WESTERN ROMANCE: A Ranch to Call Home (Texas Romance, Mail Order Bride Romance, Clean Romance, Christian Romance) (Clean and Wholesome Romance) Read Online Free

thumb.
    “Welcome back,
Van.” Nash said.
    “Humph” the woman
added and set off toward the laundry room.
    Lucy got up and
started to clear the table. She was happy for the children, but she was less
excited for herself that Vanessa had returned. Spending the day cooped up with
her was not her ideal day.
    “Lucy,” Nash
interrupted her thoughts. “Do you think that ankle is good enough to go out
with me to the stables?”
    Lucy’s face lit
up. She wouldn’t have to deal with Vanessa right away after all. “Yeah, it’s
perfect.” she lied.
    “Great. Kids
behave for Aunt Van. Lucy and I will be back for lunch.” He got up from the
table and waited as Lucy hugged each child and followed him out to the truck,
trying with all her effort not to limp.
    Nash drove them down to the lower barn. He slid the large door open
and a dozen horses stomped and whinnied at their sudden presence. Nash pulled a
few sugar cubes from his pocket and handed them to Lucy. “Have you ever
ridden?”
    Lucy shook her
head, popping a sugar cube into her mouth. Nash tilted his head and eyed her
with amusement. “You do know those are for the horses?”
    Lucy blushed. “Oh
yeah right, of course I do.”
    As they walked
together through the center of the barn, Lucy saw each horse had a name on a
carved plaque, similar to the one on Jasper’s stall. “Who did these?” she
asked, tracing over several on their slow journey.
    “I did Ma’am.” He
answered.
    “They are
beautiful. You are talented,” she complimented.
    “Thank you.”
    They stopped next
to a black spotted appaloosa. The plaque read “Georgia Pines”. Nash took a
sugar cube from his pocket and held it out in the flat palm of his hand. The
mare curled her lips around the sweet treat as Nash stroked her neck. “Give it
a try. She’s very gentle.”
    Lucy lifted the
cube up in her fingers, holding it out to Georgia. Nash wrapped his hand around
hers. He opened her fingers and placed the square piece in the center of her
palm, silently showing her the proper way to feed the horse. The lips tickled
her hand as they lifted the cube away. Lucy dared to reach out and pet the
mare’s nose. “She is a beautiful creature.”
    Nash had stepped
away to retrieve a saddle and bridle. He climbed into the stall with easy and
fitted Georgia with the equipment. “You want to give it a try?”
    They had gone a
few miles when it started to rain. Nash guided them to a tree and tethered the
horses to a low branch helping Lucy from her saddle. She rubbed at her thighs
and bottom. Nash looked so natural up on his horse; she felt like a fool
bouncing all over and trying not to fall flat on her face. He had promised
she’d pick it up in no time, but Lucy felt it would be years before she would
look graceful and would be better suited to keep her own feet on the ground.
    They stood under
the boughs of several trees on the outskirts of the open field they had
crossed. Lucy looked over the afternoon sky seeing the shelf of clouds and rain
fade off over the horizon. Droplets of water dripped from her bangs and the tip
of her nose. “It’s so beautiful here Nash, so very different from the noises
and crowds and heavy air of New York. Every day I wake up an am amazed all over
again.” She looked over to Nash and her heart caught in her throat. He was
standing there starring at her. She crossed her arms over her rib cage and
hugged herself, suddenly self conscious. “Your children are wonderful.” She
wanted to end the uncomfortable moment.
    Nash touched her
cheek and her words stopped. He turned her face towards him and lifted her chin.
His lips were soft and his skin smelled clean and fresh like morning dew. He
kissed her and time stopped. She hadn’t been prepared for it. When he pulled
away her heart sank to her feet. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.
    She was confused.
“Why?”
    “It stopped
raining, we should get back. Van will have lunch waiting.” Nash untied the
horse, helped her