Best Laid Plans by Elaine Raco Chase

Author:Elaine Raco Chase [Chase, Elaine Raco]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Amazon: B009FEDS1A
Publisher: Elaine Raco Chase
Published: 2012-09-20T21:00:00+00:00

They met again, four hours later. Two tired, sweat-drenched bodies stumbled into the kitchen in search of a cool drink.

Lucas twisted off a cap and handed Amanda a cold beer. "Here. This is the only thing that will take the taste of paint out of your mouth."

She readily accepted, greedily letting the cold, somewhat bitter malt quench her thirst. "I'm done. Your room is a masterpiece." Amanda rubbed the perspiration-drenched bottle against her throat and around the back of her neck. I put a coat of Minwax on the baseboards; that natural wood grain trim was too beautiful to cover."

He leaned against the refrigerator, tossing his twist-off cap toward the sink. "Well, the yard is mowed and trimmed, the stalls have been cleaned and the car and truck washed."

Amanda watched his Adam's apple bob up and down as he drank. "Does this mean we're both finished for the day?" At Lucas' affirmative nod, she exhaled in relief. "My energy is in great need of revitalization."

"Hmm." His dark eyes appraised the paint-spattered copper curls that were crowned with a red bandanna rolled into a sweatband. "Do you have enough energy to pack something for lunch while I saddle the horses? We can head down to the pond and cool off with a swim."

"I did make some fried chicken early this morning and a potato salad. It was supposed to be dinner, but. . ." Amanda rubbed her hands together. "Why don't we have dinner now and eat lunch tonight. As far as a bathing suit goes …" she examined spangled legs and arms, "I'd have to shower and change." Her lips compressed together. "Lucas, I'm jumping in as is!"

Food and drink were packed in two ice-filled canvas carry-alls and slung across the saddles. After being confined in the barn during the inclement weather, the horses were eager for an adventurous outing. Buttercup and Maisy snorted and pranced in delighted appreciation across the rolling pasture to the pond.

"Come on in, the water's perfect!" Lucas called. He waved, then proceeded to dive like a seal into the clear depths.

Amanda brushed another tuft of fuzzy cotton seeds off the picnic blanket, carefully anchoring the material with four good-size rocks. "A woman's work is never done," she muttered, righting his boots and neatly folding the sweat shirt Lucas had discarded before he had swung his jean-clad body Tarzan-style into the pond.

"Mandy, aren't you coming in?"

"Ready or not. . ." Amanda double-checked her pockets for anything dissolvable. Not to be outdone by Lucas' athletic prowess, she too decided to make a dramatic entrance into the water. "Here I come!"

Gripping the thick sisal rope that looped over a strong cottonwood branch, Amanda ran back, lifted her feet off the ground and was propelled up and over the middle of the pond. A few seconds of giddy vertigo were instantly corrected by a sober dunking into the frigid water. "Lucas!" She screamed his name, shaking the water from her face and hair.

"What?" His innocent face was blinked into focus.

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