AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He shrugged. “It’s in my nature. Get on the damn horse,Ms. Fairchild.”
She tightened her lips at how he’d said her name, then she mounted the horse, and turned it to ride up the embankment.
“You can kiss my ass…Mr. Brennan.” She nudged the horse and rode up the incline then spurred her horse into a run to catch the group. Damn him. She wiped tears away as she rode away from him. He was angry, she got that, but he didn’t have to be a dick about it.
****
Ian watched her ride off and could kick his ass for hurting her. He didn’t like talking to her like that, but it was for the best. If he could keep himself angry at her, maybe he wouldn’t want her so much and his heart wouldn’t break when she left him.You just keep telling yourself that.
Once they returned to the ranch, he had chores to oversee, and that was fine with him. The less he saw of Eden Fairchild, the better.
“Ms. Fairchild. Damn, what the fuck is wrong with you?”
When they reached the barn, everyone dismounted, handed their horses off, and walked out of the barn. Ian saw Eden and Cammieleaving and she never looked back.
Why would she? He treated her like shit. He shook his head. Cruel to be kind. Is that what that was? Being a prick to her was being cruel to be kind?
Ian knew if he kept her angry at him, she’d stay away from him. No one liked having their feelings hurt, but he had to do it with Eden. He had to keep her away from him.
After cooling Breeze, he led him to the stall, put him inside and filled his bucket with oats and got him fresh water. Ian patted the horse on the neck and left the barn, then walked to the other one to make sure the men were doing what they were supposed to.
Thursday morning, Ian led Breeze out of the stall, and tied him up while he got the tack. He tossed the blanket onto the horse’s back, threw the saddle on, and tightened the cinch. Breeze took the sleeve of his T-shirt in his mouth and tugged on it.
“Stop,” Ian snapped, but the horse pulled harder. “Damn it, quit it, Breeze.”
“Looks like a big group on this trip,” Chip said from beside him.
Ian looked around. “Yeah. Is everyone here?”
“I think so. I have fifteen on the sheet.” Chip looked over the group and did a head count. “We’re missing two. Ms. Fairchild and Ms. Hart aren’t here yet.”
Ian looked at the riders, then saw Eden and her friend enter the barn. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. She looked so good in her jeans and a green shirt that matched her eyes. He was dying.
Chip walked to them, and Ian heard him telling them to pick their horses and they’d be ready to go.
“I hope we didn’t make you wait,” Eden said, shifting her eyes to Ian, then back to Chip.
“No, we’re just getting ready to head out,” Chip told her.
Ian saw her smile at Chip, then walked to a horse; the same palomino she always picked. She mounted it, and a ranch hand adjusted the stirrups for her. Ian wanted to throttle him when she smiled at him, and he grinned back.
“I’ll fire your ass just for the hell of it,” he murmured, then shook his head. He was being an idiot, but he didn’t like seeing her smiling at any other man. Only him. He huffed. She sure didn’t want to smile at him anymore.
With a deep sigh, he mounted his horse, and rode through the group. Some of the women smiled at him, and not in a friendly way. More of a ‘let’s have sex’ way. There were times it drove him crazy. Now he knew how women felt when men came onto them and made them uncomfortable. Turnabout was fair play, he supposed.
He nodded but didn’t stop to talk with them. He didn’t want to give them any ideas. He mentally shook his head. Sometimes they alreadyhadideas. Like Bonnie. He was sure he would have heard something by now from Devin or Jaxon about getting involved with Eden, through Bonnie.
It wouldn’t have surprised him a bit. He knew he’d pissed her off, and by acting like it didn’t bother him when she told him she knew, he wassure he was number one on her shit list. She wasn’t the first woman to let him know she was interested, but she was a little more pushy than necessary, and it had made him damned uneasy.
He listened as Chip explained how the trip would go. When he mentioned possible showers, Ian looked at Eden to see her looking at him. He smirked when he saw a small smile lift her lips, then he looked away. He’d never forget that day. It was the first time he’d kissed her. Mud and all.
He removed his hat, raked his fingers through his hair, and resettled it on his head. It was going to be a hot day and that’s why there was a possibility of thunderstorms. Ian hoped they held off. It was bad enough to move cattle with inexperienced riders, but in the rain and mud, it would be worse.
Chip told everyone to line up, and then he led them out of the barn. Ian watched the line go by, so he could bring up the rear. He touched the brim of his hat to two women who smiled at him, then he saw Eden staring at him. He raised his eyebrow, and she looked away.
As he followed the last rider out, he put his sunglasses on and hoped he could stay away from her.
****
