Tucker's Crossing by Marina Adair Read Free Book Online Page B

here when there weren’t more than eight trees in sight? Not to mention a serious lack of water.
    When Cody was a kid, this was where they would hold their breeding stock to keep it separate from the beeves they were preparing for transport and auction. It was way too early in the season for that. So why were they here?
    Cody kicked Goliath into action and made good time getting down onto the valley floor. Something just didn’t sit right with him. Cows might not be the brightest of animals, but they had strong survival instincts. The only way they’d stay there was if— “What the hell!” Cody yanked on the reins, forcing his horse to stop inches from a barbed-wire fence. The metal coils that ran a good quarter mile in each direction should have stopped a few hundred yards to the right, but the area was completely enclosed.
    Sliding off the saddle, Cody hitched Goliath to the fence and checked out the gate. It wasn’t locked, but secured tight enough to make the cows think they were closed in. Tight enough that he couldn’t get the damn thing to budge. A closer inspection showed that the gate had fallen off its lower hinge, cementing the post into the packed dirt. Talk about bad luck.
    Wishing he’d taken Sam up on his offer for some company, Cody unbuttoned and hung his shirt on the fence and—thank God he’d been smart enough to at least put on jeans and boots this morning—sank to his knees. He started digging up the ground around the post. The sun beat down hard and Cody felt the scrape of soil and rock against his hand. It felt good to get elbow deep in something other than memos and briefs.
    Finally, enough of the soil was removed. Cody straightened, lifted, and gave the fence another forceful yank. The metal groaned as he worked it through the ground. When the steel bars cut into his palms, he kicked himself for not packing gloves in his saddlebag.
    Christ, he’d been kicking himself ever since yesterday. What the hell had he started? At a time in his life when he really needed to focus, in the one place in the world where he always fought for control, the universe had decided to flip him the finger and toss Shelby Lynn into the mix.
    But how could he have gone and kissed her like that? Cody wiped the sweat off his brow and nearly laughed out loud. How could he not?
    One look at her in that dress, her silky hair tumbling in dark waves down the middle of her back, bare feet and scrubbed-fresh face, and he’d been tossed back to a time when he thought he stood a chance at happiness. And then he remembered why he’d come back to Sweet Plains and his only thought was that she had to leave.
    Cody lifted, his legs straining under the weight of the fence, and pulled, gaining another few feet.
    When her small hand had grabbed his arm, begging him not to go, he was instantly lost in those limpid eyes . . . those nipples pouting prettily under that thin dress. Her scent was everywhere, and he just reacted—pure instinct.
    And when their lips had touched, she’d practically crawled up his chest. It reminded him of just how good they’d been together. In that short space in time, all the pent-up feelings about coming home fled, and all he felt was her.
    Cody grunted through the last few feet and watched as a few cows wandered on over. He was going to be sore as hell tomorrow, but he knew it would be the good kind of sore.
    Weighing his options made him realize just what a damn city boy he’d become. He didn’t have his dogs or men so he couldn’t round up the cattle. But they needed to get to a better pasture. Dammit. He’d have to come back for that. In the meantime, he hoped their instincts would force them to get curious, go in search of water.
    Dusting off his hands, and putting his shirt back on, he took a long swig of his water and grimaced. It was hot and thick going down, but he needed the hydration. Another long swig and he mounted Goliath, wanting to get out of the heat fast, but careful not to