Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
RAEANNE THAYNE 171 and refuse to go with him. The mood he was in, he almost wanted her to, just so he could vent some of the raging emotions inside him by the physical act of hauling her to his SUV. He turned off his engine and sat for a moment trying to let the soft beauty of the Luna seep through his turmoil to calm him. The ranch was lovely in the gathering twilight, with its breathtaking view of the Tetons’ west edge, the stately row of cottonwoods lining the creek, those unique silver-gray cattle quietly grazing in the fields. It was a perfect evening for what was in store, he thought as he climbed out, unseasonably mild for late April with the lush smell of growth and life in the air. Hoping his exhaustion didn’t show in his eyes, he climbed the stairs and rang the doorbell. He could hear her slow steps approaching the door, and a moment later it swung open. In an instant the breath seemed to leave his chest in a rush. She wore a loose, flowing pair of pants and a gauzy white shirt that made her dusky skin look sultry and exotic. Her hair was a mass of soft curls that instantly made him want to bury his face in them, and she wore several bangle bracelets and long, dangly earrings. It was the first time in recent memory he’d seen her dressed as a girly-girl. She looked as lovely and intoxicating as the spring evening, and with a little start of surprise, he realized all the dark memories of the day had started to recede. They were still there but they seemed suddenly as distant as the moon that gave her ranch its name. When he said nothing, only continued to stare,
172 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT Maggie squirmed. “You said wear something comfortable. This is comfortable.” Her belligerent tone finally pierced his daze. Beneath her truculence, she seemed apprehensive, and he wondered at it. “You look perfect,” he murmured, then couldn’t seem to help himself. He twisted her fingers in his, leaned forward and kissed her cheek. She smelled divine, some kind of perfume that reminded him of standing in his sister-in-law’s flower garden, and he wanted to dip his face into her neck and inhale. He forced himself to refrain, and as he stepped back he had the satisfaction of seeing she looked even more adorably flustered. “Is your mother around?” he asked, knowing perfectly well she wasn’t. Maggie frowned and tried to withdraw her hand. He held firm. “No. She left a few hours ago. She said she was visiting a friend, though she wouldn’t tell me who. I wondered if it was Guillermo, but she wouldn’t say. She’s been acting very strange today. All week, really.” It took a great effort to keep his expression blandly innocent. “Really?” “Taking phone calls at all hours of the day and night, running off on mysterious errands she won’t explain, accepting package deliveries she won’t let me see.” “Maybe she has a boyfriend.” Her jaw went slack as she processed that possibility. “Why on earth would you say that? Do you know something I don’t?”
- Page 122 and 123: RAEANNE THAYNE 121 sat down in a le
- Page 124 and 125: RAEANNE THAYNE 123 companionship. A
- Page 126 and 127: RAEANNE THAYNE 125 time with Maggie
- Page 128 and 129: RAEANNE THAYNE 127 my life. Bumpy s
- Page 130 and 131: RAEANNE THAYNE 129 lived with for s
- Page 132 and 133: RAEANNE THAYNE 131 Amazing how much
- Page 134 and 135: RAEANNE THAYNE 133 some dark corner
- Page 136 and 137: RAEANNE THAYNE 135 she reminded her
- Page 138 and 139: RAEANNE THAYNE 137 and she buried h
- Page 140 and 141: RAEANNE THAYNE 139 This opportunity
- Page 142 and 143: RAEANNE THAYNE 141 ment and the phy
- Page 144 and 145: RAEANNE THAYNE 143 “What time is
- Page 146 and 147: RAEANNE THAYNE 145 How could she ev
- Page 148 and 149: RAEANNE THAYNE 147 At last she slid
- Page 150 and 151: RAEANNE THAYNE 149 man—okay, Jake
- Page 152 and 153: RAEANNE THAYNE 151 sent over a ranc
- Page 154 and 155: Chapter Ten The woman was making hi
- Page 156 and 157: RAEANNE THAYNE 155 “I know everyo
- Page 158 and 159: RAEANNE THAYNE 157 “Maggie. You
- Page 160 and 161: RAEANNE THAYNE 159 She started the
- Page 162 and 163: RAEANNE THAYNE 161 pasture with one
- Page 164 and 165: RAEANNE THAYNE 163 night. I believe
- Page 166 and 167: RAEANNE THAYNE 165 He raised an eye
