Page 23 of The Cattleman's Unforgettable Love

She squeezed his arm without thinking. “I am, are you?”

He chuckled. “I’m good, but then I’ve been here before.”

She cocked her head at him. “I know, but I meant with …” She’d been about to ask if it was awkward for him having her out here, but perhaps he meant he brought all his girlfriends out to meet his staff and see the horses and …

He clamped her arm to his side and looked down into her eyes. “But I haven’t brought a girl here with me in at least ten years, probably more like fifteen.”

“How did you know that was what I was thinking?”

He smiled. “Because despite our obvious differences, I think we have a lot in common.”

She smiled back. “You think we’re the same kind of different?”

He chuckled. “It’s starting to look that way.”

He stopped when they reached the end of the aisle that ran between the stalls, and turned her to face the last one. Inside it stood the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen.

“Oh! Hello, gorgeous!” she exclaimed. She took a step forward, but stopped. “Is it okay if I …” she asked Ford.

He grinned. “It’s more than okay – it’s what we’re here for.”

The horse leaned its head over the door and let out a low nickering sound.

“Hi, yourself,” she told him. “He’s a boy, right?”

Ford nodded. “Any ideas yet what you want to call him?”

She frowned. “Didn’t Boone say that he’s called Morgan? If that’s his name, then I don’t think we should change it.”

He smiled. “That’s not his name, it’s his breed. He’s a Morgan horse.”

“Oh!” She gave him a rueful shrug. “Told you I know nothing about horses.”

“I don’t expect you to.”

“I hate feeling dumb.”

“You’re not dumb, far from it. You just have a different area of expertise. If it’s any consolation, I’m kind of glad that you don’t know anything about ranching life. It’s refreshing to me – most everyone I know grew up in this world. We all know each other, and we all know the same things – and talk about them. A lot.”

She chuckled. “You should get out more.”

Her tummy flipped over when he met her gaze and said, “I’m planning to.”

The horse nodded its head.

“See, this guy’s agreeing that I need to get out more and I think he’s volunteering his services if you want to learn to ride. How’d you feel about that?”

She looked up at the horse – he really was beautiful. His coat was a kind of golden creamy color, but his mane and tail were black. “I think I like the idea – although I won’t deny that it makes me a little nervous.”

“You have nothing to worry about. He’s a sweetheart, he’ll look after you.”

Her tummy did another somersault when he added, “I will, too.”

“Thanks.” She didn’t know what else to say – she didn’t want to appear too eager.

Ford reached up and rubbed the horse’s ears – which he seemed to enjoy. “Any ideas what his name might be now that you’ve met him?”

She looked into the horse’s big, brown eyes. He even had long, dark lashes. She shook her head slowly. “Not yet, no. I told you it might take me a while to come up with something. If you have a name that you want to give him, you don’t have to wait for me.”

---