Rocky Mountain Wife Read Free

it that long.” He tipped his hat upward, so he could get a good view of the rainy fields. “I can make it worth your while.”
    “Oh? Is that so?” She arched an eyebrow at him. “You have an awfully high opinion of your sexual prowess. Don’t think I haven’t heard
that one
a few times from other men during these last few weeks.”
    “I wasn’t meaning my sexual prowess, ma’am. I was meaning that perhaps we could come to an agreement.” His cheeks heated. “I want to get my hands on more acreage. I’ve done all I can with the forty acres I own. This is prime ranching land and I’d love to own it. I’ve already got my house, so I don’t need this one. Like I said, you can live in your house rent free for as long as you like. No strings attached.”
    “I don’t believe you, Mr. Reed. There are always strings.” She shook her head, scattering raindrops from her rich, honey-blond hair.
    And that’s when he noticed what the pouring rain had done to her. His heart stalled in his chest. Air rushed out of his lungs. Jeez, she was a sight. Her cotton dress clung to her like a second skin, outlining her collarbones and, lower, the swell of her breasts. Wet calico molded to those perfect mounds, offering a tantalizing view of her dark, pebbled nipples.
    He couldn’t stop looking. He tried to blink, honest he did, but his eyes refused to move. How could he blame them? It had been ages since he’d seen anything half as magnificent. Fire spit into his veins, and he took a step back. Lust burned through him, settling into his groin with a deep, rhythmic pulse. His cock jumped.
    He still couldn’t look away.
    “What do you really want, Mr. Reed?”
    “Just the land. It would be a shame to let it go to the bank. They’ll put it up for auction and sell it to the highest bidder.” He backed away, fighting to keep his eyes on her face.
    It was hard to think straight with blood beating thick and hot in his veins. He felt ashamed at the quick, animal attraction he felt for her, for his neighbor’s widow. Judging by the way she scowled at him, she didn’t think much of him at all. Not at all.
    “I’d hate to see that happen to a place as nice as this,” he told her. “Clay put his blood and sweat into this land. He would want it going to someone who’d take good care of it.”
    She opened her mouth as if she had something to say, but no words came out. A rivulet of rain trailed down her cheek, trickled over her soft skin and clung to the upper curve of her lush, full upper lip.
    Don’t even think about kissing her.
He cleared his throat, pulled a thick fold of greenbacks from his right trouser pocket and held it out to her. “Do we have a deal on the horses?”
    “Yes.” Her fingers brushed his as she took hold of the bills. She didn’t react in any way, as if nothing had happened when their skin had touched. She gripped the money so hard, her knuckles turned white. That’s how much she needed the cash.
    He felt sorry for her, but it couldn’t outweigh the desire beating through him in rhythmic, hot bursts. He stalked away before he could lust any more for the woman.
    “Just go ahead and take the horses,” she called out. “And the tack. Thank you, Mr. Reed.”
    He didn’t trust his voice so he raised a hand, heading straight toward the barn. The wind blew cold against him. He shivered, but the heat in his blood remained. His cock quivered every time he thought of her standing there as good as naked in the rain.

 
    Chapter Two
     
    Claire stirred the fire before adding more wood. The heat from the fireplace chased away the chills. She was wet clear through. She shook her head, hung up the iron poker and stepped out of the puddle of water that had dripped off her dress onto the floor. What a mess, but she didn’t feel inclined to wipe it up. It would dry, just like her dress. She hadn’t expected to feel hollow, thinking of all their horses gone. She should be relieved.
    I must be losing my