Page 53 of The Guy Who Stole My Ranch

Rick shook his head and grinned. “Nope. It’s a surprise.”

“You know we’re going to see each other in a few hours,” I said.

“This is different.” Rick kept his voice low and crept to the opening where he inched his head around the corner so he could see Brooke. “My sister acts all tough on the ranch, but here, she’s softer.”

I wasn’t sure it was a good idea for me to get to know a softer side of Brooke. I depended on her gruff exterior to keep myself in check.

Rick looked back at me. “You should go say hello.” The expression of triumph on his face almost made me say no. I didn’t need a man I hardly knew trying to push me toward his sister.

The problem with that was I already liked Brooke, and it wouldn’t take much pushing for me to fall for her.

“My dad says you’re good with horses, right?” Rick asked.

I shrugged.

“They’re working with an animal that was rescued from a pretty bad situation. Maybe you could help.”

It was thin, but it was enough. I gave Rick a nod before leading Frank back out into the hallway.

The tall, slender blond was coming straight for me. She gave me a wide smile, but Rick must have told her that I was here for Brooke, because she simply waved and walked past.

I resisted the urge to look over my shoulder at her.

She was beautiful and walked with a quiet confidence that I didn’t often see in the business world. Women there felt the need to overact the part.

Much like Brooke sometimes did, I suddenly realized.

I filed that thought away for later and approached Brooke. She held a small plastic bag in her hand and was trying to lure the horse inside the stall toward her with it.

The horse stuck his nose out, and Frank trotted forward, already convinced that he and this horse would be friends.

I wasn’t so sure. Especially when Brooke crinkled the plastic bag and the animal retreated a few steps.

Brooke put a couple of pieces of something from the bag into her hand and held them out for the horse. She slowly moved toward him, but as soon as she got too close, the beast moved away again.

“I’m not going anywhere, darlin’,” Brooke whispered.

Why did I imagine Brooke saying that to me? I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

Keep it professional.

When the horse still kept his distance, I said, “He’s been through something bad.”

Brooke jumped and let out a shriek.

The horse moved even farther away.

Frank tugged toward the stall, but I kept him at my side. I was looking at Brooke’s profile, so I couldn’t interpret the expression on her face. Was she angry? Her clenched fists told me she was. I expected her to turn on me with a tongue-lashing ready to go, but instead, she took a breath before she looked at me and said, “Hey, what are you doing here?”

Her nonchalant tone caught me off guard, and it took me a moment to form an answer. “Rick asked me to come.”

Brooke sighed. “I figured.” She narrowed her gaze, but for once, it didn’t feel like her ire was directed at me. “I think I need to make it clear to my family that we,” she pointed between us, “are not a thing.”

I nodded and was surprised at the sting her declaration caused. I’d told myself a hundred times that we could only be friends. Why was the bite more potent when she said it out loud?

Frank, ever our distraction, let out a whine and took a step toward the stall. There was no sign on the outside of it, so I asked Brooke, “What’s this horse’s name?”

“Snowstorm.” She squatted down and looked at Frank. “But I don’t think he’s in the mood to make friends right now.”

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