?Chapter Two
?Colby
I’ve seen plenty ofcowboys saddle a horse, but watching River Thurston do it is like witnessing a damn miracle. Graceful, efficient, and with just enough attitude to make it clear she doesn’t give a shit if I’m impressed. Which, unfortunately for me, I am.
The way she swings herself into the saddle, with a confidence I haven’t seen once in all my years, is like a damn drug, and I know, without a doubt, that having her around is gonna be a problem. I can see the headlines now: Cowboy goes crazy, has a heart attack, dies because of a hot piece of ass.
And goddamn is she hot. She’s tall and slender, but her curves are impossible to miss. Her hair, as red as a campfire, hangs down her back in frizzy waves. Those blue eyes are a sight in and of themselves, and they’re staring straight into mine.
I’m standing here, slack-jawed, wondering what the fuck I just signed myself up for, and she’s smirking. Like she can read my goddamn mind and is getting off on the fact that I’m thinking about her naked.
The thought occurs to me to call this whole damn thing off, but something stops me. I can’t send her away. Not when her father asked me for this favor. I don’t know all the details, but when Richard asked me to hire his daughter, saying she was in some sort of trouble, I didn’t think twice. He’s done a lot for me over the years. It’s the least I can do to give her a place to work out her problems.
But that favor came with explicit instructions not to tell her he asked for it. The girl is too proud for that, he said. So I’ve got no choice but to keep her around and try not to think about her long legs wrapped around my waist while she’s working under me.
Jesus Christ. This is gonna be a nightmare.
River finishes saddling the stallion and pulls herself into the saddle. Linux stomps the ground, but she doesn’t give him an inch. I don’t have one cowboy on this ranch who has managed to tame the stallion, but this girl just walks up and does it in a matter of minutes.
Still, once the boys get sight of her, things could get dicey. I suspect they’ll run her off before long. It doesn’t matter if she’s a good worker or not. The guys aren’t exactly fond of sharing space with a woman, even a badass like her.
I shake my head and whistle to my own mount. My black quarter horse, Tango, whinnies and trots toward me. The gelding is a sweetheart. A gentle soul who has a penchant for sugar cubes and a bit of a stubborn streak. But I wouldn’t have him any other way.
River is already racing toward the north pasture by the time I manage to climb into the saddle, and I take off after her, not bothering to call out. She’s not gonna listen anyway.
She’s riding low over the stallion’s neck, and I have to admit, the way her body moves in time with the horse is a sight. My hands tighten on the reins, and Tango snorts.
Tango breaks into a canter, and we cross the field, following the herd. When we reach the northernmost part of the property, my guys are already there, herding the cattle.
River’s riding through the group, helping round them up, and I’m about to join in when a bull gets riled up. His tail flicks back and forth, and he starts charging toward the fence.
“Fuck!” I yell, urging Tango toward the beast.
The last thing I need is an angry bull getting loose. We’re a cattle ranch, but this particular breed is known for their short temper and lack of cooperation.
I get close enough to see the whites of the beast’s eyes, and that’s when everything goes sideways. The bull turns his horns and charges right toward River. She’s on the opposite side of the fence, and she’s got nowhere to go. If she runs, the bastard will chase her.
“Thurston! Get out of there!”
