Free Capturing the Cowboy's Heart by Lindsey Brookes

nothing at all. 
    “How’s the room?” he asked, needing to divert the flow of their conversation.  “ I know it’s not much, but-”
    “The room is fine,” she said, cutting him off.  She made her way around the bed and grabbed for her jacket. 
    He eyed the jacket in her hand.  “Where are you going?” 
    “Out for a while.”  She slipped it on and started past him.  “Thanks for dinner.”
    “Thank Burk.  He made it.”  Cade followed her out to the kitchen.  “Isn’t it kind of late to be heading out?”
    “Not for me.”
    “You really ought to get some sleep , Dalton .  I wasn’t joking when I said we get up at five-thirty around here.  Not only that, but I expect my ranch hands to follow my orders.  I’d hate to have to fire you before you actually did some real work.”
    She glanced down at her watch.  “It’s not even eight yet.”
    “Eight is late on a ranch.”
    “Don’t worry ,” she said.  “ I’ll be up at five-thirty to do whatever exciting ranch duty you throw my way.”  She opened the door and then turned back to Cade.  “Your wife was a very lucky woman.”  That said she walked out, closing the door behind her.
    Her last statement s urprised him .  Truth was, her behavior since quitting dinner seemed off for Lacy.  Not that he knew her well, but something had clearly upset her.  That something most likely being him.  He wasn’t buying her story about cheap contacts. 
    He stared at the door with a frown.  He should have apolo gized to her for his earlier behavior.  Idiot he was, he had practically called her a hooker.   And he’d only done that because she was getting to him.  Everything about her got to him.  That sexy little body.  Those heavily lashed, gold-flecked eyes.  That beautiful smile.   
    Burk was right.  He’d gone too damn long without a woman.  
    The back door opened and Burk stepped into the house , pulling off his hat.  Speak of the devil.  “I saw Lacy driving off on my way back from the barn.  Where’s she headed to at this time of night ?”
    He shrugged.  “She didn’t say.  I’m going to bed.  Leave the porch light on and the door unlocked.”
    “You sure you ought to let her go wandering about those roads alone at this time of night?” Burk asked as he peered out the window above the kitchen sink.  “One wrong turn on those back roads and she’s as good as lost.”
    “Lacy’s a big girl.  She’ll find her way home.”  Despite his words of reassurance, Cade found himself fighting the urge to go after her.  He didn’t want to care.  But damn it, he did.  There was only one way to get his mind off of Lacy and the emotions she evoked in him.
    “Where you going?”
    “To bed.”
    *               *               *
    Country music blared from the open T-top of the Corvette as it flew down the darkened country road.  The wind whipped Lacy’s hair and cooled her heated flesh. 
    She was trying to outrun her life.  The fear of losing her grandmother and the unexpected feelings she was developing for Cade.  Pulse racing and heart drumming she pushed the gas a little harder.  Maybe she wasn’t doing 110, but doing 70mph down a dark, country road gave her the escape she needed. 
    Flashing red lights in the rear view mirror put a quick end to that. 
    “Shoot!”
    She slowed and the lights came up behind her, siren blaring.  Lacy groaned.  There was probably one cop in the entire county and she’d chosen his road to drive down. 
    Grudgingly, she pulled over and waited, watching in the mirror as the officer got out of his car.  He started toward hers, making his way around to the driver’s side door.
    “Ma’am.”  He lifted the brim of his hat and lowered his head to peer inside.  The beam from the flashlight he held in his hand moved swiftly across the front seat and then back onto her face.  “I’ll need to see some ID.”
    “Sure thing, officer,” she