Willow in Bloom Read Online Free
Author: Victoria Pade
and until he figured out who she was, he was damn sure not starting up anything with anyone else.
Not even a woman with pale dove-gray eyes that seemed to haunt him.
Because no matter how much that might be the case, those pale-gray eyes didnât haunt him as much as that gap his mystery woman had left.
And he was all about filling that gap.
Â
Willow hadnât slept much the night before, which didnât help her fatigue. But even feeling more tired than usual, she was at no risk of falling asleep at her desk the way she had on Tuesday. The same thoughts that had kept her awake until the wee hours of the morning kept her adrenaline level high through Wednesday.
Tyler Chadwick was on her mind. Tyler Chadwick and the predicament she was in.
Not that Tyler and her predicament had been far from her thoughts at any point in the two months before this. But since heâd walked into her life again nearly twenty-four hours ago, she had been completely incapable of thinking about anything else.
She also hadnât been able to stop asking herself the same two questionsâhow could he have forgotten her, and how could he have forgotten their night together?
It was just so awful to think that he had.
She wasnât proud of what sheâd done in Tulsa. In fact, sheâd been ashamed of herself. Spending the night with someone sheâd just met in a club? That was definitely a first. And a last.
But it was as if something had snapped in her in June.
It hadnât been easy growing up with four olderbrothers. Four very protective older brothers. But since Willow had been out on her own, running the Feed and Grain, one or another of her brothers was at her side every time she turned around. Watching over her to the point where she felt as if she were being stalked by her own family.
Sheâd tried talking to them, reasoning with them, letting them know she wasnât doing anything even remotely dangerous and that they did not need to take turns becoming her ever-present guardians.
But no sooner had she given that lecture than there they were again. Just checking in with her, they said.
Until, finally, Willow had thought she might explode.
Sheâd known if she didnât get away from them for a while she was going to lose her temper and say things that would hurt their feelings. And she didnât want that.
So Willow had called her friend Becky Lindstrom in Tulsa and taken her up on her repeated request for Willow to visit.
Just for a week. A week of rest and relaxation, with no brothers looking over her shoulder every minute. Thatâs all it was supposed to be. Thatâs all it was.
Until Friday.
Friday night when she knew her week was at an end and she had to go back to Black Arrow, back to four brothers who couldnât leave her alone.
Just the thought of that had left her feeling the need to go a little wild. To cut loose one last time beforeshe went back. To get out and do something she wouldnât do at home. To be someone besides a person with four brothers who seemed to need to keep her in a velvet cage.
So, on their way home from an afternoon at the rodeo that was passing through Tulsa at the time, Willow had confided her feelings to Becky.
Becky had embraced the idea with a vengeance. A night on the town. Just the two of them. Kicking up their heels.
Becky had reveled in the free hand to make Willow over. To doll her up in a way Willow never got dolled up. To transform her into a new woman.
No jeans.
No T-shirts or flannels.
No practical shoes.
No braided hair.
Becky had loaned Willow a slinky, strapless red dress that fit every inch of the few inches it covered like a second skin.
Spike-heeled shoes had gone with it, but Becky hadnât stopped at merely outfitting Willow. Sheâd also played beauty shop with Willowâs hair, with makeup Willow never wore, with perfume and lipstick that were the finishing touches that turned everyday Willow Colton
Not even a woman with pale dove-gray eyes that seemed to haunt him.
Because no matter how much that might be the case, those pale-gray eyes didnât haunt him as much as that gap his mystery woman had left.
And he was all about filling that gap.
Â
Willow hadnât slept much the night before, which didnât help her fatigue. But even feeling more tired than usual, she was at no risk of falling asleep at her desk the way she had on Tuesday. The same thoughts that had kept her awake until the wee hours of the morning kept her adrenaline level high through Wednesday.
Tyler Chadwick was on her mind. Tyler Chadwick and the predicament she was in.
Not that Tyler and her predicament had been far from her thoughts at any point in the two months before this. But since heâd walked into her life again nearly twenty-four hours ago, she had been completely incapable of thinking about anything else.
She also hadnât been able to stop asking herself the same two questionsâhow could he have forgotten her, and how could he have forgotten their night together?
It was just so awful to think that he had.
She wasnât proud of what sheâd done in Tulsa. In fact, sheâd been ashamed of herself. Spending the night with someone sheâd just met in a club? That was definitely a first. And a last.
But it was as if something had snapped in her in June.
It hadnât been easy growing up with four olderbrothers. Four very protective older brothers. But since Willow had been out on her own, running the Feed and Grain, one or another of her brothers was at her side every time she turned around. Watching over her to the point where she felt as if she were being stalked by her own family.
Sheâd tried talking to them, reasoning with them, letting them know she wasnât doing anything even remotely dangerous and that they did not need to take turns becoming her ever-present guardians.
But no sooner had she given that lecture than there they were again. Just checking in with her, they said.
Until, finally, Willow had thought she might explode.
Sheâd known if she didnât get away from them for a while she was going to lose her temper and say things that would hurt their feelings. And she didnât want that.
So Willow had called her friend Becky Lindstrom in Tulsa and taken her up on her repeated request for Willow to visit.
Just for a week. A week of rest and relaxation, with no brothers looking over her shoulder every minute. Thatâs all it was supposed to be. Thatâs all it was.
Until Friday.
Friday night when she knew her week was at an end and she had to go back to Black Arrow, back to four brothers who couldnât leave her alone.
Just the thought of that had left her feeling the need to go a little wild. To cut loose one last time beforeshe went back. To get out and do something she wouldnât do at home. To be someone besides a person with four brothers who seemed to need to keep her in a velvet cage.
So, on their way home from an afternoon at the rodeo that was passing through Tulsa at the time, Willow had confided her feelings to Becky.
Becky had embraced the idea with a vengeance. A night on the town. Just the two of them. Kicking up their heels.
Becky had reveled in the free hand to make Willow over. To doll her up in a way Willow never got dolled up. To transform her into a new woman.
No jeans.
No T-shirts or flannels.
No practical shoes.
No braided hair.
Becky had loaned Willow a slinky, strapless red dress that fit every inch of the few inches it covered like a second skin.
Spike-heeled shoes had gone with it, but Becky hadnât stopped at merely outfitting Willow. Sheâd also played beauty shop with Willowâs hair, with makeup Willow never wore, with perfume and lipstick that were the finishing touches that turned everyday Willow Colton
Readers choose
Sam Harris
Chad Pelley
Lynn Costa
Dee J. Stone
Fern Michaels
Katia Nikolayevna
Ismaíl Kadaré
Angelica Chase
Tonya Ramagos
Diana Norman