Big Sky Homecoming by Linda Ford

Author:Linda Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“I win.” Duke sat back and grinned at Rose.

She had meant to beat him at the game but her thoughts hadn’t been on checkers.

How could she concentrate with Duke sitting across from her, his blue eyes bright as a summer sky as he talked about Angus and how he got nicknamed Duke? A cute little story. Then at her suggestion that Angus had been dismissed to get someone who would harass the Bells, Duke’s eyes had grown dark and stormy. She knew she wasn’t mistaken in thinking he found the idea loathsome, but it wasn’t as if he didn’t know about the feud. Everyone did. She couldn’t imagine what he objected to unless... A pleasing idea came and stayed. Unless he truly did find the feud unnecessary and wrong. Had he tried to end it as he said? Did his father truly ask the cowboys to cease harassing the Bells?

Oh, if only that could be so.

Not that it would make the impossible differences between her and Duke disappear. Besides, she’d seen no evidence the feud had ended. She’d seen Ebner watching the farm and that did not bode well for the Bells.

No, she’d not believe anything but the facts.

She brought her focus back to the game. “Best two out of three?”

At his nod, she set up the game again.

He made the first move then leaned back. “Do you remember that time at the church picnic when we got paired up in a three-legged race?”

She stared at him as the memory blared through her thoughts. Her cheeks warmed. “You complained my legs were too short and we couldn’t possibly win a race because of it.” He’d scowled fiercely at her as if it was her fault she was much shorter than he. Why would he bring it up? Did he mean to remind her of the friction between them?

He chuckled. “I figured there had to be a way to compensate so we could win the race.”

She ducked her head and moved a checker with absolutely no thought to strategy. Had his scowl back then meant concentration rather than anger?

He grinned so widely it burned away any resentment the memory carried.

She tried to cling to her feelings. Tried to protect her heart.

“Do you remember what we did?”

She shook her head. It was empty of everything but the way his gaze probed into her thoughts.

“I told you to plant your foot on top of mine as I tied our legs together, then I held you around the waist and practically carried you. We won, remember? Each of us got a very nice peppermint stick as our prize.”

Rose’s face burned. All she remembered was embarrassment and resentment. “You thought it was fun?” she murmured, unable to meet his eyes.

“It was a hoot.” He ducked his head, trying to see her face. “Didn’t you think it fun?”

“I thought you were angry at me.” She could barely push the words from her throat. Thankfully they were only a whisper so no one else in the room could hear them.

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