Read Online Whispers of the Heart by Barbara Woster - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Woster
Ads: Link
fence posts and a cowhand passing by.”
“I didn’t hear him complain none,” Dalian laughed.
“No, he didn’t,” Kat said, color seeping into her cheeks. “He did very kindly point out the direction of my wooden cow and brazenly suggested I might have a directional disorder.”
“Oh, did he now?”
“Excuse me, Dalian,” Chloe called from across the corral, “I’m not sure exactly how this goes. Could you show me again, please?”
Dalian sighed loudly, “You may have a directional disability, but at least you haven’t a learning disability. Excuse me, please.”
“Certainly,” Kat laughed, eyeing Chloe with a bemused shake of her head. Gone was the shrewd woman she’d met the day of their arrival, and in her stead was a reticent woman who sincerely appeared to be lacking much mass between the ears. She shook her head again and then refocused on the four-legged wood bovine standing a few feet in front of her. “I’m just as determined to rope you,” she said softly to her target, “as Chloe is to rope Mr. Dalian Rivers.” She twirled the stiff loop in a circle over her head as she’d been instructed. The rope drooped, and Kat sighed. She found this activity fascinating, but would find it more so, if the rope would cooperate with her efforts. She began to twirl it out in front of her again, picking up the momentum. She grinned, feeling as if she was going to get it this time, as the rope and loop remained taut. Slowly, she lifted her quickly tiring arm, until the lasso was spinning rapidly above her head.
“Now concentrate,” A voice whispered near her ear. She squealed and the lasso dropped over her head. Dalian laughed softly. “Now you can add yourself to those items successfully roped today.”
“You, Dalian, are an impish man,” Kat turned and glared in mock displeasure at Dalian, who was gazing innocently in return; a grin on his lips that he tried desperately to control.
“What? All I did was offer a suggestion that might possibly help you overcome your handicap .”
“Sneaking up on me and breaking my concentration is helpful?” Kat said. “All you managed to do was startle the tar out of me.” She pulled at the lasso, but instead of coming up over her head, it tightened slightly and she sighed, suddenly frustrated – at the man, the rope, and her ineptness.
“Would you like some assistance?” Dalian grinned.
“Are you going to tell me to concentrate again? Because by my estimation, your prior assistance is what got me all tangled to begin with.”
“Uh, Dalian?” Chloe called from her side of the corral again. Dalian turned and snorted. Kat followed his gaze and couldn’t stop the laughter that escaped.
“It would appear that I’m not the only one who’s managed to get entangled.”
“Yes, but you didn’t do it on purpose.” Dalian swallowed his exasperation. “It’s a good thing our male guests have a propensity for roping or they might think they aren’t getting their money’s worth of my time.”
“I hardly doubt that they are going to take offense at the consideration you are showing to a woman who obviously requires quite a bit of your attention.”
“Careful. You’re sounding just a tiny bit jealous.”
“Hardly, Dalian. I’m merely observing that your male guests are probably envious. I’d wager that each was wishing he was in your boots and Chloe were calling out his name.”
“If even one speaks up, I’ll gladly turn over my size twelves. Anything to get that woman’s focus off of me.”
“Ever run across a Pit Bull with a purpose, Dalian?”
“Yeah. That one makes the second,” he grinned, nodding toward Chloe.
Kat laughed, “Then you know to watch out for her powerful jaws. She gets ‘em latched onto you...”
“Dear Lord above, don’t even say it. Here, let me get that lasso from around you so that I can go assist Miss Harper. I’m fairly certain that you are in far more genuine need than her.” Dalian reached for
“I didn’t hear him complain none,” Dalian laughed.
“No, he didn’t,” Kat said, color seeping into her cheeks. “He did very kindly point out the direction of my wooden cow and brazenly suggested I might have a directional disorder.”
“Oh, did he now?”
“Excuse me, Dalian,” Chloe called from across the corral, “I’m not sure exactly how this goes. Could you show me again, please?”
Dalian sighed loudly, “You may have a directional disability, but at least you haven’t a learning disability. Excuse me, please.”
“Certainly,” Kat laughed, eyeing Chloe with a bemused shake of her head. Gone was the shrewd woman she’d met the day of their arrival, and in her stead was a reticent woman who sincerely appeared to be lacking much mass between the ears. She shook her head again and then refocused on the four-legged wood bovine standing a few feet in front of her. “I’m just as determined to rope you,” she said softly to her target, “as Chloe is to rope Mr. Dalian Rivers.” She twirled the stiff loop in a circle over her head as she’d been instructed. The rope drooped, and Kat sighed. She found this activity fascinating, but would find it more so, if the rope would cooperate with her efforts. She began to twirl it out in front of her again, picking up the momentum. She grinned, feeling as if she was going to get it this time, as the rope and loop remained taut. Slowly, she lifted her quickly tiring arm, until the lasso was spinning rapidly above her head.
“Now concentrate,” A voice whispered near her ear. She squealed and the lasso dropped over her head. Dalian laughed softly. “Now you can add yourself to those items successfully roped today.”
“You, Dalian, are an impish man,” Kat turned and glared in mock displeasure at Dalian, who was gazing innocently in return; a grin on his lips that he tried desperately to control.
“What? All I did was offer a suggestion that might possibly help you overcome your handicap .”
“Sneaking up on me and breaking my concentration is helpful?” Kat said. “All you managed to do was startle the tar out of me.” She pulled at the lasso, but instead of coming up over her head, it tightened slightly and she sighed, suddenly frustrated – at the man, the rope, and her ineptness.
“Would you like some assistance?” Dalian grinned.
“Are you going to tell me to concentrate again? Because by my estimation, your prior assistance is what got me all tangled to begin with.”
“Uh, Dalian?” Chloe called from her side of the corral again. Dalian turned and snorted. Kat followed his gaze and couldn’t stop the laughter that escaped.
“It would appear that I’m not the only one who’s managed to get entangled.”
“Yes, but you didn’t do it on purpose.” Dalian swallowed his exasperation. “It’s a good thing our male guests have a propensity for roping or they might think they aren’t getting their money’s worth of my time.”
“I hardly doubt that they are going to take offense at the consideration you are showing to a woman who obviously requires quite a bit of your attention.”
“Careful. You’re sounding just a tiny bit jealous.”
“Hardly, Dalian. I’m merely observing that your male guests are probably envious. I’d wager that each was wishing he was in your boots and Chloe were calling out his name.”
“If even one speaks up, I’ll gladly turn over my size twelves. Anything to get that woman’s focus off of me.”
“Ever run across a Pit Bull with a purpose, Dalian?”
“Yeah. That one makes the second,” he grinned, nodding toward Chloe.
Kat laughed, “Then you know to watch out for her powerful jaws. She gets ‘em latched onto you...”
“Dear Lord above, don’t even say it. Here, let me get that lasso from around you so that I can go assist Miss Harper. I’m fairly certain that you are in far more genuine need than her.” Dalian reached for
Similar Books
