Texas Heroes: Volume 1 by Jean Brashear Page B

nose up at country music—would Maddie be doing the same?
    Would she mentally be poking fun at the rubes? Would the music grate on her nerves? A part of Boone readied himself to defend the people and the place he loved from mockery. These were good people. They worked hard and had little to show for their efforts, either in material goods or lifestyle options.
    Simple people who were the salt of the earth. He had missed them all.
    Boone nodded to various old acquaintances, noting the tipped hats and smiles. He stopped to visit with neighboring ranchers and quickly discovered word had spread of the interloper city-slicker who had come to town.
    Boone was surprised to find himself defending Maddie, more surprised to find himself scanning the crowd inside for her presence.
    It didn’t take long.
    She was a flame glowing in the darkness. Around her circled the moths, batting their wings and courting annihilation.
    Boone watched her. And he burned.
    Standing against a support post in the darkness, he saw the fire and the fun that was Maddie. In full gypsy regalia, Maddie reigned as belle of the ball. Her red halter top glowed against pale satin skin, the full froth of her short red and gold skirt showing off the legs that haunted his dreams.
    But it was Maddie’s spirit that glowed brightest as she danced and laughed. She didn’t know the steps—that much was obvious—but her good nature and natural grace made it unimportant. Surrounded by partners more than willing to teach her, Maddie learned quickly. He watched her do the Cotton-Eyed Joe and the schottische, her legs flashing and drawing every male eye in the place. When she missed a step, her laughter brought smiles to every face.
    Maddie’s easy affection charmed them all. Sour old women found no fault, for Maddie was unfailingly polite and never favored anyone. She could not be branded easy, but her sensuality wove a spell around every man in the hall. Yet the women smiled at her laughter, at her willingness to poke fun at herself.
    The City Girl had made herself at home.
    Boone watched his neighbors with amazement, these people who were never rude but didn’t take kindly to strangers. One by one, they accepted Maddie into the fold.
    It was torture to watch her, to see her move into the arms of old men and boys, young studs eager to show off and mature men who wanted to claim her.
    He wanted to step out of the darkness and tell every one of them to get lost.
    But Maddie wasn’t his. She was only visiting.
    Boone felt a gaze on him and turned to the left. Jim nodded toward Maddie and lifted his beer in a salute. His taunting challenge hung in the air.
    First thing tomorrow, Boone was sending Jim to walk the miles of fence line. Not ride. Walk.
    He merely lifted a negligent eyebrow and turned away from his foreman.
    He felt it the moment Maddie saw him.
    Her gaze halted on his before moving back to the cowboy whose hand rested on her hip. Boone ground his teeth and meant to look away.
    But he couldn’t.
    Instead, he glared at the man who had the nerve to touch her, even while he recognized that Maddie was a free agent.
    He had no claim on her. He never would.
    Tearing his gaze away, Boone turned to the first person he saw, Emma Ruth Rodgers. Sixty-five if she was a day, Emma Ruth had never married but had educated many a child in this town, including Boone.
    “How are you, Ms. Rodgers?”
    “Boone Gallagher, as I live and breathe. It’s good to have you back.”
    Her eagerness warmed him. “Thank you. It’s good to be here.”
    “I’m sorry about your father.”
    Boone tensed, then muttered the expected. “He’d been sick for a while.”
    “No, Boone, I mean I’m sorry about this mess he’s left you. Sam Gallagher used to be a lovely young man, one of this town’s real treasures, but he changed after your mother died. He was wrong in what he did to you and Mitch.”
    Boone’s surprise must have shown, for she carried on. “You thought no one noticed?