Tame Horses Wild Hearts

by Alison Paige

  “Oh shit,” Kate said under her breath. She rushed over, praying he was okay, that she hadn’t gotten his neck broken…or anything else for that matter.

  He started moving before she reached him. Not paralyzed—good. But he was still on his belly, his elbows propping him up, head hanging between his shoulders.

  “You okay?” She dropped to her knees beside him, rested her hand between his shoulder blades without thinking. He felt big and solid against her palm, her hand small in comparison. His dark hair tickled her fingertips.

  She heard him spit. “Ate some dirt.” He spit again. “I’m good. No blood. Nothin’s broken. Knocked the wind out of me.”

  Thank God. She exhaled, relieved. Should she tell him the dirt was mixed with a high percentage of horse dung? Naw, save it for a rainy day.

  “We need to call Doc, Kate?” At Clayton’s question she glanced over her shoulder and saw him standing outside the ring, leaning his forearms on the railing, an adult-sized hardhat in one hand. He adjusted his worn cowboy hat, his blue eyes fixed on Joe.

  She shook her head. “He’s okay. Doc can’t fix a bruised pride.”

  Kate felt Joe moving under her hand and looked back to watch him sit. He brought his knee up, grimacing, and hooked his right arm around it. His other hand raked the tumble-mussed waves of his hair, then dropped to twist a fat gold band on his right ring finger.

  “Well that was damn humbling.” He didn’t seem to realize he was fiddling with the ring and Kate took a second to notice dark etchings on the flat disc section where a gem might have been. She couldn’t make out the engraving and didn’t get a chance to ask.

  “You gonna make him get back on and try again?” Paul asked from atop his dark mare, Phantom. “You make us keep trying.”

  He brushed his sandy blond bangs to the side under his hardhat, and blinked his pretty, toffee-brown eyes. Paul was hung up on all things being fair and equal—likely because so many things in his young life seldom were. But he was right. Normally she’d insist Joe climb back on Sunshine and try again. Not just to show the horse who’s boss, but to avoid a seed of fear that could grow out of control quick if not faced head-on from the start.

  But this situation was far from normal and Joe didn’t strike her as the kind of man she could make do anything. “I don’t think—”

  “You bet I’m tryin’ again,” Joe said.

  The last thing he wanted to do was climb back on top of that dimwitted beast, but Kate wasn’t wrong when she mentioned his bruised pride. The woman had a keen eye and a way of making a man want to be a man just by turning those pretty green peepers his way.

  Eating ring dirt in front of a bunch of kids and half the farm staff may have had a subtle influence on his decision too. Christ, he hated anything getting the better of him. But what the hell did he know about riding horses? He wasn’t the outdoor, backwoods Deliverance type. He grew up in civilization, if the streets and alleys of Pittsburgh can be called civilized.

  At least they frowned on cousins and siblings marrying where he came from. Although Kate seemed normal enough except for the piercings—a ring high on the rim of her right ear and five more on each lobe. In his neck of the woods, the piercings actually made her more normal, but then he knew for a fact she hadn’t grown up out here in the middle of Bumfucked, USA.

  The little kid, Tony, came around on his horse, leading the devil Sunshine behind him. Joe pushed to his feet, ignoring the stitch in his ribs and a quick spin of dizziness. Man, he was gonna be sore tomorrow. Mathers hadn’t paid him near enough to endure this kind of shit.

  If he was still on the force…but he wasn’t. Damn car wreck had closed the door on that possibility years ago. Nearly closed the door on him. Fuckin’ police insurance wouldn’t clear him for the streets. Unacceptable risk of seizures or some such shit. He hadn’t had a seizure in years. Yeah he got dizzy more than he probably should, like now, but the difference between light headed and lying on the ground twitchin’ with your eyes rolled to the back of your head is…well, not enough to keep a dedicated cop from becoming a bodyguard.

  Joe pushed the past from his head and brushed off his pants and jacket. He spit some more dirt from his mouth and took the reins Tony held out to him. “Thanks, kid.”

  Tony beamed. “Sure thing, Joe. Good luck.”

