Rocky Mountain Widow (Historical) by Jillian Hart

Author:Jillian Hart [Hart, Jillian]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Man-woman relationships, General, Romance, Western, Historical, Fiction, Love stories, Divorced women, Widows - Montana, Contemporary, Montana
ISBN: 9780373293650
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2005-08-01T08:47:59+00:00

Almost an hour later, Claire couldn’t help noticing her words to Joshua hadn’t encouraged him to leave. As she wrapped her thickest muffler around her throat, she had a perfect view through the window.

There he was, as somber as the meager snowflakes falling dutifully to the ground. He was hitching up a sleek pinto to the small cart box, which he’d put on runners to make a boxy sleigh. He worked earnestly with his head down, as if impervious to the temperature.

Self-defense is a hard thing, to be forced to kill and to be forced to live with it after. I can’t leave you alone, Claire. His words from earlier this morning haunted her as she watched him straighten and pat the mustang on her flank. The horse trusted him and turned to nuzzle her soft white nose against his gloved hand.

He was not a bad man, not bad at all. And that made it so much more difficult. Because if he was a horrible man, cruel or violent or inappropriate, then she wouldn’t get this warm rush of emotion when she didn’t think she could feel anything through the dark gray fog in her heart.

Then she wouldn’t have this sting of attraction and admiration and bittersweet sadness because she already knew what she felt couldn’t be realized.

True love didn’t exist, not in this world. Perhaps men did not have the heart for it. Heaven knows she was worn through and too weary to love a man again. The trouble was, Joshua Gable made her want to believe.

Oh, yes he did. He’s like a dream, the image of what a man ought to be. The kind of man she had wished for when she was growing up, taking what spare time and pennies she had to embroider pillowcases for her hope chest and wondering what exciting turn her life might take. What man she would end up falling in love with and marrying.

Life had once seemed packed with promises and possibilities. And now…

Now those possibilities were different, she realized as she double-checked the stove’s damper and locked the door carefully behind her. Life was once again hers to make. What became of her future was her choice. Hers to make and hers alone.

Joshua spotted her and gave the mare one last nose rub. “I thought you might want to borrow a horse.”

“What’s wrong with Thor or Loki?” Alarm tickled through her and she knew before he said it. “They were taken along with the cattle, weren’t they?”

“I’ve got my brothers keepin’ an eye out. We think we know who has them.”

Was it her imagination or was Joshua smiling? Actually grinning, showing his dimples and all. “Does that mean you can get them back for me?”

“Fine workhorses like that, a matched team, could sell for as much as five, six hundred dollars. And the thieves can’t take them to the local auctions because someone is bound to recognize them.”

“That was part of the paperwork of Thad’s. I didn’t read it because there’s no way I would sell my horses.

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