Allister, J. Rose - Displaced Cowboys [Lone Wolves of Shay Falls 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Online Free Page A

a man I met five seconds ago.” Or any man, for that matter. It was too weird.
    “It’ll get worse before it gets better.”
    “Thanks, Dr. Phil. And here I thought hot flashes were something I wouldn’t have to deal with until menopause.”
    The corner of his mouth quirked upward. “Just tryin’ to offer an explanation.”
    “I don’t care about an explanation just so long as this gets better, and soon.”
    “Oh, yeah. It gets way better.”
    She didn’t need to be facing him to feel the heat in his sideways glance. It seared her to the marrow. A quick fantasy flashed, involving him using that exact throaty tone of voice while they were entangled in the backseat.
    She cleared her throat and straightened in her seat. “So, you’re out of work?”
    The subject shift seemed to immediately cap his enthusiasm for puberty chat. “Yeah.”
    “There are a number of ranches around here, aren’t there? Can’t you find a job with another one?”
    “They ain’t hirin’.” He paused. “Not me, anyway.”
    She studied his profile. “Why not? What’s wrong with you?”
    He let out a laugh that skittered happily down her spine. “There’s a loaded question I’m not sure I wanna discuss with someone I met five seconds ago.” He shot her a mischievous look. “A man’s gotta keep some of his mystery.”
    “I’d rather have strange men in my car be decidedly unmysterious. Boring, even.” Unless they were in the backseat with her. Shit! Why couldn’t she shake loose from this slutty, dizzy frame of mind?
    “So you think there should be no secrets?” he asked.
    “Zilch.”
    “We all have secrets. Look at you, for instance.”
    Her eyes widened. “Me? I don’t have secrets.”
    “Sure you do. I find you incredibly mysterious.”
    They slowed down for another curve, and although her jaw tensed, with her gaze focused on Connor, she was able to ride out the turn without clutching her seat for dear life. “Don’t you mean incredibly weird?”
    “Nope. For instance, there’s the way you like to answer a lot of my questions with another question. Mysterious people with secrets often do that.”
    She studied him. “You seem to know a lot about mysterious people.”
    “I’ve known a few in my day.” He flicked another glance her way, and despite the cloud cover, waning daylight somehow sparked highlights along the gold flecks in his eyes. “How ’bout you, Terra? Any mystery men wonderin’ where you scurried off to in your new car?”
    A fishing expedition into her love life? She was part flattered, part freaked out. Still, she offered a sly smile. “I’ve known a few in my day.”
    “Have you?” The question had a sharp edge that sounded more like a challenge.
    She bit back a spike of annoyance. “Why, don’t I look good enough to have landed a guy or two in my twenty-one years?”
    He gave a quick grunt. “There she goes again, answerin’ a question with another question.”
    That stopped her for a moment. “Well, you’re the one hitting all the touchy personal topics.”
    “And ‘how come you can’t hold a job’ ain’t personal?”
    “I didn’t say it like that. Or mean it like that, before you ask.”
    “Then how did you mean it?”
    “I was just trying to be helpful. At least I didn’t ask if you’ve got a girlfriend wondering why you’re trying to hitch a ride out of town.” Not that she didn’t secretly hope mentioning it would get her an answer.
    “I didn’t realize relationship status was such a controversial topic among newly acquainted adults.”
    “It is, if one thinks about the reasons for asking.”
    His chuckle did a happy dance along her nerve endings that made her shiver despite her newly acquired hot flashes. “Maybe I’m just makin’ small talk to keep your mind off the road.”
    That part was definitely working. “Or maybe you’re interested in me and wonder whether you have a chance.”
    “So, do I?”
    Her eyes jerked to his in time to catch his