Always a Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller Read Free Book Online Page A

“Follow along. Be my guest. If you enjoy the smell of manure and hay, I’m more than happy to escort you to the stables.”
    For that condescending statement he received a derisive look. “I can find the stables on my own. I promise I won’t get in your way. This project is important to me, and as far as I can tell, it’s important to you.”
    He failed to see the logic there. “How so?”
    â€œWhat if I can help you figure out what to do?”
    Drake was honest, but he was also diplomatic—or so he hoped. He fought back a response that included How the heck could you help me? and substituted, “I look forward to your suggestions.”
    * * *
    L UCE COULDN ’ T DECIDE if he was just being sarcastic, but at least he was courteous.
    She’d meant it.
    â€œYou don’t think I can help?”
    He walked next to her, toward a weathered structure bordered by a fenced enclosure. Several sleek horses were grazing and lifted their heads to watch as they approached, curious but unafraid. Some of them nickered, wanting his attention. “You don’t know horses.”
    â€œWrong.”
    She was above average height for a woman and still reached only his shoulder. He was one tall man. She’d mostly seen him on horseback or sitting at the dinner table with his brothers, who were also tall, so she hadn’t realized.
    He looked skeptical. “How am I wrong?”
    â€œI don’t know them the same way you do. I’ve worked on a lot of studies, read the literature, done my homework, so to speak, but that doesn’t mean I completely understand their behavior. I do, however, understand the situation.”
    She’d describe his expression as unconvinced.
    â€œThat’s fine,” he said. “You go about your business and I’ll go about mine.”
    â€œSuit yourself.”
    You are my business. She didn’t say it out loud, but it was true. She found it disconcerting to recognize that he might be more interesting than those beautiful horses. When her thesis topic had first come to her, she’d wondered abstractly how wild horses impacted the environment.
    Here she was now, and she had a Zen-like feeling that maybe fate was toying with her. At first he’d caught her attention because, from what she’d read, they shared similar views on ecological issues, but there was more to it.
    Drake opened the stable door. “After you.”
    The place smelled earthy, lined with rows of neat stalls, and Drake was greeted with soft whinnies as the animals poked their heads over the stall doors. He was gently companionable with each one, unhurried in his attentions. Luce was moved by this, but not really surprised; the way the dogs followed him around, quiet and devoted, had told her a lot about the man. In her experience animals had more insight than people normally did, so that said something very positive about Drake Carson.
    â€œAnything I can do?”
    â€œI doubt it.” He carried a bucket of water into a stall and softened that by adding, “By the time I told you what to do, I could probably have done it myself.”
    â€œProbably,” she conceded, “but keep in mind, I’m a fast learner.”
    He turned, empty bucket in hand, and gave her a measured look. “Good to know.”
    She caught on quickly that they were no longer talking about feeding a barn full of horses. Her response was tart. “Isn’t it a little early in the morning for sexual innuendos, Mr. Carson?”
    â€œI figure all twenty-four hours of the day are good for those.” He led out his big horse and she scooted aside. “I’m going to saddle up and ride out now. You do whatever you want to, but I have a gate to fix and that has nothing to do with wild horses and everything to do with keeping the cattle in that pasture.”
    â€œI can’t ride along?”
    He went into a small room and emerged with a