Page 12 of His First Baby Rodeo

“Do you want me to?”

“I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I don’t need a saddle,” she said. “We’re just going around the paddock. If it’s something you like to stick to for your horses, I’ll do it, but—”

“No, you go ahead, if you’re confident,” he said.

El braced her foot against the side of one of the stall doors and used it for leverage to give herself a boost up onto the horse’s back. He was taller than she’d realized from the ground, but she made it up on the first try, and she was thankful she did. She didn’t like to think of Mac laughing at her if she’d missed.

She dug her heels into his sides. The horse was more responsive than she would have expected and immediately broke into an uneven trot, taking her out of the stable and into the paddock.

And all at once, El felt at home.

Never mind the fact that she was here on her own, far away from anything familiar. Never mind the fact that she was dealing with a man she hardly knew — a man she’d had a crush on for years, even if she didn’t feel that way about him now. When she was riding, the only thing that mattered was the energy between herself and the horse. The way they responded to one another.

How could Mac stand to let a horse go every few years? Already she was feeling attached to this one, and she’d barely gotten to know him. She didn’t even know his name, and yet she knew she would feel sad when it was time for her to leave Mac’s ranch and to say goodbye for good.

At least there was one good thing about being here — one unequivocally good thing.

She spurred the horse on, faster, letting out a laugh of pure joy as the two of them picked up speed.

CHAPTER6

MAC

Mac came out of the stable and leaned against the exterior wall, watching as El cantered around the paddock. She was a natural on horseback; he had to admit it. He hadn’t expected her to be as good at this as she so clearly was.

But that was no bad thing, he decided. Sure, he’d imagined taking a few days to show her the ropes, to get her used to what it was like to manage stallions like his. But if she knew what she was doing — well, so much the better. That meant he wouldn’t have to teach her. Hedidwant his horses properly cared for, after all. It was a good thing that she knew what she was doing.

Definitely a good thing.

Her laughter came drifting back to him across the morning air. She was enjoying herself immensely — more, he thought, than he ever had on horseback, and that was really saying something. He was used to feeling alive and at peace when he rode, but there was something different about the way El carried herself on a horse. He studied her, trying to figure out what it was.

The wind blew her hair back from her long, slender neck. She’d unbuttoned the top button of her flannel shirt, exposing her collarbones. He body curved over the horse’s neck. He realized, with a sudden start, that he was attracted to her.

Well, anyone would be! She was incredibly sexy — lean, athletic, lithe and tanned — and he’d always had a thing for women on horseback.

But she wasn’t just some woman. This was Jeff’s little sister. Jeff had sent her here to work, not to be ogled at like a piece of meat by his best friend. He’d be extremely pissed if he knew what Mac was thinking right now. And he’d be right to feel that way, Mac thought. He had to get these thoughts out of his head.

El circled back around to the stable, swung one leg over the horse’s rear, and slid down to dismount neatly at his feet. “He’s a good one,” she said happily. “I’d consider keeping him if I were you, Mac. I don’t know that I’d be able to bear getting rid of him.”

“I’ve only had Saltspray for a year,” Mac said. “He’ll be here for a while yet.”

“I would keep him, if I were you,” El said. “He’s a total sweetheart.”

“He’s a stallion. He’s notsweet.”

“Oh, don’t be so masculine about it.” She patted the horse’s neck. “He’s a sweet little baby, aren’t you, Saltspray?”

Saltspray whinnied, as if in agreement.

Mac rolled his eyes. “Ganging up on me, huh?”

“You love him,” El said. “Let’s get the other two out here. You know, if you wanted to ride, I could saddle one of them up for you. I agree it’s not a good idea for you to go bareback with your arm in the shape it’s in, and I know you can’t be out riding wild broncos, but these guys seem broken in enough to take a familiar rider. I didn’t have any trouble with Saltspray. And I bet it would feel good for you to be back in the saddle.”

“Nah,” Mac said. “I’m really not interested.”

She squinted at him. “Have you been on a horse since your accident?”

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