mirroring Molly’s look of mortification. “Don’t most girls cook?”
“Men do, too, you know,” Jeanne said, crossing her arms over her orange shirt.
Riley mulled that over. “So, you’re saying she thinks I only wanted her for her skills in the kitchen?”
Molly closed her eyes and leaned back, using one hand to rub her forehead. “Tell you what, big brother. I’ll get Mary Ellen to come back. We’ll tell her your nerves overtook you and made it hard for you to have a coherent conversation.”
“She’ll probably buy that I’m simpleminded and don’t know how to talk to a woman,” he said, meeting Molly’s narrowed stare with a blank one of his own. “Let’s just leave it where it is. You got any more ideas?”
“I’m idea-ed out. Lucky for you. I was on a roll when Jeannie and I came up with this big shebang.” He gave a mock shudder and Molly looked at her watch and stood up. “Don’t forget to eat something. You’re starting to look worn down.”
Thanks, Molly , he wanted to say. I don’t know how I survived living away from home without you being there telling me to eat . “Where’s Seth?”
“Doing chores, I hope. I haven’t seen him all day, and he was supposed to be here tonight.”
His brother was missing again. Riley didn’t know if he should be concerned. Maybe he should talk to the school counselor or something.
“Oh, and don’t forget to write down bits about each woman to help you decide who you want to match up with.” Molly left with Jeanne trailing behind her.
He had no intention of writing down his thoughts and feelings. He’d wait until morning, and if he could remember any details, he’d tell her then. If he couldn’t, then it wasn’t worth it.
Two more women filtered in and out of the room. It didn’t matter. Riley stifled a yawn, checking his list to see who was next. Jewel. He recalled her lively brown eyes and how she didn’t stalk him at the brunch or bother him during Scarlet’s foal. She didn’t invoke the same primal reaction in him that Ainsley did, but she didn’t mess up his mind, either.
Molly’s nagging hung in the room around him, so he popped a meatball in his mouth. Right when the door opened and Jewel sauntered in. He gestured to the sofa instead of spraying her with food.
“Good evening.” She slid across the room, showing off her trim figure in a pair of tight black pants and a form-fitting red silk shirt, her lips as full and inviting as Riley remembered from that morning.
“I’m so glad we have this opportunity to be together away from everyone else.” She sat down and crossed her slim legs. Riley took his solitary seat on the chair. “The brunch was so crazy with everyone trying to talk to you. I tried to wait my turn but I was afraid someone else would snag your heart before I had a chance.” She laughed briefly, then fell silent and brushed the arm of the sofa with her fingertips, her face a picture of tranquil serenity.
He waited for her to say something else and started to say something when she remained quiet, but her gaze darted toward him so quickly and she leaned forward. He closed his mouth so she could speak, but a lengthy silence followed and he twitched in his seat. She kept her eyes on his, her brows raised and eyes wide open, as if to encourage him to talk.
“How are you with horses?” he finally asked to end the prickling stillness around them.
“I used to ride all the time. I was one of those little girls that begged and begged my parents for a pony when I was growing up.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and flashed her bright teeth. “My brothers teased me mercilessly about it.”
“Molly begged for an Arabian mare so she could pretend it was the Black Stallion’s offspring.” Horses. A conversation he could handle. “I’m sure I teased her, too.” The silence pressed down on them again and Jewel kept her eyes on his with an expectant look on her face. What was she waiting for?
“Men do, too, you know,” Jeanne said, crossing her arms over her orange shirt.
Riley mulled that over. “So, you’re saying she thinks I only wanted her for her skills in the kitchen?”
Molly closed her eyes and leaned back, using one hand to rub her forehead. “Tell you what, big brother. I’ll get Mary Ellen to come back. We’ll tell her your nerves overtook you and made it hard for you to have a coherent conversation.”
“She’ll probably buy that I’m simpleminded and don’t know how to talk to a woman,” he said, meeting Molly’s narrowed stare with a blank one of his own. “Let’s just leave it where it is. You got any more ideas?”
“I’m idea-ed out. Lucky for you. I was on a roll when Jeannie and I came up with this big shebang.” He gave a mock shudder and Molly looked at her watch and stood up. “Don’t forget to eat something. You’re starting to look worn down.”
Thanks, Molly , he wanted to say. I don’t know how I survived living away from home without you being there telling me to eat . “Where’s Seth?”
“Doing chores, I hope. I haven’t seen him all day, and he was supposed to be here tonight.”
His brother was missing again. Riley didn’t know if he should be concerned. Maybe he should talk to the school counselor or something.
“Oh, and don’t forget to write down bits about each woman to help you decide who you want to match up with.” Molly left with Jeanne trailing behind her.
He had no intention of writing down his thoughts and feelings. He’d wait until morning, and if he could remember any details, he’d tell her then. If he couldn’t, then it wasn’t worth it.
Two more women filtered in and out of the room. It didn’t matter. Riley stifled a yawn, checking his list to see who was next. Jewel. He recalled her lively brown eyes and how she didn’t stalk him at the brunch or bother him during Scarlet’s foal. She didn’t invoke the same primal reaction in him that Ainsley did, but she didn’t mess up his mind, either.
Molly’s nagging hung in the room around him, so he popped a meatball in his mouth. Right when the door opened and Jewel sauntered in. He gestured to the sofa instead of spraying her with food.
“Good evening.” She slid across the room, showing off her trim figure in a pair of tight black pants and a form-fitting red silk shirt, her lips as full and inviting as Riley remembered from that morning.
“I’m so glad we have this opportunity to be together away from everyone else.” She sat down and crossed her slim legs. Riley took his solitary seat on the chair. “The brunch was so crazy with everyone trying to talk to you. I tried to wait my turn but I was afraid someone else would snag your heart before I had a chance.” She laughed briefly, then fell silent and brushed the arm of the sofa with her fingertips, her face a picture of tranquil serenity.
He waited for her to say something else and started to say something when she remained quiet, but her gaze darted toward him so quickly and she leaned forward. He closed his mouth so she could speak, but a lengthy silence followed and he twitched in his seat. She kept her eyes on his, her brows raised and eyes wide open, as if to encourage him to talk.
“How are you with horses?” he finally asked to end the prickling stillness around them.
“I used to ride all the time. I was one of those little girls that begged and begged my parents for a pony when I was growing up.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and flashed her bright teeth. “My brothers teased me mercilessly about it.”
“Molly begged for an Arabian mare so she could pretend it was the Black Stallion’s offspring.” Horses. A conversation he could handle. “I’m sure I teased her, too.” The silence pressed down on them again and Jewel kept her eyes on his with an expectant look on her face. What was she waiting for?
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