  The little ankle-biter was starved for acknowledgement. Probably felt invisible at home. Joe knew what that was like. No skin off his nose to throw the twerp some attention. Besides, the kid was all right, coal-dark eyes, tan round face and shiny tight curls. Looked half Hispanic, half African American. He was small but lean-muscled, a scrapper just like Joe at that age.

  Yeah, he could give the kid a nod now and then while he was here. “You ever fallen off?” Joe asked him.

  The boy shook his head. “Nope. But it was neat watchin’ you. You were all…” The boy flopped and wiggled his body and limbs mocking Joe’s tumble. “Yellin’, whoa, whoa, umph, ouch, bonk.”

  “Ya liked that, huh?” Joe gave him a tense squint-eyed smile.

  Tony shot the same smile back at him with a nod. “Yep.”

  Twerp.

  “You sure you’re okay?” Kate asked from behind him. Joe turned to face her and noticed she was holding the hardhat. She must’ve gotten it from Clayton while he was struggling to his feet. Perfect.

  Damn if she didn’t actually look concerned. Three tiny little lines puckered between her drawn brows, the skin edging her pursed lips turning white with her frown. She shifted her weight from one knee-high booted foot to the other as she waited for his response. Her stretch riding breeches shaped over her hips and thighs and down into her boots. And her green sleeveless blouse made her eyes look even greener, almost unreal. Trouble.

  He forced a smile. “I’m fine, dollface. Thanks for worrying.”

  Her cheeks flushed and she glanced away then back. “Actually, I was thinking of Sunshine. I mean, I don’t want you taking your frustrations out on the horse.”

  “Right.” The woman couldn’t lie for squat.

  “You’re calm?” she asked.

  He snorted. “Yeah. I’m good.”

  Am I calm? He was about to climb back onto the crazy animal that had nearly killed him and she was worried about his emotional state? Christ, someone should be measuring him for a straightjacket. What the hell was he doing here?

  He turned back to Sunshine and caught her napping. Yeah. Like he’d fall for that act again.

  “You’re wearing this or you’re not getting back on.” Kate held out the brown velvet-covered hat.

  Damn, the little lady was serious. Joe sighed and took the hat, pressing it down on his head, then snapped the chin strap. It was a snug fit, but he figured that was a good thing.

  He gathered the knotted reins at Sunshine’s shoulders, put his left foot in the stirrup and grabbed the front and back of the saddle. Two hops and one smooth muscled pull and he was back atop the most likely conveyance of his death. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

  He dropped his gaze to his ruined shoes. Three hundred and fifty bucks shot to hell. He’d driven out to the farm straight from the city. How the hell could he have known he wouldn’t get a chance to change? Damn. He liked these shoes too.

  “Ready?” Kate said.

  He flicked his gaze to her. She hadn’t moved or changed her stance. She looked tense, all wound tight and edgy. Even her hair looked taut, pulled back in one of those braids that started at her front hairline and shaped over her head and down to a thick tail past her shoulders.

  Her hair was dark brown, mostly. Although when the sun hit it, he noticed flecks of red, so it looked almost wine colored or maybe a dark cinnamon. He bet it would look great loose and wavy over her bare shoulders. Even better all damp and clingy from sex, molding over her chest, pointy strands clinging to her breasts…

  Shit. Knock it off. That’s not why he was here. That’s the last reason he was here. Joe pulled his mind out of the gutter and tried to remember what she
’d asked. He caught her fidgeting with that top earring again, and she was blushing. Aw, hell. She wanted him. Life just wasn’t fair.

  He’d bet hard cash if she weren’t his principal she wouldn’t give him the time of day. ’Course she didn’t know he was there to protect her. One of life’s little bitch-slaps. What’d they call it? Murphy’s Law? Yeah, well Murphy could kiss his ass.

  “Ready enough.” He tugged the left rein to turn the horse around. Joe flapped his legs, jarring Sunshine’s sides with his calves, but the crazy horse just stood there with its ears pinned back.

  “Kick her with your heels,” Kate said.

  Thought she was worried about me hurting the thing.

  “You look like you’re trying to fly.”

  That tears it. Joe jabbed the heels of his dress shoes into the poor beast’s ribs. Sunshine flinched and started walking. I’ll be damned.

