A Cowboy's Pride. Pamela Britton

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СКАЧАТЬ might be as fractious as a new horse.” He met her gaze, obviously satisfied with what he saw. Cabe wore the same cowboy hat he’d worn for years, one that was black but looked faded these days, its flat brim warped and somewhat frayed.

      “Just remember—” he tucked his hands in his pockets—probably because they were cold “—it wasn’t long ago that we were dealing with similar emotions from Rana.”

      It was true, and something she’d reminded herself of at least a hundred times last night. Somehow, though, it was different coming from Cabe. Trent wasn’t family, and his good looks made her uncomfortable. There. She could admit that.

      “I just hope he’ll at least try some of the therapies I suggest. I’m not even certain he’ll let me assess the damage done to his legs.”

      “Maybe you can do that without actually examining him.”

      “How?”

      Cabe smirked. “I was giving it some thought last night and I agree. He doesn’t want to be here, but to be honest, I was already warned about that. So I was thinking we need to outsmart him.”

      “You were warned?”

      A crafty look entered Cabe’s eyes. “I called his mom last night. She told me it took all her persuasive powers to get Trent on the plane. Apparently, he called her last night, too, and he made it perfectly clear he wasn’t happy.”

      “Oh, great.” She could understand reluctance, but out-and-out hostility would make things difficult.

      “That’s what I’m saying. We need to outsmart him.”

      “And how do you propose we do that?”

      “Put him up on a horse today.”

      She lost her power of speech for a moment. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. A million things bubbled through her mind, but she couldn’t voice them...except for her next words. “You’re kidding, right?”

      “Why not? He has partial use of his upper legs. He should be able to hold on just fine.”

      “Yeah, if he had some training.”

      “That’s what the special saddle we use is for. He won’t fall off.”

      “You’re right, he won’t because he’s not going to agree to it.”

      Amusement filled his face, wrinkles crinkling the corners of his mouth all the way to the line of his jaw. “Doesn’t hurt to ask.”

      Her boss had lost his mind.

      The words repeated themselves as she went about her morning chores. Truth was, she was a lot more than a therapist. She wore a lot of hats: cook, chauffer, ranch hand. No two days were ever alike, so as they headed into breakfast it didn’t take her by surprise when Cabe said, “You going to check on him this morning, or shall I?”

      The words you do it almost escaped her lips. One thing stopped her—the twinkle in Cabe’s eyes. It was as if he dared her to beard the lion in his den, and to be honest, Alana wasn’t as averse to the idea as he might think. It wouldn’t hurt to show the man that she wasn’t intimidated.

      “I’ll do it.”

      An hour later she brought the John Deere Mule—an ATV-like vehicle with a miniature truck cabin and bed—to a coasting stop in front of Trent’s temporary home, the tires crunching on the drive. There was no reason to have butterflies in her stomach, she told herself. He might be a rodeo legend, but his injuries were all the proof she should need that he was also just a man.

      “Knock, knock,” she said, rapping lightly on the door.

      Of course, there was always the chance he wasn’t up yet. She’d no sooner had the thought than she caught a whiff of maple-cured bacon, the sweet smell making her stomach growl. They’d had oatmeal for breakfast. Boring.

      “Hello?”

      Would he ignore her? She had to admit, it was totally possible. He might choose to stay in his cabin the whole—

      The door opened.

      Good Lord, he wasn’t dressed.

      Her mouth dropped open next.

      “Yes?”

      Keep your eyes up.

      But it was hard when he had an upper body that would rival an action figure—six rippling, symmetrical bulges that decreased in size the lower her gaze drifted, and it drifted lower. His skin was a soft gold in color—and damn it, her eyes kept traveling lower and lower despite her best efforts, her cheeks turning molten when she spotted the tiny wisps of brown hair that seemed to point toward—

      “I, um...”

      Pull it together, Alana.

      His gray eyes. Focus on those. “I was, um, asked to check on you.”

      Not check him out, Alana!

      “I’m fine.”

      Yes, you certainly are.

      She coughed, sputtered, tried gasping in a breath. What was with her? She was acting like a sex-starved adolescent.

      Yes, and when, exactly, was the last time you had sex?

      “Are you okay?”

      “Fine,” she wheezed, her mind mentally scooting away from the question. “Did you need anything?”

      Coffee? Tea? Me?

      She almost—almost—laughed.

      “I’ve been able to take care of myself for months.”

      “I see.”

      He stared up at her. She stared down at him. He smirked.

      She snapped, “Cabe wants us all to go on a ride today.”

      His turn to be caught off guard. “Excuse me?”

      “Cabe. He said—”

      “I heard you, but I won’t be going.” He jerked his hands on his wheels, rolling back like a race car driver. His hand found the door.

      “Whoa, there, ace.” She shoved her foot in so fast, she bit back a gasp of pain when it slammed into her. “That wasn’t a request.”

      If a look could incinerate a person, she should have been a puff of smoke. Or maybe a black smudge on the ground.

      “I’m in no condition to ride.”

      She smiled brightly. “Someone will be down to pick you up at ten in the morning.” She gave him her sweetest I-don’t-care-what-you-think smile. “I’ll see you then.”

      * * *

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