Page 13 of Fall With Me (Sugarland Creek)

At first glance, I notice how petite Ellie’s frame is and her cutoff shorts reveal long, lean legs. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s fast on a horse and probably flies around the barrels. I know it’s not all about size, but it sure doesn’t hurt your speed to be on the smaller side.

Her wild, wavy blond hair reaches below her shoulders, but it looks like she’s threaded her fingers through it a few times.

As my gaze lowers down to her pink cowboy boots, my heart and stomach do this weird flutter flip—something that’s only happened once before ages ago—and although it’s a foreign feeling, I’m pretty sure she’s the reason for it.

Though I don’t know why.

Ruby and Trey stand next to me while we wait for Noah to introduce us.

“She’s a cute little thing,” Ruby murmurs.

“I wonder why she’s lookin’ at Landen like she wants to murder him.” Trey chuckles.

“Yeah…what’d you do?” Ruby nudges me with her elbow.

“I’ve never met her before,” I argue and then remember to fold my arms over my chest to cover the text on my shirt the best I can. I’m going to kill Wilder for picking this one out of all the others I have in my closet.

Pretty certain he did it on purpose.

And maybe I should kill Noah for not giving me a heads-up so I knew to go home and change first.

“You sure? She looks like a woman scorned.” Ruby chuckles.

My arms drop when I give her a little shove because she loves to give me shit.

“Let me introduce y’all to my ranch hands and brother,” Noah says, finally bringing them up here to meet us.

Ellie’s parents walk behind her and as soon as their eyes land on my shirt, their smiles fall.

Fuck. My arms go back to covering the text. I should’ve turned it inside out but got distracted the moment I laid eyes on Ellie.

“This is Ruby and Trey. They clean the stalls, feed and water the boarders, and also help tack up the horses for me. You’ll probably see a lot of ’em when you’re here.”

As they exchange pleasantries with Ellie and her parents, I study her for any recognition that we’ve met before, but nothing comes to mind. She doesn’t even look old enough to get into a bar and if we met at a rodeo or anywhere else for that matter, I’d remember those bright blue eyes. But still, she stares at me like I’ve insulted her or somehow did her wrong.

“This is one of my older brothers, Landen. He’s gonna help with your trainin’,” Noah tells Ellie.

I hold out my hand to tell her how it’s nice to meet her, but she ignores it. Instead, her brows rise to her hairline as a wave of panic flashes across her beautiful face.

And then her gaze snaps to Noah. “I thought I was only workin’ with you.”

“Primarily, yes. But with only three months until the season ends, we can use any extra eyes to help with your trainin’ and gettin’ your name out there before next year. He’s good at pointin’ out problem areas and has been around barrel racin’ for years. It won’t be every session, just when I need a second opinion.”

Ellie’s eyes finally meet mine and they’re cold as ice. “Oh.”

Her mom touches her shoulder and squeezes it. “If it’s for the sake of you and Ranger, more help and experience is a good thing.”

Although Ellie looks tense and ready to argue, she releases a shallow breath at her mom’s words.

“Should be fine, then.” Ellie’s gaze lowers down my T-shirt before I remember to cross my arms again.

Well, that was beyond fucking weird.

She doesn’t even know me and already has a vendetta against me.

But what the hell for?

When I look at her father, he’s giving me that stern look you’d give to some punk kid taking out your daughter for the first time. Not someone who’s helping her.

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