Page 5 of The Cowboy's Ultimatum

“Helen, what I don’t understand is why you’re trying to do it with a horse like Daisy. She’s not a fit. I’ll see you later.”

As he turned and began walking to the house he felt her eyes on his back, but resisted the urge to turn around. Moving inside and dropping into a chair, he let out a heavy breath.

When he’d first started dating Helen a few months before she’d been funny, warm, and easy to be around. Then a friend convinced her to take lessons and show in English equitation classes. To Andy’s dismay, Helen’s behavior and attitude beganto change. Rather than enjoy her new venture, she constantly complained other riders in the lessons were more advanced, their horses prettier, bigger, shinier, or just plain better. When he suggested Daisy wasn’t cut out for the refined English shows, or she might not enjoy it, his comment had been like pouring oil on the fire.

He didn’t want his relationship with Helen to end, but he missed the girl he’d met. The girl who would ride up Smoky Hill with him, stay overnight curled against him, and exchange witty banter whether they were grooming horses or cooking a meal.

You need to take control of things before it really screws up your relationship.

As his sister’s words floated through his mind he nodded his head.

“You were right, Annie,” he muttered. “I have to handle this one way or another. Let the chips fall where they may.”

Slowly rising to his feet, he was about to make a fresh pot of coffee when he heard a vehicle roll past the house. The sound made him sigh a second time, but it was a sigh of sadness, not annoyance at the trainer’s arrival.

His dog Wilbur had passed away a few months before. Andy missed his warning bark and the sound of his feet pattering across the tile floor. Thinking the time may have finally come to bring a new, four-legged, furry friend into his life, he decided to drive to the local animal shelter. It would have to be when the clinic was over, but the decision brought a smile to his lips.

Suddenly wanting a cup of coffee, he moved across to the kitchen sink to pour water into the electric kettle. But when he glanced out the window, he noticed a woman he didn’t recognize riding Daisy. She had the reins in a death grip and was spurring the mare forward.

The sight made him sick to his stomach.

He understood what the woman was trying to achieve, but it was clear Daisy was being asked to do something she found difficult, and was having a terrible time. Telling himself it was out of his control he jerked his eyes away, but unable to stop himself, he looked back. To his horror he saw the woman whipping Daisy with a long, thin crop.

“No way in hell!” he shouted as he charged out the door. “I will not allow that to happen on my ranch!”

CHAPTER FOUR

Though he ran to the arena, he didn’t want to scare Daisy so when he neared the gate he broke into a walk.

“Andy, what are you doing?” Helen called from the fence as he entered the ring.

“Watchin’ out for your poor mare,” he called back without turning around. “Hey, I assume you’re Erin,” he shouted, marching forward. “Hold up a second. She’s in pain."

“Who are you?” the trainer demanded, pulling Daisy to a stop. “And what are you talking about? She seem’s fine to me.”

“My name’s Andrew. This is my ranch,” he replied, stopping beside the mare.

“How do you know she’s in pain?”

“Jump off and I’ll show you.”

“I don’t have all day,” she replied brusquely as she climbed from the saddle. “She doesn’t feel lame to—“

“I didn’t say she was lame,” he retorted, cutting her off as he deftly pulled the reins from her hand, flipped them over Daisy’s head and held them loosely.

“Hey, what the hell are you doing?”

“Like I said, the horse is in pain."

“Where? What are you talking about?”

“She’s in pain because of this damnable whip,” he growled, snatching it from her hand, “and also from those,” he continued, pointing the tip of the crop at her sharp spurs. “You have no business ridin’ any horse, let alone callin’ yourself a trainer. You have exactly ten minutes to leave this property.”

“You’re insane,” she spat, reaching out to grab her crop.

“Oh, no! You’re not gettin’ it back! If you want to abuse another horse you’ll have to replace it, but you sure as hell need a taste of how it feels!” he exclaimed, and without missing a beat he flicked the whip across her backside.

“What the fuck?” she screeched, throwing her hands behind her. “How dare you?”

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