Sunset Seduction - By Charlene Sands Page 0,23

wasn’t looking forward to it. Kat had pretty much insisted he come over for dinner tonight as a thank-you for helping sort through old stable gear, reins, bits and saddles at Matilda Applegate’s run-down little homestead in Silver Springs. Kat had moved in to care for the older woman, who was recovering from a heart attack, and had made it her mission to straighten out the place.

The first time Luke met Kat, she’d been loaded down with grocery bags, hanging onto a sweet-looking little baby boy named Connor and all of his diaper gear. Luke had offered his help and they got to talking afterward. He learned that the boy’s father was a marine who’d died overseas, and the man’s aunt, Matilda Applegate, was Connor’s only living relative. Kat didn’t like talking about her loss and he hadn’t pried, figuring the subject was taboo and probably extremely painful. Luke should have steered clear then, because the last thing Kat needed was another heartache in her life, so now he had some hard thinking to do. She was beautiful and nice, but there were no sparks.

An image flashed of the blonde mystery woman riding atop him, sucking every last drop of juice from his body. He should have forgotten about her by now, but memories of that night kept playing over and over in his mind.

Audrey’s stomping brought him back to the moment. She marched away from the paddock, into the late-afternoon sunshine and kept on going, breezing by him like he wasn’t even there. “Fine, Luke. Just fine.”

“Don’t go getting your spurs in a tangle,” he said, following behind.

Her hands flew up and waved in the air and the hat on her head released a few more golden tendrils of hair as she pounded the earth to get away from him. “Just go on your date, Luke. Have fun,” she spat out.

She was pissed. She felt that he wouldn’t let her do her job. On some level he got that. But he had to watch out for her. There was no sense trying to reason with her right now. Audrey’s mind was made up. He was beginning to sympathize with Casey a little bit more. It wasn’t easy being responsible for someone else.

* * *

Audrey threw up in the toilet bowl. The queasiness came on suddenly when she walked into her bedroom. She had just enough time to make it to the bathroom. “Mercy.” She leaned against the wall afterward, holding her pulsating stomach and waiting for it to settle. Thankfully, the slight tremors ebbed after a few minutes and she tossed off her clothes to step into the shower.

She wasn’t prone to upsets like this. She’d always had a cast-iron stomach. Casey said she took after their dad. He could eat ice cream and pizza in the morning without any rebellion.

The warming rain of the water eased her agitated nerves. Her body had shaken so badly after her fight with Luke that she’d felt the effects way down in her belly. It had throbbed with anger and frustration. He’d treated her like a child today. He didn’t give her the trust she’d needed. He’d been stubborn and bossy, just like Casey. She didn’t want to trade one demanding overseer for another. What was the point in that?

And then he’d thrown the final punch to her gut. Katherine.

The thought of Luke with Kat Grady had made her stomach ache. She couldn’t hide it, so she’d made a mad dash out of the barn. Thankfully, he’d let her go and hadn’t questioned her.

Her stomach seemed fine now, but her heart was another matter. She couldn’t bank her jealousy. It was crazy. She hadn’t seen Luke for years. He’d probably had dozens of girlfriends, gone on hundreds of dates since his rodeo days.

But you’re here now…and have to witness it.

Audrey threw herself into unpacking the boxes from Susanna that had arrived today.

As she lifted one item after another, her tummy was soothed at seeing her familiar things. She put away a few pairs of delicately worn jeans, some blouses, her favorite white cotton undies and bra, a framed picture of Susanna and her in high school and another of Casey and Luke with her as a very young girl standing between them. Then she came to the only photo she had of her mother and father, which was laminated and wrapped in a plastic bag for protection. It was wallet-size and tearing at the edges. The picture always made Audrey long for