Read The Lost Sheenan's Bride (Taming of the Sheenans Book 6) for Free Online Page B

could see from her pallor and the set of her full lips that she was far from happy. He wished he could blame Cormac, but her frosty tone back there in the restaurant corridor had been directed at him.
    “I’m sorry,” he said gruffly, taking his seat again.
    “That was really uncomfortable,” she said, staring at him, head high, shoulders squared, her wide, blue eyes unblinking, expression full of censure.
    School teacher censure.
    He would have smiled at any other time, but right now wasn’t the time. He’d hurt her feelings and he didn’t like it. He wasn’t sure how to make amends, but he wanted to. Not because he needed her support but because he liked her. She wasn’t just a pretty young thing, but a really nice person. A good person. And she deserved to be treated well.
    And he really didn’t want to smile, but she kept glaring at him, giving him the most reproving look, as if she weren’t just a teacher, but a Sunday school teacher, and Shane couldn’t remember the last time anyone had stared him down, letting him know in no uncertain terms that he was in trouble . And this was serious .
    God only knew he’d experienced his share of angry teachers. Even as a boy, he’d known what not to do, but that was too easy. Why do what he was supposed to do? Why not do what he wanted to do? Why not do the thing that interested him?
    He struggled to think of a suitable topic, hoping a change of subject would smooth things over. “How is the wine? Good?”
    She wasn’t done scolding him. “You were not helping things back there.”
    He’d apologize to her, but not for the interaction with Cormac Sheenan. Cormac had been making waves for Shane ever since Cormac arrived in town last November with his daughter, Daisy. He’d even gone so far as to contact Shane’s agent and publisher. “Sheenan was attacking me.”
    She just looked at him, not the least bit sympathetic. “So?”
    “I wasn’t going to just stand there—”
    “Why not? You’re a man, not a child. I’m sure you’ve dealt with criticism before.”
    Shane no longer felt like laughing. “Ouch.”
    She shrugged impatiently. “I’d say the same thing to him, if he were here.”
    “But he’s not.”
    “That’s right. So I’m talking to you.” She studied him a long moment. “Is it true? What he said? That your new book is about McKenna’s family?”
    “It’s about the crime that was committed on the Douglas ranch, yes.”
    For a split second she looked surprised…no, disappointed, and then her expression went blank.
    He wished he hadn’t seen the disappointment.
    He wanted her to smile at him again, which surprised him because he usually didn’t give a rat’s ass about what anyone thought, much less thought of him.
    He shifted uncomfortably, arms folding over his chest. “I didn’t like seeing him pull you out of the dining room,” he said after a moment. “It looked rough, and so I went to check on you. Make sure you were alright.”
    There was a flicker in her blue eyes but her guard remained up. “I can usually handle myself alright.”
    “So I’m discovering.”
    She cracked a smile. “I’ve a mean left hook.”
    “Who taught you that?”
    “My brothers. Just in case.” Her smile widened. “It’s proven useful more than once.”
    “I can imagine.” Shane smiled at her. “And I am sorry for what happened back there. I shouldn’t have put you in the middle.”
    She nodded, but her smile slipped. “I’d read your book coming out next year already has a movie deal.” She toyed with the stem of her wineglass a moment before adding, “And that book is the one about the Douglas…crime…?”
    Worry shadowed her eyes. The strange tightness in his chest was back. He didn’t know what she was doing to him, but he couldn’t remember when he last felt so ambivalent about anything. “Yes.”
    “What kind of movie?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    Her eyebrows arched.
    “It depends on the producers. Could be a network