The Manning Sisters Read Free Page B

It was the largest she’d ever seen, but that wasn’t saying much. She knew next to nothing about barns, although this one seemed enormous. The house was sizable, as well. Four gables stood out against the roof of the huge white structure, and the windows were framed by bright red shutters.
    Taylor climbed out of the truck on the driver’s side after Russ, not wanting to be trapped inside while he walked around to remove the passenger door. It took her a minute to steady her legs.
    Mandy bolted ahead of them. She raced up the back steps that led into the kitchen, holding open the door for Taylor. “The stew’s in the Crockpot.”
    Taylor saw that Russ had gone in the opposite direction, toward the barn, probably to see about unloading the contents of the truck bed. Her gaze followed him, and she wondered briefly if the close confines of the truck had affected him the same way they had her. Probably not. He looked a lot more in control of himself than Taylor felt.
    A thin sheen of perspiration moistened her upper lip. What the hell was the matter with her? Groaning silently, Taylor closed her eyes. She knew precisely what was wrong, and she didn’t like it one bit.

Two
    R uss remained silent for most of the meal. He didn’t like this schoolteacher. But he didn’t exactly dislike her, either. She was as pretty as Harry had claimed, and her hair was thick and rich. A couple of times he’d been tempted to lift a strand and let it slip through his fingers, but that would’ve been impossible. And what she did to a pair of jeans ought to be illegal. On the ride to the ranch he’d purposely driven over every pothole he could just because he liked the way her body had moved against his.
    â€œYou’re from Seattle?” Russ asked. He’d been trying to ignore her for most of the meal, not because he wasn’t interested in learning what he could about her, but because—dammit—he was as taken with her as Harry had been.
    Taylor nodded, smiling. “I was born and raised in the shadow of the Space Needle.”
    â€œEver had snow there?”
    â€œSome.”
    The thought of her smooth pale skin exposed to the elements knotted his stomach.
    â€œI understand winters are harsher here than in western Washington,” she said stiffly. “I came prepared.”
    â€œI doubt that you have a clue how severe winters can get in these parts.” Russ had seen too many cases of frostbite to have any illusions.
    It was clear that Taylor resented the way he was talking to her. He didn’t mean to imply that she was stupid, only unaware, and he didn’t want her learning harsh lessons because no one had warned her.
    One quick look told him he’d raised Taylor’s hackles. She seemed to need several minutes to compose her response, then she set her fork next to her plate, placed her elbows on the table and joined her hands. Staring directly at him, she smiled with deceptive warmth and said, “You needn’t worry, Mr. Palmer. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I’ve been doing so for many years. I may be a city girl, but let me assure you, I’m both intelligent and resourceful.”
    â€œDo you know what happens to skin when it’s exposed to temperatures below thirty degrees? How about the symptoms for hypothermia? Would you be able to recognize them in yourself or others?”
    â€œMr. Palmer, please.”
    â€œRuss.” Mandy’s outraged eyes shot from him to Taylor and then back again. “You’re being rude to our guest.”
    Russ mumbled under his breath and resumed eating. Maybe he was overreacting. Perhaps his motives weren’t so lily-white. Perhaps he was more angry with her than concerned about her welfare. She’d certainly done enough to upset him in the past few hours. Taking Mandy’s side on that makeup issue had bothered him, but that hardly mattered after the way