Page 61 of Keep You Safe
“Need your help with something.” Grayson didn’t sound particularly thrilled to need me, which likely meant I was the only option around.
“Of course, boss.” I kept my tone all-business, no tease.
“Not your boss.” He reacted as tersely as I’d expected. “This way.”
Grayson led me out of what I jokingly called the maternity ward, past Diamond Lil and Cinder, not stopping to admire the excellent mucking job I’d done on that row as well. His limp was more pronounced today. Was he sleeping well? Eating? I hated not being able to ask, hated feeling more like strangersthan…whatever we’d been before. Friends? Lovers? Something. I swallowed back a frustrated sigh.
He stopped at the end of the row near a stall that had been empty an hour ago. The new occupant was a tall caramel horse with creamy markings. A little on the thin side, same as Cinder had been.
“Who is this?” I asked, stretching out a cautious hand to pat the horse. “Did Kat bring in a new rescue?”
“He’s another rescue, yeah. I saw the post from the rescue organization and picked him up.” Grayson kicked at a nearby strand of loose hay.
“For you?” I tried to read his downcast face, but he sure wasn’t making it easy. “You’re not replacing Diamond Lil, are you?”
“Not for me. For you.” He continued to avoid my gaze, which confused me further.
“For me? I pretty much just ride whichever horse is free or whoever needs exercise that day.”
“I know, but a cowboy needs his own dedicated horse.” He gave a sharp nod, like this was a simple fact of nature and not a hell of a surprising gesture.
“You’re giving me a horse?” My pulse sped up and my hands went clammy as I struggled to understand.
“Appears that way.” Grayson’s tone was testy as if he didn’t care for all my questions. Tough. I couldn’t help my confusion, and I kept right on staring at him as he continued, “Thought about asking Maverick if I could buy Winnie, but it’s gonna be a long time before she’s ready to ride. This guy’s ready now. Didn’t come with a name. Feel free to do your pop culture worst.”
“I’m sorry. I’m stuck on you giving me a horse.” No way could I gather enough brain power for horse names. I had no idea what to make of Grayson’s gift, especially not when he was acting like he’d rather be having any other conversation than this one.
“My dad gave me my first horse. Said I’d shown I was ready for the responsibility.” Grayson set his jaw with even more determination than ever, rugged features sharp enough to chisel a granite mountainside. “I’d been riding as long as I could remember, but I felt like a real cowboy that day. Couldn’t drive or shave yet, but I felt grown.”
“Sounds like a good memory.” I used a cautious tone. “So this is you saying I’ve proven my worth as a cowboy?”
What I truly wanted to know was whether this was an apology horse or a consolation prize in place of the future I longed for, but I wasn’t sure Grayson himself had an answer there.
“If you’re sticking around, it makes sense for you to have your own horse. You don’t want to be sharin’ Cinder with a bunch of noisy tourists.”
I inhaled sharply at hisif. I stiffened my spine. I couldn’t match his bulk, but I could look him in the eye. “Is this a way to make sure I don’t leave? You don’t trust yourself to be a good enough reason, don’t trust me to not run back to LA, but you’re willing to trust that the responsibility of a horse might keep me around? A bribe?”
“It’s not a bribe.” Pursing his lips, he visibly bristled. “They have horses in the city too. Fancy-pants boarding facilities. He’s yours whether you stay or go.”
“Gee. Thanks. Would you help me research stables?” I used my most sarcastic tone. “Come on. Seriously. You can gift me a horse, but you can’t bring yourself to admit you’d like me to stay?”
“Of course I’d like you to stay,” he shot back, eyes going wide like the admission had surprised him as well. “But the horse is yours because you deserve a good horse.”
“I deserve you.” I used my months of hanging around him to do a perfect imitation of his sternest voice.
“What you deserve is someone a helluva lot better than a grumpy, broken-down foreman,” he countered, matching my firm tone, expression resigned like he’d already made up his mind.
I made a frustrated noise loud enough to startle the horse next to me. “So the horse isn’t an apology?”
“I screwed up.” Grayson locked his gaze on his upturned palms as if he might find the right words there. “Not up to me to decide whether ranch life is for you. You have to make that call. I saw the horse listing and thought of you. Simple as that. Not trying to get back in your pants. Just trying to say you’re a damn fine cowboy, and I misjudged you.”
Well, those were a lot of words, some of them pretty, all of them maddening. So close. He’d come this far. Why not go for broke?
“You could.” I made my voice light. Maybe flirty would work where sternness hadn’t.
“Could what?” He sounded as confused as I’d been a few moments earlier.
“Try to get in my pants.” I trailed a fingertip down the front of his shirt. “It might work.”
