Dog Wood Bride

by Jillian Hart

Orville jumped to a start, determined to keep up. The grassland surrounded them. Birds chattered and winged by. A grazing moose lifted his head, antlers high, to watch them ride by curiously. A rabbit bolted away through the rustling grasses.

  "Thanks for coming along with me." Brennan drew Huck in close and leaned toward her, kissing close.

  Her entire being shivered. Her mouth tingled with anticipation.

  "I don't exactly remember you asking me." She gave him her best sparkle, did her best to say wow to him as she smiled. "You seem to think you're the boss around here."

  "Only a little. For one thing, I'm the take charge type," he quipped.

  It was good to see him happy, and all the shadows in him gone, scattered, leaving only light. "That's a bonus. I've hardly had to take time out of my shopping, talking with my sister and enjoyment time to tell you what to do."

  "It's working out well. I'll just keep telling you what to do." His midnight eyes twinkled.

  "Wait, I'm in charge here."

  "You just keep thinking that. You look pretty happy."

  "I'd say more than that." Her palms went damp against the leather reins.

  This was important, she could feel it. This wasn't about his job to keep his position here. If she wasn't careful, then she would miss what he quietly asked her with his silence, in what he didn't say.

  "What are you scouting for?" she risked asking.

  "I think you know."

  Not hard to guess. She leaned forward in the saddle a bit as Orville paced up a small rise and came to a halt. Brennan's gelding did the same.

  "There's the other band of mustangs." She spotted only five females from the herd, the others were lost in the glare of the sun.

  Her heart filled with longing for every one of them. How could she not want to love and care for them? They were beautiful, each and every wild spirit.

  Her gaze lingered on a red and white mare with an identical foal by her side. What a beautiful sight they made brushed by the sun. A sorrel lifted her head from grazing and called her little white foal closer.

  "Look," Skye gestured. "They've spotted us."

  "Guess we'll see if they take off or if they recognize you from the feeder."

  "I've gotten surprisingly close before. That little bay mare with the matching filly, she has almost lapped my hand once. Even though they are wild, they can be tender."

  "They have pure hearts, and they love." He gathered his reins and pressed Huck into an easy lope along the ridge and not in the direction of the horses, but parallel to them. "Let's go see if we can find the rest of the herd together."

  Together. She tried not to let her heart get carried away by that word. Riding beside him felt right. "C'mon, Orville, let's go!"

  The stallion surged forward, daintily yet powerfully cantoring along, easily catching up and then keeping pace with Brennan and his gelding. With the wind in her hair and the sun in her eyes, she felt like they were soaring. Flying along, just her on her horse, rising and falling in metered rhythm.

  That Brennan rode at her side made her feel as if they hardly touched the earth at all. What a sight he was with his hat shading his sculpted, rugged face and his dark hair tousled by the wind. He sat in his saddle with the ease of a natural wrangler. He looked every inch a master horseman.

  Perched in his saddle, straight and strong, his noble nature shone through, and it was a nice thing to see him with his guards down. His heart was exposed, his character radiant. It was something she couldn’t resist.

  Or the hope for another kiss. She couldn't ever live without the way he'd made her feel. She'd never known tenderness like that before. If only she could stop longing, stop wishing for one more kiss, or a thousand of them.

  The bay spotted stallion spied them. His head came up and he trumpeted a shrill, warning neigh to his small herd. The mares scrambled and, heads up, scattered in a pack, running away. Skye reined her stallion to a halt.

  "Look at them go!" Brennan stood in his stirrups, reins in one capable hand, while Huck reached down to nibble at the grass. "They're just going through the motions. Watch, the stallion is slowing to take a good look at us."

  Skye swiped a lock of windblown hair out of her eyes. The stallion sailed to a halt, his head up in a challenge, his mane rippling with the same cadence as the breeze.

  But it was the man she watched, and the thrill that telegraphed through her at the sight of him sitting astride his big beautiful gelding was too huge, too powerful, grander than anything she'd felt before.

