Christmas With the Mustang Man Read Online Free

watched Hayley return to the gas range todeal with the pizza, Boone asked, “Would you like to join us, Dallas? There’s plenty.”
    Surprised by the offer, Dallas turned her head to see he was looking at her with those dark brown eyes, surveying her in a way that left her feeling like a turtle without a shell.
    â€œNo, thanks. I’d like to get to my hotel room before it gets late.”
    After quickly draining the last of her coffee, she rose to her feet. Boone was out of his seat almost at the same time and reached for her heavy jacket. Dallas’s heart beat fast as he held the garment for her to slip her arms into.
    She was accustomed to men doing gentlemanly things for her. But she wasn’t expecting such caring manners from this one. Nor was she expecting to feel so breathless, so completely aware of his strong presence.
    â€œI’ll walk you to your truck,” he said. He shouldered on his own jacket and reached for a flashlight that sat on the end of a cabinet counter.
    â€œGoodbye, Hayley,” Dallas said to Boone’s daughter. “It was nice meeting you.”
    The girl nodded shyly, then gave her a little wave before Boone opened the door and ushered Dallas out of the kitchen.
    Outside, darkness had settled over the ranch and she appreciated the glow of Boone’s flashlight illuminating their path as the two of them moved across the barren yard.
    â€œIs there a special time I need to be here tomorrow?” she asked as they walked briskly toward the truck. “If you have other appointments, I can match my schedule to yours. That’s the least I can do for arriving late today.”
    â€œI don’t have anything pressing going on tomorrow,” he replied. “Come out whenever you’d like.”
    As they moved along in the darkness, she realized he was close enough for her to reach over and touch, if she was so minded to. The idea titillated her senses and sent all sorts of questions hurtling through her mind. Mainly, where was Hayley’s mother? And was there some other woman in this man’s life?
    Don’t be letting your thoughts stray in that direction, Dallas. The hurt that Allen laid on your heart would be a minor scratch compared to what this cowboy could do to you. Get your business done with the man and get the heck out of here.
    â€œI’ll be out early,” she promised him as she jerked her thoughts back to the real issue.
    Once they reached the truck, he closed a hand around her elbow and helped her into the tall cab. Determined not to linger any longer, she closed the door between them and reached to start the engine. To her dismay the truck gave one loud sputter, and then the starter whirled uselessly.
    Boone knocked on the door panel to garner her attention and then made a motion for her to lower the window. Dallas did as he asked, then hung her head over the partially opened glass panel.
    â€œPop the hood,” he instructed. “I’ll have a look.”
    She pulled the hood lever, then climbed to the ground while he poked and prodded at several things attached to the engine.
    After a few minutes, he finally said, “I don’t see anything undone or broken. Which leads me to think you could be right about the problem being with the fuel.”
    She was already half-frozen from being out in the icy wind. It was growing later by the minute and she wasmiles and miles from Pioche, the only town in the area large enough to have any sort of amenities for a traveler.
    â€œWell,” she said decisively, “I’ll have to call a wrecker and have the truck towed to Pioche. Is there a service you’d recommend?”
    The glance he flashed her was full of impatience. “By the time a wrecker drove out here and pulled you back to town it would be the wee hours of the morning. And I doubt you’d find a mechanic that would want to crawl out of bed and start repairing your truck at that hour.”
    Not