Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 74968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“Not me.” Apparently, my lips were set on flapping regardless of my brain’s resolve. Adler didn’t know, and I should leave it at that, but the story tumbled free. “My mom stepped out on my dad with one of his hands on the previous ranch where he was foreman.”
“Oh.” Adler’s eyes went wide, and he paused in the middle of cinching the saddle. “That would do it.”
“Yep.”
“Poor you. And your poor dad too. What a terrible situation.” Adler radiated sympathy I didn’t want.
“No one had clean hands there.” Might as well share the whole damn thing lest he go getting the wrong idea. “My dad laid the other guy out one night in a drunken rage. Lost his job and his marriage. Mom ran back to Chicago. Dad found sobriety. Got a last chance at being foreman here, but the gossip followed. Nothing I hate worse than rumors with my name on them.”
“I can see that.” Adler nodded like he understood, but I wasn’t sure anyone could. But he plowed ahead. “And trust me, having been the subject of nasty gossip back when I was using, I’m not eager to be the subject again.”
“Good.” Time to move on from this topic. I moved to the next stall down to bring out Diamond Lil, my personal horse, a middle-aged paint who’d been with me enough years for us to both be a little long in the tooth. Unlike me this morning, she was her usual level-headed, bombproof self.
“But that doesn’t mean—” Adler wasn’t done, but I was.
“No buts.” I glowered at him. Luckily, I could saddle Diamond in my sleep, so I had her ready in short order. “Let’s ride.” I led her toward the barn door. “Bring Cinder along, nice and steady. Keep your distance from us.”
The advice applied on multiple levels, none of which I expected Adler to follow. But to my surprise, he stayed quiet as we exited the barn. He did a right fine job of mounting without a step, not that I was going to make the mistake of handing out more praise.
“Keep your eyes peeled for down fence, tilting poles, sagging lines,” I directed as we headed out.
“Okay.” Adler continued to stay quiet, clearly concentrating on trying to match my pace. Diamond knew the fence line in the same way I knew the rhythm of my game shows after a lifetime of viewing, first with my parents, then my dad alone, and now me, a nightly routine I couldn’t shake. Few things fazed Diamond, including Adler and Cinder’s stops and starts.
Cinder continued to have a stubborn nature, and I couldn’t help making a frustrated noise.
“Remember what I’ve said about posture. Head up. Shoulders back. You’re in charge, not Cinder.”
“I’m going to have a sore ass regardless of how pretty I sit.” Somehow, Adler still had it in him to grin. And, of course, any mention of his ass took me right back to last night when he’d been firmly planted in my lap.
If we ever fuck, I might not live to tell the tale, he’d said. Wasn’t going to happen, but he wasn’t the only one at risk of expiring there as the mere thought of fucking that perfect ass of his had me shifting in my saddle. What sounds might he make? Would he beg? Would he—
Nope. I shook my head. Couldn’t let my brain head down that trail.
“If you’re hurting, you can head back,” I offered, already knowing he wouldn’t.
“Absolutely not.” He made an indignant sound. “I love it out here.”
His love was tested a few minutes later as a sharp wind whipped through, making him shiver in that inadequate puffer coat of his. His skinny jeans were undoubtedly too thin as well.
Not liking my sudden urge to bundle him up, I shook my head. “We gotta get you some better work duds.”
“Yeah.” Adler shivered again. November was coming in cold. “The one thrift store I could find was no help. Where do you even get cowboy clothes?”
“Feed store’s not a bad start.” I shrugged. I didn’t think much about clothes. I’d been in Wranglers since I’d been old enough to sit on a horse, and if a decent work shirt went on sale in the racks between baby chicks and horse supplies, I bought it.
“The feed store?” Adler raised his eyebrows.
“It’s like a superstore for ranch life.” It was also the hub for the cowboy community. The more I thought about my recommendation, the less I wanted Adler to go alone. He was friendly and could likely handle himself, but if he got hassled, I’d need to rattle some skulls. “I gotta run there after this. Suppose you can tag along.”
I wasn’t lying. I had a list of odds and ends we needed, but I’d been putting off the trip. Nothing too urgent, and I’d probably regret the offer, but Adler inspired a protective bone in me I hadn’t been aware of having.