The Cowboy Wins a Bride (The Cowboys of Chance Creek) by Cora Seton Page B
Authors: Cora Seton
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Claire.
She turned her attention to the women and horses strung out along the trail ahead of her. Maddy, the ring leader who’d made all the reservations and whipped everyone into shape when it was time to head out on the trail, had dark brown curls so thick that when she wrapped them into a ponytail holder they almost stood out straight. She was athletic and strong with a pep that made Claire tired just watching her, and she wasn’t surprised to find out she taught physical education at a private school.
Adrienne was tall and thin, almost bony, and moved like a dancer, her blonde hair so white it was practically silver. Apparently she taught cello lessons and managed a city theater in Philadelphia.
Christine was married with a single child and Claire could tell she had some reservations about leaving her toddler behind. Evidently the year before she’d begged off the annual trip because she’d still been nursing and this year the rest of them ganged up on her and forced her to come. Of average height with short brown hair, she wasn’t exactly plain, but she wasn’t exactly pretty, either.
Liz worked for a publishing company and Claire just bet she looked snazzy in her business suits. Shapely, yet model thin, she wore her sleek, auburn hair up in a severe knot, but Claire had a feeling when it came down, the woman would be spectacular. She’d be the one who gave Jamie a run for his money on this trip.
Angel rounded out the group. A plush, sweet girl – Claire somehow couldn’t make herself call her a woman – with wide blue eyes and honey blonde hair, she was obviously the mascot of the group, and the rest of the women seemed to automatically assume she would need extra help navigating her way through the world.
As Jamie assigned each of them a horse, they’d exchanged glances behind his back, biting their lips, widening their eyes and raising their brows to express their appreciation of his fine physique. Claire wanted to slap each of them upside the head, and was grateful she’d had the presence of mind to initiate the no flirting or touching rule. Sure, Jamie had to help the women on their horses, and more than one of them tried to take the opportunity to cop a feel of his muscled arms and broad shoulders, but he was doing his level best not to encourage them and she could feel the effort that took from here.
Would he make it through the week? She followed Christine’s Appaloosa around a bend and ambled on. Maybe the question she really ought to be asking was, why did she hope so?
* * * * *
Jamie was relieved to confirm all five female guests were more than comfortable riding. Autumn had told him their background, but you never knew about a rider until you saw them in the saddle. They each had the easy grace of someone who’d grown up around horses, and Angel was the only one he’d had to switch mounts for. He’d seen right away she needed the most docile of geldings, and gave her an older bay named Sweetness.
Even the cattle herding had gone just fine. He’d positioned the women carefully and for the most part they’d stuck where they’d been told to be and did just what he asked them. Liz, the hot woman who looked like a model but did something with books, often jumped the gun instead of waiting for instructions, but her instincts were good and no harm had been done. Now he hobbled the horses while the womenfolk whooped and hollered their way into the lazy current of Chance Creek.
“Aren’t you joining us, Jamie?” Maddy called. Spunky girl, that one.
“Be there in a minute,” he called back. Just like the women, he’d worn bathing trunks under his jeans. Strange way to take a swim if you asked him, but then it wouldn’t do to leave the family jewels on display with all these women around. Might start a riot.
When he made his way down to the river’s edge their guests were all swimming in the shallow pool carved out by the bend in the creek. Claire was standing on the bank, just
She turned her attention to the women and horses strung out along the trail ahead of her. Maddy, the ring leader who’d made all the reservations and whipped everyone into shape when it was time to head out on the trail, had dark brown curls so thick that when she wrapped them into a ponytail holder they almost stood out straight. She was athletic and strong with a pep that made Claire tired just watching her, and she wasn’t surprised to find out she taught physical education at a private school.
Adrienne was tall and thin, almost bony, and moved like a dancer, her blonde hair so white it was practically silver. Apparently she taught cello lessons and managed a city theater in Philadelphia.
Christine was married with a single child and Claire could tell she had some reservations about leaving her toddler behind. Evidently the year before she’d begged off the annual trip because she’d still been nursing and this year the rest of them ganged up on her and forced her to come. Of average height with short brown hair, she wasn’t exactly plain, but she wasn’t exactly pretty, either.
Liz worked for a publishing company and Claire just bet she looked snazzy in her business suits. Shapely, yet model thin, she wore her sleek, auburn hair up in a severe knot, but Claire had a feeling when it came down, the woman would be spectacular. She’d be the one who gave Jamie a run for his money on this trip.
Angel rounded out the group. A plush, sweet girl – Claire somehow couldn’t make herself call her a woman – with wide blue eyes and honey blonde hair, she was obviously the mascot of the group, and the rest of the women seemed to automatically assume she would need extra help navigating her way through the world.
As Jamie assigned each of them a horse, they’d exchanged glances behind his back, biting their lips, widening their eyes and raising their brows to express their appreciation of his fine physique. Claire wanted to slap each of them upside the head, and was grateful she’d had the presence of mind to initiate the no flirting or touching rule. Sure, Jamie had to help the women on their horses, and more than one of them tried to take the opportunity to cop a feel of his muscled arms and broad shoulders, but he was doing his level best not to encourage them and she could feel the effort that took from here.
Would he make it through the week? She followed Christine’s Appaloosa around a bend and ambled on. Maybe the question she really ought to be asking was, why did she hope so?
* * * * *
Jamie was relieved to confirm all five female guests were more than comfortable riding. Autumn had told him their background, but you never knew about a rider until you saw them in the saddle. They each had the easy grace of someone who’d grown up around horses, and Angel was the only one he’d had to switch mounts for. He’d seen right away she needed the most docile of geldings, and gave her an older bay named Sweetness.
Even the cattle herding had gone just fine. He’d positioned the women carefully and for the most part they’d stuck where they’d been told to be and did just what he asked them. Liz, the hot woman who looked like a model but did something with books, often jumped the gun instead of waiting for instructions, but her instincts were good and no harm had been done. Now he hobbled the horses while the womenfolk whooped and hollered their way into the lazy current of Chance Creek.
“Aren’t you joining us, Jamie?” Maddy called. Spunky girl, that one.
“Be there in a minute,” he called back. Just like the women, he’d worn bathing trunks under his jeans. Strange way to take a swim if you asked him, but then it wouldn’t do to leave the family jewels on display with all these women around. Might start a riot.
When he made his way down to the river’s edge their guests were all swimming in the shallow pool carved out by the bend in the creek. Claire was standing on the bank, just
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