The Heart of a Stranger by Sheri Whitefeather Read Free Book Online Page A

dirt and sweat and manure most of the time. I don’t think an expensive cologne is going to help.”
    â€œI don’t expect you to wear it to work.”
    â€œI still don’t understand why you bought it.” To him, the fancy European fragrance didn’t seem like a necessity, and he knew Lourdes couldn’t afford to be frivolous.
    She glanced away. “It was an impulse. And it’s my favorite men’s cologne. I think it’s—”
    â€œWhat?” he prodded.
    â€œSexy.”
    Another jolt rocked his groin. But Lourdes wasn’t looking at him. She still avoided his gaze.
    He shouldn’t have asked her to explain. He should have just worn the damned cologne and kept his mouth shut.
    Time stretched between them, dragging seconds to minutes.
    â€œWe better go,” she finally said. “Finish the tour.”
    He merely nodded. Then followed her out the door and into the sweltering heat.

Four
    T he tour ended at the stud barn. It was readily available to the public, but located upwind of the other horses and not close enough to the breeding operation that the stallions could hear and see what was happening.
    â€œPainted Spirit was established in the seventies,” Lourdes said. “The house was already here, but my grandfather built the ranch.”
    Painted Spirit was a good name for the place, Juan thought. The American Paint Horse possessed beauty and spirit. Lourdes had two stallions, both of superior quality and champion bloodlines.
    The studs were able to see each other, but Juan knew they were easier to handle when exposed to the visual company of other horses. Their stalls were large, with spacious runs. A high fence with a widealleyway between paddocks kept the studs from fighting.
    Juan was partial to Raven Wing, a black-and-white stallion that stood strong and muscular, with perfect legs, great feet and plenty of bone.
    â€œHe’s a superb mover,” Lourdes remarked. “Light and responsive under the saddle.”
    â€œHe is exceptional.”
    â€œThank you.” She gave a proud smile. “I think so, too.”
    â€œHe’s an overo, right?” Juan asked, referring to horse’s color pattern.
    She nodded. “When Cáco first came to the ranch, my grandfather owned a paint-style mustang. It was a Medicine Hat. That’s a nearly all-white overo with a dark, bonnetlike marking over the head and ears and an equally dark shield over the chest.”
    â€œWhy was that important to Cáco?”
    â€œIt’s extremely important because the Medicine Hat is revered in her culture. Only the most proven braves were allowed to ride them, and a Comanche who rode a Medicine Hat into battle considered himself invincible.”
    â€œYou have an interesting family, Lourdes.”
    â€œYou probably do, too.”
    Juan shrugged. He didn’t want to think about who his family might be. The idea made him edgy, giving him a dose of anxiety he couldn’t explain.
    Intent on ridding himself of the tension, he gazed at Lourdes, wishing he could lean into her again and inhale the soft, floral scent of her perfume.
    She smoothed her unbound hair, drawing it away from her face, and a warm, sensual swirl pooled low in his belly.
    â€œTell me about the breeding procedure,” he said suddenly.
    Taken aback, she gazed at him for a second. “Are you asking me to describe a stallion covering a mare?”
    He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and tried for a casual stance, a pose that belied this insane game he was playing. This crazy need he couldn’t seem to stop.
    Was it wrong to want her to feed his libido? To drop some tidbits his way? “Do you mind?” he asked, keeping his voice as professional as he could. “I’d like to learn about the farm.”
    She frowned a little. “You said you spent time at a breeding facility. Surely you’re aware of the mating process.”
    He knew what was