Free AlmostHome by India Masters Page A

to find the words for whatever
it was she wanted to say to him. When they got to the truck, he leaned against
the bed and waited. She looked up at him. “I’m sorry you had to see that
today…my brother behavin’ like a horse’s ass the way he done.”
    “Haley—”
    She shook her head. “Please, let me finish. I reckon I can
count on one hand the number of times people didn’t treat me like trash because
of my pa and Conner. I ain’t never had nobody open doors or pull out a seat for
me. You made me feel like I was worth somethin’ and I thank you for that. For
everything you done. I know you was just bein’ neighborly but you made me feel
special and I appreciate that.”
    Wyatt’s chest tightened. Jesus. What must it be like to go
through life never knowing the milk of human kindness? To be grateful for the
small considerations he’d show to any woman? She stood there, pink-cheeked,
staring down at the tips of her boots, embarrassed by her gratitude. “Haley.”
He tipped her chin up. “Look at me. You are special and you deserve to be
treated with respect. Any man that can’t see that is a damned fool. So, you’re
welcome.” He leaned down and kissed her, a gentle press of his lips against
hers. He would have left it at that if her hands hadn’t fisted in his shirt. He
deepened the kiss, pressing his tongue between her lips for a taste before
pulling away. He reached up, tapped the brim of her hat. “Sweet as a spring
morning, but I got to get home and get to work.”
    She stepped back, nodded. “Me too. I’ll see you later.”
    “Count on it.” It pleased him that she watched him go,
waving as he pointed his rig down the driveway before turning back to her work.
Still, Dooley’s words weighed on his mind.
    * * * * *
    Haley pressed her hand against her mouth. Wyatt had kissed
her, and damned if she hadn’t kissed him back. Why the hell had she done that?
She didn’t want him kissing her. Didn’t want any man kissing her. Near as she
could tell, every mother’s son of them was nothing but a bucket full of
trouble—even the nice ones—and she was dumber than a bag of hammers if she let
any one of them weasel his way into her life. If her pa and Conner had taught
her anything, it was that men couldn’t be trusted.
    Trouble was, she liked Brody and she halfway trusted him
already. Her conversation with Maria scrolled across the forefront of her
addled brain, wanting her to believe what her friend had told her. That Wyatt
was different. That he was a good man. As if such a thing existed. Oh, Dooley
was all right but Dooley was a married man and wasn’t interested in her the way
Wyatt was, and the fact that she liked him, had liked kissing him, made him
dangerous to her new found peace of mind. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” She
scrubbed at her mouth, trying to wipe away the feel of Wyatt’s lips on hers.

Chapter Five
     
    Haley could barely contain her excitement. For the first
time in her life, she had the money to do more than look around at a stock
auction. Today, she could afford to buy. The parking areas at the county
fairgrounds were filling up fast and it looked as if the entire county had
showed up. She found a space, hopped out of the truck, and locked it, before
heading for the pens to check out the stock. Walking around, Haley stopped at
holding pen full of yearlings. A young girl pointed to a pretty sorrel gelding.
“That’s him, Daddy, that’s the one I want.”
    “Oh, he is pretty,” Haley said, studying the horse.
    The girl looked at her and gasped. “You’re Haley
Kilpatrick.” She plucked her father’s shirt. “She’s the best barrel racer
ever.”
    Haley laughed. “I’ve done okay but I don’t reckon I’m the
best ever. Can I give you a little advice about that gelding?”
    “Please do,” said the father.
    “I’d look for something else. He’s pretty but his
conformation ain’t right for a barrel racer.” The pair looked at her and she nodded
at the