Between Two Sisters (contemporary western romance novella) Read Online Free Page A

sure you already know that already! But your father is my boss ! We can’t just sleep together like a one-night stand; it’ll get too messy. We have to see each other all the time, and that could get awkward fast.”
    She rested her hands on her hips and studied him. He met her gaze and tried to push out of his mind how much her green eyes resembled Melanie’s.
    “It’s her, isn’t it?”
    “What?”
    “You’ve got a thing for Melanie. I didn’t get it when we were young, but looking back now, you were crushing on her baaaaad . And you still are, after all this time.” Her eyes danced with anger. “I got some news for you, Billy-boy…your precious Melanie’s seeing the ranch manager, Marty.”
    “I know,” he answered quietly. He didn’t even try to deny what she said. She was too sharp a girl to buy his lies, so he didn’t even bother.
    “Oh, so you know already? How much time do you plan to spend mooning over her, then?”
    He had no reply to that, but in his own mind, he knew she was right. He had to let go of Melanie.
    “Well. If you come to your senses, you let me know. You and I,” she leaned closer, placed one graceful hand against his chest, and dropped her voice to a whisper, “could have a lot of fun together.”
    He had come to the ranch prepared to accept it if Melanie wasn’t there anymore, or if she had married, but never had it crossed it mind that he’d have to resist Cass. She had barely crossed his mind, and now here she was, throwing herself at him.
    “We have to get back,” he mumbled, gently removing her hand from his chest. The primal man inside of him wanted to lay her down in the grass and rip those pesky buttons off her shirt one by one with his teeth before he moved onto other things. But luckily, his civilized side won out.
    “Fine,” she answered curtly, and she hopped back in the saddle without further comment. Billy climbed carefully up behind her, careful to leave an appropriate amount of space between them. It was hard to avoid contact with her, when they were sharing a saddle built for one.
    Silently , Cass turned Gobie back towards the ranch. They didn’t speak as the horse ambled back the way they had come. He couldn’t see her face, but Billy could feel the anger and hurt radiating off of her. He bit his lip with frustration. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings, but messing around with each other could lead to so many complications between them. He hadn’t worried about it with Melanie, because in his heart, he knew she was the one for him. It turned out it was all a moot point anyway; no need to worry about complicating his work life by dating Melanie, since she was already spoken for. But Cass was a different story. Her sexy demeanor and interest in him had blindsided him.
    He tried to smooth thing over with her when they arrived back at the barn, but Cass would have none of it. She slid off the horse and tossed the reins to him before stomping off to her truck. She slammed the door, started it up and peeled out. Billy watche d her speeding down the drive back towards the ranch house with great concern.
    A man chuckled from the barn doorway. “I’d stay away from that one, if I were you,” he cautioned Billy.
    “What do you mean?”
    “That Cassandra’s a hellcat, I tell you. I’ve seen enough good ranch hands fired after tangling with her. She’s all woman, ‘til she’s done with you, then she turns into your executioner.”
    “ Cass ?” Billy asked as he dismounted.
    “Yup, Cass. She’ s used her feminine wiles more than once to take down the men around here, and I’m betting you’re next on her list. I’m just saying, man… keep your pants on around that one!”
    Billy’s heart hurt for her. She clearly had a reputation f or sleeping around with the staff, then causing them trouble afterwards. He thanked his lucky stars he hadn’t allowed anything to happen between them, out in the meadow.
    “I’ m Ramiro, by the way.” The man