catching up to the infuriating cowboy.
Even if she didn’t stay, it would be rude to turn around without an explanation.
As she passed by a paddock with several quarter horses running alongside the fence, she bit down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.
God, she missed living on a ranch, being surrounded by animals and the scent of hay and manure.
Some girls would find that disgusting. Not this girl. She loved the earthiness, the hard work and the varying personalities of horses and ranch hands.
By the time she pulled up in the barnyard behind Gabe, she’d gathered her wits, took a deep breath and got out.
When Gabe joined her, she blurted out, “I can’t stay. I need to go to work.”
“You have at least three hours.” Gabe took her hand. “Yes, you can.” He tugged her toward the barn.
She dug her heels into the dirt. “I remember, I have to iron my clothes for tonight.”
“You don’t iron and it’s Ladies’ Night at the Ugly Stick Saloon. The customers won’t be looking at you anyway. They’ll be looking at the male strippers.” His brows rose. “Any other excuses you’d like to try?”
Out of reasons why she shouldn’t be there, she let him lead her into the shadowy interior of the barn. Isabella inhaled deeply, the aroma of hay and sweet feed bringing back memories of her father and mother and growing up on a small farm in the Texas Hill Country. Her father had worked in construction during the day and tended a small herd of cattle before and after work.
Isabella’s mother had taken care of the house and garden while Isabella cared for the only horse they owned. She brushed, fed and exercised Sassy, forming a bond with the horse that lasted even after the horse died of old age. Her love of horses had only grown with time. On her twenty-second birthday, her father had gifted her with a thoroughbred colt. Sundance.
“I don’t know about you, but I could use a little fresh air and exercise.” Gabe smiled. “I thought we’d go for a ride.” He led a dappled gray mare from one of the stalls and tied her lead to a ring on the wall.
Tears welled in Isabella’s eyes. The horse had perfect conformation, her bones delicate and strong, and she was so beautiful. A lump formed in Isabella’s belly. “I don’t think—”
“You’d be doing Stormy a favor.” Gabe grabbed a blanket and saddle from the tack room and returned. “We haven’t had time to get her out much. She loves to race across the meadows.”
As Gabe approached with the saddle, Stormy’s ears perked and she whinnied.
The sound brought a surge of joy and longing to Isabella’s chest. She leaned toward the horse, her hand reaching out to run down the mare’s smooth neck. “She’s so excited.”
“She loves getting out. Really, you’d be doing her a big favor.”
Wavering, Isabella sighed. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint her.”
“Hear that, Stormy?” Gabe settled the gear on the horse’s back. “You’re going for a ride with the pretty lady.”
Stormy tossed her head.
Isabella laughed, taking over the chore of saddling the mare. She cinched the girth and adjusted the stirrups to fit her legs.
“Meet Drago.” Gabe led a black stallion out of the stall at the end.
Isabella’s heart stopped, her breath lodging in her throat. For a moment, Isabella’s vision wavered.
“Isabella?” He stopped in front of her. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head to clear her vision. Drago wasn’t Sundance. She hadn’t seen a ghost and she wasn’t going crazy. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He handed her a bridle and slipped one over his horse’s nose, buckling it in place.
Isabella finished a moment after Gabe. She gathered Stormy’s reins and led her through the barn door out into the sunshine.
A light breeze lifted the tendrils from the back of Isabella’s neck, taunting her with the promise of wind in her hair while flying across the ground on the back of the pretty mare.
Even if she didn’t stay, it would be rude to turn around without an explanation.
As she passed by a paddock with several quarter horses running alongside the fence, she bit down on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling.
God, she missed living on a ranch, being surrounded by animals and the scent of hay and manure.
Some girls would find that disgusting. Not this girl. She loved the earthiness, the hard work and the varying personalities of horses and ranch hands.
By the time she pulled up in the barnyard behind Gabe, she’d gathered her wits, took a deep breath and got out.
When Gabe joined her, she blurted out, “I can’t stay. I need to go to work.”
“You have at least three hours.” Gabe took her hand. “Yes, you can.” He tugged her toward the barn.
She dug her heels into the dirt. “I remember, I have to iron my clothes for tonight.”
“You don’t iron and it’s Ladies’ Night at the Ugly Stick Saloon. The customers won’t be looking at you anyway. They’ll be looking at the male strippers.” His brows rose. “Any other excuses you’d like to try?”
Out of reasons why she shouldn’t be there, she let him lead her into the shadowy interior of the barn. Isabella inhaled deeply, the aroma of hay and sweet feed bringing back memories of her father and mother and growing up on a small farm in the Texas Hill Country. Her father had worked in construction during the day and tended a small herd of cattle before and after work.
Isabella’s mother had taken care of the house and garden while Isabella cared for the only horse they owned. She brushed, fed and exercised Sassy, forming a bond with the horse that lasted even after the horse died of old age. Her love of horses had only grown with time. On her twenty-second birthday, her father had gifted her with a thoroughbred colt. Sundance.
“I don’t know about you, but I could use a little fresh air and exercise.” Gabe smiled. “I thought we’d go for a ride.” He led a dappled gray mare from one of the stalls and tied her lead to a ring on the wall.
Tears welled in Isabella’s eyes. The horse had perfect conformation, her bones delicate and strong, and she was so beautiful. A lump formed in Isabella’s belly. “I don’t think—”
“You’d be doing Stormy a favor.” Gabe grabbed a blanket and saddle from the tack room and returned. “We haven’t had time to get her out much. She loves to race across the meadows.”
As Gabe approached with the saddle, Stormy’s ears perked and she whinnied.
The sound brought a surge of joy and longing to Isabella’s chest. She leaned toward the horse, her hand reaching out to run down the mare’s smooth neck. “She’s so excited.”
“She loves getting out. Really, you’d be doing her a big favor.”
Wavering, Isabella sighed. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint her.”
“Hear that, Stormy?” Gabe settled the gear on the horse’s back. “You’re going for a ride with the pretty lady.”
Stormy tossed her head.
Isabella laughed, taking over the chore of saddling the mare. She cinched the girth and adjusted the stirrups to fit her legs.
“Meet Drago.” Gabe led a black stallion out of the stall at the end.
Isabella’s heart stopped, her breath lodging in her throat. For a moment, Isabella’s vision wavered.
“Isabella?” He stopped in front of her. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head to clear her vision. Drago wasn’t Sundance. She hadn’t seen a ghost and she wasn’t going crazy. “I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He handed her a bridle and slipped one over his horse’s nose, buckling it in place.
Isabella finished a moment after Gabe. She gathered Stormy’s reins and led her through the barn door out into the sunshine.
A light breeze lifted the tendrils from the back of Isabella’s neck, taunting her with the promise of wind in her hair while flying across the ground on the back of the pretty mare.
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