Read Thunderbolt over Texas for Free Online Page B

now.”
    She took a deep breath and did it.
    â€œUp and over.” He placed a broad palm under her butt and all but lifted her into position.
    It was a quick thrill, but a thrill all the same. And now she was straddling a shifting horse, staring down at a rough-and-ready cowboy with a knowing glint in his blue eyes.
    She could feel the heat coming off her cheeks and tiny quivers jumping in her thigh muscles.
    â€œFor the record,” he said, back to husky and sexy.
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œYou should feel free to be good and bad.”
    Â 
    It was a long mile from Cole’s cabin near the creek up to Katie and Kyle’s house on the hill. They took it at a slowwalk, and Clarabelle followed the black horse along a faint trail through a wildflower meadow. Sydney’s thigh muscles grew tight, but otherwise the ride went without incident.
    â€œKatie said you used to live up here,” she called to Cole as the two-story house rose up in front of them.
    He twisted in the saddle to look back. “I moved out when Kyle got married.”
    â€œWas it just the two of you?”
    He nodded, then did something to drop his horse back so they were side by side. “My parents died when I was twenty. Kyle was eighteen.”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œIt was tough. But at least we had Grandma.”
    â€œThe matchmaking grandmother.”
    Cole smiled. Then his eyes dimmed. “She’s going to be really excited about you.”
    Sydney felt a twinge of guilt. Grandmas didn’t seem like the kind of people you should lie to.
    â€œWill it be okay?” she asked.
    He seemed to ponder the question. “Well, she’ll definitely book the church. Probably start baking the cake.”
    He brought the horses to a halt but didn’t dismount. “You know, if we want to pull this off, we’d better make sure we have our stories straight.”
    Trying to lighten the mood, she tossed her hair over her shoulders. “How about you fell head over heels and I’m marrying you out of pity?”
    â€œThat’ll work.”
    â€œCole, I was only—”
    â€œIt will work.”
    Katie appeared at the back door, giving an exuberant wave. “Sydney. You’re still here?”
    Sydney smiled at Katie. “Cole offered to teach me howto ride,” she called back, deciding it was better to stick to the truth as far as they could.
    Katie skipped toward them. “That’s fantastic.”
    Sydney shifted in her saddle. “It’s pretty hard on the butt. I don’t know how you guys do it.”
    â€œCallouses,” said Cole as he dismounted. Then he grinned at her. “You’ll be developing some soon.”
    Was he flirting?
    He looked as though he was flirting.
    And she’d sure felt a shiver at the reference to her butt.
    He walked a few paces and tied his horse. Then he came back for her. “You want some help down?”
    â€œSure,” she said. It wasn’t as if she had a hope of getting off by herself. Plus, her skin was already tingling in anticipation of his hands.
    â€œKick out both feet,” he instructed. “We don’t want you getting hung up.”
    She kicked free of the stirrups.
    Katie grabbed the bridle and held the horse steady.
    â€œLean forward and bring the other leg over his back,” said Cole.
    She did.
    Cole wrapped his hands around her waist and slowly lowered her to the ground.
    It wasn’t nearly as exciting as mounting the horse, but she got to inhale his scent, and for a second there his body was pressed full length against her back. She shivered deep down inside.
    He didn’t immediately step away.
    â€œShe’s catching on pretty well,” he said to Katie. Then he leaned around and brushed a lock of hair from Sydney’s cheek. “She’ll be running barrels in no time.” He gave her shoulders a little squeeze before shifting away.
    Sydney blinked at him in