Free Ryelee's Cowboy by Kathleen Ball Page B

smiled,
cocked her head to one side, and batted her eyelashes.
    “Good.”
    “I still think it makes me very
beautiful, but Rye said that real beauty comes from
with-in.”
    Clint eyed Ryelee. His gaze
intensified. Ryelee was beautiful inside and out. He smiled and
winked at Rheenie. “Ryelee is very wise in these
things.”
    Clint decided to talk to Ryelee
tonight. He had to know if she felt the same. She responded to his
kisses, but he wanted to know what was in her heart. It took
forever before Ryelee was free. Clint paced in his study as he
heard Ryelee finally kissing Rheenie goodnight.
    He stopped short when she walked into
his study. Her red hair cascaded down over her shoulders, and he
wanted to run his hands through the luscious locks. It shimmered
like a bright red halo around her. He hoped to God she had feelings
for him. He usually could read people, but he couldn’t get a good
read on Ryelee.
    “Your daughter sure is special. Where
did she learn that eyelash thing?” Ryelee asked, moving closer to
Clint.
    Clint took her hand and led her to the
green sofa. He smiled at her curious. “I want to talk to you about
something.”
    “It looks serious.”
    Noting the concern on her face, he
said, “Hey, it’s good talk. At least I hope you think so.” He took
both of her hands in his. “I’m not a poetic type of man, and I
don’t exactly know what to say.”
    She leaned in and kissed him on the
lips. Clint drew her closer, running his fingers through her hair.
He deepened the kiss by slipping his tongue in her mouth. She
tasted like heaven. He wanted more, much more, but he pulled
away.
    Clint looked into Ryelee’s eyes. He
had never had a kiss like the one they just shared, and it humbled
him. She looked so sexy with her mussed hair, cherry red lips, and
hooded eyes.
    “I think we should talk.” He took her
tiny hand in his and pulled her down next to him. The contrast in
their size made him smile. Ever since Ryelee came into their lives,
he had started smiling again. It had been a long time—a long,
lonely, sad time. His heart raced and his palms became clammy. Part
of him wanted run out the door. What if she didn’t return his
feelings?
    He had never been in this position
before. With Jill, it had been so easy. It seemed as if they had
always been a couple, and they naturally got married. It was love,
a strong love. With Ryelee, it was an exciting kind of love. There
was no predicting her.
    She loved Rheenie. Maybe she could
love him too. Fear shot through him. He could be mistaking her
responses. Clint didn’t want to make a fool of himself. He had to
know.
    “I feel as though we have something
good here between us, Ryelee, and I want to know how you
feel.”
    Ryelee smiled into his eyes. “Well,
cowboy, I’d have to say you’ve lassoed me.”
    Clint scowled.
    Ryelee’s brows furrowed together. “Did
I say something wrong?”
    “I don’t want the same pat answer you
give every other guy you make out with. I’m serious. I’m trying to
have a serious conversation, and I don’t enjoy you making light of
it or my feelings.”
    Ryelee’s eyes widened. “Every other
guy?” She disentangled her hands from his and hopped up from the
sofa. With a cry of distress, she put her hand to her mouth and ran
from the room.
    Clint felt pole-axed. What just
happened? He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair,
trying to think of what went wrong. She overreacted to his comment.
Oh, hell, his comment! He groaned remembering what he had said and
how she probably perceived it. He had jumped to the wrong
conclusion, and he knew better. She’d been a virgin until recently.
She must think the worst of him. Why was it always so difficult
with women?
    Clint didn't know what to do. He had
hoped to propose to her, but right now he would be lucky if she’d
even talk to him. Shaking his head at his stupidity, he decided to
go after her. He couldn’t let her believe he thought any less of
her because