Read Online The Ranger And The Widow Woman by Stella Bagwell - Free Book Online
Authors: Stella Bagwell
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her legs. The urge to slide his fingers over the smooth calves was a strong one. But incredibly, the desire to see a smile on her face was even greater.
“No,” she answered. “We really have set out on an adventure, and I’m not exactly sure where it will end.”
Charlie wanted to jerk her out of the chair, take her by the shoulders and shake her. He wanted to yell how foolish and dangerous it was for her to be traveling alone with a child, that she shouldn’t be on an adventure, she should be home. But did she have a home? And if he asked her would he get the truth?
“The way Sam talked he’s never had a pet before.”
Violet looked out at the quiet night. She’d never been in such an isolated place, and she’d expected to find it frightening, but as she looked out at the sage and cactus and scrubby pinon tipped with silver moonlight, she thought she’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“Before now I didn’t think he was old enough to know how to treat or take care of a pet. But he’s matured these past six months, so I’m going to see what I can do about getting him a dog.” A vague smile crossed her face. “I’m not so sure about getting a German Shepherd, though. We might have to start with something a bit smaller.”
The itch to question her further clawed at Charlie’s insides. The man in him, not the Ranger wanted to know why she was running. Oh, yes, he knew she was on the run from something. Whether it be a lover or the law, or simply herself, he could see her looking behind her with fear in her eyes. Yet he had no right to interrogate her. She wasn’t a criminal. Or so he doubted. Whether she’d had a home or was running because she didn’t was something she’d have to tell him on her own. He wasn’t going to pry it out of her.
“Do you have any siblings?” she asked.
Charlie had been so deep in thought about her it took a moment to switch his attention to himself. “I have a sister six years younger than me. Last year she graduated with a degree in art. Now she lives in Santa Fe. You know, the mystical place that calls to writers and artists,” he said with wry fondness.
“She sounds interesting. Does she paint?”
“She can paint beautifully. But she makes her living designing jewelry. Particularly silver jewelry.”
“Do you see her very often?”
There was a faint wistful note in Violet’s voice, and he was almost ashamed to tell her he only saw Caroline a few times a year. She obviously thought he was blessed to have a sibling. And he was. But he was human, and more often than not he took his blessings for granted.
“Whenever my job allows me to come home on holidays. Caroline is always home then.”
“Is she married?”
Charlie grunted with wry amusement. “Caroline married? She wishes. She’s a fiery redhead like my mom. She hasn’t found a man brave enough to take her on. But she’s only twenty-three. That’s too young to get married, anyway.”
Violet glanced at him briefly, then turned her eyes on the distant hills. “I’m twenty-four and I feel like an old woman.”
Though she appeared to be very young physically, Charlie was inclined to believe she really did feel old. She looked at him with eyes far older than her years, eyes that had already seen more than many did in a lifetime.
“Violet, I...earlier in the bedroom...it’s not like me to jump to conclusions over an innocent remark.” He forced himself to look at her, and he felt a jolt deep inside as his eyes caught the green shimmer of her gaze staring back at him. “And grabbing you like I did...you’ll do well not to read anything into that.”
She swallowed as an unexpected lump of emotion filled her throat. She wasn’t looking for a man. After the damage Brent had wrought on her heart, she didn’t know if she could ever trust another man or even if she wanted to try. But to hear Charlie dismiss their kiss as though it had been nothing to him, cut her deep.
“If you’re trying
“No,” she answered. “We really have set out on an adventure, and I’m not exactly sure where it will end.”
Charlie wanted to jerk her out of the chair, take her by the shoulders and shake her. He wanted to yell how foolish and dangerous it was for her to be traveling alone with a child, that she shouldn’t be on an adventure, she should be home. But did she have a home? And if he asked her would he get the truth?
“The way Sam talked he’s never had a pet before.”
Violet looked out at the quiet night. She’d never been in such an isolated place, and she’d expected to find it frightening, but as she looked out at the sage and cactus and scrubby pinon tipped with silver moonlight, she thought she’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“Before now I didn’t think he was old enough to know how to treat or take care of a pet. But he’s matured these past six months, so I’m going to see what I can do about getting him a dog.” A vague smile crossed her face. “I’m not so sure about getting a German Shepherd, though. We might have to start with something a bit smaller.”
The itch to question her further clawed at Charlie’s insides. The man in him, not the Ranger wanted to know why she was running. Oh, yes, he knew she was on the run from something. Whether it be a lover or the law, or simply herself, he could see her looking behind her with fear in her eyes. Yet he had no right to interrogate her. She wasn’t a criminal. Or so he doubted. Whether she’d had a home or was running because she didn’t was something she’d have to tell him on her own. He wasn’t going to pry it out of her.
“Do you have any siblings?” she asked.
Charlie had been so deep in thought about her it took a moment to switch his attention to himself. “I have a sister six years younger than me. Last year she graduated with a degree in art. Now she lives in Santa Fe. You know, the mystical place that calls to writers and artists,” he said with wry fondness.
“She sounds interesting. Does she paint?”
“She can paint beautifully. But she makes her living designing jewelry. Particularly silver jewelry.”
“Do you see her very often?”
There was a faint wistful note in Violet’s voice, and he was almost ashamed to tell her he only saw Caroline a few times a year. She obviously thought he was blessed to have a sibling. And he was. But he was human, and more often than not he took his blessings for granted.
“Whenever my job allows me to come home on holidays. Caroline is always home then.”
“Is she married?”
Charlie grunted with wry amusement. “Caroline married? She wishes. She’s a fiery redhead like my mom. She hasn’t found a man brave enough to take her on. But she’s only twenty-three. That’s too young to get married, anyway.”
Violet glanced at him briefly, then turned her eyes on the distant hills. “I’m twenty-four and I feel like an old woman.”
Though she appeared to be very young physically, Charlie was inclined to believe she really did feel old. She looked at him with eyes far older than her years, eyes that had already seen more than many did in a lifetime.
“Violet, I...earlier in the bedroom...it’s not like me to jump to conclusions over an innocent remark.” He forced himself to look at her, and he felt a jolt deep inside as his eyes caught the green shimmer of her gaze staring back at him. “And grabbing you like I did...you’ll do well not to read anything into that.”
She swallowed as an unexpected lump of emotion filled her throat. She wasn’t looking for a man. After the damage Brent had wrought on her heart, she didn’t know if she could ever trust another man or even if she wanted to try. But to hear Charlie dismiss their kiss as though it had been nothing to him, cut her deep.
“If you’re trying
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