Randy turns, hands still on the reins of his horse. “Dallas.”
He looks good. He’s shaved since I saw him last. Less pale and more .?.?. alert? Present?
I straighten, rolling my shoulders as if it will help my appearance.
“What’s going on here?” Dallas sweeps his gaze over me, and I’m just glad it’s not Wilder seeing me like this.
I’ve been quietly grateful for him leaving me to get this doneall morning without “checking on me” like he said he would.
“Oh, well, I was just helping—”
Dallas holds up a sharp hand. “I wasn’t asking you.” He glances at the knocked-over bucket. “I believe you were just about to pick those up.” His voice is steel.
The kind of voice that demands respect.
It’s like all the stories I’ve heard about Dallas being hard-edged and intimidating, suddenly come to life.
His eyes and tone aren’t all that softer when he turns back to me, shifting his horse. “Rose?”
I shrug. “I’m stone picking.” I’m almost afraid to tell himwhy. I watched this man get into a fist fight for no real reason. If I told him right now that I was involved in attempting to steal a horse—Wilder’s horse, no less—he wouldn’t hesitate to fire me.
His eyes roam over the empty field. “I can see that. Why?”
“I, um .?.?.”
Another horse rolls up. One I recognize. Tuscan.
Wilder.
God, he looks so .?.?. clean. I bet he smells better too.
Wilder doesn’t smile when he pulls up next to his brother, holding my gaze like I’ve done something wrong. The muscle in his jaw ticks as he glares around the field and back at me.
What,amInotworkingfastenoughforyou?
“I .?.?. assumed you knew,” I say to Dallas.
Randy warns me with a vigorous headshake just as Nelson and Barry pull up on a tractor, several stone-filled buckets in the rear cargo.
I take my dirty hat off, setting it over a filled bucket, wincing from the muscle pain when I straighten. “I’ll letRandytell you.”
The guy glares at me before looking up at his boss in defeat. “Nelson, Barry, and I planned to attend the Callahan Rodeo Friday night. We were going to sneak Tuscan off the ranch to compete. No—to win. In the name of Blue River Ranch.”
Dallas releases a deep breath, shaking his head.
“Rose overheard us and .?.?.”
“I offered to help.” I speak up over my pounding heart. I don’t know what this is. Heat exhaustion, Wilder’s hard glare, or just Randy pissing me off all morning, but I’m about to act out. “In fact, I thought it was a great idea. Even stood guard.”
Dallas smirks but keeps his eyes on the men.
“Not very well,” Randy mutters.
“Oh right, why don’t you tell him the version you told my brother. ThatI’mthe reason you were caught.”
I catch Wilder rolling his eyes.
Randy shifts. “I exaggerated some parts. Anyway, he should tell his sister to stay out of our business.”
