Page 2 of On the Wild Side

With our heads down and our minds on the work, we get everyone safely into the fenced field in less than the hour that I predicted.

“I’ll get the water,” Bruiser, another of our men, shouts as he swings off his horse and hurries to the troughs to fill them with fresh drinking water for our cows.

Despite the troughs being heated to keep them from freezing, we’ll have to come out here several times a day to break up ice that’ll form on the top.

Montana is fucking brutal.

But damn if I don’t love her.

We work as a team to spread hay, and when everyone is settled into their new home, we lead the horses into the barn so they can warm up and rest. We all put in one hell of a day.

I take my time with my boy, Blackjack, giving him apples and brushing him well before I settle a blanket on his back and kiss his cheek.

“You did great today, boy.” He nudges my shoulder, and I grin, ignoring the twinge that’s always there in that joint. “Yeah,we both did, huh? Good boy. I’ll see you in the mornin’. You get some rest.”

I kiss him once more and then close the door of his stable behind me as I walk out with the others.

“Want to come in for dinner?” Remington asks me, then narrows his eyes on me when I roll that same shoulder.

“You could join us, too, if you want,” Bruiser adds. We have a house here for the hands to live in, and those cowboys make some damn good food.

I usually eat at either my brother’s or with the hands, but I shake my head.

“Thanks, guys, but I have a date tonight.”

My brother turns and frowns at me in surprise. I don’t usually date at all, and I would never announce it to anyone, so the look on his face makes me laugh.

“I’m taking Daisy to the father/daughter dance at her school.”

“Shit, that’s right,” Rem says, dragging his hand down his face. “I have to take Holly to that. I’d better go get cleaned up.”

“Me, too.”

“Have fun,” Lucky says with a wave. “I’m gonna go put some chili on the stove.”

The other two men walk in the direction of the bunkhouse, and I walk with Rem out to his truck.

“I guess I’ll see you there,” I say with a wink.

“I hate these things,” Rem complains with a sigh. “Ilovemy girl, but I hate dances.”

“Come on, it’s only a couple of hours.” I laugh again and head over to my 4Runner. “See you later.”

“Wait,” Rem says, his hands on his hips. “That shoulder giving you trouble?”

I shake my head with a sigh. “You know my long list of injuries over the years, Rem. Something’s always giving me trouble. It’s the cost of being a cowboy.”

“You’re an idiot,” he reminds me.

With a laugh and a wave, I hop into the vehicle and drive the couple of miles over to the old cabin that I live in here on the Wild River Ranch. It’s the oldest dwelling on the property, and it could use some updating, but it suits me fine. I’ve lived in the tiny two-bedroom, one-bathroom cabin for almost a decade, and I haven’t needed anything more.

Besides, I really only sleep here. I’m always working the ranch or riding a bull. At the very least, I train on the drop barrel daily so I don’t get rusty. There’s no time for anything else.

But when Daisy asked me to take her to her little dance, the night that my brother Ryan proposed to Polly, I couldn’t say no. She reminds me of Snow White, with her dark hair and deep brown eyes. She’s the cutest little thing, and she was so…earnest when she asked.

Only an asshole would have turned her down.

Besides, Ilikethe kid. She hangs out with Holly all the time, and Daisy’s mom, Abbi, is always with my sisters, since they started up their women in business group. And that part, the part where Abbi’s always around? That’s harder to swallow.

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