Chase Wheeler's Woman by Charlene Sands Page A

was. It should have shocked her, it should have sent her running home, it should have jostled good sense into her. It did none of those things. She stayed in his arms, their bodies both humming.
    He bent his head. She licked her lips. He cupped her chin. She lifted her face.
    Tornado bucked in the stall, snorting wildly, clearly agitated.
    Chase raised his head, blinked, looked down at her and unfolded his arms. “What the devil am I doing?”
    Letty Sue wouldn’t let her disappointment show. “I believe you were about to kiss me.”
    He dragged his hands through his hair and glanced at her mouth. There was the slightest hint of regret in his expression, a certain flicker of remorse in his eyes. “Go on to bed, Letty Sue.”
    She smiled then, a smile meant just for him. “I’m going, right now.” She sashayed out the barn door, then turned to him. “Oh, and it appears Tornado isn’t the only one who wants what he can’t have.”
    Hearing Chase’s muttered curses from behind, she lifted her skirts and dashed to the house, only finding safety once she was behind the thick, bolted door.
    Oh Lordy, Letty Sue.

Chapter Seven
    “L et him bid on Sally’s basket. It’s no concern of mine.” Letty Sue forked the fried chicken over hastily, a splash of fat nearly jumping up to take a bite of her cheek. She stepped away from the fry pan until the sizzling died down. “I don’t give a hoot. Not a one. I have chicken to fry up, and heaven above, I don’t plan on burning one bit of it.”
    Sam Fowler had come by earlier to see if Letty Sue needed any supplies from town. During their pleasant conversation, Sam had announced that not only was Chase Wheeler going to the church social, but Sam was pretty darn sure he would be bidding on Sally’s basket. He’d inquired about the color of it again, having forgotten what Sally had told him the day they’d met.
    Sam thought they’d make a good match, Sally being so even-tempered and all. Letty Sue hadn’t disagreed, pretending to Sam that it didn’t matter. But inside the hurt ran deep. Why did the thought make her suffer so?
    And oh, Sally would be thrilled. She thought Chase the most appealing man in Sweet Springs.
    Lately, the man consumed her thoughts, but Letty Sue didn’t understand the why of it. They certainly weren’t suited for each other. Chase had made his position very clear to her.
    She flipped the chicken over one last time, then took the fry pan off the stove. She still had biscuits and potatoes to cook, and a pie to bake, but at least she’d managed all right with the chicken. It wasn’t burned.
    “I need a break from this heat,” she said much later, after finishing up her cooking. She removed her apron, then wiped her forehead with her sleeve. It was an unusually warm spring day, the bright sun pouring in through the kitchen window.
    She wandered into the parlor, noting how the heavy, jade-green velvet drapes kept out much of the day’s heat. Enjoying the refreshing coolness, she sank down onto the sofa, closing her eyes. She’d rest here for just a few minutes, she thought wearily, before dosing off into oblivion.
    Hours later, Letty Sue opened her eyes to darkness. She blinked. Dazed, she shifted, realizing it was evening and she wasn’t in bed. Then she remembered. She’d fallen asleep on the sofa earlier in the afternoon.
    Now the sun was setting.
    Oh Lordy. She still had the decorating of the basket to do!
    She went searching for ribbons. Her mama alwayskept fabric and sewing supplies in a small storage room just off the kitchen. Letty Sue shuffled through all the cabinets and shelves, coming up with one strand of yellow ribbon tucked under some cotton batting. The strand was less than twelve inches long. She lifted it up and stared at it. “This will never do. Where does Mama keep all of her pretty bows and ribbons?”
    Frowning, she entered her mama’s bedroom. An odd feeling swept over her as she saw some of Jasper Brody’s things