The Proposal & Solid Soul Read Free

take. She’d always wanted to own a horse and now she had several of them.
    As the rider came closer she felt a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach when she recognized him. Jason Westmoreland. She definitely remembered him from the night of the charity ball, and one of the things she remembered the most was his warm smile. She had often wondered if he’d been as ruggedly handsome as she recalled. The closer the rider got she realized he was.
    And she had to admit that in the three times she’d been to Denver, he was the closest thing to a modern-day cowboy she had seen. Even now he was riding his horse with an expertise and masculinity that had her heart pounding with every step the horse took. His gaze was steady on her and she couldn’t help but stare back. Heat crawled up her spine and waves of sensuous sensations swept through her system. She could feel goose bumps form on her skin. He was definitely the first and only man she’d ever been this attracted to.
    She couldn’t help wondering why he was paying her a visit. He had expressed interest in her land and in Hercules when she’d met him that night at the charity ball. Was he here to convince her she’d made a mistake in moving here like her parents and uncle had done? Would he try to talk her into selling the land and horse to him? If that was the case then she had the same news for him she’d had for the others. She was staying put and Hercules would remain hers until she decided otherwise.
    He brought his horse to a stop at the foot of the porch near a hitching post. “Hello, Bella.”
    “Jason.” She gazed up into the dark brown eyesstaring at her and could swear she felt heat radiating from them. The texture of his voice tingled against her skin just as it had that night. “Is there a reason for your visit?”
    A smile curved his lips. “I understand you’ve decided to try your hand at ranching.”
    She lifted her chin, knowing what was coming next. “That’s right. Do you have a problem with it?”
    “No, I don’t have a problem with it,” he said smoothly. “The decision was yours to make. However, I’m sure you know things won’t be easy for you.”
    “Yes, I’m very much aware they won’t be. Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
    “Yes. We’re neighbors and if you ever need my help in any way just let me know.”
    She blinked. Had he actually offered his help? There had to be a catch and quickly figured what it was. “Is the reason you’re being nice that you still want to buy Hercules? If so, you might as well know I haven’t made a decision about him yet.”
    His smile faded and the look on his face suddenly became intense. “The reason I’m being nice is that I think of myself as a nice person. And as far as Hercules is concerned, yes, I still want to buy him, but that has nothing to do with my offering my help to you as your neighbor.”
    She knew she had offended him and immediately regretted it. She normally wasn’t this mistrusting of people, but owning the ranch was a touchy subject with her because so many people were against it. He had wanted the land and Hercules but had accepted her decision and was even offering his help when her own uncle hadn’t. Instead of taking it at face value, she’dquestioned it. “Maybe I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”
    “Yes, maybe you shouldn’t have.”
    Every cell in her body started to quiver under the intensity of his gaze. At that moment she knew his offer had been sincere. She wasn’t sure how she knew; she just did. “I stand corrected. I apologize,” she said. “Apology accepted.”
    “Thank you.” And because she wanted to get back on good footing with him she asked, “How have you been, Jason?”
    His features relaxed when he said, “Can’t complain.” He tilted his Stetson back from his eyes before dismounting from the huge horse as if it was the easiest of things to do.
    And neither can I complain, she thought, watching him come