Rebel Heart by Barbara McMahon Read Free Book Online Page A

don’t worry.”
    “But—”
    “Lighten up, Shannon. I’m a big boy now, I can take care of myself.”
    She bit her lip and turned away, heading to the corral to see to her horses. She had a dozen more than she needed with only herself, Dink and Gary. But when she could afford it, she’d be hiring cowboys again and would need all these horses plus more.
    If she could ever afford it.
    There was still so much to do, and where was she going to get the money?
    “Why did you keep Dink on?” Jase asked as he joined her by the rail.
    “What do you mean?” She turned slightly to face him, her hands on her hips. “He’s a good man.”
    “A bit old to be your number one man. Or is Gary that?”
    “Dink’s been here for years. He worked here when Bobby and I first bought the place.”
    “Darlin’, he probably worked here before you were born, but that doesn’t make him the best choice for your money. You'd have done better to keep one of the younger hands.”
    “He’s been here forever and at his age he would have had the devil of a time getting work anywhere else. I feel a responsibility to him. That’s something I’m sure you’d never understand!”
    She was tired of fighting everything. She knew she was in danger of losing the ranch, knew she should have some young men who could do more of the physical tasks around the place, but she couldn’t afford it.
    And she did feel responsible for Dink and Gary. This was their home, too.
    Jase wound her braid around his hand and pulled her head back until she faced him. Anger radiated from him. “Listen here, Half Pint, I’m tired of your sniping at me at every instance you get about responsibility and your belief I can’t handle it. Hell, I’ve had more responsibility than you can ever imagine. My folks died when I was seventeen. I had a younger brother and sister to take care of. I was responsible for them. I barely finished high school, there was too much to do to provide a home for my siblings so the state didn’t step in and send them to foster care. I’ve given up college and the chance long ago to enjoy the last of my teen years to provide for two other people who mean the world to me. I slaved on that damned ranch to make a living for us, to send them to school, get them started on their own lives. Now I’m taking a couple of years out for me. If that makes me irresponsible, then I admit it. But I know all about responsibility and don’t want you shoving that in my face again, do I make myself clear?” His voice sliced through her like a knife.
    Had his grip on her hair permitted a nod, Shannon would have done so. Since it didn’t she said softly, “Yes, that’s clear. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
    Her eyes were wide and soft as the echo of his story rumbled in her mind. She had judged him solely on appearances. Maybe his happy-go-lucky, macho-cowboy image was only that, an image. Maybe Jase was a man who knew more about responsibility than most rodeo riders.
    “So no more cracks?” His anger faded as the tight grip on her hair changed, eased.
    “No more cracks,” she whispered. If she ever needed reassurance that he was the man to help her, he’d just given it to her. Who would know better how to bring a ranch around than someone who had run one for years, who had made a ranch pay enough to send his younger siblings to college?
    Her heart ached for the bleak picture his words painted. She longed to learn more, find out how he’d managed, what help he had had. Where were his brother and sister now? Did they still have a place on that ranch or had he left it behind to ride the circuit?
    Before she could ask, however, she became aware of his fingers pulling off the elastic band that held her braid, threading through the plaits, releasing her hair.
    “Don’t,” she said softly, her heart thudding in her chest. It was too intimate, they had to keep to a business arrangement. She needed the distance.
    “Your hair is so soft,” he said,