  When they reached the far end of the ring he turned the horse toward the jump and gave her one quick kick. Two minutes later he was pulling Sunshine to a stop on the other side of the jump.

  Fuckin’eh. His smile was unstoppable. Who knew what a rush riding these things could be?

  The little rug rats cheered. “Yay, Joe. Atta’ way, Joe. Ya did great.”

  Even Kate looked pleased. And a pleased Kate was a mighty fine thing to behold. Lord, her smile turned his blood hot and his muscles hard. The woman was lethal to his work ethic.

  Her smile softened the features of her face, sparked her eyes and made her seem more feminine. More like the daddy’s little angel his client, Edward Mathers, described and less like the sultry no-nonsense equestrian she’d been acting since he’d arrived. Maybe the truth of her was somewhere in between. Yeah. He liked that thought.

  No doubt the piercings helped form his initial opinion, though the dark cinnamon hair, sun-kissed skin, rose red lips and soft Latino curves spoke more of her sultry side than the angelic. Made him feel like there might be a wild woman trapped behind those guarded jade green eyes, a hellcat inside that reserved little body. Or maybe he was just horny.

  Two months since Felicia walked out on him. Two months and eight days since he’d last had sex. Not that he was counting. He’d be more broken up about it if they’d been together longer than a baseball season. But as usual he’d managed to screw things up before the guys he shared the season tickets with even learned her name.

  It was his fault. He could admit it. He should’ve known Felicia would be pissed when he told her he’d rather pull out his teeth then go to her sister’s wedding. But jeezus, it was a game day and she’d wanted him to rent a tux. That’s insane. He didn’t even know the woman and Felicia expected him to be in the wedding party? No thanks.

  She’d tried that if-you-loved-me-you-would bullshit. Maybe it was true. How would he know? He’d never met a woman who made him willing to do stupid shit he wouldn’t agree to do otherwise.

  Okay, riding a horse over a jump didn’t count. It was part of the job, part of his cover. A cover he wouldn’t need if he’d stuck to his guns and refused to guard a client who didn’t know who he was or why he was there.

  Even after her father showed him the letters he’d received from Kate’s stalker, the photographs the creep had taken without her knowledge, Joe had refused to take the job. Edward Mathers swore his daughter, Katharine, wouldn’t accept the protection if she knew he’d been the one to arrange it—some crap about teenage rebellion. Didn’t matter. The answer was still no.

  And then he showed Joe a picture of Kate with these kids. Damn, he should’ve walked away when he had the chance. Sucker. When it came to relationships Joe could be a complete ass, but kids—well, hell, he wasn’t heartless. Besides, Kate was pretty hot in that camp group photo, sexy in a tomboy kind of way—and now totally off limits.

  His no-fucking-the-principal rule wasn’t etched in stone or anything. But it made for a clearer head on his part, which was generally better for the principal in the long run. It’d served him well for the last five years. Joe didn’t see a reason to ignore it now—much.

  One of those big brass bells clanged a steady toll from somewhere on the other side of the stables. His young camping mates headed their horses toward the gate, jabbering away about his fall and then subsequent jump and other things he couldn’t wrap his brain around. Kids.

  “You heard it. Twenty minutes to get your horses in their stalls and get washed up for dinner.” Kate reached the gate before the riders and held it open as they passed.

  The long end of the stables was ten feet beyond the gate and each kid dismounted before leading their horse inside. Joe and Sunshine were at the end of the line.

  When his feet hit the ground every muscle in Joe’s body screamed. He hadn’t felt this sore since his police academy days.

  “You impressed me today, Joe,” Kate said after closing the gate and stepping up beside him.

  Joe put a hand to the small of his back and straightened. “Yeah? And fallin’ off horses isn’t even what I do second best.” He smiled and put all the sexual innuendo he could into his voice. Why? He didn’t know. His friggin’ libido had a mind of its own.

  “Really?” a man said. Joe couldn’t see him yet. He was just then coming around from the other side of Sunshine. “And here I pegged you as a master. Guess you’re a natural at making a fool of yourself.”

