Elusive Echoes Read Online Free

possibility of a future
together, she turned it around and made it about something
physical. She clearly wanted a physical relationship, and so did
he, but he wanted more than that. Sean wasn't made for casual. He
was done with unsatisfying, going-nowhere relationships.
    Ryan looked stunned. "Nothing to offer?
There's your share of the ranch. We're turning things around.
You've got your horse rehab business. You earn a decent income.
You'll be able to take care of a family."
    "And we can share my bedroom here, all cozy
with everyone in the main house." Sean blew out a frustrated breath
and kicked at the dirt. "It's already crowded with you and Sandy,
Dad, Ricky, and now your baby on the way."
    "That can change, Sean." Irritation had
crept into Ryan's voice. "You don't have to live in the main house
to keep working the ranch. Heck, live in town at her place. Just
get engaged, let her know you want to be with her. The two of you
can work out the details later. And for the love of mercy, when she
asks you up to her place again . . . go."
    Sean shook his head. "Can't."
    "Why?"
    "Because Mel's worth more
than a few vague promises and getting hot between the sheets. I
thought you would
get that." Sean turned on his heel and stomped onto the porch and
through the front door, leaving Ryan behind.

Chapter Two
     
    Sean stared at his brother. He'd seen him in
a lot of states over the past couple of years, but this was new. He
looked . . . frazzled.
    "Sandy's still in bed, says she's feeling
lazy today. Finally. I've got my cell but we'll have no service for
a few miles up in the mountains." Ryan stood half-in and half-out
of his father's pickup. "So call Clint Westover's office and leave
a message if you can't reach me. But if it's an emergency—"
    Sean allowed his voice an edge of
irritation. "Jeez, Ry, I don't know how I managed to take care of
things before you came home. Do you want to leave a list so I can
make sure I'm doing it right?" He played in the dirt with the toe
of his boot, drawing a line between them. Then he met his brother's
gaze. "You're gonna be gone what, three, four hours? How much
trouble can your pregnant wife get into?"
    "You'd be surprised," muttered Ryan. He
touched Sean on the arm, his eyes softening. "She's everything to
me, okay?"
    Sean suddenly felt like a jerk, given that
his brother and Sandy had fought so hard to be together and it was
only by a miracle that they were. "I know. I promise I won't let
anything happen to her."
    Ryan looked at Sean for a long moment,
emotion playing over his face. "Thanks." He climbed into the truck
and started it.
    Sean found comfort in working the ranch. The
sameness of the daily chores appealed to him as much as the
day-to-day challenges that made things interesting. Keeping on top
of things, knowing what was likely to happen and watching for it,
being prepared for unexpected complications; ranching required all
of that and more. Ranching was something he knew.
    Women, on the other hand . . . he wasn't
sure he got them. At least not one particular woman.
    He finished mucking the last stall in the
rehab barn. Hiking his collar against the chill of the approaching
rain, he checked on the horses in the paddock. Lacey wandered over
to the fence looking for an apple. She was a pretty little smoky
black gal, fine-boned, with a good disposition considering she'd
been starved and abused for most of her life. He'd planned to put
her up for sale now that she was rehabbed, but he had to be honest
and admit he didn't really want to give her up. With her ladylike
manners and sometimes coy attitude, she made him think of Mel.
    Not the Mel of last night though.
Man-oh-man, what was with that kiss? His heart rate was bumping up
again just thinking about it. He'd been about to go off like a
Fourth of July bottle rocket when they'd stopped. He knew Ry
thought he was nuts but fact was, Mel meant too much to treat her
feelings carelessly. He wasn't sure if she returned more than