Read Online Under the Open Sky (Montana Heritage Series) by Michelle Maness - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michelle Maness
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turned to move away. Amanda grinned and turned to throw herself across her bed and reclaimed the book she had discarded earlier when the fighting had started.
Amanda woke, slightly disoriented as to what had woken her, only to hear her brother’s truck door slam a moment later. Trent was home. Amanda scooted into a sitting position and glanced at her bed side clock. It was nearly three in the morning. With a shake of her head, she placed her book on the nightstand and stood to dress. The last thing she had remembered she was reading. Amanda heard her brother’s bed room door ease shut and breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently her father was already asleep. Amanda slipped her gown on and turned back her covers before climbing into the bed and turning her lamp off. She laced her fingers behind her head and stared at the ceiling.
Allowing herself to admire Cade would only land them both in trouble, she acknowledged to herself. Not admiring him when their paths so often crossed proved quite difficult, however. Her brother had invited her along on many of their outings into town and usually was in Cade’s company when he was at work on the ranch. Trent had even taken to inviting Cade to have dinner with the family. He was too old for her, at least at this point. She figured it was a crush she would outgrow, it only seemed reasonable considering how little experience she had with the opposite sex. Of course the older, slightly dangerous man had caught her attention; she was human. Amanda rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.
A moment later they snapped open as chills ran down her spine. She sat up, her gaze on the window. Another long, melancholy howl lifted onto the night breeze and filtered into her window. Amanda stood and moved to the window. An answering howl sounded from another direction and Amanda removed her screen to sit on the porch roof, her knees drawn to her chest and arms wrapped around her knees. The wolves were creating a symphony now, calling and answering each other in the night’s stillness. In the corrals by the barn, the horses were snorting and calling in distress; below, Big Boy whined deep in his throat.
Amanda heard the front door open and the screen door snap shut below her and knew that her father was on the porch. He would be concerned for the livestock, she knew. The screen slapped shut again and her father’s voice floated up from somewhere in the hall below. She tracked his process back to his room and then a few minutes later back out onto the porch and then watched as he appeared in the yard, rifle in hand. He seemed to be waiting, her brother moving to stand beside him, and a few minutes later Amanda watched several of the hands join them in the yard.
The men’s voices rumbled below her but their words were indistinct. Her father was pointing and several of the men were nodding. A few moments later the men were clearing out of the yard, her brother and Cade hanging back a moment, apparently in conversation. The wolves’ calls seemed to be coming from every direction now, some coming closer and closer to the house and barn. Amanda watched as Cade glanced up and then did a double take; he grinned and offered her a nod. Amanda smiled and raised a hand in greeting. Trenton looked up and glowered at her.
“Get in the house, Mandy; there are wolves out in case you missed the racket.
“They can climb porch posts can they?” she called back in defiance.
“Get in the house!” he reiterated.
Staying where she was, Amanda rolled her eyes and ignored him. Unless wolves had somehow mastered the art of climbing she figured she was perfectly safe where she was. Her brother finally turned and stormed off; Cade followed
Amanda woke, slightly disoriented as to what had woken her, only to hear her brother’s truck door slam a moment later. Trent was home. Amanda scooted into a sitting position and glanced at her bed side clock. It was nearly three in the morning. With a shake of her head, she placed her book on the nightstand and stood to dress. The last thing she had remembered she was reading. Amanda heard her brother’s bed room door ease shut and breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently her father was already asleep. Amanda slipped her gown on and turned back her covers before climbing into the bed and turning her lamp off. She laced her fingers behind her head and stared at the ceiling.
Allowing herself to admire Cade would only land them both in trouble, she acknowledged to herself. Not admiring him when their paths so often crossed proved quite difficult, however. Her brother had invited her along on many of their outings into town and usually was in Cade’s company when he was at work on the ranch. Trent had even taken to inviting Cade to have dinner with the family. He was too old for her, at least at this point. She figured it was a crush she would outgrow, it only seemed reasonable considering how little experience she had with the opposite sex. Of course the older, slightly dangerous man had caught her attention; she was human. Amanda rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.
A moment later they snapped open as chills ran down her spine. She sat up, her gaze on the window. Another long, melancholy howl lifted onto the night breeze and filtered into her window. Amanda stood and moved to the window. An answering howl sounded from another direction and Amanda removed her screen to sit on the porch roof, her knees drawn to her chest and arms wrapped around her knees. The wolves were creating a symphony now, calling and answering each other in the night’s stillness. In the corrals by the barn, the horses were snorting and calling in distress; below, Big Boy whined deep in his throat.
Amanda heard the front door open and the screen door snap shut below her and knew that her father was on the porch. He would be concerned for the livestock, she knew. The screen slapped shut again and her father’s voice floated up from somewhere in the hall below. She tracked his process back to his room and then a few minutes later back out onto the porch and then watched as he appeared in the yard, rifle in hand. He seemed to be waiting, her brother moving to stand beside him, and a few minutes later Amanda watched several of the hands join them in the yard.
The men’s voices rumbled below her but their words were indistinct. Her father was pointing and several of the men were nodding. A few moments later the men were clearing out of the yard, her brother and Cade hanging back a moment, apparently in conversation. The wolves’ calls seemed to be coming from every direction now, some coming closer and closer to the house and barn. Amanda watched as Cade glanced up and then did a double take; he grinned and offered her a nod. Amanda smiled and raised a hand in greeting. Trenton looked up and glowered at her.
“Get in the house, Mandy; there are wolves out in case you missed the racket.
“They can climb porch posts can they?” she called back in defiance.
“Get in the house!” he reiterated.
Staying where she was, Amanda rolled her eyes and ignored him. Unless wolves had somehow mastered the art of climbing she figured she was perfectly safe where she was. Her brother finally turned and stormed off; Cade followed
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