Josh Read Online Free Page B

brothers.”
    She looked startled. “You all live together?”
    “Yeah. Except for my older brother, Quinn. He recently married, and he and his bride are spending time at both her ranch and ours. I guess sooner or later they’ll figure out where they intend to plant roots.”
    “How about you?” She glanced at his ring finger. “Are you married?”
    He arched a brow. “No. You?”
    She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m married to my career.”
    He nodded toward her camera. “Do you photograph weddings and fancy occasions?”
    “That’s not at all what I’m interested in capturing. I want to use my photography as art. I hope someday to see my photographs hanging in galleries and on people’s walls.” She chuckled. “I think that’s a look of skepticism on your face.”
    “Sorry if that’s what you think. I guess I’m just surprised that anyone would pay good money to view a photograph of a storm in the Tetons.”
    “That’s because you live here and can see the real thing whenever you want. You’d be surprised what people would pay good money for.” She grinned. “But to answer the question you’re too polite to ask… I’m not a starving artist. I make enough to get by, and that’s all I need.”
    He laughed. “Now that’s what I call fancy mind reading.”
    “Oh, how I wish I had such a gift. I’m not a mind reader, but I’ve seen that look of skepticism before. There are a lot of people who don’t consider photography art.”
    “Sierra Moore.” He spoke her name aloud and searched his memory. “I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m not familiar with your work.”
    “Not many people are… yet. Actually, my photographs sell better in Europe than they do here in the States. But my agent hopes to change that, starting with the pictures I’m taking on this trip.”
    “Then I’m glad the weather cooperated and gave you such a photogenic storm.”
    They shared an easy laugh.
    Sierra topped off his cup and then her own before sitting back on her bedroll. With so little space betweenthem, they were barely able to stretch out their legs without touching.
    “How often are you called on to find lost climbers?”
    He shrugged. “Whenever there’s a real emergency. Most of the time, the rangers can handle it. But whenever they need a hand, they know I’m available.”
    She studied him more closely. “What do you bring to the climb that they don’t have?”
    Again that negligent shrug of shoulders. “I’ve been climbing here since I was a kid. It’s my playground. I was homeschooled until high school, and whenever I had any free time, I was climbing. How about you? Where did you go to school?”
    “Boarding schools in England.”
    “That explains the accent. How do you go from boarding school in England to climbing the Tetons? And why now?”
    “School was quite some time ago. As for the timing, it seemed right. I don’t have any commitments. I wanted to catch the flavor of autumn in the Tetons and, hopefully, some fierce storms. My agent is hoping to get some American galleries to take a look at my work. If the images I captured today are as good as I suspect, his job just got a lot easier.”
    Josh lifted his cup in a toast. “Then here’s to some great pictures and a big, fat contract.”
    She touched the rim of her cup to his. “Thanks. I’ll drink to that.”
    He stretched out on his bedroll, enjoying the warmth, the coffee, and the company. “How does your family feel about you climbing mountains alone?”
    Her smile dissolved. “I’m a big girl now. I live my lifeas I please.” She stared into her cup and forced a yawn. “Sorry. I think I’m ready for lights out. How about you?”
    Josh stretched out his long legs. “Yeah. More than ready.”
    She reached over and turned off the battery-operated torch.
    In the darkness, the only sound was the slight shuffling as they sought a comfortable position in their sleeping bags.
    And then, with the wind howling outside