Page 19 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

“The ranch will grow on her,” he says, unable to take his eyes off her.

“Alright, I get it,” Melissa says, the harness properly secured on Isabella’s pretty head. The mare neighs excitedly as Mitch helps Melissa get in the saddle, then connects a long rope to the harness to guide the horse in a circle. “Oh, this is… weird…”

“What’s weird?” Mitch asks.

“The saddle. I mean, I’ve never ridden a horse before.”

Ethan shakes his head slowly. “We need to be careful with this girl.”

“We’re not going to break her,” I reply, half-smiling.

“She’s going to break us.”

We’re several yards away from Mitch and Melissa, therefore out of their earshot. I lean slightly forward and pat my horse on his strong, muscular neck. Apex has been a loyal friend over the past couple of years, though he’s not as fast as Ethan’s horse, Elias.He’s stocky and resilient, however, and I can never get tired of his cappuccino-colored coat and white mane. Elias, on the other hand, is a black bolt, his coat so dark it swallows any light that hits it.

“What more have we learned about her?” Ethan asks.

“Darla says Melissa is innocent,” I say. “She wouldn’t go into detail, just that she believes her.”

“For what it’s worth, Aunt Darla is a good judge of character. It makes sense, though,” my brother surmises. “There’s nothing about Melissa whatsoever to make anybody think she’s a seasoned drug dealer.”

I nod slowly. “I know there’s more to that story, but we need to get her to open up to us. She’s constantly on edge. Darla said she’s prone to panic attacks.”

“I saw the signs, too. Whatever has happened to Melissa in the past few years… it’s taken a toll.”

“Look at her go,” I exclaim once Melissa performs a complete first circle ride around Mitch. The mare seems comfortable with her, trotting delightedly in the snow, while Mitch holds on to the rope and keeps guiding her in a steady rhythm. “Well done!” I raise my voice so they can hear me.

Melissa laughs and waves at me. “Not too bad, eh?”

“Not bad at all,” I reply.

“She’s a new kind of trouble,” Ethan says.

“And Mitch knows it, too,” I reply. “We can either keep our distance, or we can act on what is clearly there. Her body doesn’t lie.”

My twin nods again. “I noticed.”

We bring our horses slightly closer, taking advantage of Melissa’s divided focus to kick-start a much-needed conversation. She’s too busy paying attention to Isabella and her posture in the saddle to mind the topic we’re about to delve into.

“So, you’re from Lincoln, Melissa?” I ask.

Mitch gives me a wry smirk, fully aware of where I’m going. We talked about it long before we came downstairs for breakfast this morning. We always talk about what piques our interest, and Melissa has been an enticing topic for us since day one. I’ve yet to recover from that moment in my bathroom. I can still taste her on my lips.

“Born and raised,” Melissa says.

Above us, a brighter shade of grey unravels. We’re going to get more snowfall this evening. The sun is hidden behind a thin layer of clouds, but the existing snow gives us a clear view of the surrounding hills. It’s a quiet day on the ranch today. I like it when it’s quiet.

“Only child?” I inquire.

“Yeah.”

“What about your parents?” Ethan asks, his gaze fixed on her.

Melissa’s cheer fades for a few moments, but she doesn’t miss a single beat while riding Isabella. Her posture is quickly improving, a sign that she’s getting the hang of it. “My dad bailed when I was five years old. My mom died about four years ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say, almost regretting the questions.

“What were you doing before prison?” Mitch asks next.

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