[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
for his ranch but for the town too. After explaining his ideas to them,
the townsfolk saw in him a strong man who could run the town fairly
as their new mayor. They persuaded him to run for office and he
wanted, by his side, a good woman who would complement and
support him. He needed a woman who would serve on committees
and work with other women, leaving him to deal with matters of more
importance, men’s work.
Much as she cared for Jacob, Hannah knew she could never be
that woman he envisioned. If only they’d been truthful with each
other, they would have probably seen it from the very beginning.
They’d both been infatuated beyond belief, and had turned each
other’s heads.
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Hannah’s Gold
183
For that, they would be forever grateful to each other. How else
would they have achieved all they had this past year? But she knew
was too dangerous for him. She’d seen the look on his face as Maggie
had handed out her gifts. She was more comfortable with men and
whores who dished out unsuitable gifts to women. He was old-
fashioned enough to think that preventing babies was the husband’s
prerogative, not a wife’s. Jacob’s look also told her, that he doubted
whether he would ever be able to trust her to remain faithful to him.
He’d caught her stealing glances at the two cowboys, several times.
She’d met his eyes guiltily. She knew he could smell the lust on her.
A lust that no longer included him.
Nevertheless, as they watched the two men ride away, Hannah
still struggled to find the words to tell him it was all over. He’d been
particularly quiet and subdued since supper the previous night.
Hannah decided she needed to take the bull by the horns, once and for
all. She took a deep breath.
“We did well, didn’t we?” she said softly. “We fought McCabe
and won.” She paused for a moment, knowing full well that Jacob
expected to hear her next words. Nevertheless, it didn’t make it any
easier. She took another deep breath. “You do know I care very much
for you, don’t you?”
He silently nodded.
“But it isn’t enough,” she continued. “And we both know it. We
need a bit of honesty here. What we did was good but we can’t risk
the rest of our lives on that alone. It was exciting and exhilarating and
really scared me at times and I’m glad it’s all over.” She stopped
again for another second. “But I’m not ready to become a wife or a
mother yet. I’m not even ready to settle down.” She waited another
heartbeat and then the words came thick and fast. “But Becky is.
She’s never looked at another man since you, and, if you’d just open
your eyes, you’d see how she looks at you every time you go into
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
184
Cindy Crane
town. And how she looks at me and wishes me anywhere but here.
Marry her, Jacob. She’d bear you fine sons and daughters.”
“And leave you free to follow them?”
Their eyes locked. Watching the two cowboys ride away, she still
wished she rode with them, too. Suddenly, she knew what she had to
do.
“If they’ll have me. Yes.” She wasn’t ashamed of how she felt.
She just wished she could have been more honest over the past two
weeks. Instead, she’d let Luke think she loved Jacob and wanted to
spend the rest of her life with him, when all she really wanted was to
go with Luke, and Jed, to share their adventures. Where else could she
find two men who made her feel the way they could and who could
do things to her body that made her crave for more?
Jacob took her hand and he bent to kiss her lightly on the cheek.
“Then you’d better hurry before they get too far.” His face broke
into a broad smile. “It’s been a pleasure knowing you, Hannah
Turner. Thank you for all your help. I couldn’t have done it without
you.”
“It was a pleasure for me too,” she smiled.
So now, here she was, ready to share her life with the two brothers
if they’d still have her.
She drew in the horse’s reins and stopped for a moment. Her horse
shuffled in the undergrowth, its hooves click-clacking on the stones
hidden beneath. She smelt smoke and saw a gray whisper curl up
through the trees. She urged her horse toward it.
As she entered the clearing, she saw Luke putting a fresh pot of
coffee onto the embers. He looked up at her as Jed too strode into the
camp from between the trees. Naked from the waist up, he rubbed his
face and torso dry. He grinned up at her. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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for his ranch but for the town too. After explaining his ideas to them,
the townsfolk saw in him a strong man who could run the town fairly
as their new mayor. They persuaded him to run for office and he
wanted, by his side, a good woman who would complement and
support him. He needed a woman who would serve on committees
and work with other women, leaving him to deal with matters of more
importance, men’s work.
Much as she cared for Jacob, Hannah knew she could never be
that woman he envisioned. If only they’d been truthful with each
other, they would have probably seen it from the very beginning.
They’d both been infatuated beyond belief, and had turned each
other’s heads.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
Hannah’s Gold
183
For that, they would be forever grateful to each other. How else
would they have achieved all they had this past year? But she knew
was too dangerous for him. She’d seen the look on his face as Maggie
had handed out her gifts. She was more comfortable with men and
whores who dished out unsuitable gifts to women. He was old-
fashioned enough to think that preventing babies was the husband’s
prerogative, not a wife’s. Jacob’s look also told her, that he doubted
whether he would ever be able to trust her to remain faithful to him.
He’d caught her stealing glances at the two cowboys, several times.
She’d met his eyes guiltily. She knew he could smell the lust on her.
A lust that no longer included him.
Nevertheless, as they watched the two men ride away, Hannah
still struggled to find the words to tell him it was all over. He’d been
particularly quiet and subdued since supper the previous night.
Hannah decided she needed to take the bull by the horns, once and for
all. She took a deep breath.
“We did well, didn’t we?” she said softly. “We fought McCabe
and won.” She paused for a moment, knowing full well that Jacob
expected to hear her next words. Nevertheless, it didn’t make it any
easier. She took another deep breath. “You do know I care very much
for you, don’t you?”
He silently nodded.
“But it isn’t enough,” she continued. “And we both know it. We
need a bit of honesty here. What we did was good but we can’t risk
the rest of our lives on that alone. It was exciting and exhilarating and
really scared me at times and I’m glad it’s all over.” She stopped
again for another second. “But I’m not ready to become a wife or a
mother yet. I’m not even ready to settle down.” She waited another
heartbeat and then the words came thick and fast. “But Becky is.
She’s never looked at another man since you, and, if you’d just open
your eyes, you’d see how she looks at you every time you go into
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
184
Cindy Crane
town. And how she looks at me and wishes me anywhere but here.
Marry her, Jacob. She’d bear you fine sons and daughters.”
“And leave you free to follow them?”
Their eyes locked. Watching the two cowboys ride away, she still
wished she rode with them, too. Suddenly, she knew what she had to
do.
“If they’ll have me. Yes.” She wasn’t ashamed of how she felt.
She just wished she could have been more honest over the past two
weeks. Instead, she’d let Luke think she loved Jacob and wanted to
spend the rest of her life with him, when all she really wanted was to
go with Luke, and Jed, to share their adventures. Where else could she
find two men who made her feel the way they could and who could
do things to her body that made her crave for more?
Jacob took her hand and he bent to kiss her lightly on the cheek.
“Then you’d better hurry before they get too far.” His face broke
into a broad smile. “It’s been a pleasure knowing you, Hannah
Turner. Thank you for all your help. I couldn’t have done it without
you.”
“It was a pleasure for me too,” she smiled.
So now, here she was, ready to share her life with the two brothers
if they’d still have her.
She drew in the horse’s reins and stopped for a moment. Her horse
shuffled in the undergrowth, its hooves click-clacking on the stones
hidden beneath. She smelt smoke and saw a gray whisper curl up
through the trees. She urged her horse toward it.
As she entered the clearing, she saw Luke putting a fresh pot of
coffee onto the embers. He looked up at her as Jed too strode into the
camp from between the trees. Naked from the waist up, he rubbed his
face and torso dry. He grinned up at her. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]