A Cowboy's Woman Read Free

else already in it!”
    Lilah flushed and, sweeping a hand through her silvery-blond bob, began to pace. “Your being here together like this was an accident,” the petite sixty-two-year-old woman with the bright-blue eyes swore. “I didn’t find your message on the machine until well after we had started playing bridge. As soon as we realized what had happened, we rushed right over to straighten things out.”
    Shane’s lips clamped together in a skeptical moue. “And brought the whole bridge club with you to bear witness?”
    Tillie Wilson’s thin rail-like figure was as tense as could be. “We thought it might be cute to see the two of you together,” Tillie grumbled. She shook her head. “Little did we know.”
    Greta remained silent while Shane studied his mother, then Tillie, both of whom were now blushing fiercely. “Why don’t I believe you?” he asked finally.
    â€œOkay, so we realized a few hours ago that there was
a mix-up,” Tillie admitted, patting her light brown, bouffant hairdo.
    â€œAnd we were hoping a little spark might have occurred to get the two of you interested in possibly dating each other,” Lilah McCabe continued, shaking an admonishing finger at her son. “But you cannot blame us for this, Shane McCabe! We certainly didn’t expect the two of you to burst into flames!”
    Â 
    WASN’T THAT THE UNDERSTATEMENT of the year? Greta thought. Their short but potent embrace was like spontaneous combustion and then some. She was still tingling. And all they’d done was share one hot, steamy kiss. She didn’t want to think what it might be like to be in this bed with Shane when they weren’t proving a point or staging lovemaking.
    Lilah continued shaking her head at her youngest son. “I just do not understand how you could take advantage of Greta like this, Shane,” she scolded him. “Your father and I taught you better.”
    â€œOh, for Pete’s sake, Ma. Nothing of any consequence happened. It was just a kiss. We were putting you on to pay you back. It was a little joke. That’s all.”
    Maybe for him, Greta thought even more uncomfortably. For her it had been much more. For her it had been an awakening, a taste of how wonderful true physical passion could be.
    Lilah began to pace, looking more like a worried mother than the capable nurse supervisor of Laramie Community Hospital. “Some joke! You have ruined Greta’s reputation.”
    Greta felt Shane tense beside her.
    Lilah continued, becoming more furious, “This won’t hurt you, of course. There’s nothing left of your reputation
around here after your wild, misspent youth. And in any case, incidents like this tend to only enhance a man’s reputation. But a woman’s? Like it or not there is still a considerable double standard in this world.”
    Tillie nodded and poked an accusing finger at Shane. “Till now, our Greta’s always had a stellar reputation!” Tillie stomped closer to the bed and glared at Shane. “At least until you came along. Now look what you’ve done!”
    Looking truly taken aback, Shane turned to Greta. Clearly, the dual lecture had gotten him where it hurt. “I’ll make it right,” he assured her bluntly, apology in his silver-gray eyes.
    â€œHow?” Greta’s mother interrupted. “My word, with the bridge club here, it’s going to be all over town by tomorrow morning!”
    Lilah turned to Tillie. Shane’s mother looked as exhausted and emotionally wrung out as Greta’d felt when she’d entered the Golden Slipper ranch house earlier in the evening. “Come along, dear.” Lilah McCabe patted Tillie Wilson’s arm. “I’ll drive you home.” To Greta Lilah said, “I am so sorry for all of this.” And to Shane, “Your father and I want to see you at the ranch first thing tomorrow