Read Ridge for Free Online

opened, and a beautiful blonde woman came out. When she looked at the child nestled against her uncle’s chest, her expression softened and her mouth opened in an O.
    “She fell asleep, the little dear,” she said, and then looked to the jam that was wedged between Kashley and Ridge’s thighs. “I’m glad you didn’t let her eat it all.”
    “She has a sticky hand and face, but she got her fill pretty quick.” He pulled his knuckle from Merry’s mouth. Drool stretched between his finger and her rosebud lips, and two little teeth marks indented his callused skin. Kashley’s heart gave a little hitch of tenderness.
    “Let me take her inside and lay her down.” The woman Kashley knew from the show was Joy, but they still hadn’t been introduced. As if realizing this, Ridge said, “Oh, this is Ryder’s wife Joy. This is Kashley.”
    They smiled at each other and Kashley said hello. Then Joy took the child off Ridge’s lap. A dark circle of wetness was left behind on his jeans.
    “Agh, I’m so sorry, Ridge.”
    He waved her away, and she disappeared into the house, cradling the sleeping girl. He swiped the baby spit off his knuckle before he stuck his finger into the jam. As he brought the sugary gel to his lips, Kashley grew riveted. She couldn’t look away from that finger that was about to vanish in his mouth.
    Goosebumps skimmed her forearms, and she hoped he didn’t notice.
    “You’re cold? In this hot air?” He stuck his finger between his lips and sucked.
    Kashley tried to keep her eyes from rolling back in her head, but it took every ounce of willpower she possessed. This was one of the things she loved about all the Calhouns—they were gorgeous, rugged cowboys who were oblivious to the reactions of the women around them.
    “I’m not cold at all. So tell me about the rodeo. When’s your first event?”
    “Two weeks in Kansas.”
    “That’s a big one, right? Inter-state?”
    “Yep,” he drawled, which only stoked her fires more. Suddenly, he got to his feet and paced across the porch. He ran his fingers through his hair, and from this angle she saw he had a trace of barbecue on his lip, which only endeared him to her further. But he was hurting, that was obvious.
    She abandoned the swing and went to his side. He watched her come, and she quelled the urge to leap into his arms.
    “Why are you here, Kash? Why are you sticking by me?”
    “That’s what friends do,” she said quietly. She laid a hand on his arm.
    “Everybody wants something from me right now.”
    She shook her head. “Not me.” Well that was far from the truth, but he couldn’t know she wanted him to bend her over the porch rail and give her a screaming, shaking orgasm.
    “My family wants me to toe the line and take everything people give out without so much as a bit of lube and a reach-around.”
    His words made her bite her lip to keep from smiling.
    He went on, “The crew wants me to explode so they get a good piece for the show.”
    “You feel the pressure about your knee and the upcoming event.”
    He nodded, his brown eyes like those of a big puppy’s, pleading with her to make things right. She wanted to—she would.
    Squeezing his arm again, she said, “I’ll do some research about your knee, see if there’s something else—”
    He swiped a hand through the air to stop her. She blinked up at him, waiting. “Something else, Kash. I’m getting marriage proposals.”
    Her heart turned inside out, and she managed to say, “What?”
    “Yeah, on Twitter. You know that stupid hashtag Calhouns? Well I’ve got my own now, it seems. Hashtag Marry Ridge. And the emails.” He groaned so low that her skin prickled with goosebumps again. “Women, complete strangers, emailing me with proposals. There are over four hundred in my mailbox right now, and new ones come in as soon as I delete them. I can’t keep up.”
    “That’s insane.” She had that much competition? Women who were smarter, prettier, funnier,