flattery.” She punched him again. “I’m never going near a horse again.”
“I guess that means you’ll be driving Cassie’s wagon from now on.”
She punched him again. “It’s just like you to think of that.”
“Just doing what I’m paid for. Ethan will need his horse so he can help with the stock, look for game, or search for wood.”
“I can do that.”
“Not on foot.”
She stopped fighting. “You mean I can do all those things if I learn to ride a horse?”
“That’s not all, but—”
She didn’t give him a chance to finish. “Put me back on my horse.”
“What?”
“You’re not deaf. Help me catch my horse. I intend to ride the rest of the morning. If I haven’t learned to ride by then, I’ll ride this afternoon and every morning and afternoon until I am good enough.”
Colby took a moment to catch his breath. He hadn’t foreseen this turn of events. He doubted her father would allow her such free rein, but he wasn’t going to be the one to stop her. She had grit. The question was whether she understood how to use it.
It took several minutes before he was able to catch her horse, but each time he looked back at her sitting astride Shadow her gaze was locked on him.
“Are you sure you want to ride him?” Colby asked when he returned with her horse.
“How would I get back to the wagons otherwise?” When he didn’t answer immediately, her gaze narrowed. “You can’t believe I would be seen riding in your lap.”
That’s exactly what he had been hoping.
“Can you imagine what people would say? They would say it to my face, too. That’s one thing about family. Everybody feels free to disapprove of anything you do and to make certain you know it.”
Colby couldn’t imagine people feeling free to make his business theirs. “Let me help you into the saddle.” Determined to avoid a recurrence of his earlier reaction to touching her, Colby lifted her into the saddle and immediately stepped back. “Can you find the stirrup?”
Naomi settled herself in the saddle and hooked her leg around the pommel. “I can’t see it. How can I find it?”
Steeling himself against the inevitable, Colby placed her foot in the stirrup and backed away. “Is that okay?” Why did he sound out of breath? This was absurd. The woman didn’t even like him, yet he couldn’t touch her without his heart racing. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he didn’t like it. He’d acted like this with Elizabeth, but he’d been young and foolish then. A lot had changed since.
Naomi flashed a daredevil grin. “I’m just waiting on you.”
The cheekiness of it enabled him to regain his equilibrium. He swung into the saddle and turned to face her. “Is that a challenge?”
Her brash grin retreated until only a friendly smile remained. “Definitely not. Staying in the saddle when this horse went crazy was challenge enough. What happened?”
“Your horse was panicked by three wolves. I’m sure they were attracted by the remains of the buffalo we killed yesterday and have been following us hoping for more.”
“Would they have attacked my horse?”
“They can bring down a full-grown buffalo. I doubt a horse is much different.”
“I’ll feel a lot better when we catch up with everyone else. How do I make this horse go?” Her mount was cropping grass. “He won’t lift his head.”
He’d forgotten that he’d just settled her in the saddle when her horse ran off. She didn’t know the first thing about riding, yet she’d managed to stay in the saddle. She’d probably end up a better rider than anyone in her wagon train.
“Pull gently on the reins. If he doesn’t lift his head, pull a little harder.”
Responding to the first attempt, her mount raised its head, still chewing a mouthful of grass.
“You tug the left or right rein to change direction. To make him go faster, you can cluck to him, nudge him in the flank with your heel, shake the reins, or use the end of the reins
“I guess that means you’ll be driving Cassie’s wagon from now on.”
She punched him again. “It’s just like you to think of that.”
“Just doing what I’m paid for. Ethan will need his horse so he can help with the stock, look for game, or search for wood.”
“I can do that.”
“Not on foot.”
She stopped fighting. “You mean I can do all those things if I learn to ride a horse?”
“That’s not all, but—”
She didn’t give him a chance to finish. “Put me back on my horse.”
“What?”
“You’re not deaf. Help me catch my horse. I intend to ride the rest of the morning. If I haven’t learned to ride by then, I’ll ride this afternoon and every morning and afternoon until I am good enough.”
Colby took a moment to catch his breath. He hadn’t foreseen this turn of events. He doubted her father would allow her such free rein, but he wasn’t going to be the one to stop her. She had grit. The question was whether she understood how to use it.
It took several minutes before he was able to catch her horse, but each time he looked back at her sitting astride Shadow her gaze was locked on him.
“Are you sure you want to ride him?” Colby asked when he returned with her horse.
“How would I get back to the wagons otherwise?” When he didn’t answer immediately, her gaze narrowed. “You can’t believe I would be seen riding in your lap.”
That’s exactly what he had been hoping.
“Can you imagine what people would say? They would say it to my face, too. That’s one thing about family. Everybody feels free to disapprove of anything you do and to make certain you know it.”
Colby couldn’t imagine people feeling free to make his business theirs. “Let me help you into the saddle.” Determined to avoid a recurrence of his earlier reaction to touching her, Colby lifted her into the saddle and immediately stepped back. “Can you find the stirrup?”
Naomi settled herself in the saddle and hooked her leg around the pommel. “I can’t see it. How can I find it?”
Steeling himself against the inevitable, Colby placed her foot in the stirrup and backed away. “Is that okay?” Why did he sound out of breath? This was absurd. The woman didn’t even like him, yet he couldn’t touch her without his heart racing. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he didn’t like it. He’d acted like this with Elizabeth, but he’d been young and foolish then. A lot had changed since.
Naomi flashed a daredevil grin. “I’m just waiting on you.”
The cheekiness of it enabled him to regain his equilibrium. He swung into the saddle and turned to face her. “Is that a challenge?”
Her brash grin retreated until only a friendly smile remained. “Definitely not. Staying in the saddle when this horse went crazy was challenge enough. What happened?”
“Your horse was panicked by three wolves. I’m sure they were attracted by the remains of the buffalo we killed yesterday and have been following us hoping for more.”
“Would they have attacked my horse?”
“They can bring down a full-grown buffalo. I doubt a horse is much different.”
“I’ll feel a lot better when we catch up with everyone else. How do I make this horse go?” Her mount was cropping grass. “He won’t lift his head.”
He’d forgotten that he’d just settled her in the saddle when her horse ran off. She didn’t know the first thing about riding, yet she’d managed to stay in the saddle. She’d probably end up a better rider than anyone in her wagon train.
“Pull gently on the reins. If he doesn’t lift his head, pull a little harder.”
Responding to the first attempt, her mount raised its head, still chewing a mouthful of grass.
“You tug the left or right rein to change direction. To make him go faster, you can cluck to him, nudge him in the flank with your heel, shake the reins, or use the end of the reins
Similar Books
