The Black Sheep's Proposal. Patricia Thayer

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      There were two quarter horses here she’d been working with, but her main focus was still on Whiskey. Taking the time, she greeted the valuable equines before she reached the last stall. Her bay stallion greeted her with a soft whinny, and he nuzzled her hand.

      “How’s my favorite guy?” she crooned. “You ready to work?” He bobbed his head.

      “This is Smooth Whiskey Doc. He’s the future cutting champion.”

      With an ease that surprised Tess, Luke walked up to Whiskey and stroked him. “Hey, fella, how you doing?” Whiskey took to the attention and moved closer to the stranger. “You sure are a beauty.”

      “Don’t give him too much praise. It’ll just go to his head.”

      “So you breed horses?”

      She nodded. “Been working on it. I’ve had a lot of help from Chance Randell. He also breeds quarter horses. I’ve done some training and competing with my mare, Lady. I helped out Chance with training, in trade for his stallion, Whiskey Pete, to breed with my mare, and as a result we got Smooth Whiskey Doc.”

      “You’re partners?”

      She couldn’t help but laugh. “Hardly. Chance doesn’t need me. He’s made quite a name for himself on his own. He just did me a favor.” She patted the horse’s neck. “And I appreciate it. As neighbors we all kind of help each other out.”

      “So you and your father aren’t running cattle any longer?”

      “There’s just a small herd now.”

      Here was her opportunity. “Cattle isn’t our main focus anymore. Like I said, we’ve been breeding and training cutting horses for competition. And if for any reason, you and your bother decide to stay, I’d—we’d like to continue to rent the foreman’s cottage and rent barn space to board the horses.”

      Luke Randell just stood there for a long time, then finally spoke. “I can’t say one way or the other what will happen now. I have no plans to ranch at this time. To be honest, I never planned to come back here…ever. So as soon as it’s possible for me, I’ll be leaving.”

      Tess was angry. “And the hell with us.”

      He blinked at her bluntness. “You have two months to relocate.”

      The man didn’t have a heart. “The Rocking R has been my father’s and my home for well over twenty years. My daughter hasn’t lived anywhere else.” She hated that she sounded so desperate. But she was. “It isn’t so easy to move a family and livestock.” Or a father who barely remembers his name, she added silently. She studied the stubborn look on his face. “Besides, how can you be so anxious to sell land that’s been in your family for generations?”

      Luke Randell stiffened, then glanced away, but not before she saw a flash of emotion. “Maybe because that family deserted me a long time ago.”

      CHAPTER TWO

      AN HOUR later, Luke leaned against a post on the back porch. He held a long-neck bottle in his hand as he watched Tess Meyers work her quarter horse in the corral.

      Impressive. He took a thirsty drink of beer. She looked strong astride the powerful stallion, and the two together were as graceful as a ballet, moving in perfect unison in their performance.

      There were a half-dozen steers in the pen, and she and Whiskey easily separated a calf from the others, then drove it back into the herd. Even from a distance, he caught her smile as she patted the horse’s neck affectionately after he completed his task.

      Once again his body stirred. For the second time in hours this cowgirl had him wondering about things he had no business thinking about.

      Luke sat on the porch swing and propped his booted feet on the railing. What the hell was he doing here? He never wanted to come back to this place. The home he’d once loved, where he’d been part of a family. That had ended when his parents divorced, his dad went back into the military and his mother took him to live in Dallas.

      He closed his eyes and he could still hear the fights late at night. Doors slamming, his dad starting the car and driving off. The worst sound was of his mother’s crying. He hated his father for that. Most of all he hated Sam Randell for deserting them.

      Now, all these years later, he had no choice but to come back here. The perfect scenario would be to sell the place, make some money and start over.

      He doubted he could go back to Dallas. Thanks to a bad deal, his reputation had been destroyed in the real estate business. Because of a woman, Gina Chilton, he’d gotten involved with the wrong people. Her daddy, Buck Chilton, had invested money in his real estate venture.

      In the end Luke had barely escaped criminal charges, and it had cost him everything. His employees hadn’t fared much better, but at least he’d been able to give them a severance package. That meant there’d been nothing left for him. Everything he’d worked so hard to build was all gone now. Just some personal things, his clothes and the car remained. And he had to sell the luxury vehicle so he’d have some money to live on.

      Well, at least he had a roof over his head… for now.

      “Hey, mister. Are you sleeping?” a young voice said.

      Luke opened his eyes and saw little Livy Meyers standing on the porch step. She was wearing jeans and a ruffled pink blouse, holding her kitten.

      He dropped his feet on the floor. “No, just doing some thinking.” He glanced around to see if Tess Meyers was around. “Does your mother know where you are?”

      Looking sheepish, the child moved to the top step. “Kinda.” She shrugged. “She said not to bother you ’cause you were moving in. Are you finished?”

      With what was left of his furniture in storage, he had only a few suitcases to empty. “Yes, I’m moved in.”

      She smiled at him, and something tightened in his chest. She strolled to the swing and sat down. “I’m glad. And I’m glad you came here to live, too. You want to hold Jinx again? He likes you.”

      “You think so, huh?” He couldn’t help but take her offering. He doubted many people could resist her big blue eyes and dimples. The kitten immediately curled up against his chest and closed his eyes.

      “Hey, mister, see he likes you.” She studied him. “So do I.”

      “Well, I like you, too. Maybe you could call me Luke.”

      She frowned. “Mama says I can’t call big people by their first names ’cause it’s not ’spectful.”

      “Respectful,” Luke corrected gently.

      She nodded. “Yeah. Maybe I can call you Mr. Luke.”

      Luke wasn’t used to being around kids. But Livy Meyers didn’t seem to notice. “Sounds like a good idea.”

      Her smile widened, and he saw the resemblance to her pretty mother. But the smile suddenly disappeared when someone called Livy’s name.

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