Stranger at the Crossroads by Gena Dalton

Author:Gena Dalton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2002-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Sitting there together for a long while, saying very little, they watched the horses. The thing that thrilled Jackson’s heart was that Tara got up, all of her own will, and stood for quite a little while. Before she lay down again she drank from her water bucket and quietly munched a little bit of hay. Stranger, however, stayed in his bed, listless.

“Once he gets on the goat’s milk he’ll come right on out of it,” he said, willing Darcy to agree. “He’ll probably eat like crazy.”

“I’m thinking so,” she said.

She was suddenly quiet then, as if she’d meant to say more but she didn’t. Jackson was glad. If it wasn’t good, he didn’t want to hear it.

The atmosphere between them was leavened with unspoken…not contentment, really, considering the sad facts he’d just shared about John, but companionship of some kind. He didn’t want to spoil it.

“I’ll put together some kind of a platform for the nanny goat to stand on,” he said.

But he didn’t move.

“What are your sisters’ names?” she said.

He threw her a sideways glance. That was a fascinating thing about her. He never knew what she’d say next.

“LydaAnn—Lyda, not Lydia—and Delia. They’re named for our grandmothers.”

“Which one lived here?”

“Delia. Lyda was on the Reata, three ranches to the west.”

“That’s where Bobbie Ann grew up?”

“Right.”

“I’m trying to imagine Bobbie Ann as a girl,” Darcy said. “It’s no trouble at all. There would’ve been tons of mischief in her eyes.”

Jackson chuckled. “No question.”

“Her eyes are the very same color as yours,” she said.

A little thrill shot through him, and he threw her a quick look.

“I didn’t know you ever noticed my blue eyes,” he said, teasing her, inviting her to say more.

“Oh, no,” she said, with big-eyed innocence, “of course not. I’m fairly sure no woman has ever told you what a marvelous color they are.”

He laughed back at her, but he had a sudden, serious desire to grab her and kiss her. She was sitting entirely too close to him, and the whole idea was entirely too tempting.

There would be some real trouble if he started something like that.

Or, worse, if he tried and she pushed him away.

He got to his feet.

“Ol’ Terry’ll be along in a minute,” he said. “He was already hooked up when I called.”

Darcy nodded and crossed her arms behind her head, leaned against the wall.

“I’d get up and help you,” she said, “but since that’d probably put another burr under your saddle, I’ll guess I’ll just grab a little nap.”

He stared at her, surprised. Then he pretended to be shocked, truly amazed.

She laughed out loud.

“Get up from there,” he growled. “Earn your keep.”

But it pleased him. He wasn’t accustomed to teasing about his touchy temper and ungrateful attitude. Well, at least not from anyone but his mother.

He tried to pierce her thoughts with his sharpest gaze. But she saw the glint of humor he couldn’t hide.

They had to stop this playing with each other. It could lead to much more dangerous fun.

From the corner of his eye he saw her get up as he turned to go outside.

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