- Page 168 and 169: RAEANNE THAYNE 167 “Jacob. He has
- Page 170 and 171: Chapter Eleven At twenty-five minut
- Page 174 and 175: RAEANNE THAYNE 173 He thought of hi
- Page 176 and 177: RAEANNE THAYNE 175 “That, too. I
- Page 178 and 179: RAEANNE THAYNE 177 would be loved a
- Page 180 and 181: RAEANNE THAYNE 179 seen her in the
- Page 182 and 183: RAEANNE THAYNE 181 Shifting around
- Page 184 and 185: RAEANNE THAYNE 183 insisted on cele
- Page 186 and 187: RAEANNE THAYNE 185 She gazed at it
- Page 188 and 189: RAEANNE THAYNE 187 even though they
- Page 190 and 191: RAEANNE THAYNE 189 hands, her shoul
- Page 192 and 193: RAEANNE THAYNE 191 concern and supp
- Page 194 and 195: RAEANNE THAYNE 193 loan papers betw
- Page 196 and 197: RAEANNE THAYNE 195 Her mother touch
- Page 198 and 199: RAEANNE THAYNE 197 She was starting
- Page 200 and 201: Chapter Thirteen She smiled tentati
- Page 202 and 203: RAEANNE THAYNE 201 “You’re hurt
- Page 204 and 205: RAEANNE THAYNE 203 cian—and older
- Page 206 and 207: RAEANNE THAYNE 205 runoff-swollen c
- Page 208 and 209: RAEANNE THAYNE 207 Jake smiled at h
- Page 210 and 211: RAEANNE THAYNE 209 Abel would have
- Page 212 and 213: RAEANNE THAYNE 211 * * * His words
- Page 214 and 215: RAEANNE THAYNE 213 “We should get
- Page 216 and 217: RAEANNE THAYNE 215 shadow but she d
- Page 218 and 219: RAEANNE THAYNE 217 Who would want t
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RAEANNE THAYNE<br />
171<br />
and refuse to go with him. The mood he was <strong>in</strong>, he<br />
almost wanted her to, just so he could vent some of <strong>the</strong><br />
rag<strong>in</strong>g emotions <strong>in</strong>side him by <strong>the</strong> physical act of<br />
haul<strong>in</strong>g her to his SUV.<br />
He turned off his eng<strong>in</strong>e and sat for a moment try<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to let <strong>the</strong> soft beauty of <strong>the</strong> Luna seep through his<br />
turmoil to calm him. The ranch was lovely <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g<br />
twilight, with its breathtak<strong>in</strong>g view of <strong>the</strong> Tetons’<br />
west edge, <strong>the</strong> stately row of cottonwoods l<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
creek, those unique silver-gray cattle quietly graz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> fields.<br />
It was a perfect even<strong>in</strong>g for what was <strong>in</strong> store, he<br />
thought as he climbed out, unseasonably mild for late<br />
April with <strong>the</strong> lush smell of growth and life <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> air.<br />
Hop<strong>in</strong>g his exhaustion didn’t show <strong>in</strong> his eyes, he<br />
climbed <strong>the</strong> stairs and rang <strong>the</strong> doorbell. He could hear<br />
her slow steps approach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> door, and a moment<br />
later it swung open.<br />
In an <strong>in</strong>stant <strong>the</strong> breath seemed to leave his chest <strong>in</strong> a<br />
rush. She wore a loose, flow<strong>in</strong>g pair of pants and a gauzy<br />
white shirt that made her dusky sk<strong>in</strong> look sultry and exotic.<br />
Her hair was a mass of soft curls that <strong>in</strong>stantly made<br />
him want to bury his face <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, and she wore several<br />
bangle bracelets and long, dangly earr<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
It was <strong>the</strong> first time <strong>in</strong> recent memory he’d seen her<br />
dressed as a girly-girl. She looked as lovely and <strong>in</strong>toxicat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
as <strong>the</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g even<strong>in</strong>g, and with a little start of surprise,<br />
he realized all <strong>the</strong> dark memories of <strong>the</strong> day had started<br />
to recede. They were still <strong>the</strong>re but <strong>the</strong>y seemed suddenly<br />
as distant as <strong>the</strong> moon that gave her ranch its name.<br />
When he said noth<strong>in</strong>g, only cont<strong>in</strong>ued to stare,