“Let me guess, he made up some bogus bloodline that traces this mare back to Sitting Bull’s stallion?”
“Not this time.” Tonya laughed. “He’s quit that gig. Hasn’t touched a horse since that documentary destroyed his reputation. It’s a shame. He really does know horses.”
Reid shook his head. “So now he’s got you doing all the work for him?”
“Pretty much.” She shrugged. “I don’t really care, as long as I get paid. It’s a convenient arrangement.”
“But he’s probably only giving you half of what he’s getting.”
“Maybe, but he still gets more money for a horse than I ever could.”
“Can’t say I like how he does business,” Reid remarked. “And now you want me to do the dirty work?”
She shrugged. “As long as the clients get well-broke horses, what does it matter who’s in the saddle?”
“No reflection on you, Tonya, but it ain’t honest.”
She frowned. “You want to take on the Appy or not?”
“How many rides has she had?”
“Two. Popped me off both times.”
“Screw that shit. I’m too old for bronc riding. Gave it up when I joined the Marines.”
“Too old and decrepit, eh?” Tonya’s black gaze met his in mock challenge.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
“Tied to my trailer.”
Reid snatched a halter and bridle, slinging them over the saddle on his shoulder, and followed Tonya to her trailer. A big-boned leopard Appaloosa nickered at the sight of them. “How much did he sell her for?”
“Ten grand.”
He whistled. “For an unregistered, unbroke horse?”
“Yup.” She laughed. “It’s all in the marketing. Those Germans eat up anything related to the Old West. According to Keith, they dress up in buckskin and war paint, drink firewater, and reenact our famous battles.”
“The Germans playing at cowboy and Indian? You’re shitting me!”
“Nope. Honest Injun,” she quipped. “Keith’s even thought about moving there. They idolize him.”
“Then what’s stopped him?”
“I think his conscience. He’s changed a lot.”
“That can only be for the better,” Reid remarked and stepped back to look the horse over. Good conformation. And not bad-looking for the breed. None of them had much mane or tail, but this one at least had a decent head and small ears. “I’ll ride her. Anything I should know?”
Tonya grinned. “You might say she’s just a tad skittish.”
“Just a tad, huh? Care to elaborate?”
“She bucks at her own shadow.”
“Nothing a good long, sweaty ride won’t fix. Wet saddle blankets always settle ’em in.”
After months off at pasture, even the veterans in the string needed a good tune-up. As for the juniors like this one, most of them would be bombproof after a summer full of pack trips and trail rides.
He approached the horse’s shoulder, running a hand down her neck and then over her back. He let her smell the blanket and then ran it over her body before placing it on her back. Her ears flickered, but she didn’t otherwise react. The saddle followed.
“She’s also a little cinchy,” Tonya cautioned.
He didn’t need the warning. He finished tacking her up while Krista led two more horses out for her and Tonya.
“Gonna pony any of ’em?” Reid asked.
“Not this time.” Tonya shook her head. “Let’s see how Red Bird does.”
Reid pulled Red Bird’s head around and tested a foot in the stirrup. She sidled. He circled and soothed her before trying again. A moment later, he vaulted smoothly into the saddle, his gaze intent on her flattened ears. “Shit. She’s gonna blow, ain’t she.”
The words had hardly left his mouth before she did just that.
It’d been more than eight years since Reid had ridden bucking horses, but it was something one didn’t forget. He held off the spurs, but let her have at it, encouraging her to kick and buck and wear herself out. He could sense the turning point, the very instant she realized she wasn’t going to win. It took a bit longer than he’d expected, but a lot of mares were feisty. It was a good quality, if you could win them over. Finally acknowledging her defeat, the horse dropped her head with a deep sigh.
“You ready to play nice now, Red Bird?” Reid crooned and stroked the horse on her sweat-slickened neck. “C’mon now. Just move your feet in the right direction, and we’ll get along just fine.” He urged the horse again and she took a tentative step. “Good girl,” he praised her. “Now you’re gettin’ it.”
She began walking forward calmly. Once he was certain of her submission, he flashed a triumphant grin, one that faded away the moment his gaze rested on the petite blonde standing behind Tonya and Krista with her brows drawn in disapproval.
Haley? What the devil is she doing at the ranch?
* * *
No one answered the door when Haley pulled into Two Rivers Ranch, so she headed out toward the corrals where she saw three people gathered. They had their backs to her, but it didn’t take long to recognize Reid’s tall and muscular form. She pretty much had every inch of him memorized.
She watched unnoticed while he mounted a horse and gasped when it exploded in a wild bucking fit. As a staunch animal advocate, she’d never enjoyed rodeo sports but still found herself mesmerized by the contest between horse and rider. At first she was torn between wanting Reid to get thrown and fearing he’d get hurt, but as the seconds passed into minutes, with Reid still firmly anchored in the saddle, her anxiety increased for the panting, wide-eyed horse. Should she intervene?
Stepping forward, she made herself known to the two spectators that she recognized as Krista and Tonya. “When is he going to stop?”
