The Bridal Path: Sara Read Online Free Page B

of desperation. He’d felt it often enough himself. The truth was, he had seen it. He just hadn’t wanted to deal with it. He’d hoped Trent would do it for him. He should have known better. Trent had given up trying to make sense of his daughters long ago. According to local lore, he hadn’t had control of any of them since they were toddlers.
    So, if he couldn’t count on Trent to intervene, Jake figured he would just have to set things right first thing this morning before the whole idiotic plan got out of hand. Nobody was going to be riding broncos. And, sure as hell, nobody was getting married. The very thought made him shudder. His one close brush with the prospect had ended in pure disaster and had nearly cost him his life as well as his career.
    Then an image of Sara, silhouetted against his fire the night before, came to mind. He wondered if her skin would be as soft as it appeared, if it would heat at his touch, as his had at hers. He wondered what all that spirit and energy would be like in bed, channeled into wicked, passionate lovemaking.
    He cut off that line of thinking before he made himself crazy, so crazy that he would consider going through with the bet just to find out the answers to those questions and all the others that had been plaguing him since he’d found Sara in his house the night before.
    Driven by a need to get this resolved, he showered and dressed in record time and headed for the main house, praying he would catch Sara alone. She was often up before her father, as eager to get a start on the day’s work as Jake was.
    Luck, for once, was on his side. She was seated at the dining room table, an omelet and toast before her, untouched by the look of them. Her appetite was one of the things Jake admired about her. She didn’t choose cautiously and pick daintily at her food like most women, who started the day with grapefruit and dry toast. Sara worked hard and ate heartily.
    Today, though, it looked as if she might be off her feed. Maybe she was having the same sort of second thoughts about their bargain that he was. It would make things easier.
    “Your father around?” Jake asked.
    “Actually he went out early this morning,” she said, pushing her food around on her plate without tasting it. “He said he had some chores in town.”
    “Your food’s getting cold,” Jake commented as he scooped up a healthy serving of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast for himself from the buffet breakfast left by the housekeeper. “Something wrong?”
    Cool green eyes rose to clash with his. “What could possibly be wrong?”
    “I thought maybe you’d had time to think about what we discussed last night and reached the same conclusion I have.”
    “And what would that be?”
    “That we were both talking a lot of foolishness. You’re not going to stay on a bronco for eight seconds and I’m not about to marry you.”
    She leaned forward. “Are you saying you don’t intend to honor our deal?”
    “I’m saying we shouldn’t go through with it. Let’s drop it now, before you get hurt. Last night you were angry. You acted impulsively. I’m sure you regret getting in over your head.” Even as the last words spilled from his mouth, Jake realized he’d made a terrible miscalculation. She did not appreciate his attempt at conciliation.
    She stood slowly, every magnificent inch of her radiating indignation. “Don’t you dare take that condescending tone with me. I knew exactly what I was doing last night,” she declared. “The bet is on, Jake Dawson, unless you’re too cowardly to go through with it.”
    The scrambled eggs on his plate were beginning to taste like rubber. Jake slammed down his fork and scowled at her. “Okay, fine. You want to break that pretty little neck of yours, let’s do it.” He rose and headed for the door.
    “Where are you going?”
    “To make the arrangements.”
    Her eyes widened. “Right now?”
    “Why wait? There’s no time better than the present,” he