One Brave Cowboy by Kathleen Eagle Read Free Book Online Page B

Damn Tootin’. He’s one of those ranchers who think any grassland that’s not being used by cattle is wasted.”
    â€œIn Wyoming it’s any land without an oil or gas well.” Cougar rested his forearm across the saddle horn and drank in the view. He was not a desert man. He’d take rugged mountains, high plains, river bottom breaks or prairie sod over never-ending sand any day. Even in late summer shades of green and brown, an endless expanse of living, breathing, gently swaying grass was a beautiful thing. “You know how people say nothing’s sacred anymore?” he mused. “Ifthat’s true, guys like that are probably way ahead of the game.”
    Her voice slid up behind him coupled with the warm breeze. “What game?”
    â€œWhoever dies with the most kills wins.”
    â€œIs this a video game or a war game?”
    â€œDoesn’t matter. It’s always open season, and every hit counts. You choose your—what do they call it? Avatar? Driller and grass grabber must do okay, and it sounds like Mary’s father is still rackin’ up points.” He turned to her, adjusting the brim of his hat against the sun. “Once you’re into it, you can find all kinds of ways to play.”
    â€œWhat about you? Are you in the running?”
    â€œI thought I was. Tried to be.” He smiled a little, remembering the gung-ho would-be warrior who’d once greeted him in the mirror. “But I was only going after the bad guys, you know? Only the ones who wore the bad-guy outfits and carried the bad-guy flags.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œI ran into a little trouble.” He sighted down the fence line. “Is that a wire down?”
    â€œGood eye,” she said as she tapped the gray with her heel, wheeling him toward the loose wire, no further questions asked. “It’s only one wire,” she called back to him.
    â€œCan’t be the spot we’re looking for, but we’ll fix it.”
    Celia dismounted and started untying the tool bag from Cougar’s saddle. He reached back and pulled the slipknot on the other side of the saddle skirt.
    â€œYou sure tie a tight knot,” Celia grumbled. He turned, took the slip string from her hand and gave it a quick jerk. She looked up, squinting against the sun or frowning at him, he wasn’t sure which.
    He gave her a proper wink. “I sure do.”
    â€œI hope that means you can stretch a tight wire.”
    â€œI’ll stretch it as tight as you want, but—” They both grabbed for the slipping tool bag, and their fingers overlapped. For an instant neither of them moved. “Just don’t ask me to walk it,” he finished quietly.
    â€œNo,” she said, quieter still. “I wouldn’t.”
    He gave a little on the bag. “Got it?”
    She nodded, and he pulled the saddle strings out of the way. He dismounted, took a pair of leather gloves from the canvas bag, and they set to work on the barbed wire. Few words were exchanged other than “Hold this,” and “Hand me that.” He gave no thought to what she might be thinking. Watching her hands move, catching the expression on her face when she watched him, simply being with her filled his head completely. How long had it been since his head had been filled so agreeably?
    When the work was done they stood back and admired it, as though they’d created something truly outstanding. They looked at each other and nodded.
    â€œWe’ll report this to Sally and chalk up some points,” Celia said. “Makes it worth the ride even if we don’t find a real opening in the fence.”
    â€œRiding is worth the ride.” Cougar adjusted his hat. “Riding in good company is even better.”
    â€œAgreed.” She glanced away quickly. “Ready for lunch?”
    Figuring they might be getting on each other’s nerves in a good way, Cougar reconsidered