank you very much. Second, what’s bugging me has nothing to do with you.” Looking at her fresh manicure, she traced the outline of her cuticle. Maybe if she tried hard enough to avoid Dallas’s probing gaze, he’d get the hint that she didn’t want to share certain portions of her personal life.
    â€œSure? Because it wouldn’t be the first time I ticked a woman off. The few times my mom’s book club have tried fixing me up on blind dates they’ve ended in disaster.”
    Who wouldn’t like you? was the first thing that entered her mind. Beyond his looks, Dallas was funny and hardworking and well-mannered. Had she been remotely interested in giving the whole relationship game another try, he would certainly be a prime candidate. But her last weeks with Hugh had been a nightmare. He’d single handedly taken everything she thought she’d known about love and turned it upside down.
    â€œOnce, ten minutes into our date, I asked a woman if her hair hurt.”
    â€œWhy would you do that?” The question provided the perfect opportunity to angle away from him, giving herself space to breathe. Even over the barn’s perfume of straw and manure, Dallas smelled of leather and citrus and sun. Like the kinds of outdoor adventures she’d never take.
    â€œEvelyn had it all stacked up high with a bird wing barrette sticking out of the side. Looked like it was stabbing her. I thought I was being polite. Judging by her sudden need to stay home to clean carpets, she thought different.”
    â€œYou’re terrible,” she admonished. “Kind of like a certain pair of your offspring…” Pointing toward a llama, Josie was already on her feet to hopefully ward off trouble.
    Bonnie had climbed halfway over the fence, with Betsy not far behind. They’d dumped their feed buckets and now wore them as hats.
    â€œLet me handle this,” Dallas said, passing Josie midway.
    Already out of breath, she paused, hunched over, bracing her hands on her knees.
    Wonder of wonders, Dallas snagged each girl around their waist, giving them stony looks before setting them to their feet. “What are you two thinking?”
    â€œBetsy wanted to kiss the llama,” Bonnie explained, “but he wouldn’t come close enough, so I was gonna try picking him up, but then I got stuck so Betsy was gonna help.”
    Hands braced on his hips, Josie was pleased to see Dallas finally looking the part of an aggravated father.