Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)

He raised his eyebrows. “Oh? That’s it?”


“She needs to start seeing someone. I won’t go into why, but she has to get back on the horse, so to speak, and you’re a horse guy so I thought… But then you said you weren’t interested and it probably wouldn’t work.” No way she was going to bring up their kiss. Even if she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

“Anyway, that’s what happened. You didn’t hurt her feelings, did you?”

“Charlie firmly put me in my place. You would be proud.”

“That’s nice.”

“Anyone else you want to set me up with?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Other groups that will be showing up unannounced?”

“I can’t think of any.”

“Good. Ready for our lesson?”

She nodded. “Am I riding Khatar?”

Shane shook his head. “It’s what you both want. Who am I to stand in the way?”

“But he’s so expensive. I don’t want to hurt him.”

Shane sighed. “You won’t.”

Khatar stood next to her, his neck over her shoulder, his cheek against hers. “I’ll be very careful.”

“I’m sure you will.”

Shane started toward the barn. She followed, Khatar trailing after her.

“You think I’m a pain in the butt, don’t you?” she asked.

He turned. “I know you’re not trying to be.”

“I’m not. Usually I’m not the least bit difficult.”

“Why don’t I believe that?”

Before she could come up with a response, he stepped toward her and grabbed her upper arms. He pressed his mouth against hers in one hard, hot kiss that seared her down to her toes. Before she could reach for him or even kiss him back, he released her.

“Khatar’s never had on a Western saddle. You’ll have to ride English.”

Pleasure and need charged through her in time with her heartbeat. She drew in a shaky breath.

“Whatever you say, Shane.”

He grunted. “If only that were true.”

CHAPTER SIX

“RAFE AND I HAVE DECIDED we’ll hold the wedding here,” Heidi said as she poured glasses of iced tea in the ranch’s dining room. “It’s more economical and we can have more people.”

Charlie took the offered glass and raised her eyebrows. “Seriously? Rafe’s worried about what it’s going to cost?”

Heidi laughed. “No, but I’ve spent my life being frugal. That’s not going to change anytime soon.”

Annabelle figured her friend was in for a financial adjustment. Heidi and her grandfather had never had an excess of funds. Now Heidi was marrying a very successful businessman with millions to his name. She would bet that Rafe would pay for any kind of wedding Heidi wanted. But she also knew Heidi wouldn’t see it that way.

“Besides,” Heidi continued, “this is more about the room than the costs. I’ve made so many friends here in town. I want everyone to come and have a great time.”

“More party than reception?” Charlie asked.

“That sounds perfect.”

“I agree,” Annabelle told her. “The weather will be warm but not hot and people will enjoy the more relaxed venue. You were leaning toward a less formal ceremony anyway.”

May, Rafe and Shane’s mother, walked into the dining room, several pads of paper tucked under one arm and a fistful of pens in her free hand.

“Am I late? Did you start without me?”

“You’re right on time,” Heidi assured her future mother-in-law.

“I saw you and Glen pulling into town about three this morning,” Charlie told her.

“Our flight landed in San Francisco at midnight,” May said, taking a seat at the table and passing out the pads of paper and pens. “We talked about grabbing a room by the airport but decided we would rather be home.”

“How was Australia?” Annabelle asked.

“Wonderful. We’re going back. The flight is long, but worth it. Do you know it’s their winter now? We loved that. And the toilets really do flush the other way.”

“As long as you spent your time on the important things,” Charlie teased.

May laughed. “We saw the sights. I’ll bore everyone with pictures later. But first we have a wedding to plan and I need to be caught up with everything that happened while we were gone.”

“Just the usual,” Heidi said. “There hasn’t been any hot gossip.”

May smiled, her dark eyes similar to her sons’. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

Heidi touched her hand. “I promise I’m not.”