Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(22)

Shane broke the kiss and took a step back.

They stared at each other, their sharp breaths the only sound in the otherwise quiet room. A small measure of sanity returned, dulling the regret that he’d pulled away. Yes, it would have been amazing. Double yes, she would have had regrets.

But a girl could dream.

She cleared her throat, not completely sure she could speak in a normal voice.

“So, that would be a no on Charlie?” she asked.

“That’s a no.”

CHAPTER FIVE

“ANNABELLE! YOU’RE not listening.”

Annabelle pulled herself out of the delicious daydream that had haunted her pretty much all day. The instant replay of Shane’s kiss was nearly as powerful as the actual event had been. She wasn’t sure if that spoke to chemistry or the empty tragedy that was her love life. Maybe both.

“Sorry,” she said, smiling at the girl in front of her. “What is it, Mandy?”

“Is Shane a real cowboy? When we were at the Fourth of July festival last week, my mom said Shane was a cowboy and a half. I don’t know what that means.”

Annabelle held a smile, thinking it meant Mandy’s mom had an appreciation for a good-looking man. Having a beautiful garden of one’s own didn’t mean a person couldn’t admire someone else’s garden.

She frowned, not sure why that metaphor sounded weird, then deciding to go with it.

“Shane is a real cowboy,” Annabelle assured her. “Very much so. He has horses and knows how to ride. Oh, he was helping another cowboy with his rodeo skills, so I guess he teaches them, too.”

“He’s teaching you to ride, isn’t he?”

“Uh-huh. For the Máa-zib festival at the end of summer.”

“I want to learn to ride.”

“Okay.” Annabelle wasn’t sure what to do with that information.

“My brother says only boys can be cowboys and that I can’t learn to ride a horse.” Mandy’s blue eyes darkened with worry. “Is he right?”

“Of course not. You can ride as well as any boy. There’s not much to do. Honestly, the horse does most of the work.”

Mandy brushed her blond bangs off her forehead. She was maybe ten or eleven, a good reader who was always up for trying a new author. Even better, from Annabelle’s perspective, the other girls listened to Mandy. If she liked a new book, they would try it as well.

“So I could try?”

“Yes. Of course. Riding is fun.” Annabelle thought about her experiences on Khatar. “They’re kind of big, so it’s a little scary when you’re first on them, but then it gets fun. You have to hold on with your legs and wow, was I sore afterward. But in a good way.”

“Thank you,” Mandy said with a grin. “I’m going to tell my brother he’s wrong.”

“Enjoy yourself.”

* * *

CHARLIE PUT THE DANDY brush back in the box and grabbed Mason’s body brush. His ears flicked in anticipation of what was his favorite part of being groomed. As she started at the top of his neck, prepared to work her way down and back, she was aware of Shane coming out of the barn. His gaze darted toward her, then as quickly shifted away.

Charlie had never studied any kind of criminal investigation but she knew enough about people to guess there was a problem. She and Shane hadn’t known each other long, but they’d gotten along well enough. He took care of her horse when she was working and she let him use Mason for the guys who needed to practice their calf roping. Mason had been a rodeo horse before she’d bought him and he enjoyed the practice.

But ever since she’d arrived, earlier that afternoon, Shane had been hovering just out of conversational reach. They hadn’t spoken beyond a brief “Hello” which wouldn’t have bothered her except for the way he kept looking at her. As if he’d been spooked. She had a feeling she knew exactly what ghost had come calling.

“Shane,” she yelled before he could scoot back into the barn. “Get over here.”

He stiffened slightly, then seemed to brace himself. No doubt prepared for the inevitable, she thought grimly, continuing to use long stroking motions as she brushed Mason. His coat gleamed in the warm afternoon.

She’d tied him under one of the big trees to give them both shade. As the branches swayed in the gentle breeze, sunlight spilled onto his coat and the back of her hands.

Shane approached slowly but purposefully. If she were a different type of woman, she would torment him first. Just for sport. It was certainly in her nature, but men, at least in a romantic or sexual sense, weren’t part of her comfort zone.

She waited until he was standing on the other side of Mason, then rested both her hands on the horse’s back and stared at the man.

“Annabelle talked to you about me.” She spoke flatly, not asking a question.

He pulled off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. After clearing his throat, he managed a strangled, “She might have said something.”

Annabelle needed a good killing, Charlie thought, even as she told herself her friend had just been trying to help. Apparently with the subtlety of a bulldozer in a flower garden.

“You’re not my type,” Charlie told him, figuring bluntness was her strength and this was the time to go for it. “No offense.”