One Wild Cowboy by CATHY GILLEN THACKER Read Free Book Online

way out of the trailer. The color of ginger, she had darkercolored legs, a dark ginger mane and a striking white blaze down her forehead. Her tail was stiff and pointed up as she kicked and reared her way across the pen. Once near the other horses, she raised up on her hind legs again, her ears pinned back, whinnying furiously at the humans she blamed for her captivity.
    Turning her rear to the other two horses, she backed up and pawed the ground.
    Dylan smiled.
    So did Emily.
    â€œNo doubt who is in charge of the herd,” she said, nodding at the ginger mare.
    The question was, who was going to be in charge of her and Dylan—if she spent any time alone with him? She’d only been around him a short while and she was already thinking about how thrilling it would be to kiss him again.
    â€œSo what next?” Willfully, Emily turned her attention back to the mustangs.
    â€œI let them settle in for a few days to recover from the trip, get used to their surroundings and begin to trust this is a place they are going to like.”
    Made sense. “When it’s time, I’d like to help you with their training,” Emily offered.
    Dylan glanced at her skeptically. For reasons she did not understand, his doubt hurt. “Don’t think I can do it?”
    Dylan shook his head and sauntered toward the barn. “Let’s just say I don’t think your family would approve.”
    Emily followed. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
    For some reason, Emily thought, that struck a chord—one he didn’t like.
    He let his glance trail over her, lazily inspecting every curve, before returning to her face. “You have a major challenge facing your business.” He picked up a bale of hay and carried it back over to the corral. “Why don’t you concentrate on that?”
    Emily watched him cut the twine, holding it together. She scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. “I can do both.”
    â€œReally?” Methodically, Dylan broke up the square of crispsweet hay. He tossed it over the fence. “Then you must be a superwoman.”
    Emily watched the mustangs. The herd was still on the other side of the pen but contemplating every move Dylan made. “I am an excellent horsewoman.”
    Dylan threw out the last of the feed and exhaled in frustration. He slowly straightened and poked up the brim of his hat. “Why don’t you do us both a favor, Emily, and stick to cooking?”
    Emily didn’t know whether to slug him or kiss him. Truth was, she wanted to do both. “Why won’t you let me help?”
    Her pique increased his own irritation. “Because you don’t work for me.” He walked over to turn on the spigot and fill the trough with water. “I don’t have enough liability insurance. I don’t have time to train them and you, too. Pick a reason.”
    The mustangs made their way stealthily toward the feed. “Can I at least come by and watch from time to time?”
    He rubbed the underside of his jaw, testing the stubble of afternoon beard. Their glances met and held. “If I say no, will you stay away?”
    Emily offered a careless shrug. “Maybe.” The silence between them drew out, prompting her to eventually admit, with a reluctantly candid sigh, “Maybe not.”
    His expression hardened. “That’s what I thought.”
    She didn’t know why she wanted his respect so badly in this regard, she just knew that she did, and she wished he would give her a chance to earn it. “Dylan—”
    He turned off the spigot with a harsh twist.
    His eyes narrowed as he regarded her intently. “Do us both a favor, Emily. Go back to your family. Work out whatever needs to be worked out.” He lifted a gloved hand before she could interrupt. “And leave me—and these horses—out of it.”
    Â 
    L ATE THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON , Dylan answered another summons from