Page 12 of Disarming The Rancher

Heart hammering her ribcage, she risked a glance to see what had caused the jerk to split.

The answer was immediate. Brax Firebrand stood there. His back was to her, but his stance said he was aiming a pistol at the ATV driver. Thank the stars for small miracles.

Raleigh called out to Brax, figuring it best not to surprise a man with his finger already on the trigger.

Brax turned his head toward the sound of Raleigh’s voice, keeping the barrel of his pistol aimed at the trespassing jerk. He’d heard her yelp and knew she was in trouble. A little piece of his heart wanted her to be coming back to see him. He shut that down before it could take hold.

The ATV driver turned tail, and for a split second, Brax thought about going after the guy. The move would leave Raleigh alone and vulnerable. Brax wouldn’t risk it.

“Your timing is perfect. I’m not sure what I would have done if you hadn’t intervened.” The words came out through gasps. Raleigh bent forward like she was struggling to catch her breath.

“I thought I heard Red Devil out here. Came over to investigate.” Relief washed over him at making it in time.

“You saved my backside, and it’s very much appreciated.” She stood up, and pinched her side with her freehand. “I am way more out of shape than I realized. You’d think with all those concerts I’d be in better form.”

“How much running do you do on stage?” His question was rhetorical.

“True. Mental note…add a cardio workout to my morning stretches,” she said, the fear in her eyes belied her casual remarks. She’d always been tough on the outside.

“Any idea who that was?” He motioned toward the direction the ATV driver had disappeared. There was no sign of him or sound of a motor but that didn’t mean he was gone. Brax surveyed the area, ignoring the way his pulse kicked up a few notches every time Raleigh was near.

“None,” she admitted. “And the only description I got would probably match half of Lone Star Pass.

“Then we should probably get out of here before he circles back,” Brax said. “I scared him away for the moment. Doesn’t mean he won’t regroup and come at us again.”

She nodded.

“Any chance you have any gasoline on you?” Her perusal shouldn’t kick up his pulse another notch. And yet, it did.

He tucked the pistol in its holster and shook his head.

“Have a horse tied up that way.” He motioned toward the property line. “I can get you to safety and we can deal with the minibike later. Deal?”

She looked like she was contemplating her options even though she had none that he could see. She was also covering the fact her body was trembling ever so slightly, most likely from a mix of adrenaline and fear. Raleigh was clearly rattled by the near encounter with the ATV driver. The very real thought they might have been up close and personal with the bomber raised Brax’s blood pressure a few notches.

“Let’s go.” She retrieved her helmet before walking over to her minibike. She tucked the helmet under the handlebars. “That should keep it safe until we can come back for it.”

“After you.” He held the fence apart so she could squeeze through before one-arming the post and hopping over. “Bullet is tied up over here.”

Brax walked Raleigh to his American Paint Horse. She was well-versed in riding so he didn’t have to worry about showing her the ropes. She tucked her left boot in the stirrup, grabbed the horn and saddle, and then threw her right leg up and over in one smooth transaction. He ignored the jolt of electricity that came with contact when he hopped up and on the horse behind her.

She handed over the reins. Bullet gave them a smooth ride back to the barn.

“We can ride back in my pickup so we can bring gasoline.” There was always gasoline on hand in the equipment room, never in the barn.

“While we’re here, is there any chance I can swing by and see your mother?” Raleigh asked.

“She would like that a lot actually,” he said. “I thought you were trying to fly under the radar for as long as possible.” He stopped right there when he caught onto the implication and put two-and-two together. “You’ve been found.”

“Woke up to a throng of people outside the front gate. I skipped out on my security detail while he kept them from stampeding the house. Who I need to text before he realizes I’m gone, but I need a few minutes to catch my breath first.”

“The attention ever get to you?” The invasion of privacy would drive him crazy.

“Hard to complain when I set myself up for this, you know?” She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes, and he wondered if she refused to let herself feel any differently.

“Still. You’re a human being. And a private one at that if memory serves.” He remembered all the times he ran past her while she was picking on the guitar in a quiet corner. She had a streak that had her riding minibikes and racing through his family home. Most of the time, though, she could be found writing in a notebook or strumming the guitar. Once she left Lone Star Pass for the Austin music scene, it all clicked and made sense. The showman in her was getting used to the attention. The songwriter in her sat and observed, then scribbled her thoughts. The musician in her turned them into hits.

“Sometimes,” she said and her cheeks flushed. “I didn’t think you’d ever noticed me unless I was on Red Devil.”