Texas Haven Read Online Free Page A

grass back and forth. Long-stalked sunflowers bent and danced to some unknown ballet. Annie closed her eyes and took it all in. She wanted to make a memory of this place, of this moment for when she was back in New York. It was going to be harder to go back to her stark existence after this perfect night. She looked at Burke’s profile hoping to memorize it too. There was such strength in his features from his square jaw line to his crooked nose. She wondered if he had broken it in a fight. His eyes were so blue that she had gotten lost in them many times throughout the evening. All of Annie’s nerves tingled as her arm brushed against his. There was no doubt about the attraction they had for each other.
    “Have you always lived on this ranch?”
    Burke grinned. “All my life.”
    “It must have been nice growing up here with your family.”
    “Well, my mother was a saint of course and my father… let’s see, how can I describe him without chasing you away? He was a strict old son of a gun who was about as mule-headed as a man could be. It was his way or you suffered the consequences. I guess you could say that I was a slow learner.”
    Annie put her hand on his arm. “I grew up basically the same way. I know all about consequences.”
     
    * * * *
     
    They sat on the swing in complete silence. The sky was beginning to darken. Burke put his arm around her, pulling her close. He could feel her tremble at his touch and it humbled him. He couldn’t remember a time when a woman had such a reaction to him. The urge to pick her up in his arms and carry her to his bed was strong but he didn’t dare. He didn’t think she was the type for a one-night stand and that was all he was willing to offer.
    Although he found her damn attractive, she was off limits. All he needed equated to an unpaid housekeeper not a woman that pr obably had no practical skills , even so, she was very tempting. There seemed something so vulnerable about her that it made him long to protect her.
    He made the mistake of looking down at her upturned face. Her luminous green eyes trapped him. Unable to resist the pull of her he carefully leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He only intended for the kiss to be brief, but she tasted like honey and he had to have more.
    Annie moaned as Burke kissed her again. He swiped his tongue along the seam of her lips, coaxing her mouth open and deepening the kiss. His arms tightened around her, pulling her close to him. She smelled of sunshine , sweet and warm . R eluctantly he let her go. Annie smiled back at him anyway, and it pleased him. She looked lovely in her yellow sundress with her curly auburn hair falling down her back, and he couldn’t help but admire her cute figure.
    Gently, he removed her arms from around his neck and looked down at her with hooded eyes. Highly aroused by her, it was by sheer willpower that he stopped his advances. Her bruised lips looked inviting to him and her eyes shone with pleasure. God he wanted her. Burke smiled at her enthusiasm. The last woman in his house had overtly insulted every inch of it. He could hardly believe her reaction. She seemed genuine in her pleasure over everything. But, he reminded himself that it didn’t really matter. Burke grinned as he watched her scoop up the cat and whisper in its ear, her happiness so apparent. For a second he was glad that he adopted that ornery cat.
    Regretfully, he stood up and moved away from her. “It’s been fun.”
    “Yes it has,” Annie stood. She wobbled a bit and made her way to the porch stairs. She looked at Burke with her heart shining in her eyes. “Maybe you could consider me as a candidate for a wife?” she asked quietly.
    He hesitated, not knowing what to say.
    “Never mind.” She hurriedly rushed down the stairs to her car.
    Maybe in another life, it would have worked, but he knew what the ending to their story would be.
     
    * * * *
     
    Three weeks later, Annie felt at her wits end, looking