Read Online The Reluctant Bride (Montana Born Brides) by Katherine Garbera - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Katherine Garbera
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craned her neck around to face him. “You okay?”
He nodded.
She threw her head back and started laughing. “Oh, man. I didn’t want to let on that I’m not a horsewoman because this is Montana—land of the dude ranch, right? Everyone can ride out here. But damn, I stink at this.”
He laughed, too. God, it felt good to be alive and holding Risa. He’d forgotten or rather lost that feeling. Holding this laughing woman in his arms, he was reminded of all the things that he’d been fighting for.
He lifted himself up and kissed her. Held her close to him with his hands on her ass and she moaned as she put her hands on either side of his face, kissing him back. He kissed her with the soul-deep passion that he’d been hiding from. Passion he’d promised himself he’d keep in check. Used it to remind her what she was missing, except he was the one getting hard and turning to putty in her hands.
His blood flowed heavier in his veins, heating him up and making him forget everything except for Risa. He cupped her butt and pulled her up against him so that he could nestle his erection right against her mound. His tongue moved languidly into her mouth and she sucked on it as she turned her head to give him better access to her.
He sat up and she shifted on his lap as the cold seeped into his jeans, and he heard the horses chewing at the grass that was just starting to poke through the ice and snow that still covered the ground.
Pulling his mouth from hers, he looked into her eyes and saw them widen as she stared into his. What was she thinking? He couldn’t tell. He could read the landscape. Figure out how to flush out insurgents. But one slim girl left him baffled, though not for long. He wanted answers, and this morning he intended to get them.
“ Coffee?”
“ Is that what you brought me out here for?” she asked, getting to her feet and offering him her hand.
He took it, not because he needed her help to stand up, but because he liked touching her. Addiction. That’s what this was. There was no other way to describe what he felt and what was happening to him now.
He should be running the other way instead of chasing her. She’d already shown him…that she was human and complex. He didn’t have it in him to keep the anger that had motivated him before. He was happy he’d found her, and he understood fear better than most and how it could make someone act.
“ Yes and no. I also have muffins.”
“ Oh, muffins--why didn’t you lead with that? I’m a sucker for a muffin,” she said.
“ I’ll make a note of it.” Superficial conversation and fake smiles. She’d backed off again. Hiding in her tower. Good thing he was used to fighting to get what he wanted.
He patted the back of his jeans as he went to his saddlebag and took out a plaid blanket, Thermos of coffee and a Tupperware container with muffins in it. Risa had already walked over to the tree and had one hand on the upward-swooping branch and was staring out at the empty pasture.
He stood there watching her and feeling the cold seep through his jeans and into his legs. And realized that, despite the questions that had yet to be answered and the future that was still so unsure, he was happy in this moment. And he hadn’t been able to say that for a very long time.
Risa enjoyed the muffin and the coffee that Monty had provided, but she ’d noticed that since he’d saved her bacon when she fell off the horse, he was contemplative. She had no idea what to say. This was different than when they’d first met. He’d been gregarious, always with a quip or a comment. This morning, with the sun slowly peeking over the mountain and the mist dissipating, it felt different.
“ I like this place. It was even worth that horrible horse ride to get out here,” she said. “Is this your property?”
“ No. This is Lane’s. I just bought five acres around the red barn they converted for me. Just enough property to feel like I had my own place.
He nodded.
She threw her head back and started laughing. “Oh, man. I didn’t want to let on that I’m not a horsewoman because this is Montana—land of the dude ranch, right? Everyone can ride out here. But damn, I stink at this.”
He laughed, too. God, it felt good to be alive and holding Risa. He’d forgotten or rather lost that feeling. Holding this laughing woman in his arms, he was reminded of all the things that he’d been fighting for.
He lifted himself up and kissed her. Held her close to him with his hands on her ass and she moaned as she put her hands on either side of his face, kissing him back. He kissed her with the soul-deep passion that he’d been hiding from. Passion he’d promised himself he’d keep in check. Used it to remind her what she was missing, except he was the one getting hard and turning to putty in her hands.
His blood flowed heavier in his veins, heating him up and making him forget everything except for Risa. He cupped her butt and pulled her up against him so that he could nestle his erection right against her mound. His tongue moved languidly into her mouth and she sucked on it as she turned her head to give him better access to her.
He sat up and she shifted on his lap as the cold seeped into his jeans, and he heard the horses chewing at the grass that was just starting to poke through the ice and snow that still covered the ground.
Pulling his mouth from hers, he looked into her eyes and saw them widen as she stared into his. What was she thinking? He couldn’t tell. He could read the landscape. Figure out how to flush out insurgents. But one slim girl left him baffled, though not for long. He wanted answers, and this morning he intended to get them.
“ Coffee?”
“ Is that what you brought me out here for?” she asked, getting to her feet and offering him her hand.
He took it, not because he needed her help to stand up, but because he liked touching her. Addiction. That’s what this was. There was no other way to describe what he felt and what was happening to him now.
He should be running the other way instead of chasing her. She’d already shown him…that she was human and complex. He didn’t have it in him to keep the anger that had motivated him before. He was happy he’d found her, and he understood fear better than most and how it could make someone act.
“ Yes and no. I also have muffins.”
“ Oh, muffins--why didn’t you lead with that? I’m a sucker for a muffin,” she said.
“ I’ll make a note of it.” Superficial conversation and fake smiles. She’d backed off again. Hiding in her tower. Good thing he was used to fighting to get what he wanted.
He patted the back of his jeans as he went to his saddlebag and took out a plaid blanket, Thermos of coffee and a Tupperware container with muffins in it. Risa had already walked over to the tree and had one hand on the upward-swooping branch and was staring out at the empty pasture.
He stood there watching her and feeling the cold seep through his jeans and into his legs. And realized that, despite the questions that had yet to be answered and the future that was still so unsure, he was happy in this moment. And he hadn’t been able to say that for a very long time.
Risa enjoyed the muffin and the coffee that Monty had provided, but she ’d noticed that since he’d saved her bacon when she fell off the horse, he was contemplative. She had no idea what to say. This was different than when they’d first met. He’d been gregarious, always with a quip or a comment. This morning, with the sun slowly peeking over the mountain and the mist dissipating, it felt different.
“ I like this place. It was even worth that horrible horse ride to get out here,” she said. “Is this your property?”
“ No. This is Lane’s. I just bought five acres around the red barn they converted for me. Just enough property to feel like I had my own place.
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