Page 14 of Captured By the Billionaire Cowboy
“It counts.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Agree to disagree.”
Ciara laughed. It was soft, melodic, and all-too-addicting. “Sitting back in a chair and relaxing with the special air?”
“Exactly.” He had to regain control of the situation. “I came to help Ciara’s horses. They were hours away from slaughter.”
His brothers instantly sobered, their expressions varying shades of disgust, sorrow and fury. “That’s horrific,” Quinn bit out. “I can’t believe that still happens in modern times.”
“I thought I was rescuing one horse, but when I arrived I discovered a dozen animals. Any horse I didn’t immediately buy would be sent for slaughter.” Ciara closed her eyes, blinked them open. “I used the last of my savings to pay for the horses, but there wasn’t enough to board them. My uncail said I could bring them here. I was going to leave right away, but Rowan offered to help find homes for them.”
His brothers listened intently. “We’ll do whatever we can to help,” Spencer pledged.
“Even if it means shoveling manure.” This time, Quinn’s voice was sincere, his tone even.
A sliver of tension escaped from his muscles. His brothers may jest, but they loved horses as much as he did, and would happily do the dirty jobs to help them. Well, perhaps not happily, but they would do them. They truly were good men.
Of course, he would provide all the support Ciara needed, yet he could easily do so from afar, providing financial and logistical aid. This truly was the first vacation he’d taken in years, because even he knew dental work didn’t count.
He’d come to see Ciara.
She was a beauty in his memories, yet reality shattered expectations. She was vibrant and strong, a fighter dedicated to her causes. He shouldn’t let her affect him, couldn’t even consider more with a woman who gave her heart to everything and everyone.
His heart was far too damaged.
Of course, that didn’t mean he couldn’t help. After all these years, he deserved a vacation, and since he was cavity-free, this would have to be it.
In the meantime, he would enjoy a little more of Ciara’s sunshine.
“You’re safe,” Ciara whispered. “Everything will be all right.”
Jasmine snorted in alarm, stumbling back. Ciara blinked, wiping at the grief threatening to spill from her eyes.A near impossible endeavor, yet the horse needed as much positive energy as possible. “Relax, sweetheart,” she crooned.
Jasmine and the other horses were now clean. Along with Davey and several hired workers, they’d given each horse a thorough yet gentle washing. They’d been extremely careful of any wounds the animals carried, physically and mentally, as well as to keep their temperature steady. The horses’ coats now shined, and they seemed happier, too. Who knew when they had last been washed and groomed properly?
They also spent a lot of time in the paddock. The ranch had several expansive paddocks, all with shade and interior areas to keep the horses cool, and places where they could socialize, exercise and relax. Carefully crafted diets would help them regain their weight, muscle and strength, while personalized medications addressed specific conditions. Workers were constantly on hand to care for the horses.
Rowan had excused himself to do some work. Apparently, the man who considered dental work a vacation wouldn’t stop working because he was on, well, a vacation. She’d caught him watching from the window, however, although he turned away as soon as he noticed her perusal. He seemed different with his brothers, more reserved, with his mask firmly in place. Not like before, when he’d shown a glimpse of the real Rowan.
She wanted more.
She shouldn’t, after what he had done. She’d been ensnared once and had paid for it with her heart. Yet time had changed him… and her. One thing hadn’t changed: the connection that sparked the moment they were near.
Do not fall again.
His brothers were good men. Of course, Davey was a sweetheart, and Quinn and Spencer were, too, in spite of their brotherly ribbing. Spencer even offered to set up the listings, which she gratefully accepted.
Voices sounded outside the stable, and she pivoted just as Rowan and Uncail Frank entered, accompanied by an older woman and a young girl. Ciara wiped her hands on her worn jeans, spreading tiny clouds of dust that tickled her nose. She didn’t have enough clothing to change, at least not until the reinforcements her sister sent arrived.
Rowan, however, had changed into an outfit that somehow made him even more attractive. Deep blue jeans stretched against muscular legs, while an emerald green shirt outlined an expansive chest. His sapphire eyes sparkled in the dappled light, setting off chiseled patrician features. His hair was ruffled, and her fingers twitched with the ridiculous urge to smooth it.
Ciara smiled at the woman, and then at the little girl, an adorable imp with a mop of red curls, liberally sprinkled freckles and a sunshine yellow dress. She peeked shyly from behind the woman.
The woman was dressed in a neat floral dress. She had short gray hair, a round build and a jolly smile. “Hi darling,” she said with a thick Irish drawl. “I’m Caleigh Levine, but everyone calls me Grandma Leigh. This is my granddaughter, Shannon. I run the diner in town.”
Ciara’s mouth watered. Her last meal consisted of stale raisins, staler nuts and so-stale-it-may-actually-be-particle-board bread. She hadn’t wanted to impose on Rowan, so she’dbeen eating cuisine de mini-mart from the gas station across the street.
