Cowboy's Kiss by Victoria Pade Read Free Book Online Page A

Jackson take one step out of bounds.
    But, to her surprise, what she witnessed was patient tutelage that even she couldn’t find fault with.
    In spite of that, she was still bristling when they left the chicken coop. “Are you finished?” she demanded of him.
    â€œFor tonight. There’ll be more she’ll need to do tomorrow and along the way. Plus whatever Hans and Marta need help with.”
    Ally turned to Meggie. “Go on up to the house, honey, and get ready for bed. I’ll be there to tuck you in in just a few minutes.”
    Meggie glanced from Ally to Jackson and back again, but in the end she left them without another word.
    Ally watched her go, waiting until her daughter had slipped through the sliding doors into the kitchen before turning to Jackson in the white glow of moonlight.
    He was having his turn at watching her again, his weight more on one hip than the other, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression daring her to come at him with all she had.
    â€œMeggie is not your slave and you are not to order her around.”
    One bushy eyebrow arched. “Doing chores doesn’t make anybody a slave.”
    â€œI didn’t bring her up here to work. What I do will have to count for us both.”
    â€œNo, ma’am, it won’t. I don’t give a damn what any piece of paper says about your owning this place. I run it and if you want to live on it, you—and your daughter—will do what I say in regards to it. Gathering eggs and feeding chickens and anything I set that child to do, she’ll do. Just the same as you’ll do what I tell you to do or neither of you will stay. Understood?”
    â€œI understand that you’d better not—for a single second—forget that Meggie is my daughter and that our living here does not give you any authority over her.”
    â€œAs far as the ranch goes, I have full authority. I’ll set her to doing chores and I’ll speak up about anything else I need to speak up about when it comes to that. But beyond what she does for her keep is your business.”
    If Ally hadn’t seen his patience with her daughter a moment earlier she might have thought that he intended to mistreat Meggie to drive them off. But there hadn’t been anything abusive in his actions. And since her daughter had seemed willing to comply, and gathering a few eggs and feeding some chickens was not a huge, hard job, she supposed it was possible she might be jumping the gun slightly to be so angry over it all.
    She decided to reserve judgment on what he might be up to. Temporarily. But she would still keep close tabs on what he required of Meggie and how he acted toward her.
    First, though, another warning.
    â€œBear in mind that you can push this only so far. I’m cooperating because I realize we’ve come into your domain. But legally I don’t really have to. We can be here, on our share of this place, doing anything we please, whether you like it or not.”
    Wow! She’d surprised herself. She sounded every bit as tough as he did.
    At least to her own ears.
    Apparently it hadn’t had quite the same potency to his, because there was that smile again—the one he’d shown her at the beginning of the evening. The one that said she was really in for it and that if she thought she could avoid anything she was mistaken.
    â€œFive o’clock tomorrow morning,” he said. “Be ready to move cattle. I have a herd needs to get to a pasture with more grass on it. You can ride a horse, can’t you?”
    â€œAs a matter of fact, I can.” Though she didn’t tell him that she’d learned just a few weeks ago at camp and that she had ridden only on timid ponies that never went faster than a sightseer’s walk.
    He looked dubious but only eyed her up and down with a slow, steady gaze that seemed to take in every inch of her. “You’ll need to dress in something different