Krista turned around, leveling an instantaneous frown. “Haley? What brings you out here?”
“I got a call about your missing horse and came to investigate. When is he going to stop?” she asked anxiously. “That horse looks terrified.”
“The horse is an Appaloosa,” Tonya interjected with an impatient roll of her eyes. “She might look scared to you, but the white sclera is a trait of the breed. She doesn’t like what’s happening right now, but believe me, she’s fine. She’s just not used to having anything on her back that she can’t readily toss.” Tonya jerked her head toward the horse and rider. “She’s almost ready to quit now. It won’t last much longer.”
Haley was almost chewing her nails by the time the horse stopped. Sweat coated the animal from nose to tail, and her sides heaved. She shook her head with a loud snort and then became perfectly calm. Reid looked up with a triumphant grin that vanished the minute his gaze met Haley’s. They’d parted once more on bad terms and hadn’t spoken in weeks.
Yet her pulse still sped with anticipation the second his booted feet hit the ground. He handed the reins to Tonya with a smirk. “Got her warmed up for you. See if you can stay on her this time.” Haley watched the exchange with a pang of jealousy. They seemed so comfortable with each other.
Rather than opening the gate, Reid surprised her by vaulting easily over the panel, landing with a light thud almost directly in front of her. Show-off.
“That horse didn’t look like she enjoyed the ride half as much as you did,” she remarked.
Reid tipped his hat. “And a good morning to you too, Dr. Cooper.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that—”
He raised a hand. “I’m not going to dispute you. I had a helluva time, and she fought me all the way. But I didn’t hurt her.”
“You exhausted her,” she accused.
“No I didn’t. She wore herself out. I never touched a spur to her.”
“But—”
“At least let me fini
sh before you jump to judgment, Haley. Just like you and me, this horse here has a job to do. And just like you and I would rather laze on a beach in Mexico sipping margaritas, she’d rather be grazing in a lush, green pasture. But in the end, just like you and me, she needs to earn her keep. In her case, that means wearing a saddle for a couple hours a day. In return, she gets food, shelter, and even some TLC if she’s sweet enough about it. When you think it over, that’s really not a bad gig. We all need to pay our own way, Haley.”
She opened her mouth on instinct, but having no rebuttal, she closed it again.
“I s’pose you’re here about Buckshot?”
“Buckshot?” she repeated blankly.
“The missing horse.”
“Yes. I am. Don’t think for one minute I’m going to allow a kill permit without proof—”
He shook his head. “There you go again. Jumping to conclusions. I already told the ol’ man how it is, but you gotta remember he’s been around longer than you and me, and he’s set in his ways. He’s used to handling things like this himself. At least he sought the permit.”
“What are you saying?”
“That there’re plenty of ranchers who would shoot first and ask questions later.”
“But that’s a felony!”
“You know that, and I know that, but we’re on a thirty-two-hundred-acre ranch. There’s no one out here to tell if he did shoot a wolf. At least give the man credit for trying to do the right thing.”
Once more he stole the wind from her sails. “I’m trying to do the right thing too, Reid. I’ve come to investigate.” Haley pulled a notepad from her purse. “When was the last time you saw the horse?”
“Krista?” he asked. “Do you know?”
“I generally ride out and check on the horses every few days,” Krista replied. “We have them split up into two different herds and graze them on different winter ranges. Tonya and I brought the geldings in yesterday. Today we were supposed to bring in the mares, but Reid said we should go and try to find Buckshot first.”
“What makes you so certain he didn’t just wander off?” Haley asked.
“He was old,” she replied. “Well past his wandering days. He would have come in with the rest of his buddies.”
“Why do you think it was wolves?” Haley asked.
“Because we’ve been seeing a lot of tracks,” Krista answered.
“But you said he was old. Maybe it was just natural causes. A lot of animals will go off by themselves when their time comes.”
“She’s got a point, Krista,” Reid said. “He could have just laid down somewhere.”
“Does she?” Krista jutted her chin. “There you go again, Reid.”
“I don’t understand,” Haley said, watching brother and sister.
“It’s nothing,” Reid said. “Just something we discussed this morning. We’re all just wasting time standing here and debating. If we want answers, we need to ride out to the range.”
“If it is wolves, we need to bring the mares in,” Krista argued. “We have some new foals out there that I’m worried about.”
“Then why don’t we kill two birds with one stone? You and Ton go out and get the mares, and Haley and I will look for Buckshot.”
Haley noted the quick exchange of glances between Krista and Tonya.
“You sure about that Reid?” Tonya asked.
“Yes. We can’t afford to lose any of those foals.”
“You might be overlooking one thing,” Krista said.
“What’s that?” Reid asked.
“Dr. Cooper has to ride.”
Reid scratched his chin. He sported an all-too-sexy amount of scruff. Even with heavy whisker shadow, he was still too damned good-looking for Haley’s peace of mind. She tingled at the recollection of his bristled face between her thighs, then flushed at her dirty thoughts.
