Read Texas Rose for Free Online Page B

strategicallyarranged feathers to cover all the important places. He looked from the page to Beth.
    â€œThis is you?” he asked.
    â€œYes.” She was eighteen then and fresh from the ranch. It seemed like a million years ago now. And just like only yesterday. “I was on Broadway. Off-Broadway, actually. Way off.” She’d worked her way up to the legitimate theater, and acquired many wonderful memories and almost as many men along the way. Beth sighed. “It’s been a wonderful life.” And then she smiled at Matt. “But you’re not here to listen to me reminisce.”
    It occurred to him that he felt comfortable with this woman he’d never met before. As comfortable with Beth Wainwright Montgomery Cannon Williams Smith, et cetera as he was with Rose, or had been before she’d dumped him. Maybe it was a family trait, he reasoned. Although Rose was far less outgoing and flamboyant than her aunt. Truthfully, he was glad of that, because if she’d been like Beth, he would have had to stand in line instead of keeping her all for himself.
    Matt sensed an ally in Beth and as such, felt that it was only smart to encourage her to continue. “No, please, go ahead.”
    Beth patted his hand, her violet eyes sparkling like newly uncorked champagne poured into a fluted glass. “Not just handsome, but smart, too.” She laughed asshe looked at Rose over Matt’s head. “This one’s a charmer, Rose.”
    â€œYes,” Rose said, looking pointedly at Matt. “But charm eventually wears thin.”
    The remark hit him straight in his heart, like a well-aimed arrow. What was he doing here, humbling himself in front of a woman who had walked out on him, who’d all but told him that she’d had her fun, but the excitement was gone and now it was time to return to their previous lives?
    Where the hell was his pride?
    â€œSince I’m here,” he heard himself saying, “I might as well take a long overdue vacation. But this place is so damn confusing,” he confided to Beth, ignoring Rose completely, “I’m going to need someone to be my guide.” He waited for the offer he thought was inevitable. When it didn’t come from Beth, he urged, “How about you? Are you up for it?”
    To his surprise, Beth shook her head. “Oh, my dear, I would be more than up for it, but I’m right in the middle of teaching an acting class.” Then she beamed as if suddenly struck by a thought that he suspected had been there all along. “But Rose is free.”
    He spared Rose a glance. “I don’t expect she knows very much of the city.”
    â€œShe knows a great deal more than you give her credit for, Matt.”
    He shifted in his seat, turning to look at Rose who was on his other side. Was it his imagination, or did she suddenly look pale? “All right, how about it? Will you show me around?”
    Why were they playing these games? Why couldn’t he just go home? “You don’t really want to see the city,” Rose replied.
    Matt could feel his temper heating again. There was no doubt about it, Rose could set him off like nobody he knew.
    â€œI said I did, didn’t I? Why do you always have to contradict what I say?”
    She was in no mood to be diplomatic. “Maybe it’s because you never say what you mean.”
    Beth clapped her hands together three times before she managed to get their attention.
    â€œChildren, children, stop fighting this instant and make nice or I’ll send you both to your rooms without any supper.” A complete pushover, even in jest, she rethought that. “Well, that’s too harsh, but without dessert at any rate.” She winked.
    Rose folded her hands in front of her and let out a deep breath. She supposed she had sounded like a child, arguing just now. And since it looked as if Matt wasn’t about to leave unless she agreed to some kind of