Free The Rancher And The RunawayBride: Part 2 by Susan Mallery Page A

proved it.
    For the first time, she’d shared a little about her past. She’d painted a word picture
     of a family that while flawed, was still a force in her life. She had a mother and
     a brother somewhere, waiting for her. She also had an ex-boyfriend.
    He grimaced, wishing he didn’t know about Hal. Or the engagement.
    Who was this man who had nearly claimed Rita as his wife? Why had she agreed to marry
     him, then changed her mind? She’d spoken of the relationship as if it had no value
     to her. Was that because she’d “fallen into it” as she’d claimed, or was it something
     else?
    The music changed. He glanced up and saw the dancers swaying together as a slow song
     shifted the mood. Rita wasn’t on the floor with anyone. He could go inside and ask
     her to dance himself, but he knew better. A single dance could be explained—she was
     his employee and it was polite to ask her. Anything else would imply interest. As
     if she hadn’t guessed that from the kiss they’d shared.
    Still, he wasn’t ready to start anything with her, and he was damn well going to ignore
     the fact that something may already have started on its own.
    “You look like you could use this,” a voice said behind him.
    He turned toward the sound and saw Rita standing in the shadows. She held out a plastic
     glass of beer.
    “Thanks. Why aren’t you dancing?”
    “No one I wanted to dance with asked me.”
    He mulled that over for a second, wondering if it was an invitation. By the time he
     figured it might be, the song was half over and they couldn’t have made it inside
     in time. Besides, they were both holding drinks. So instead, he led her to the bench
     pressed up against the lodge.
    She sank down and sighed. “You’re smart to be out here. This is better than dancing.
     My feet are sore. I’m not used to wearing high heels.” She slipped off her pumps and
     wiggled her toes.
    Brady clenched his teeth to hold back the offer to rub her feet. It wouldn’t be a
     good idea. Aside from the fact that it would be inappropriate, he doubted he could
     touch any part of her without getting aroused.
    She leaned back into the far corner of the bench, angling her body toward him. Light
     spilled out of the window, illuminating her features. Long, dark curls tumbled down
     her shoulders and back. Her mouth tilted up at the corners, color stained her cheeks.
     She was lovely and he wanted her. That and a buck would buy him a cup of coffee.
    “So, Brady Jones, how come you’re not married?”
    He raised his eyebrows.
    She laughed. “I know, I know. Talk about an unsubtle opening. However, I would like
     to point out that you’re the one who is always bringing up the difference in our ages.
     So what I want to know is how an old man of thirty-three has managed to avoid the
     delights of matrimony? Why don’t you have a passel of kids running around and making
     trouble? Where is Ms. Right?”
    He angled toward her and rested his ankle on his opposite knee. “I want a wife and
     a family, but it hasn’t worked out.”
    “I suppose it’s tough to meet women on the ranch,” she said. “You should train Princess
     to collect single ladies instead of cats. Think how convenient that would be. You
     could have your pick of the litter, so to speak.”
    He chuckled. “It’s not that simple. I met a lot of women on the rodeo circuit.”
    “Were you wild?”
    “I had my moments,” he admitted. “Not that many, but a few.”
    “Not one of these buckle bunnies appealed?”
    “Where’d you hear that term?”
    She batted her eyelashes at him. “I get around. So, you didn’t like any of them?”
    “I don’t know. I guess not. My parents are very happy together. They get mad just
     like any other married couple, but they also still love each other. When I was growing
     up, I knew their relationship was a priority to them. That was very comforting in
     a time when a lot of my friends’ parents were getting divorced. The