by Em Petrova
It took a lot for him not to go inside and rescue her, but then again, any self-respecting woman on a ranch could repair tack.
“Dammit!” she screamed.
He crossed the distance to the barn door and stepped inside. She stood there, hat off and fingers sunk deep into her thick mass of hair like she was about to rip it out.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
She lowered her hands, but her hair stuck out, fuller and sexier than he’d seen it. He found his feet moving of their own will… toward her.
“I don’t know how to fix this leather necklace thing! I don’t know how you expect me to when I’m not even sure what it’s supposed to look like when it’s not broken.”
The pink in her cheeks that could only be due to anger and frustration, coupled with her full lips in a pout, ripped the rug of control out from under him.
He threw his head back and laughed. “Rule number one when it comes to ranchin’—don’t take yourself too seriously. And rule two is that when it comes to tack, you need a sense of humor because things often don’t go right.” He picked up the piece she’d been working on.
She’d managed to separate the broken bit from the rest of it but had been trying to attach a length that was all wrong.
“See this? You’re trying to use a curb strap where the cheek piece should be.”
She moved in close to look down at what he held. His gaze drifted from the leather in his hands to the top of her head. She was so small compared to him. Easily broken. He’d do well to remember that when it came to the ranch. He couldn’t allow her to be injured on his watch.
“I don’t find any of this instructional,” she muttered.
He held up a halter that was in perfect condition and began to name all the parts for her.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I feel so stupid.”
“Never feel stupid when you’re learnin’. You should only feel stupid for standin’ still in life.”
Her gaze shot up to his.
His breath caught in his throat. Her face was tipped up to him, and all he had to do was lean down to cover those perfect pouty lips with his.
A heartbeat passed between them. She didn’t move and he forgot how.
Then a shout came from the yard. Pulled from the moment, King hung up the halter once again. “That would be my ranch hands. I’ll introduce you.”
He walked out of the barn, fingers clenched in a fist to keep from taking Bellarose by the hand and pulling her behind him.
* * * * *
Bellarose’s body was going haywire. She didn’t know if she was pissed off at being left alone to battle those leather pieces from hell or turned on by the way King hovered over her, his gaze fixed on her mouth like he was about to kiss her.
Which was ridiculous. He clearly didn’t like her, so why would he want to kiss her?
When he walked out of the barn, she was left staring at his broad back, utterly turned on by the way his coat collar stood up against his neck. And that backside of his… God, it was steel.
After the previous days with the man, she’d gone back to her trailer and climbed into her bed thinking that she had imagined how good-looking he was. But the moment she arrived on the ranch the following day, it had all come back to her.
The tight feeling in her core each time he drew near her.
The set of his angled jaw as he assessed her progress.
A shivery feeling settled over her, and she realized she needed to follow him out to meet his men.
She stuck her hat back on her head and went out. The men stood in a small group, all dressed so perfectly for a ranch that the wardrobe designer of Redemption Falls had no hope of ever getting it right without studying them.
Frayed hems of plaid shirts, worn denim, dirty hats and muddy boots. All wore jackets that had seen hard work. King’s had a hole in the fabric where he’d probably caught it on something and torn it. One of his sleeve cuffs was frayed as well.
It made her want to rub her cheek against it.
She was losing it. The Washington air must be thinner or something, affecting her mind.
She cleared her throat, and King turned to her. The other men gaped as if they’d just witnessed an alien being beamed down into the yard of the Blackwater Ranch.
“Either my eyes are goin’ funny or you look like that actress,” one guy said.
It was clear that King hadn’t mentioned her.
She stepped up and held out her hand. “Bellarose,” she said.
They stared.
She smiled. “What’s your name?” she asked the taller of the two who was hunky in a boyfriend’s brother kind of way with his broad chest and smiling gray eyes.
“Wheeler.” He took her hand and held it gingerly as if touching her might scorch him.
The other guy crowded in. “I’m Alex Schmitt. Everyone calls me Schmitty.”
“Nice to meet you.” She shook his hand as well, and the man held on to it longer than usual.
King let out a low growl, and Schmitty released his grip on her hand.
She smiled at them both and they stared at her.
“You aren’t really the Bellarose, are you? That actress.”
“We prefer to be called actors now. Keeps an even playing ground,” she leaned in to say in a conspiratorial way.
King let out another low sound like a wild animal warning off an intruder.
She turned her smile to him. “And yes, I am Bellarose Abbott. You may have heard we’re filming Redemption Falls in the area and King has agreed to not only let us film here on his ranch but to help me learn more about ranching. Didn’t you tell them, King?”
“No.” Now he sounded like an angry bear.
“Well, I’m looking forward to learning more. Though King has been tormenting me with fixing halters for an hour.”
“Dang, that’s cold, King. Why would you do that to a first-timer?” Schmitty asked.
He pushed out a heavy breath through his nostrils. “She needs to know these things.”
The guys continued to stare at her, silly smiles on their faces.
“Cut it out. Get to work,” King said in a low, grating way.
