Free The Cowboy and the Princess by Myrna Mackenzie Page A

if she asked for them…
    “Don’t look at me that way,” she said.
    “What way?”
    “The way Andreus does sometimes. As if I’m about to do something foolish. I’m not. I’m not asking to do something frivolous. These shoes are obviously all wrong and not sensible enough if they attract so much attention. And I’ll be quick. I promise. I just—I do need shoes and I haven’t seen anything at all of the town since I’ve been here. Just fifteen minutes, please.”
    Immediately, Owen felt like a jerk. She had been sent here for what was to have been the trip of a lifetime and now some clueless, grumpy rancher was begrudging her even a short trip to look for shoes she really needed. He’d been so concerned that something would happen to her and that he’d betray his friend’s trust in him that he’d been keeping her a virtual prisoner. What kind of man did that?
    But he knew. He’d already been that man, just like his father before him, or so his wife had said. She’d hated the ranch andeven the town and there had been no escaping what her perceived imprisonment on the ranch had done to their relationship. Now she was gone, and he was here with his ghosts. But none of that was Delfyne’s fault or her problem.
    “I’d like to let you have more freedom,” Owen began, “but—”
    “You think some man like that odious one will accost me.”
    He smiled. “Somehow I don’t think any of the women around here have ever called Dave odious.” But then, those women weren’t princesses with princes coming to call. Delfyne was used to more elegant, handsome, wealthy and privileged men than Dave paying attention to her.
    “And no,” he continued. “I doubt even Dave would do anything too offensive in broad daylight. I just don’t want anyone to corner you and ask you a lot of personal questions, which they’re sure to do. Word travels fast, and the fact that I now apparently have a guest-helper who could model in Vogue is bound to cause a stir. There aren’t many women who look like you around here. And there are absolutely none with the air that surrounds you.”
    She bit her lip. “I’ll try to look more common.”
    Oh, that was too amusing. He wanted to caress her cheek when he gave her the bad news that she would never look common no matter what she did, but touching her was a bad idea on too many fronts even to think about. Especially touching her right here where everyone could see.
    “Just be yourself,” he said. “You’ll be fine.” He would make sure that no one ruined things for her. “Now, let’s go get those shoes. And you take as much time as you want. We’ll take the long way around so you can see all of the town.”
    She smiled up at him as if he had given her the keys to the kingdom. Her eyes lit up, and, as he led her down the street past shops he had seen thousands of times in his lifetime, she turned and looked at each one as if she’d never seen a store before.
    “What’s that?” she asked.
    “Feed and seed. I guess you’ve never been in one of those before.”
    She laughed. “I’ve never even been in a diner before today. It was fun, and I adore Molly, but—” Suddenly her hand was on his arm, her fingertips light and delicate, her touch feeling far too good. Owen’s whole body reacted. “I’m sorry you had to lie about me. And I dragged you into this. I wish I could be more honest,” she said, and he knew she was telling the truth. What must it be like to have to be followed around by a phalanx of bodyguards all the time?
    And of course her men would be missing her soon.
    “I can handle a little dishonesty when it’s for the right cause,” he said. “And I wouldn’t forgive myself if I let anything happen to you. The truth might open you to danger.”
    But as they stood in the street, her skin against his, Owen knew that there were other dangers here that he didn’t want to think about, other temptations, other mistakes that could be made but never recalled