Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63469 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63469 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
I got up. “Dead cattle would’ve made a helluva good impression on them kids, Zach.”
“Where the hell are Pierce and Tom?” Rand demanded yet again, for once his annoyance directed at someone besides me.
“I thought you told me they were supposed to ride lead to help watch over the parents and kids,” Zach explained, glancing at me and then back to Rand, meeting his glare.
“No, they were supposed to help Glenn,” Rand replied brusquely, gesturing at me.
“Why didn’t you call us on back?” Zach growled. I knew why he was angry. Rand was pissed at him, and he had to take it out on someone.
“I dunno,” I said flippantly. “Y’all ain’t been all that concerned up to now.”
“Did you once say the pace was too fast?” Zach berated me.
I hadn’t. I’d meant to but got diverted with my quarry and Mac. “No.”
“Well, then how the fuck were we—oh, for fuck’s sake, you’re bleedin’.”
I had a scrape on my side, but I would live. “It’s fine.”
“You’re gonna be black and blue tomorrow.”
“The fuck do you care,” I snarled at Zach. “Just get on back up to the front and lead, but maybe slow down just a bit since we got pregnant cows and new mothers and calves back here.”
Zach spurred his horse toward me, his look murderous. “You—”
Juju screamed and came charging up out of the water, and Zach’s horse took several steps back. Juju squealed at Zach’s stallion again when she reached my side, just so he was clear about what she’d do to him if he came near me again. I patted her sweet face, telling her what a good girl she was.
“That horse is a menace,” Zach told me. “She’s always been trouble.”
I grunted.
“Quit,” Rand ordered harshly, his tone brooking no argument. “Go get the guys who’re supposed to be riding drag back here with him.”
“Rand, I—”
“Now,” he bit off curtly, not giving Zach a chance to defend himself.
Zach shot me a look that should have killed me and was gone a moment later, leaving Rand sitting tall in his saddle, frowning at me.
“What?”
“We’ll have some guys back here to help you.”
“Don’t do me any favors.”
“You’re such a dick,” Rand barked. “Why ya gotta be such an asshole all the time?”
“It’s a gift.” I smirked up at him.
“No it’s not,” he growled at me. “You were great this morning, so why all this bluster now?”
Good question. Why was I so mad? I was going to apologize, but he glared at me, turned his horse, and left before I could.
Mac rode over then, and I was surprised when he dismounted.
“What do you want?” I asked, tired suddenly, just wanting to be home where everything made sense.
“Unlike Rand, I will deck you,” he warned, his voice hoarse and low. “Now lemme look at your side.”
“It’s nothing,” I told him, taking off my hat and raking my fingers through my shoulder-length wet hair to get it out of my face before I put my hat back on.
“Just lemme see.”
I yanked my flannel and undershirt up and shoved my waistband down so he could see the wound. “There, see? It’s fine.”
“Are you serious?” He was using that tone, the one filled with disdain. “Jesus, Glenn.” He touched the reddening skin. “You need stitches.”
“It’s a scrape,” I argued.
“It’s a gouge,” he corrected me. “And it needs to be closed up.”
“You are out of your mind if you think—”
“Shut up,” he said gruffly, hand on my hip, holding tight. “God, you’re a pain in the ass.”
“Then don’t worry about it.” I squirmed out of his hands, stalking away and shoving my shirt back down.
He moved much faster than I thought he could and spun me around to face him, only inches separating us. “You will let me take care of this,” he said, then paused, his gaze meeting mine, and the pleading I saw there was unexpected. “Please.”
It was strange, but his hands on my arms, holding tight, the way he was staring down into my eyes, the fixed regard, it was very settling. “Okay,” I agreed, taken off guard, not minding so much the fact that he’d just manhandled me, finding that the dominance—because he could simply lift me and throw me over his shoulder if he wanted, he was that much bigger and stronger than me—was doing warm, fluttery things to my stomach.
He’d been holding his breath, and the glower I got that made his gray eyes darken to charcoal was really something. “Good. Follow me back to the wagon. It’s out here behind you because the new guy—I wanna say Ed—is having trouble with the horses.”
“But the calves…” I waved a hand toward them.
“You heard Rand. He’ll have Zach send Pierce and Tom on back here.”
“All right, then,” I conceded, turning to Juju. “Come on.”
“She’ll just follow you?”
“Yeah.”
He grunted, and I was unsure if he was impressed with my girl or not. As for me, I was now faced with his wide back and broad shoulders, the muscles rippling under the shirt, hugging his triceps, traps, and delts. It was a damn fine sight to behold. His jeans clung to his narrow hips and tight, round ass, and cleaved to his long, powerfully hewn legs. Mac was built nice, but I would take the observation to my grave.