  When he saw him, Joe recognized the guy as the one who’d met him at the stable office and told him he didn’t have time to change before climbing onto a four-legged, dimwitted beast from hell. Of course he thought better of Sunshine now. Couldn’t say as much for the guy.

  “Clayton.” Kate used his name like a warning. She turned back to Joe. “He’s teasing.”

  He’s jealous.

  “Have you met my brother? This is Clayton Thorndike,” she said.

  “Brother?” Joe shot a glance at the blue-jean-and-checkered-shirt cowboy. “I didn’t know the Thorndikes had a daughter.”

  Kate shrugged. “Stepbrother.”

  “Legally?”

  “Doesn’t matter,” she said. Which told him the answer was no. But he knew that already. “We’re as close as any siblings. Right, Clay?”

  She smiled at Clayton who’d planted his dirty cowboy boots wide, nudged his hat low over his brow and crossed his thick farm-boy arms over his chest. Joe didn’t give a damn what Kate said. This was not the stance of a man who thought of her as a sister.

  His cold blue eyes drifted to Kate and warmed a bit. He dipped his chin. “That’s right.” He looked back to Joe. “And we Thorndikes protect our own.”

  Joe didn’t catch the windup but saw the solid punch Kate landed to Clayton’s biceps. Hard enough to stagger him back a step, her slug shot his tough-guy routine all to hell.

  “Hey.” Clayton rubbed the spot. “What’s that for?”

  “You’re being an ass. Knock it off and help our guest stall his horse.” Kate reached over and snagged Sunshine’s reins from Joe’s hand. The sudden move made the horse flinch, but no one else seemed to care.

  She shoved the leather straps at Clayton. “On second thought, you stall Sunshine and I’ll show Mr. Garity to one of the boys cabins.”

  Clayton looked at Joe and jabbed the brim of his cowboy hat up with his middle finger—subtle. The hat nudged higher on his head and showed a patch of cornflower blond hair.

  “Fine.” He swung his gaze back to Kate. “But you holler if you need me.”

  He took the reins and led Sunshine away down the long aisle of the stables.

  Yeah, this was going to be a fun couple of weeks.

  Chapter Two

  Horse stalls lined both sides of the stable all the way down to the center of the building where it opened on either side, wide enough for a horse trailer to drive through. Beyond that was another long aisle with more stalls. Big footlockers, buckets and other horse-type gear littered along the sides from one end to the other.

  Joe followed behind Kate, dodging horse ends and stray groomi
ng tools. The kids had tied their horses to stall doors while they removed the riding tack and brushed the animals down. As they finished they led their horses into their stalls, fresh yellow straw cushioning the floor, full feed tubs and water buckets waiting.

  “What’d you mean boys cabin?” Joe said when they reached the center throughway opening.

  To the right, beyond the white gravel parking area and drive, he could see the huge antebellum-style farmhouse in the distance. The landscaping was richly manicured. The elaborate home sported gabled roofs, tall Greek columns on a covered porch, intricate friezes and several small balconies. It looked like the typical Southern plantation with its circular driveway in front and the long stretch of white gravel between twin rows of oaks out to the main road.

  Through the left opening of the stables, ten feet out, was the indoor arena, beyond that more riding rings and pastures. There was another large outbuilding on the other side of the indoor arena where he’d parked. He guessed it was some sort of group housing—a bunkhouse.

  Kate stopped and looked back at him. “Your gear in your car?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Where’d you park?”

  He gave a nod to the left and she turned on a heel, heading out in the direction of the indoor arena.

  “Hey, you going to answer the question?” He hurried to catch up.

  “You registered as a camper,” she said over her shoulder, not bothering to slow her pace. “The boys and girls cabins are where the campers stay.”

  He laughed without an ounce of humor. “I’m not payin’ to bunk with a bunch of kids, dollface.”

  “You don’t really have a choice. It’s either the boys cabin or—” She stopped dead three steps past the corner of the arena facing the bunkhouse. “That’s your car?”

  Joe glanced at his convertible, Alfa Romeo Spider—his best girl, parked in the last spot at the end of the bunkhouse’s covered porch. “Yeah. Listen, I’ll take the ‘or’. Whatever it is. I don’t bunk with kids. They…wet their beds and…cry.”