“Ever been on a horse, Haley?” he asked. “I admit it didn’t even occur to me to ask you. It’s kind of a given here in Wyoming. Most of us are on horses by the time we can sit up.”
“I’ve ridden a few times before,” she said, not adding that she had only been five or six and it was a pony at the county fair.
“I suppose the other choice would be to take the ATV, but you might have trouble once we hit the woods. If you don’t oppose the notion, it’d be best if you ride. You’re not afraid of horses, are you?”
“No. I’m not afraid. Just haven’t ever been around them very much.”
“We’ve got a string of really gentle trail horses. You don’t need to know much to ride ’em. They carry beginners all summer long.”
“Sure. I’ll ride with you.”
“Good.” He nodded approval. “I’ll get one of ’em saddled up for you.”
“Should I put Red Bird up?” Tonya asked.
“Yeah.” Reid nodded. “I think we’re done with her for the day.”
Tonya followed after him with the Appaloosa.
* * *
“What’s up with you and her?” Tonya asked as she unsaddled the mare.
“What do you mean?”
“You and Wolf Woman.”
“Her name’s Haley,” Reid corrected. “And it’s none of your business, Ton.”
She heaved the saddle onto a nearby rack and then turned to him, hands on hips. “I think it is my business, Reid. I’ve been pretty patient, but I’m not going to wait forever.”
“I didn’t ask you to. Not this time anyway. Matter of fact, I don’t seem to recall giving you any encouragement at all.”
“No, you haven’t,” she agreed. “But I thought you just needed more time.”
“More time?” he repeated with a scoffing sound. “Eternity wouldn’t be long enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“All right, Ton. I’ll give it to you straight. There’s never going to be another ‘us.’”
“Because of her?”
“No.”
“Then why?” she asked, searching his eyes.
Reid compressed his mouth and leveled her with a stare. “I think you already know the answer to that.”
“Jared,” she whispered. “What did he tell you? I deserve to know.”
“He told me you slept with him.”
Her face blanched. “That son of a bitch. He had no right! It was a mistake, Reid. One that I’ve never repeated, but I didn’t cheat. It happened after we broke up.”
“How long after?”
She turned away and answered softly. “That night.”
“Why Jared?” he asked. “Of all people, why did it have to be my brother?”
“I don’t know, Reid. It just—”
“Happened,” he finished for her. “I get it already.” He heaved a regretful sigh. “Look, Ton, our families have been linked for a long time. I’m willing to put all this behind us if you are. If we’re going to continue working together, I don’t want things to be difficult. Can you handle it?”
“Yes,” she said at length. “I can handle it, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
“But you have to accept it.” He rested his hand on her shoulder. “We were always friends first. I’d hate to lose that.”
“Me too, Reid. If you really think Haley’s the one you want, I won’t make it awkward for you. You deserve to be happy. I just hope you’re not making a mistake with her.”
He offered a wry smile. “You and me both.”
* * *
“That worked out real convenient now, didn’t it?” Krista remarked once Reid was out of earshot.
“What do you mean?” Haley asked.
“You and Reid alone.”
“I came out here on business.”
“You could have sent someone else if you didn’t want to see him,” Krista argued. “My guess is that you di
d want to see him.”
Haley went on the defensive. “Whether I did or didn’t is none of your concern. Either way, it seems to me that Reid is quite able to look after himself.”
Krista speared her with a resentful look. “You’re wrong there, Dr. Cooper. My brother is very much my concern, and I’m troubled that he’s still hung up on you.”
Is he? Haley’s heart skipped a beat. She really didn’t know what to expect after the way they’d left things.
Krista continued, “He’s a damned good man who’s been through God knows what, and he doesn’t deserve to have you or anyone else screw with his head.”
Her genuine love and concern for Reid filled her eyes. It also softened Haley’s response.
“I’m not the enemy, Krista. I’m just here doing my job.”
“Are you saying Reid had nothing to do with it?”
“I didn’t take the call as an excuse to come out here, if that’s what you’re thinking, but I certainly could have passed it on to someone else had I wanted to avoid him.”
“So what exactly are you saying?”
“I’m not going to lie to you. It was a coincidence, but circumstances seem to keep throwing your brother and me together. I don’t know what I feel for him, or what he feels for me, but rest assured, I’m not playing games with him.”
“He wants to settle down. He wants to start a family. You don’t strike me as that type.”
That statement cut Haley to the core. “And what type is that?” she challenged. “Someone’s wife? Someone’s mother? Just because I come in a different package doesn’t mean I don’t want those things.”
“People like you are usually more worried about population control than raising a family.”
Krista was right about that. Jeffrey definitely fell into that category. It boggled her mind to know that Reid was so set on the very things that most men avoided—responsibility, commitment, marriage, and family. Jeffrey was pushing forty and had dodged all of it. Hell, he wouldn’t even move in together. “Maybe you shouldn’t judge people based solely on appearances.”
“It’s more than appearances, Haley. You could have had him five years ago. I think you know that. You could probably still have him now, but you’ve left him dangling on the hook. It’s not right to take him for granted like that.”
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