Free Wild Wyoming Nights by Sandy Sullivan Page A

the kitchen and set everything on the counter. She felt the warmth of his body behind her even if she hadn’t heard him shuffle into the room and she shivered.
    “Abby, what are you doing?”
    “Feeding a friend.” She dished up the food as she heard his stomach growl behind her. “Will you quit scowling at me and sit down? You are obviously hungry if your stomach has any say in the matter.”

    * * * *

    Air rushed from between his lip when he exhaled. “I was just getting ready to make myself something. You know, I’ve taken pretty good care of myself for a few years now.”
    Her gaze raked him from head to toe and a slow smile spread across her mouth. “Independent.   I remember.”
    What am I going to do with her? She just doesn’t get it! Just seeing her, being in the same room with her is driving me insane! She’s not ready for any kind of relationship, strictly physical or otherwise. Hell, she’s still wearing her wedding ring.
    Abby set the plate down in front of him when he sat in the chair at the table and his stomach growled again. A smirk lifted the corners her lips and he frowned.
    The smell of her skin, the green of her eyes, the softness of her hair, it was all driving him crazy and she didn’t care. It had to be her plan to slowly drive him insane.
    “If that frown stays on your face much longer, it’s going to stick that way. Didn’t your mother ever tell you that?”
    She set her own plate on the table, and returned to kitchen for the glasses and silverware before she sat in the chair across from him.
    They ate in silence for several minutes before he got the nerve to speak. “This is really good. I didn’t realize you could cook.”
    One perfectly arched eyebrow rose over her stunning green eyes. “You would be surprised at what you don’t know about me, Chase, or don’t care to find out.”
    Is she flirting with me? Well, hell! After I kissed the crap out of her earlier, who knows?
    “I care way too much, that’s the problem,” he grumbled under his breath.
    “Excuse me?”
    “Nothing.”
    Abby set her fork down and tented her fingers under her chin. “You know, this persona you have taken on isn’t going to send me screaming into the next county. I’m trying to be your friend, if that’s what you want, especially since I don’t have many here yet.”
    “What about Christopher Bridges?” Chase grimaced when the words left his mouth.
    Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “What about him?”
    “You went out last night, didn’t you?”
    “You know we did, Chase. You called me while we were at the restaurant.”
    “Isn’t he your friend or whatever, too?”
      Do I really want to know what they are? But if they are more than friends, why did she kiss me back earlier?
    Abby frowned and shrugged. “I can have male friends. I had them in New York, and I can have them here, too. Believe it or not, you can have friends of the opposite sex without anything else involved.” She took a bite of her garlic bread. Once she swallowed, she said, “Besides, I need you to teach me some things.”
    She hadn’t answered his question, but he would let it slide for now. The teach her thing had him intrigued.
    I know some things I could probably teach her, but I’m sure that’s not what she had in mind.
    “Like what?”
    “About horses. I don’t know enough to be able to do what I want with them. You’ve probably been doing it your entire life.”
    “That’s true.” He shrugged and stuck a fork full of lasagna in his mouth.
    Abby’s eyes danced with excitement. “See! Then you can teach me what you know.”
    “That could take a while.”
    “I have nothing but time on my hands. The only commitment I have at the moment is to feed your horses since you don’t seem to want me around for anything else.”
    Oh, if you only knew, Abigail.
      “I never said I didn’t want you around, Abby.”
      Her gaze dropped to the food in front of her and she put the last bit in her mouth.