Page 13 of Just Say When

“We could go for a hike,” she offered.

It was a bribe. Hiking was my thing, not hers. She preferred to be on horseback. But she also probably knew that we’d be more likely to get caught if we went back to Lodestar Ranch and saddled up a couple of horses. My parents weren’t dumb.

“Okay,” I grumbled. “But only because it’s the last week of school and we’re not doing anything anyway.”

“Yippee!” She grinned. “I knew you couldn’t say no to a hike.”

I shook my head. The only thing I couldn’t say no to was Essie Price.

6

Essie

Two weeks after Pirate joined Lodestar Ranch, the thrush in his hooves had been vanquished and he was fully sound. He had also put on enough weight that he was no longer a sack of dirty bones. And that spark in his eyes that had told me his spirit hadn’t been entirely broken had brightened to full mischief. I was nearly vibrating with excitement, because today would be his first lesson under saddle—if I could catch him, that was.

Pirate, it turned out, was a goddamn clown.

I stood in the small pasture near the gate, a carrot in one hand and a lead rope in my other. Pirate stood in the center of the field. We stared each other down, each waiting for the other to make the first move. We’d been through this three times already. He’d trot toward me, amiable as you please, only to pull outof reach before I could clip the rope to his halter. Then he’d bolt around the fence line, kicking up his heels like a fool, so damn proud of himself.

I had the feeling he didn’t actually hate the idea of coming with me, even though he had no clue what was in store for him today. It was more like he thought this was a game, and he was winning.

Which he was.

Damn his pretty hide.

I wasn’t fool enough to chase after him. There was no way my two legs could outrun his four. Dogs, fathers, horses—they were all the same. You chased them, they’d run. So I responded the only way I knew how: I turned my back and pretended I didn’t care.

And found myself staring straight into Braxton’s amused face.

“Is the sweet baby giving you problems, hellion?” he drawled.

Lord, deliver me from this smug man. I did not have time for assault charges today.

“This isn’t stallion behavior,” I informed him, my tone dripping with false patience, like he hadn’t spent his life around the animals. “He’s not dropping dick or vocalizing. He’s just got high energy now that he has food in his belly and hasn’t figured out how to manage it yet.”

Brax’s gaze flicked behind me and his lips tilted up before he met my eyes again. “Is that so?”

I resisted rolling my eyes. If he thought I didn’t know Pirate was sneaking up behind me, he was mistaken, and so was Pirate. A nine-hundred-pound animal wasn’t exactly subtle. “Yes, that’s so,” I snapped.

I listened to the muffled clomp of hooves against the damp ground. Pirate was almost close enough. When I heard his soft snuffle, I pivoted slowly, opening my hand to offer the carrot on my flat palm. He lipped it up and I cautiously lifted my other hand to his halter. “Easy, baby,” I murmured.

But before I made contact, he snorted and pressed his forehead to my chest, and with a big nod sent me reeling. I took a step back to regain my balance, but the water trough hit me behind the knee and my leg buckled. I went down, splashing ass-first into the cool water.

“Brat!” I shrieked.

Pirate was already halfway across the field, pleased as fuck with himself. Judging from Brax’s loud laughter, he wasn’t the only one.

Ever the gentleman, Brax extended a hand. “Here, let me help you.”

“I’ve got it.” I glared and hoisted myself out. It wasn’t pretty and involved a bit of twisting and sloshing, but I got the job done. Soaked from my knees to my armpits, I said, “See? I’m fine.”

His gaze raked down my body, taking in my wet clothing. My yellow tee shirt had probably gone fully transparent, and he could likely see my nipples, rockhard from cold, poking through my sports bra, but I kept my chin up, refusing to verify this for myself. What I didn’t know couldn’t humiliate me.

He jerked his face away, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “You always were too proud to accept help.”

His words infuriated me. I wasn’t too proud to accept help. I just hated help being foisted on me against my will.

“Am I? Because I could use a little help drying off.”

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