5
" He set her down and held her steady until he was sure she wasn’t dizzy, then he turned on the girls, growled at them, and charged. They squealed and ran, but they didn’t run out of the room. They just dashed around in circles, colliding with each other. Clay snagged Mandy first, and while he held her and tickled her with his whiskery face, Laura toddled up and latched on to his leg. Being careful not to shake her loose while he dragged her around after the others almost made it a fair fight. He grabbed Beth when she danced too close, then, with his hands full, Sally jumped on his back. By the time they were done, Clay was flat on the kitchen floor, buried under three sets of petticoats and one soggy diaper. He remembered his first impression when he’d regained consciousness in that awful shed, that he’d died and he was surrounded by angels. He hadn’t been far from wrong. "
― Mary Connealy , Petticoat Ranch (Lassoed in Texas, #1)
8
" Where did you get the outlandish notion that we were getting married?” “Outlandish notion?” Clay’s brows shot up. “We talked about it. You said yes. What do you think I went to town for?” “The parson?” Sophie screeched. “Yes,” Clay answered in a sarcastic drawl. “The parson!” “We have not talked about getting married.” Sophie jabbed Clay in the chest with her index finger. “I think I would have remembered a proposal!” Clay grabbed her hand. He must not like being poked. Good. She’d remember that if she ever needed his attention again. Clay got a very thoughtful look on his face. “I asked you if you knew what we had to do.” “Yes, but I can’t imagine how you got, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you’ out of that brief exchange.” Clay released her hand, lifted his Stetson, and ran his fingers through his hair, tousling it before setting his hat back on. “I asked you if you were a God-fearing woman,” Clay added. “And I am one.” Sophie crossed her arms, stiffened her jaw, and waited for the man to make some sense. “Well, we have to get married!” Clay said tersely. “So that’s what I meant when I asked you if you knew what we had to do. What did you think I meant?” “I had no idea!” Sophie could hardly remember him making the comment. "
― Mary Connealy , Petticoat Ranch (Lassoed in Texas, #1)
9
" Clay said, “Okay, you can come on one condition. . .” “Anything,” Sally said, clapping her hands together joyfully. “If you come, you gotta call me ‘Pa.’ ” Clay tried to sound stern, but a grin broke out on his face as he said it. Sally’s eyes got as bright and round as double eagle coins. For a second she looked so awestruck Clay was afraid she was going to swoon or something. Then she said fervently, “I’d be right proud to call you ‘Pa,’ Pa.” “Can we call you ‘Pa,’ too?” Beth asked. Clay drawled, “Well, I reckon that’s what I am now, your pa, so I’d say you’d better get to calling me that. "
― Mary Connealy , Petticoat Ranch (Lassoed in Texas, #1)
18
" He’s a low-down scoundrel! He accused Cliff of being a horse thief, refused to chase after the posse that hung him, and asked me to marry him, all in the same breath!” A woman could sure get upset over the least little thing. “Now, darlin’, don’t get all fussed about that.” “Fussed! About a man calling Cliff a horse thief,” Sophie stormed. “I will never stand by and listen to talk like that!” Clay carefully reached for his hat, hoping Sophie wouldn’t notice he was planning to run for it. She was fuming at him with her back mostly turned, only peering over her shoulder once in a while to scorch him with a furious look. Clay tried to placate her. “After all, the man had a job to do, Sophie darlin’, and what man wouldn’t want you to marry him?” There, a little flattery. Wasn’t that what women wanted? "
― Mary Connealy , Petticoat Ranch (Lassoed in Texas, #1)
