Page 46 of The Cowboy and the Stray

She slung her saddle up onto her shoulder like it weighed nothing and started toward the house, walking with a new spring in her step. I fell in behind her, wondering what the hell I'd just signed myself up for.

As we stepped up onto the porch, I heard Jace's voice off to the side, low and wary.

"Some folks smile too fast," he said, his arms crossed as he leaned against the porch post. "Makes me nervous."

Normally, I put a lot of stock in Jace's gut feelings, but something told me Ash was more than just a quick smile and a smart mouth. There was steel in her spine and secrets in her eyes, and I had a feeling we'd only scratched the surface.

Ash just winked at him as she passed. "Honey, if you think my smile is fast, you should see my right hook."

Jace's eyes narrowed, but he didn't rise to the bait. He just looked at me, his gaze heavy with unspoken warning.

I nodded slightly, acknowledging the caution. But I'd made my choice, for better or worse. Ash Navarro was part of the Maddox Ranch pack. At least for now.

As I watched her saunter into the house like she owned it, Sloane falling into step beside her with a grin that spelled pure trouble, I could only hope I hadn't just let the fox into the henhouse.

23. TESS

The evening air settled around my shoulders like a warm shawl as I perched on the top porch step, watching the last streaks of orange and red fade from the sky. The distant lowing of cattle mingled with the chirping of crickets, a ranch lullaby that was starting to sound familiar. Was definitely comforting. It'd been over a month, but I was getting used to the rhythm of this place, even if I still felt like an intruder half the time.

Restless, I drummed my fingers against the rough wood of the step, wondering if I should head inside and see if Midge needed any help with dinner. As much as I wanted to pull my weight, I always felt like I was underfoot in the kitchen.

The crunch of gravel made me glance over my shoulder. The woman Calder had hired, Ash, sauntered up the path from the bunkhouse, a lopsided grin quirking her lips. We hadn’t been formally introduced, but word spread quickly.

Her blonde hair was loose around her shoulders, catching the dying light like embers. "Well hey there, Twitchy," she called out as she climbed the steps. "Mind if I join you?"

I didn't exactly mind, but I wasn't sure what to make of her. In the couple of hours since she'd arrived, she'd managed to shake up the whole ranch with her big laugh and brazen attitude. Half the hands already looked at her like she'd hung the moon just by walking in and making herself at home. The other half looked at her like she might steal the horses and disappear into the night. Honestly, I wasn’t ruling that out either.

I shrugged, scooting over to make room. "Sure, plenty of step to go around."

Ash plopped down next to me, stretching out her long legs and crossing her boots at the ankle. "Mighty fine evening," she said, tilting her head back to study the first stars pricking the deepening blue. "Makes a person glad to be alive, don't it?"

"I guess so," I said, trying to relax. It did feel good to be out here in the cooling dusk, with the scent of sage on the breeze and the sky going velvet soft above us. Okay, yeah. This was nice.

"Know what makes it even better?" Ash said with a wink. She dug in her pocket and pulled out a small steel flask, unscrewing the cap with a flourish. "A little sip of something sweet."

She took a swig, then shook the flask at me with a sly smile. I eyed it warily, catching a whiff of something sharp and burning. She didn't offer it, though, and I didn't ask.

"Is that whiskey?" I asked, my nose wrinkling.

Ash shrugged, tucking the flask back into her pocket. "Could be. Could be ginger tea. Depends who's asking."

"Pretty sure ginger tea doesn't smell like lighter fluid," I muttered. It didn't smell like any whiskey I'd ever had, but definitely not tea.

Ash threw her head back and laughed, the sound ringing out across the yard. "Fair enough. I like to keep a little something on hand to cut the dust, if you know what I mean."

I didn't, not really, but I nodded anyway. Ash seemed like the type who knew all sorts of things I could barely imagine. Like how to set a barn on fire with only charm and a Zippo.

We sat in comfortable silence, watching a lone hawk coast across the darkening sky. Ash leaned back on her elbows, utterly at ease. I envied her that.

"So," she drawled after a minute. "What do you think of our motley crew? Anyone catch your eye?"

My head swiveled to stare at her. "What? No! I'm not, I mean, I hadn't really..." Abort. Abort!

Ash laughed again, nudging me with her elbow. "Relax, girl. I'm just curious. You've been here long enough to observe the local wildlife now. Longer'n me. I wanna hear your opinions." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Plus I got me a feeling about you and the boss. Almost like I can smell you on him."

I desperately hoped the deepening shadows hid the heat climbing up my neck. Great. My poker face is made of wet paper.

"They all seem... nice," I hedged. "Hard workers."