Free Autumn's Hope (Cowboy Seasons) by Kathleen Ball

if she did it herself. He opened the door and held his strong arms out to
her. Before she knew it she’d been swept up against his hard chest and a tingle
pumped throughout her body. Her attraction to him had to stop, but how?
    He
carried her up the three steps that led to the front railed porch, and then he
set her down to get the key out of his pocket. He opened the door and gestured
for her to enter first.
    All
the planks of wood showed knot holes and the ceiling was high giving the house
a spacious vibe. The furniture was oversized and masculine, like Jonas. The
brown leather couch and chairs looked as though they’d swallow her up if she
sat in them. “It’s wonderful!”
    He
practically glowed at her praise. “I put a lot of work into the place.”
    “How
long did it take?”
    “About
three years.”
    “That’s
a long time but so worth it. Come look at the kitchen.”
    “I’ve
seen it.” He chuckled.
    “Of
course you have.” She grabbed his hands and pulled him along. The cabinets were
the same light color as the walls and there were plenty of them. She could
picture herself cooking in the spacious room. The counters were brown granite
and all the appliances were stainless steel. “You must cook a lot.”
    Jonas’
shook his head. “Not really, I mostly use the microwave. Working the ranch
takes a lot of my time these days.”
    “I’ll
cook.”
    “No
can do. Let’s get you settled on the couch. Richard is going to bring your
things by in a bit and then I’ll show you your bedroom.”
    Tears
sprung to her eyes. “Thank you.”
    “Aw
hell, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
    “I
cry all the time these days and I want you to know that I’m not much of a
crier.” She grabbed a tissue from the counter. “I don’t want to be a burden.”
    Jonas
closed the distance between them and hugged her to him. Leaning in, she put her
head on his hard chest and his heartbeat had a lulling effect on her. He stroked
her back and she closed her eyes, loving the feel of his large hands on her. If
she had her choice they’d just stand there all day.
    “Let
me introduce you to my couch.” He stepped back and smiled tenderly at her.
    Butterflies
took up residence in her stomach as she stared at his happy face. “Sure, the
couch looks huge.”
    “I
got one that fit me. If I want to stretch out on the couch, I want my feet to
fit.”
    “I’ve
never had that problem.”
    “Make
light of it if you want, but it’s not easy finding a couch this long. I like
it.”
    She
was right, she felt swallowed up by the couch. Jonas went to one of the
bedrooms and brought back a pillow and blanket. He carefully placed the pillow
under her head and then tucked her in. Warm and fuzzy were her only thoughts
before she fell asleep.

 
    * * * *

 
    Jonas
sat in the chair next to her, gazing at her lovely features. Autumn, the name
fit her. The russet color of her hair reminded him of the color of changing
leaves. The circles under her eyes were the only flaw on her dainty face. He
frowned. She looked perfect and he was scarred. He’d been so eager for her to
see his house and when she liked it he was thrilled, too thrilled. He was bound
to get hurt but he couldn’t help it. They could never be anything other than
good friends, so somehow he had to keep his feelings hidden. He hoped he was up
for it. Living on his own, he hadn’t had to hide his feelings. It had been good
for him. Nothing like hammering nails to get aggression out. It also gave him
time to think and when Colt O’Malley first contacted him about helping with the
rescue horses, it was fate.
    He
kept his mind on his cattle and the horses. The sick and abused animals kept
his thoughts occupied enough for him to begin to heal. He still had nightmares,
but the therapist told him that it was normal after what he’d been through.
    He
swept her with one last, wistful gaze and went to take care of his animals. He
wondered if Holden was able to fix the mare’s