Wheeler tipped his hat to her and Schmitty shot her a parting grin. When they were far enough away that they wouldn’t overhear her, she said, “I’m used to it, you know.”
King faced her, his expression dark and stern. “I’m sure, but that’s not happening here.”
“Well, thank you then.”
“What else do you encounter with the public?” he asked.
“Lots of pointing and looking. A lot of people come up asking for me to take selfies with them. That sort of stuff mostly.”
“Mostly?”
“Well, I do have a bodyguard for when I’m running around town. And more than one if it’s an event a lot of people will be attending.”
“You’re threatened.” The words came out flat.
“I’ve had some stalkers. Fan mail that goes too far. That sort of thing.”
He scuffed his gloved knuckles over his jaw. A rasp sounded, raising her awareness of the man she was speaking to about her life.
She looked over the angles of his jaw and the stubble sprouted there, looking as dark and dangerous as the rest of the man. “Tell me more about you.”
He didn’t say a word, just led her to a fenced area where horses grazed. He leaned his elbows against the top rail of the fence. She sidled up next to him and did the same, gazing at the beautiful and well-cared for horses.
At first, she didn’t think he’d tell her more about himself but then he spoke. “Got my first horse when I was two years old.”
“Two!”
“Yup.” His stare was on the pair, but she watched his face take on a faraway look. “My uncle gave it to me, a sweet little filly. We were brought up together, and by the time I was three, I was riding alone. I used to pull the horse over to the fence and climb it in order to get into the saddle.”
&
nbsp; She smiled at that.
He tossed a look down at her, and he paused a moment. Then took up in a low voice that lured her in closer.
“My uncle was a horse breeder and trainer. Handled some of the most renowned stock this side of the Mississippi. People hired him to come train their horses. Lots of famous rodeo stars rode his stock.”
“Is he still living?” she asked gently. Their elbows brushed.
“Nope. Died in a bad accident going home from our place one night when I was fourteen. Car skidded into a ravine. Still miss him.”
“I bet.” She touched his forearm.
He stared down into her eyes, his own revealing more emotion than she’d seen from him yet. And she was touched that he was sharing this with her.
He drew away. “He instilled a love for horses in me.”
“But you don’t raise horses?”
“No.”
“Have you thought of it?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he settled a boot on the bottom rung of the fence and slipped his other leg over the top. “Come meet your horse.”
Her jaw dropped and she let out a carefree laugh as she scrambled over the fence. Before her boots hit the earth, she felt King’s touch on her waist. He let her go as soon as he’d touched her, turning for the horses. He clicked his tongue and they came trotting toward them.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, reaching up to stroke the small one’s mane. “They’re beautiful.”
“Yes.”
The larger horse edged closer to her and she went still. “I’m a little afraid of this one. He’s huge.”
King eyed her from beneath his hat. “First thing you need to know about horses is they can sense your emotions. So if you’re afraid, it rattles them.”
“Okay,” she said slowly. “So what should I do?”
“Relax. Know they’re not going to hurt you just because they’re bigger than you. But still maintain that they could if you got in their way and they were spooked. Just breathe, Bellarose, and try to stay calm.”
Her heart hammered but not from fear of the horses—it was the first time he’d spoken her name and the sound of it rolling off his tongue in that deep rumble had her flayed open. Her mind whirled as she tried to get a grip on her body’s reactions to King.
Whether it was just working with him closely these past few days or true animal magnetism, she didn’t know.
He moved up beside her and extended a hand. “Go like this.”
She mirrored his movement. The smaller of the horses she assumed was for her to learn to ride inched forward.
King produced a chunk of a carrot and placed it on her palm. “Keep your fingers flat and let her take it.”
She urged her closer with soft words. “Come on, girl. I won’t hurt you.”
“That’s good.”
She didn’t know if she was more excited that the horse was actually coming to her or by King’s praise. “Come on, sweet girl. What’s her name?” she asked him.
“Mare-ida.”
That had her laughing out loud. “Mare-ida! A Disney princess name?”
“My niece,” he said.
She laughed again but cut off the sound when the mare inched away again. “Come on,” she said quietly, crooning in baby talk as the animal was lured in. When she lowered her furry muzzle to Bellarose’s palm and swiped the carrot in a not-so-very-ladylike way, a giggle escaped her.
“Oh that was good!” she said.
“Haven’t you treated a horse before? I assumed you’d worked with them on set.”
“Well… I have. I’m just not very good at making a connection. Which is why I’m here. With you.”
They stared at each other. Her heart started to pound again.
He twisted his gaze away. “Yes. It’s time to remedy that and get you some experience. Now see if you can call her back to you even without a treat.”
Chapter Four
King went through each step of saddling a horse slowly, explaining as he went. Something he’d never done before but hoped she was catching on to so he didn’t have to do it again.
Bellarose stood back, those amber eyes following his every move. Whenever he glanced over, he found her looking at him and now he was hard as hell. Did she know how friggin’ sexy she was in that outfit? Yeah, she knew. Everyone from producers to fans on the internet and tabloids told her so.
