Page 20 of Mountain Time
Coming. I still plan to annoy him, with or without you.
Kacey
Whatever, I’ll saddle a couple of horses.
Knox has been working with Buck for five days. So naturally, I’ve been discreetly watching him for five days. He’s good with him—great, actually. Not to mention the way his biceps flexhas my mind imagining things I never knew biceps could make me imagine.
I really need to charge my vibrator.Apparently, it’s been too long since I’ve used it if biceps alone are about to push me over the edge.
Knox is quiet and patient with him, more patient than I’ve seen anyone be with a horse. He has a way of getting Buck to understand what he’s asking of him, so he doesn’t freak out about every new thing. On day two, he spent the entire afternoon desensitizing him to the saddle blanket. He’d toss it onto his back, pull it off, toss it under his belly, then onto his butt and repeat. Every time Buck would freak out, Knox would wait for him to calm down, rub his forehead and neck, then start the process over again until Buck no longer cared.
I’m standing in the barn door watching Knox and Buck in the round pen when Jessie pulls in the drive. I immediately recognize my mistake: she’s going to see him.
This is about to get interesting.At least I’m saving Carson—now she’ll be annoying me.
I head to her SUV, hoping to cut her off and redirect her toward the barn, but she climbs out too fast and turns to look right at the round pen. She starts walking that way.
What the hell? Why is she walking over there?
“Jessie, come into the barn. I have Hooch and Bear saddled. We’ll go for a ride and find Carson,” I call out. Now I have no problem using him as my scapegoat; I’ll annoy him with her if it gets me out of this situation.
“In a minute,” she hollers back and keeps walking. Her dark red ponytail sways to the rhythm of her hips.
“Hey, I’m Jessie. I haven’t seen you around before. You new on the ranch?” I hear her say once she reaches the fence. I watch Knox turn away from Buck to look at her.
Here we go. Jessie is every guy’s dream girl. With long, dark red hair, a curvy body and the sass to match. I’ve never really cared much that most guys go for her over me, but for some reason, her trying for Knox’s attention doesn’t sit right with me.
“Hi, I’m Knox. Not new here, just working with Buck.” He turns back to the horse. Jessie’s head whips around to me so fast it has to hurt her neck. And he didn’t even check her out.
Is he blind or dead?
“Knox, you say? I’ve heard of you. Kacey said—”
I walk up just in time to kick her in the back of the calf and cut her off. “Sorry about her. We won’t bother you; we’re just heading out for a ride.” I drag her away by the arm.
Knox turns around with a smirk on his face. “I’d kind of like to hear what you say about me.” He winks at me.
What is with this man and winking?It makes my cheeks flush red, and I hate that.
Jessie, also known as The World’s Worst Best Friend, hollers back, “Come with us and I’ll tell you!”
I’m going to kill her. I bet Carson would help me bury her. There are plenty of places to bury a body on a ranch.
“I don’t think Buck’s quite up to it yet, but thanks anyway. Maybe some other time.” He laughs and goes back to work.
I have a feeling this is going to be a long ride.
Jessie at least has the courtesy to wait until we’ve ridden out of earshot to lay into me.
“You lying little bitch! And I quote, ‘He’s ugly.’”
“No, I did not lie. You said, ‘he must be ugly,’ and I just never disagreed. That’s not lying.”
“Semantics. God took extra time making that man and you know it. What is going on between you two? I saw him wink at you and your face turned bright red, so spill it. Now.”
I was afraid she saw that. “Nothing is going on. He’s flirted with me a few times and may have asked me to dinner, but I said no. End of story.”
We turn the horses toward the mare pasture.
