Free My Kind of Trouble by Becky McGraw Page A

find it, so
she searched her other pocket.
     
    A horror-stricken look came over her
beautiful face and then tears filled her eyes. "Oh, my god..." she
gasped and then turned her pockets inside out. "I lost it." He saw
her swallow hard and then the tears started falling.
     
    If there was one thing he couldn't stand it
was a crying woman. Especially this woman, one he'd never seen cry
before, and it made him damned uncomfortable to see it now. With a
growl, he pulled her into his arms and held her. "Shh...we'll find
it."
     
    Finding that damned ring was the last thing
he wanted to do. He'd be happy if she never found it. It was
just a constant reminder that another man was going to have what
was supposed to be his. But he was going to help her. He didn't
like the heartbroken look in her eyes, or the sadness that was
evidently in her heart.
     
    Cassie sobbed into his shirt and clutched it
with her fists, then hiccupped a couple of breaths, before looking
up into his eyes. "I--I--have to find it, Luke."
     
    "I'll help you first thing tomorrow," he
told her then kissed her forehead and hugged her again. She
sniffled, and he rubbed her back. "Let's go get cleaned up and eat.
I'm starving." For more than food, he thought and squeezed her
again, before pushing her away and wiping at her tears with his
thumb.
     
    ***
     
    Three days later, they still hadn't found
the ring and Cassie was in desperation mode. They'd searched all
over the barn, house and bunkhouse and even out by the tree in the
field where she'd been thrown. It was like looking for a needle in
a haystack.
     
    Luke, true to his word, had helped her
search in earnest, although he didn't look any too happy about it.
He had been sullen and withdrawn since he'd kissed her at the house
the other night. Grumpy. That was a good word to describe him, but
still sexy as hell when he was brooding.
     
    No matter what he was doing, he was sex on a
very tall stick, and she couldn't help her body's response to him
when he got near her. So she tried to avoid him as much as she
could. Thank goodness, he didn't seem intent on pursing her now, or
she'd be in real trouble, regardless of what he'd done to her ten
years ago. That was old news, but what she was feeling for him was
the same, yet so much more intense than back then. He was a man
now, filled out and definitely ready for action.
     
    And guilt for noticing that fact was riding
her like a swayback mare. James had called yesterday before she'd
gotten back to the house, and she hadn't called him back. She
couldn't. Between what was stewing with Luke, and the fact she'd
lost the very expensive ring he'd given her, she didn't think she
could talk to him without breaking down. She'd call him once she
found the ring.
     
    Cassie was in the barn this morning tearing
up the tack room searching for the ring on her hands and knees.
"Any luck?" Luke's deep voice sounded behind her and startled her.
She lifted up and bumped her head on a saddle rack.
     
    "Ouch." she said and lifted her hand to her
head. "No, I still haven't found it."
     
    "Get Honey saddled," he ordered gruffly.
     
    "Why? I have to keep looking."
     
    "We're going out to look by the tree again.
That has to be where you lost it. Either there or by the fence we
jumped." He said his brown eyes moving over her face then across
her chest and back up.
     
    Her blood heated and she licked her lips.
"Okay, I'll be ready in ten minutes."
     
    Luke nodded then turned away from her and
walked out the door. She sat there for a moment staring after him,
daydreaming about what ifs. Ten years ago, Cassie had thought Luke
was the real deal. A good man that cared about her. Before he broke
her heart. Before she'd gone running away like a little girl.
     
    If the same thing happened today, she'd
handle it a lot differently. She'd confront him, make him face his
treachery, demand answers, and then she'd kick him in the balls.
Cassie was ten years older now and knew how to face down