Page 5 of The Rancher

“Yeah.” I look over to see Stone shaking his head sadly. “The poor guy. That dull coat means he hasn’t been fed properly in ages. They’re probably giving him cheap feed and rationing it to make it last longer. It happens more often than you’d want to think.”

I can relate to that. I’m so frugal with my grocery budget that I often have just an apple for lunch and a bagel for dinner. My full dinner and breakfast with Stone has me feeling completely invigorated by comparison.

A beady-eyed farmer drives up, and I take a deep breath, waiting until he is within earshot. Showtime.

“Look!” I shriek through the open window. “He’s so beautiful!”

I jump out of the truck and run over to the fence, waving to the horse who turns to look at me dully. Stone leaps out and follows me, giving the farmer a friendly wave.

The man gets out and trudges over, scowling. “Whaddya think you’re doing on my land?”

I grab Stone’s arm. “Honey, he looks exactly like Prince Clippyclop – the horse I had when I was eight. I’m sure I told you about him!” I stare in delight at the poor animal, who takes a few tentative, creaky steps toward me.

“Sorry,” Stone says to the man. “We’re just on our way to buy a horse for my wife. She has a very specific idea of what she wants.”

The farmer shrugs. “Yup. Women can be fussy.”

“He’s perfect.” Turning to the farmer, I widen my eyes. “Please – is he for sale?”

The man stares between me and Stone. “Is she serious? He’s fifteen already.”

From the way my “husband’s” arm tightens around me, I think the poor horse must not be aging well. “Please?” I look up at Stone, batting my lashes. “You said I could get any one I wanted. Well, I want that one.”

Stone looks over to the farmer. “Is he for sale?”

The man scratches his head and shrugs. “I…guess.”

They walk off to make a deal, and I call out, “Here, Prince. Come say hello.”

I don’t know the first thing about horses, just that I like them, but Stone taught me on the drive how these animals will pick up our energy. So I force myself to breathe smoothly and stay as calm as possible when he ambles over. When I hold my hand out for him to sniff, he seems to like me. I give him a gentle pat, triggering a gentle snuffle before he butts his nose into my palm again.

His huge eyes are so sad. He’s definitely lonely – all by himself in this field, with nobody to care for him? A lump forms in my throat. I relate to this guy way more than I should.

“He’s all yours, baby.” I turn to see Stone grin as the farmer ambles over to a gate.

I don’t know what comes over me. But it feels like the perfect excuse to do what I’ve been wanting to do from the second I laid eyes on this mountain of a man.

“Thank you!” I say, throwing myself into his arms for a bear hug.

He freezes for a split second. Then the entire world tilts as his arms cuddle me into his chest. Strong hands stroke my back, warm even through my hoodie. The way he rocks me comfortingly sends an avalanche of feelings surging through my entire body. It’s not just arousal. It’s more. Much more.

Inhaling his masculine scent, my hands tighten around the back of his neck, stroking his skin gently as one of his palms drops to caress my hip. I nearly moan from the feel of his hard, broad chest supporting me. From the way he exhales across my hair. From the way I’d swear he doesn’t want to let go.

“Remy,” he whispers, dipping his lips to my ear. “I’m so proud of you. Great job.”

Now I’m fighting back tears. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard those words before, never mind from a man I’ve known less than twenty-four hours.

“This feels so good, I never want to stop,” he murmurs, “But let’s get your Prince to his new castle, okay?”

Swallowing quickly, I step back. “Yes. Let’s get him home.”

He grabs a lead, then walks the horse into the trailer. I watch in delight as Stone pats Prince gently, whispering words of encouragement. He drives much more slowly on the way back to the ranch, so as not to jostle our new friend in his unfamiliar enclosure.

The windows are open, the sun is shining, and a sense of supreme peace washes through me while gazing at the rolling fields, herds of cattle, and mountain peaks.

After driving for around twenty minutes, I notice Stone’s hands are clenched on the steering wheel. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"It's all just so frustrating." His voice seems strained, but he keeps it low. "There are tons of rescue places where people can surrender their animals if they don’t have the time or money to keep them. No questions asked. Yet people let their fucking pride get in the way. And a beautiful animal like this suffers."