  He whipped off his hat, holding it in one hand. The wind tousled his dark hair like a lover, and sunlight threw him in silhouette, glaring long golden rays around him.

  Her fingers itched to trace the imposing shadow he made against the blue, sun-streaked sky. She savored the sight of the smiling curve of his mouth that had kissed her senseless.

  With his carved granite features, his dependable-wide shoulders and breath-stealing strength, he was a dangerous man, the type a woman like her should stay miles away from. He looked like a one hundred percent pure hazard to her heart. A certain heartbreaker, a man without a staying instinct, who was sure to leave.

  But, after all, he'd told her so, and wasn't that a refreshing and rather truthful thing to do? At least she knew what she was risking. Everything, just wanting the chance to love him.

  With a final neigh, the stallion turned tail and raced after his herd and disappeared in the deep shadows near the tree line, gone from sight.

  21

  "That spotted stallion looked relieved that we didn't come after him." Brennan settled his hat back onto his head. "Although you seem like the kind of a skilled rider who could handle it."

  "I'm nothing compared to you. Don't think I can't see that lasso on your saddle. You wanted to bring him in, didn't you?"

  "It's tempting, but he'll be back. It will be easy to lure him in the same way. I just need to build another field feeder. That was a good idea of yours." He lifted one shoulder in a patient shrug, turning his gelding around. Mountain hard, he made everything soften in her when he smiled at her. "How many horses are you going to want me to train?"

  "Just keep doing what you're doing, and we will see how it all works out. We'll take it one day at a time."

  "Sounds good to me."

  She beamed more brightly. "You won't train every one, will you?"

  "No, only the foals. They can grow up being gentled and so when the time comes to ride them, it's easy. No harm caused."

  "And only if they want to," she said sweetly. "I just want them to be happy."

  "Whatever pleases you, pretty lady. Your wish is my will."

  "Okay. It sounds like a good plan to me."

  Judging by her smile, he'd just made her day. If he had his way, he would stay right here forever. That's what he needed to tell her brother.

  After all he'd been through, it looked like his luck really had changed.

  She seemed like the perfect match for him. He fought the urge to pull his horse to a stop, dismount and reach over and haul her down into his arms. He wanted to feel the tenderness of her sweet mouth on his. And he never wanted that kiss to stop.

  Hard, urgent desire kicked through him with heart-breaking force. Hot and fierce, he ached for her in every single way a man could crave a woman.

  He wanted to make love to her until tenderness filled him up and he drowned.

  "Well, I'm thrilled about the wild horse capture. That fencing you made is about as sturdy as can be. They will be safe in there and no harm will come to them. I'll never be okay because the pretty pinto mare has a bullet wound. And she did nothing wrong."

  "There are bad men roaming these territories and they are hard to stop, especially before they act. Men out on warrant, men who have yet to be caught for their crimes and men who have escaped prisons and jumped bail. That's just one problem. The other is no one wants wild horses ruining their crops or their growing hay field, which is supposed to be for their livestock. There are me
n who just shoot them off. You've seen that."

  "Yes, and now I've saved them. I'm hoping they understand that."

  "They might. Horses have a lot of intelligence, but mostly they have a lot of heart. I'm sure they will appreciate a life where they have all they need. And with you in it, it has to be a good one."

  "I wish the world were softer and kinder. More gentle."

  "It can be just like that. The problem is that it doesn't always stay that way." That's what he would like to do for her. To keep every hardship and every hurt at bay, to shelter her from life's storms. To make every day a sunny, summery day.

  "Oh, look," she breathed. She stood in her stirrups, straining to see the pasture around her, to get the best view as they rode by. "There's the new fencing. It looks impressive, just like the framing of the new barn, gleaming in the sunshine. Did you notice my brother and cousin just showed up to help you?"

  "Without even being asked."

  "Or invited. It's maddening! I can take care of things myself, although I do appreciate their caring and involvement very much. But this is my dream. I wanted to do things my way."

