Sabrina's Man Read Online Free Page A

and robust woman with a woman’s soft depth that could scarcely conceal a woman’s fire. Alice’s face in habitual response had an expression that stirred Waco. Finally he found himself trying to find a name for what it is. It was something like the gravity that comes when someone has seen too much, like the shadow of hidden sadness. There was also some sort of strength in her. She seemed to be the kind of woman who could, if necessary, draw a revolver and shoot a man down and not go to pieces afterward. She was past her first youth, but there was a beauty about her that drew him as no woman ever had.
    â€œWhat about you?” she said.
    â€œWhat about me?”
    â€œWhat have you done all your life? How old are you, Waco?”
    â€œTwenty-five.”
    â€œSo am I. Did you go to school?”
    â€œOh, for a little while. Never got past the sixth grade. Most of what I know is horses.”
    â€œYes, everybody says you know horses better than anyone. You ever have a sweetheart?”
    Waco stirred and could not seem to find an easy answer. Trouble clouded him, and he cleared his throat then shook his head. “I’ve known a few women, but nothing serious. I guess I know more about horses than I do about women.”
    Alice obviously found this amusing. When she smiled, two dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth. “I’m glad to hear a man admit that he doesn’t know everything there is to know about women.”
    A silence fell over the two. Finally the meal was finished, and he said, “I’ve been wanting to ask you something, Alice.”
    â€œWell, go ahead.”
    â€œHave you ever thought of me as a man you might marry?” The words were hard for Waco to get out.
    Alice stared at Waco for a long moment. “I think a woman wonders that about every man she knows, Waco.”
    â€œI care for you more than I can say. I wish I had the words, but all I can say is I love you and you’ll never know meanness from me. Would you think about marrying me, Alice?”
    Alice reached over and covered his broad hands with hers. She rubbed the calluses that were on his palm and said nervously, “How strong these hands are.” She grew silent and seemed to be thinking deeply. Finally she smiled. “I’ll think about it, Waco. I will definitely think about it.”

    â€œWell, I wish I’d been the knight in shining armor to save you, Alice. Waco has all the luck.” Will Barton spoke simply and with obvious sincerity. Alice had just told him that Waco had asked her to marry him.
    â€œWhy did you never come courting me?”
    â€œBecause I saw Waco was in love with you.” He moved forward then and put his arm around her in a protective fashion. “If he doesn’t treat you right, I’ll shoot him, and we’ll run off to the South Seas and eat coconuts.”
    Alice laughed.
    She had once told Will that she liked his light sense of humor. He smiled, lost in thought. He suddenly came to himself and said, “But Waco would never mistreat a woman.”
    â€œNo, he wouldn’t.”
    An hour later, Will encountered Waco. He immediately said, “Alice has told me that you want to marry her.”
    â€œYes, that’s right.”
    â€œWell, congratulations.”
    Waco ran his hand through his hair with a troubled expression. “It’s not exactly settled yet. She’s got to think about it.”
    â€œI don’t understand having to think about things like that,” Will said, shrugging his shoulders in a gesture of disgust. “If you love someone, that’s all there is to it.”
    â€œNo, I don’t think so, Will. A man and a woman have got to have something different, almost like magic. Or else why would they stick together no matter what?” Waco suddenly saw something in Will Barton and asked quickly, “Did you ever feel like marrying a woman, Will?”
    Finally Will dropped