Read Online The Western Dare (Harlequin Heartwarming) by Roz Denny Fox - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Roz Denny Fox
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like tea. And besides, neither of them cared to get chummy.
He knew why he didn’t want to get chummy with her. Obviously she had her reasons, too. That was evident from the way she’d sneaked her data sheet onto the stack the minute his back was turned. The other women had handed him theirs. The only sheet missing was Brittany’s. She’d said she’d bring it by, but maybe she’d been too tired.
Speaking of which—Camp yawned as he emptied his dishwater. Leaving the pans to air-dry, he carefully doused the coals. Plunged into darkness, he stood a moment to let his eyes adjust. Gradually he realized that Emily’s was the only fire left burning. He considered telling her he was turning in, then decided against it. She must know it’d be pitch-black once she put hers out. Camp hoped she didn’t break her fool neck groping her way into her wagon.
He had his shirt unbuttoned and one leg hiked up over the feed trough that hung on the rear of his wagon—when he suddenly froze and gave thanks for Emily’s fire. Now he knew why Brittany hadn’t brought him her information sheet. She was in his wagon—her blond hair fluffed out over bare shoulders.
Bare! Camp scrambled out as fast and as quietly as he could. Fear left a dark taste in his mouth. Where was his sister? Did she know what Brittany was doing?
No. Sherry wanted the women to show him up. But she’d never be party to anything so damaging.
Unless he wanted to ruin Brittany’s reputation, he couldn’t roust anyone who was sleeping. That left him one option—to throw himself on the mercy of Emily Benton. He tiptoed between the wagons, almost afraid to breathe. Stopping near the front of her wagon, he whispered as loudly as he dared, “Mrs. Benton...Emily.”
She jumped up, slopping tea over the rim of her cup. “I thought you’d gone to bed. Why are you prowling around in the dark?”
“Shh.” He held a finger to his lips as he cast furtive glances over his shoulder. “I have a problem. I need your help.”
He looked so genuinely flustered, Emily found herself agreeing before she’d heard him out. By the time he’d finished his story, anger gripped her chest. “Of all the spineless...weak willed...why didn’t you just tell her to leave?”
Her unexpected fury rocked Camp. Before he could gather his wits, she launched a second verbal attack.
“My husband didn’t have a backbone, either. He got himself into jams all the time, only with married women.” Her voice shook. “He said if I didn’t provide him with alibis, he’d divorce me and his folks would see he got custody of the kids.” She hauled in a deep breath. “I feel sorry for Brittany, so I’ll help—this once. But hereafter, Campbell, stay away from me.” She slammed her cup down and hurried past him.
Camp latched on to her arm. “I don’t need an alibi.” He spun her around. “Believe it or not, I’m concerned about Brittany’s reputation. And her self-esteem. No one at home cares.” Releasing Emily’s arm, he shrugged. “Okay, I admit finding the kid in my wagon threw me a bit. But mainly I thought if you talked to her, she’d be less embarrassed.”
“Oh.” Emily felt like a fool. She was glad of the darkness. What must he think of her after all the things she’d revealed about her marriage?
“Believe me, Emily, I’m open to any suggestion if you have a better one.”
She clasped and unclasped her hands. “I’m...sorry I blew up like that.”
“Not to worry,” he said lightly. “I’ve had students with crushes before. But never to this extent. I shouldn’t have let her come. Hindsight is always 20-20.” He sighed.
“I’ll talk with her, of course. If it were Megan, that’s what I’d want. I, uh, left a couple of flashlights on the log, if you want to take a long walk.”
“Thanks, but no. Once you have her out, assuming she’s decent, I have a few things to say. I certainly don’t want any repeats of tonight.”
Emily handed him a
He knew why he didn’t want to get chummy with her. Obviously she had her reasons, too. That was evident from the way she’d sneaked her data sheet onto the stack the minute his back was turned. The other women had handed him theirs. The only sheet missing was Brittany’s. She’d said she’d bring it by, but maybe she’d been too tired.
Speaking of which—Camp yawned as he emptied his dishwater. Leaving the pans to air-dry, he carefully doused the coals. Plunged into darkness, he stood a moment to let his eyes adjust. Gradually he realized that Emily’s was the only fire left burning. He considered telling her he was turning in, then decided against it. She must know it’d be pitch-black once she put hers out. Camp hoped she didn’t break her fool neck groping her way into her wagon.
He had his shirt unbuttoned and one leg hiked up over the feed trough that hung on the rear of his wagon—when he suddenly froze and gave thanks for Emily’s fire. Now he knew why Brittany hadn’t brought him her information sheet. She was in his wagon—her blond hair fluffed out over bare shoulders.
Bare! Camp scrambled out as fast and as quietly as he could. Fear left a dark taste in his mouth. Where was his sister? Did she know what Brittany was doing?
No. Sherry wanted the women to show him up. But she’d never be party to anything so damaging.
Unless he wanted to ruin Brittany’s reputation, he couldn’t roust anyone who was sleeping. That left him one option—to throw himself on the mercy of Emily Benton. He tiptoed between the wagons, almost afraid to breathe. Stopping near the front of her wagon, he whispered as loudly as he dared, “Mrs. Benton...Emily.”
She jumped up, slopping tea over the rim of her cup. “I thought you’d gone to bed. Why are you prowling around in the dark?”
“Shh.” He held a finger to his lips as he cast furtive glances over his shoulder. “I have a problem. I need your help.”
He looked so genuinely flustered, Emily found herself agreeing before she’d heard him out. By the time he’d finished his story, anger gripped her chest. “Of all the spineless...weak willed...why didn’t you just tell her to leave?”
Her unexpected fury rocked Camp. Before he could gather his wits, she launched a second verbal attack.
“My husband didn’t have a backbone, either. He got himself into jams all the time, only with married women.” Her voice shook. “He said if I didn’t provide him with alibis, he’d divorce me and his folks would see he got custody of the kids.” She hauled in a deep breath. “I feel sorry for Brittany, so I’ll help—this once. But hereafter, Campbell, stay away from me.” She slammed her cup down and hurried past him.
Camp latched on to her arm. “I don’t need an alibi.” He spun her around. “Believe it or not, I’m concerned about Brittany’s reputation. And her self-esteem. No one at home cares.” Releasing Emily’s arm, he shrugged. “Okay, I admit finding the kid in my wagon threw me a bit. But mainly I thought if you talked to her, she’d be less embarrassed.”
“Oh.” Emily felt like a fool. She was glad of the darkness. What must he think of her after all the things she’d revealed about her marriage?
“Believe me, Emily, I’m open to any suggestion if you have a better one.”
She clasped and unclasped her hands. “I’m...sorry I blew up like that.”
“Not to worry,” he said lightly. “I’ve had students with crushes before. But never to this extent. I shouldn’t have let her come. Hindsight is always 20-20.” He sighed.
“I’ll talk with her, of course. If it were Megan, that’s what I’d want. I, uh, left a couple of flashlights on the log, if you want to take a long walk.”
“Thanks, but no. Once you have her out, assuming she’s decent, I have a few things to say. I certainly don’t want any repeats of tonight.”
Emily handed him a
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