  "You mean, my way."

  She laughed, rolled her eyes, and realized that as they rode along part of the new mustang corral, that he hadn't consulted her either. "It's just joyous to see a few dreams coming true."

  When he turned to her a slow smile hung on the corners of his mouth. "Your dreams are easy so far. You need pastures, horses and a new barn. That's easy enough."

  "True, and I've noticed a thing or two about you, Brennan."

  "What's that?"

  "You don't waste any time. You've done the work of two men, and it's impressive. I appreciate you very much."

  "Just doing my job." He ducked his head, grinning as they passed through the shadows of the framed barn, heading to the working barn in the shade of aspen trees. He dismounted. "I'm just glad I'm making a difference for you."

  "Me, too." She forgot to breathe when his big hands caught her by the waist, light as could be. "I'm ecstatic, I've never been so happy."

  "Neither have I." His words fanned over the exposed skin on her nape as he lowered her to the ground.

  Her body responded. She landed on her tiptoes, breathless. Before she could blink or think to step away from him, he closed the scant few inches of distance between them by hauling her against him and pressing into her.

  "I have a weakness for you," he murmured. "What do you think I should do about it?"

  "I have no idea."

  "I have a few, but I might get into trouble if I say them." He ran his thumb over her bottom lip, slow and sensual, leaving tiny trails of sensation. Desire pooled inside her, thick and intoxicating.

  "I'd better take care of the horses." His gaze focused on her mouth, and his eyes went utterly black with an answering desire. He shook his head and rocked back a step. He reached for Orville's reins. "You go on in and let me do my job."

  "So, now it's a job, is it?"

  "Maybe it's a bit more than that. I'm glad to be here, Skye, and to do these things for you."

  "Now you're really going to make me like you even more. You've got to stop talking like that."

  "I can always insult you instead," he suggested. "Or not speak to you at all."

  "No, don't do that. I guess I'll have to suffer with liking you, Brennan."

  "I would hate to make you suffer." He needed to believe in the affection he heard in her words and saw shining in her eyes. He wanted her with a desire he couldn’t put into words or make sense of, only feel. "I've never known anyone like you."

  "That is a good thing. I would hate to think there are too many women running around like me. Goodness, one is enough. I'm a disaster, and you know it." She might be choosing humor, but he heard the unmistakable sadness she refrained from saying.

  Maybe she couldn’t bear to say what romance had broken her heart long ago. He knew what that was like. For the power of his feelings for her, all that he had not told her and all that he did not know about her stood between them, a distance he either crossed or let stand.

  Now was the perfect time to reach out for her and to take that step, the one that had his heart pounding and his pulse thudding in his ears. The risk of his heart.

  Orville nickered, an affectionate sound, not used to being forgotten. He nosed in between them and nibbled Skye's sunbonnet brim to make her laugh. Not to be outdone, Huck pushed his way next to the stallion and blew a raspberry at Brennan.

  The man laughed, rubbing the gelding's forehead with a large, gentle hand. Before she could blink, he'd slipped over to unbuckle Huck's cinch.

  He swept saddle and blanket off with expert speed and care, leaving her laughing again as Orville pulled her sunbonnet askew and it tumbled down her back, hanging by the ties.

  Huck took one look at her and grabbed the bow tie with his big teeth. He gave a neigh and tugged.

  Brennan moseyed back to give Orville's cinch a tug. "Having trouble?"

  "No, why do you ask?"

  "No reason." He hefted the saddle with blanket off Orville's back and spun away. "You have to watch Huck. He is very good at torture."

  "Torture?"

  "Just wait. He looks about ready." The man disappeared into the tack room. "Prepare for the worst."

  "What does that mean?" Her voice went up a note.

  He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Huck move in with his whiskey muzzle to blow a raspberry against her forehead. Her soft, flyaway tendrils fanned out in the breeze of that air-blown kiss.

  "You are a silly boy, too!" Adoration softened her voice. "What am I going to do with the two of you? Come with me, you two troublemakers. Let's get you out in the corral. What do you think of your new neighbors, huh?"

