Read One Pink Rose; One White Rose; One Red Rose for Free Online

didn’t feel at all guilty picturing it in his mind. She was a sensual woman, and he appreciated a good-looking female as much as every other man living in the wilderness.
    No, he wasn’t concerned about his physical attraction to her. He could easily deal with that. What bothered him was the fact that he was actually beginning to enjoy her company, though why he liked being around a woman with such strange notions was beyond him. Emily made him smile, but only because she said the craziest things.
    He enjoyed looking at her. Nothing wrong with that, he told himself. Why, it would have been wrong for him not to look. He was a healthy man with normal inclinations, and she was getting prettier by the minute. That didn’t mean he was smitten with her.
    He felt better once he’d analyzed his situation. He quit frowning too. He watched her feed the rest of her apple to her horse, thought it was a sweet, practical thing to do, and wondered if she had any idea how difficult it was going to be for her to keep up the pretense of being helpless around Clifford O’Toole.
    He waited by the horses while she went to the stream to wash. He got a peculiar little catch in the back of his throat when she came running back to him. Her cheeks were rosy from washing in the cold mountain water, and she was smiling with pleasure over what she declared was a glorious day. He thought about kissing her then and there, and it took a good deal of discipline to keep his hands off her.
    â€œI’m ready to go now, Travis.”
    He was suddenly all business. “It’s about time. We’ve wasted almost two full hours here.”
    â€œIt wasn’t wasted time. It was . . . enjoyable.”
    He shrugged. “Do you want me to help you get up on your horse?”
    â€œAnd get tossed over the top again? I think not.”
    She hopped about for a minute or two while she tried to anchor her foot in the stirrup, and just when he was going to demand that she let him assist her, she made it up into the saddle on her own. She gave him a victorious smile. It didn’t last long.
    â€œA helpless woman would have requested assistance,” he said.
    He was smiling as he swung up into his saddle. He must be crazy too, he decided, because he was beginning to really like Miss Emily Finnegan.

Four

    T hey didn’t speak until they reached the gully he had hoped to use to shorten their journey, but just as Adam had predicted, it was flooded.
    â€œYou don’t want to cross the river here, do you? Surely there’s a bridge we could use.”
    â€œThere aren’t any bridges up here,” he answered. “And this isn’t a river, Emily. It’s just a gully.”
    Her mount obviously didn’t like being so close to the water’s edge and began to prance about. Travis reached over, grabbed hold of the reins, and forced her horse closer to his side so he couldn’t rear up.
    â€œHe must think he has to go in the water. He doesn’t, does he?”
    He could hear the worry in her voice. “No, he doesn’t,” he assured her. “We can’t cross here.”
    His leg was rubbing against hers. She noticed, of course, but though she could have moved away, she didn’t. She liked being close to him. He made her feel safe and yet uneasy too. What in heaven’s name was the matter with her? She didn’t seem to know her own thoughts anymore.
    â€œWe can’t cross here.” She repeated his words while she patted her horse in what Travis assumed was an attempt to reassure the animal.
    â€œNow what?” she asked him.
    â€œYour journey to Golden Crest has just been lengthened by at least two more days, maybe three.”
    It took all she had not to shout with relief. God help her, she was actually weak with it. It certainly was a peculiar reaction to hearing she wouldn’t have to meet and marry Mr. O’Toole for at least two more days. She should have