corner. “You were with Sam.”
“It was work-related.”
“I’d like to work with her.” Daniel winked as he studied the table for an opening.
Ethan gripped the cue stick with both hands. He knew Daniel would try to weasel into his relationship with Sam, had seen it coming a mile away. Ethan blinked. Wait a minute. What relationship? He shook his head. This entire process was getting too confusing. One thing he knew for sure, he didn’t want his womanizing cousin anywhere near Sam.
Daniel powered another ball into the hole. “Is she seeing anyone?”
“I don’t think so.” He’d never asked, but there was no way Sam had time for dating. It was obvious her focus remained solidly on the ranch and her goals. Ethan cleared his throat. “But she’s not your type.”
“I like all types.”
“Just leave her alone.” Ethan’s voice rose and he quickly bit his lip. But it was too late. The truth glimmered in Daniel’s eyes and he grinned.
“No problem, man. You can have her. I won’t give you any competition, even if your dad did ask me to.”
Disbelief clouded Ethan’s vision. His father had just said the other night that he didn’t want Ethan getting close to Sam romantically. In fact, Jeffrey’s exact words were Don’t be ridiculous, if I wanted someone to date Sam, I’d ask Daniel.
Reality struck hard and Ethan’s heart stammered. His dad was manipulating them all. It was so obvious now. If Jeffrey could ask Ethan to lie, then he wouldn’t have any problem lying in return—even to his family.
Daniel leaned over, aimed and sunk the eight ball into the corner. “That’s the game.”
Ethan swallowed the mixture of anger, embarrassment and denial rising in his throat as he returned the cue stick to its stand by the wall.
It was a game, all right.
Chapter Eleven
“Y ou didn’t have to come.” Sam shot a sidelong glance at Ethan, who ambled along beside her on Miss Priss. A breeze chilled the morning heat on Sam’s back. Even Diego’s withers felt warm under her fingers. Just another typical July day in Appleback, Texas. She pushed at the cowboy hat on her head, knowing her hair must be a sweaty mess underneath. “You could have gone with Cole and the others on the regular ride.”
“Checking fences is part of ranch life, isn’t it?” Ethan grinned and the sun highlighted his brown hair. “I want to learn it all.”
“It might get boring.”
“I doubt that.” Ethan’s eyes held a deeper meaning and Sam quickly looked away, her heart stuttering.
Beneath her, Diego stirred and Sam tried to calm the rush of emotion her mount noticed. “Better you than Ethan,” she mumbled to the horse.
Ethan leaned over in the saddle. “What’s that?”
“Nothing.” Sam smiled, hoping it covered the confusion she knew lingered in her eyes. She squeezed Diego’s side tourge him into a trot. “Let’s go. At this rate, we’ll never finish checking the borders.”
They rode toward the east perimeter, the weeds and overgrown grass parting around the horses’ legs. Ethan didn’t bounce nearly as hard in the saddle as he did on their first trail ride, and Sam shoved back the smidgen of pride for her part in the improvement. She might be a good teacher but Ethan, as much as she hated to admit it, had natural ability on a horse. He just needed the time and confidence—which he was obviously gaining as he no longer clung to the saddle horn—to develop it.
“What happens if we find a break in the fence?” Ethan’s eager expression seemed as if he hoped they would.
“We note it and send Cole back later to fix it.”
“You can’t fix it yourself?” Ethan’s cocked eyebrow held a challenge, and Sam bristled.
“Of course I could. But it’s barbed wire and Cole’s stronger. He can pull it three times as fast as me.” Not to mention she hated messing with those sharp barbs. Besides, it wasn’t like she didn’t already have enough on her cracked, overflowing plate. “Time is
“It was work-related.”
“I’d like to work with her.” Daniel winked as he studied the table for an opening.
Ethan gripped the cue stick with both hands. He knew Daniel would try to weasel into his relationship with Sam, had seen it coming a mile away. Ethan blinked. Wait a minute. What relationship? He shook his head. This entire process was getting too confusing. One thing he knew for sure, he didn’t want his womanizing cousin anywhere near Sam.
Daniel powered another ball into the hole. “Is she seeing anyone?”
“I don’t think so.” He’d never asked, but there was no way Sam had time for dating. It was obvious her focus remained solidly on the ranch and her goals. Ethan cleared his throat. “But she’s not your type.”
“I like all types.”
“Just leave her alone.” Ethan’s voice rose and he quickly bit his lip. But it was too late. The truth glimmered in Daniel’s eyes and he grinned.
“No problem, man. You can have her. I won’t give you any competition, even if your dad did ask me to.”
Disbelief clouded Ethan’s vision. His father had just said the other night that he didn’t want Ethan getting close to Sam romantically. In fact, Jeffrey’s exact words were Don’t be ridiculous, if I wanted someone to date Sam, I’d ask Daniel.
Reality struck hard and Ethan’s heart stammered. His dad was manipulating them all. It was so obvious now. If Jeffrey could ask Ethan to lie, then he wouldn’t have any problem lying in return—even to his family.
Daniel leaned over, aimed and sunk the eight ball into the corner. “That’s the game.”
Ethan swallowed the mixture of anger, embarrassment and denial rising in his throat as he returned the cue stick to its stand by the wall.
It was a game, all right.
Chapter Eleven
“Y ou didn’t have to come.” Sam shot a sidelong glance at Ethan, who ambled along beside her on Miss Priss. A breeze chilled the morning heat on Sam’s back. Even Diego’s withers felt warm under her fingers. Just another typical July day in Appleback, Texas. She pushed at the cowboy hat on her head, knowing her hair must be a sweaty mess underneath. “You could have gone with Cole and the others on the regular ride.”
“Checking fences is part of ranch life, isn’t it?” Ethan grinned and the sun highlighted his brown hair. “I want to learn it all.”
“It might get boring.”
“I doubt that.” Ethan’s eyes held a deeper meaning and Sam quickly looked away, her heart stuttering.
Beneath her, Diego stirred and Sam tried to calm the rush of emotion her mount noticed. “Better you than Ethan,” she mumbled to the horse.
Ethan leaned over in the saddle. “What’s that?”
“Nothing.” Sam smiled, hoping it covered the confusion she knew lingered in her eyes. She squeezed Diego’s side tourge him into a trot. “Let’s go. At this rate, we’ll never finish checking the borders.”
They rode toward the east perimeter, the weeds and overgrown grass parting around the horses’ legs. Ethan didn’t bounce nearly as hard in the saddle as he did on their first trail ride, and Sam shoved back the smidgen of pride for her part in the improvement. She might be a good teacher but Ethan, as much as she hated to admit it, had natural ability on a horse. He just needed the time and confidence—which he was obviously gaining as he no longer clung to the saddle horn—to develop it.
“What happens if we find a break in the fence?” Ethan’s eager expression seemed as if he hoped they would.
“We note it and send Cole back later to fix it.”
“You can’t fix it yourself?” Ethan’s cocked eyebrow held a challenge, and Sam bristled.
“Of course I could. But it’s barbed wire and Cole’s stronger. He can pull it three times as fast as me.” Not to mention she hated messing with those sharp barbs. Besides, it wasn’t like she didn’t already have enough on her cracked, overflowing plate. “Time is
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