Big Sky Family by Charlotte Carter

Author:Charlotte Carter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

The row of spruce trees bordering the highway back to the ranch leaned to the west, victims of the frequent winds that blew through the area, stunting their growth, twisting their limbs. Making them less than perfect.

It was just as well Daniel had decided to drive the van back to the ranch after the race. Arnie figured even with power steering, he wouldn’t have been able to get out of the parking lot.

He could barely hold on to the trophy he’d won for second place, the figure of a wheelchair racer on the top.

His arms had as much strength left in them as a gym towel that had been dropped in the deep end of the pool. Exertion had drained his energy. He’d downed three bottles of water to rehydrate. During the race, he had expended every ounce of strength he had, yet he was still on an adrenaline high.

From Ellie’s kiss.

“You ran quite a race, bro,” Daniel said.

“I had a good coach. I should’ve done better.” During the final quarter mile he’d heard Ellie’s voice above all the other screaming fans. He’d wanted to slow down. His energy depleted, he hadn’t wanted to push any harder. Finishing in third place wouldn’t be so bad, he had told his weary body.

But he couldn’t do that. Not with Ellie’s voice in his head, urging him to go faster, push harder. Win. Because of Ellie, he had come so close.

How had she known he had more left in him when he hadn’t known it himself? When he’d been ready to quit trying.

An errant thought popped into his head. Had he given up on Ellie too soon? When he’d gotten out of rehab, why hadn’t he gone after her?

The answer came to him like a sucker punch to his chin. Because you were too afraid she’d say no. Better to blame her than discover what he feared the most, that she couldn’t love a cripple.

“That was quite a congratulatory kiss you got from Ellie,” Daniel said. “Looked like you were both into it.”

“Yeah. Felt like it, too,” he admitted. He’d been hungry for that kiss since she’d come back to town. Yearning to feel the old fire ignite between them.

Yet it had been more than before. Better than before.

How could he not want to kiss her again?

He didn’t dare. The kiss had changed nothing.

He was still too afraid to find out the truth. To test the limits of how she felt about him.

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