  The clip-clop of horse hooves accompanied the melody of her words, fading with distance as she swept through the stall and into the sun-bright corral.

  "Look, they do not know what to think about you." She patted Orville's neck. "Go on, go with Huck and get some fresh water. Claude, where are you going?"

  "Into the saloon since we're waiting on the lumber delivery tomorrow. Your brother took your sister to town for a spell, just so you know." Claude's gruff baritone rose and fell away according to the wind. "Wish me luck!"

  "Good luck gambling!" She waved.

  Brennan paced closer, eyes only on her, hardly aware of the faint clip-clop from happy horses echoing in from the corral. He stopped in the stall doorway with the sun and breeze in his face, unable to move forward because the sight of her had taken the starch right out of his knees.

  He would yearn after her forever if he didn't do something about it! So, he turned around, forced his feet to carry him away from the gorgeous, sexy sight of her talking with the horses, who seemed to respond right back in kind, and felt the pull of another female in need.

  "You're going to need a name, girl." He leaned his forearms on the top of her stall door. "How are you doing?"

  The pinto's gentle, cautious gaze searched his. In those dark chocolate depths, he felt a wish for safety, for kindness, for kind caring. His heart thumped in sympathy with hers.

  She was beautiful, this horse who had once been cared for, perhaps very kindly loved. There was no way to know who had once owned her. She'd run for years without a farrier, judging by the looks of things.

  Well, he'd take care of that. He'd love her up good. "You're lucky to have landed here, on a rich's lady's ranch. When she stops to talk to you, love her up good, will you? That's what she needs."

  It's what everyone needed. Even him.

  The mare didn't answer, but her gaze softened and smiled at him, as if she were debating letting him fall in love with her. Her ears swiveled and she lowered her muzzle to give him an adorable look.

  "Well, you've remembered something about being loved by people. That is a very cute look. That will win over Skye easily. Oh, is she coming?"

  The mare's ears had pricked, and her gaze turned to hopefully stud
y the woman padding into view.

  "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I heard you sweet-talking this gorgeous mare." Skye traipsed closer. "Don't be beguiled by him, girl. Don't fall for his sweet ways."

  "Hey! I don't beguile anybody." He laughed softly. "But her wound is looking good. Healing up right with no infection."

  "That's just what I would expect from a master wrangler. Is there anything you can't do?"

  "Few of things, trust me. I'm mostly incompetent."

  "Hardly! And you're humble. See how perfect you are?"

  "Terribly flawed."

  She shook her head at him, as if refusing to be fooled. Her golden hair shimmered, luminescent in the sunshine, tumbling down in dear little curls around her face to her collar, which drew his gaze lower to her breasts, which swayed ever so slightly.

  Resisting her wasn't easy. Not at all.

  She gave him her dimpled smile, utterly irresistible. "You came so highly recommended from my brother, and believe me, nobody is good enough for him. You are. You tame wild horses. You can build anything. You handled Judson with ease."

  "I just told him to get lost, and he didn't listen."

  "I saw you looking at the tracks in the meadows and the lay of the grass, how it was trampled down. You know about tracking."

  "I was a scout in the Army. You might have more than a few problems, but nothing that can't be solved."

  "That's good to know. Having you around isn't such a bad thing." She moved to smile at him and her soft breasts bounced just enough beneath her dress, and his physical reaction came immediate and strident.

  She wasn't making this easy on him. He cleared his throat, tried to will his blood to cool and kept to the shadows. "Glad to know you don't regret letting me move onto your property and take charge. Don't you remember that I'm officially not working for you?"

  "I remember agreeing to hire you and let you move into the bunkhouse."

  "That's because I got shot on your property."

  "Officially, that wasn't the reason. Your bullet wound, your problem." She sparkled up at him, full of mischief, full of humor, sweet with her dimples as she swept closer. "But I'm generous in that I'm letting you think you have things your way."