Was she seeing anyone? A couple of times the question lay on his lips but he had stuffed it back down. He really didn’t want to hear the answer.
With the mare saddled up, he went to work on his mount. “Buffalo’s got a temper and I have to be careful not to get on his bad side,” he said.
“Is that usual for male horses?”
“Oh yeah. That’s why they’re gelded.”
“Gelded?” She wrapped her arms around herself against the chill breeze coming down from the mountains.
He looked at her. “They cut off his balls.”
Her jaw dropped and she blinked. “Oh.”
Twisting away, he hid his smile as he completed the task. Then he turned to her. “All right, you ready for your ride?”
“Absolutely.” She actually sounded enthusiastic though she wore a small crease between her brows like she might be worried. Noble that she was hiding any concerns from him, but he faced her.
“What’s worrying you?”
“What? I’ve been on horseback before.”
“Yes, but I can see you’re nervous. Tell me what the worst possible outcome could be.”
She nibbled her lower lip. He traced the movement, need slicing through him at the sight of her plump lip. He stifled a groan.
She darted a glance at the mare innocently standing there waiting for someone to climb into the saddle. “Well, it could throw me off. And trample me.”
He nodded. “A healthy fear is good. You have to give animals respect. But if you handle them right, there’s nothing to worry about. C’mere.”
She inched closer to him as well as the horse.
“Now talk to her. Tell her what you’re going to do.”
“She doesn’t really understand, does she?”
He bit back a chuckle. “Talking will soothe her.”
“Oh. Okay. Mare-ida.” She took a deep breath, and he tried not to notice how her breasts rose and fell with the motion. “I’m going to climb on your back now.”
“Now pat her neck and take hold of saddle horn.”
She did as he instructed.
“You know where you put your foot?”
She gave him a duh look and slipped her boot into the stirrup.
“Good, now up you go. She might move around as you settle but that’s normal and nothing to be afraid of.”
As Bellarose pushed upward and swung her leg over the mare’s back, he kept his hands at the ready to boost her if necessary. Mare-ida moved and he saw Bellarose stiffen. He grasped her hip to steady her and she sank to the saddle.
For a long heartbeat, he forgot how to open his hand and release her.
He looked up at her. Jesus, she was curvy and as perfect as they came. How much plastic surgery had she had to get a body like hers?
Thing was, it looked all natural, all woman.
A grin plastered across her face. “Okay, that felt a little better than last time I attempted it on set.”
“Might be a bad pairing. You gotta get the right horse for you.” Somehow, he forced himself to let go of her hip and stepped back. “Now I’m going to lead the mare around the paddock. Get you used to her and her used to your weight.”
She giggled.
“What is it?” he asked, stunned by the carefree sound and the happiness radiating from her.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“You’re gonna be fine. Ready?”
She nodded. He held the lounge line and allowed the horse to walk slowly in a circle around him.
“We’re gonna give you some better balance. Put your hands on your hips.”
“Let go and put your hands on your hips. Trust me.”
As she followed his directions, he couldn’t help but admire the way she did everything with confidence even when she didn’t feel it.
Also, he was looking at her breasts.
After about ten more rotations and a hard twitch of his dick, he said, “Now lean forward and grab hold of your horse’s mane and come up out of the saddle a bit.”
She did, moving more fluidly than she had as she grew more comfortable in the saddle.
“Good,” he said after a while of her in this pose. “Ready to bring her to a trot?”
“I guess.”
“Squeeze your calves to instruct her to trot. Yes, that’s it.” The horse picked up the pace. “Now to roll with the horse’s movements, you want to come up and down out of the saddle. Up, down, up, down.”
Holy fuck, he couldn’t get much harder. The movements weren’t remotely sexual but he couldn’t stop his thoughts from flowing to her riding him instead. He’d never thought of riding as sexual until Bellarose came into his life.
Pushing back his rising desires, he gave her tips on rolling with the horse’s movements so she felt less like she was about to fall out of the saddle.
“Yes, that’s good,” he said.
She grew focused on the activity, and damn if it didn’t make him want her more. Fuck, she was gorgeous, sexy and while he should be irritated to be losing precious time working, he wasn’t. Not one bit.
“Now we’ll work on some more balance moves.”
Bellarose shot him a look. There she was nibbling her lip again. “You’re not going to make me stand up or something, are you?”
He chuckled. “Nah. That’ll be tomorrow’s lesson.”
Her eyes popped open wide.
“Kidding, Bellarose. Put your arms out to your sides and lean forward again. There, like that. Get your balance now.” The horse continued to trot around with her taking to the activity like she’d done this before.
“You’re doin’ well,” he said.
She threw him a smile that was like a ray of sun warming him from the midst of a gray day. “Thanks. This is fun.”
“It’s supposed to be fun. Next thing we’ll try is put one hand on your head. Yeah, now extend the other arm to point at me. Eyes on me now, Bellarose.”
