License to Love Read Free

and his cool eyes lightened for a second before his hard look
returned.
    He pulled her coat from the closet and handed it to her. “So
if I stare at you all day, you’ll leave?”
    “Fat chance,” she said before she slipped her coat on.
    “Did you bring any bags with you?” he asked and actually
looked away from her to open the front door.
    “A suitcase.”
    “Well, I’ll show you to Ben’s. I guess it’s yours now.”
     
    * * * *
    Maybe today will be better. Brent grabbed his suede
jacket and headed out into the morning mist. The fog blocked his view of Ben’s
house farther down the road, but he still looked in that direction as he pictured
Missy. Obviously Nez Perce like her brother, she had reddish-cocoa skin and
exotic brown eyes. Did she ever use them to seduce men?
    More importantly, did she care about her dead brother? Care
that she came here and replaced him?
    What would a sweet little city slicker do out here without
her morning espresso? She didn’t exactly talk like someone from the city, but
she dressed like one. He only knew she was from east of here.
    He stalked down to the horse stables, but froze mid-step at
the entrance. His Appaloosa gelding, Jeffrey, nuzzled Missy’s hand.
    Thoughts of that darn woman had kept him up half the night,
but she looked rested. What was she doing here so early?
    Her face wasn’t guarded. He hadn’t realized just how snobby
she’d looked the day before in her nice clothes, but now she smiled at Jeffrey.
Her hair hung down her back like a black, shiny mane. It’d been up yesterday,
so he hadn’t guessed it was so long.
    Nick was wrong. She was here to take over the stables,
starting with his own damn horse.
    The traitor horse reacted to Missy just like he had to Ben,
maybe because she seemed to have the same natural ease. The two of them made a
nice picture, for sure. That long body of hers would look great riding on a
horse.
    She must have listened to his suggestion that she go into
town and buy some work clothes. Now in jeans, insulated boots, and a thick,
winter coat, she looked like she could belong. On her own ranch, that was.
    Wasn’t it his luck that she was so hot? He loved long hair,
and she had plenty. And huge brown eyes in an oval face. Lips that just begged
for a kiss. Darn it, he didn’t need to waste his time with fantasies.
    She saw him and stepped back from the horse.
    “Morning,” he said as he rested a hand on the stall. “I see
you and my horse are on good terms.”
    “What’s his name?” Her gaze rested on the horse, then Brent,
and then the horse again. A teasing smile slipped onto her face.
    “His name’s Jeffrey. And what’s so funny?” He caught himself
right before he returned that enticing smile.
    “They say pets and their owners start to look alike. Jeffrey
has your long face.”
    One corner of her mouth tilted up before she bit her lip to
stop the smile. He saw her white teeth nibble on her lower lip and thought of
doing the same. Whoa!
    “So does Dancer remind you of Ben?” he asked, tilting his
head to the black stallion that watched her.
    Missy looked back at the wild-looking thing. “I don’t know.”
    Yeah, he had her there. Funny thing was, he felt bad that
he'd made her face go all sad. “So, you ready?”
    She nodded, though she couldn’t know what she agreed to.
    “Great, truck’s outside,” he said and noticed how quiet she
was. He waited until she slid in and buckled up to start the engine. Her
lavender scent smelled strange mixed with the truck’s normal leather smell. She
watched out the window as they drove through the ranch. After several quiet
minutes, he asked, “Not a morning person?”
    She shrugged. He almost missed it because he was watching
the road.
    “Missy?” That made her turn her face his way.
    “Sorry, I’ve got so many things on my mind,” she said, still
not focused on him.
    “Second thoughts about being here or worries about the life
waiting for you?” He made sure to keep