Braced for Love by Mary Connealy

Author:Mary Connealy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction;Mystery fiction;Western stories;Love stories;FIC042110;FIC042030;FIC027100
ISBN: 9781493430123
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2021-01-19T00:00:00+00:00

Thinking of the Sidewinder riding off and finding a new family made Win say out loud what was on her mind. When she’d rather not speak of it ever.

“We need to talk about something, Kevin.” She might’ve dozed off a few times during the night, but the pain had mostly kept her awake, giving her plenty of time to think.

He quit looking over at the mountain peaks and rode closer, setting his pace to match hers. “About what?”

His eyes flashed with something warm, and she thought he knew what.

“We’ve had a couple of moments of . . . closeness.”

Kevin watched her, intent on every expression on her face. He seemed to be looking for signs of pain and any meaning he could glean from her words.

When she didn’t say more, stubbornly waiting for him to take part in this talk, he finally said, “Go on.”

Not all that much help.

“And it’s not going to happen again. I’m a single woman of marrying age who happens to be the sole heiress to a vast Wyoming cattle ranch.”

Kevin jerked back as if she’d slapped him.

Win was determined to finish before he started defending himself. “I’ve seen how that brings the men running. It happened to Cheyenne’s ma, it has happened to Cheyenne, and it’s happened to me.”

“You think I—I am pretending an interest in you to get your ranch?”

Win didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to think.

“You did hear me tell Wyatt I wasn’t going to claim but a few acres of the RHR, didn’t you? And I suggested we give Falcon’s third of the ranch to Cheyenne.”

“I heard.”

“Well, I’ve already got a ranch gained through thievery. If I’m the kind of low-down varmint who’d marry a woman to get her land, why wouldn’t I just hold on to the land I already have?”

Why not indeed?

“I’m just telling you”—she reached across from her horse to his and clamped a hand on his wrist. Stretching hurt, but she wanted him to understand her point—“we don’t know each other. We met yesterday for heaven’s sake. You almost . . . we almost . . . well . . .” She cleared her throat to give herself time to think before she went on. “As I said, we shared a close . . . moment or two. Two strangers.”

“I’ve been feeling like we’re getting to know each other, Win.” Kevin pulled his arm away, and she realized she was sinking her nails through his sleeve into his skin. He got loose and tilted his hat back to scratch his head, looking forward down the trail instead of at her. She missed his gaze.

“But you’re right. My life is in an upheaval. I’ve got a family to think of. I’m too late this year to plant any crops, so I’ve got to figure out how to feed my family for the winter.”

He turned toward her, and she saw the weight he took on his shoulders. He accepted it and didn’t shirk. “But Win,” he said, “you’re the most likeable person I’ve met out here.

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