Page 2 of Country Winds (King Creek Cowboys #9)

“Me?” Ellie’s eyes widened as the jester jogged down the three steps from the stage straight for her. She stepped back, bumping against Tucker and trodding on his booted foot. “Uh, no?—”

The jester leered and cackled when he grabbed Ellie by the wrist and dragged her up the steps and onto the stage. Tucker had to restrain himself from going after her, but if she truly had objected, he was sure she would have made it loud and clear.

Ellie’s heart thumped when the huntsman approached the target and removed the two arrows he’d shot. She straightened her spine and assumed her voice actor mode, drawing on her experience in voiceover work.

“Unhand me, sir.” Ellie jerked her arm from the jester and raised her chin as she spoke with emphasis in her Old English accent. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Come, dear. It is truly a small thing.” The jester looked delighted as she fell into the part, and he pushed Ellie toward the target.

“I shall scream.” She balked, but in the next moment, the jester and the huntsman grasped her arm on either side of her and guided her to the target.

“You are quite mad.” She struggled for show—and the men were much too strong to be dissuaded. “Release me,” she commanded.

The jester cackled. “It will be over soon, depending on whether you survive.”

Hoots, shouts, and laughter came from the audience. What did Tucker think of what was going on?

In mere seconds, they strapped her to the target by her arms and legs in a big X-marks-the-spot.

Despite her acting bravado, her heart raced. Was this huntsman really going to shoot at the target with her pinned to it? She’d seen these kinds of things, and he had to be a professional. If he’d ever hurt anyone, that would have been game over for his career. At least, that was what she assumed.

That did nothing to calm her fears. She continued to struggle against her bonds until the huntsman unslung his bow.

The jester patted her shoulder and gave a maniacal laugh. “You might wish to be still for this part.”

Ellie didn’t need to be told as the huntsman sighted the target and aimed. She screamed as he released the bowstring and then heard a soft thunk as the arrow penetrated the target near her right cheek.

Holy crap, that was too close.

Another thunk and an arrow quivered against her other cheek.

Okay, the arrows being so close to her was far too much. She wanted out of there.

“Enough is enough, boys.” The low cowboy drawl carried across the stage as Tucker pushed the huntsman’s arrow down before he could nock it.

“What is the meaning of this?” The jester stood in front of Tucker, hands on his hips. “Be gone, abomination!”

Tucker, who had to be six-four in his sock feet, looked even taller from his boots to the top of his Stetson. He towered over the smaller man before him, maybe five-six at best. Tucker picked up the jester by his upper arms, set the sputtering man aside, and strode toward Ellie.

He gave her a gentle look. “Ready to get out of here?”

“Yes, please.” She looked at him gratefully as he pulled out a pocketknife and made short work of the ropes pinning her to the target.

“My knight in shining Wranglers.” She projected the words in Old English, then gasped as Tucker scooped her up in his arms and carried her across the stage. Cheers came from the audience.

She rested her hand against his broad chest as she glanced at the huntsman and jester, who were doing their best to go along with what was happening.

The audience continued to cheer and shout as Tucker carried Ellie down the steps, the crowd clearly thinking this was all part of the show.

His embrace was so strong and comfortable that it sent warmth throughout her. His masculine scent filled her lungs, and she gripped his shirt in her fists, instinctively pressing herself closer.

When they were well away from the show, Tucker lowered her, and she slid from his arms until she stood on her own two feet again. She smiled up at him, brushing her clothes down.

“After that second arrow, I was ready to get out of there.” She straightened as she spoke. “Thank you, Tucker.”

“You’ve got a bit of apple in your hair.” His fingertips brushed her scalp, sending tingling sensations over her, as he removed the small fragments and let them drop to the dust. He smiled down at her. “I have to check on the horses in the stables. Interested in coming with me?”

“Why yes, kind sir.” She looped her arm in his and raised her chin. “I trust you will get me to the palace with haste.”

Amusement glittered in his moss-green eyes before he looked up and guided her through the vendors toward the jousting arena.

“You handled yourself well on stage.” He glanced at her. “It was convincing enough that I thought you might have arranged something earlier with that duo. But when I saw your eyes when that first arrow hit, I knew you didn’t want to be there.”

She blew out her breath and held her hand to her belly. “I still feel a little jittery from it. I thought they would have a plant in the audience for that act, someone who was okay with being shot at. So, I was more than surprised when the jester dragged me onstage.”

“You put on a fine show.” He rested his hand on her back, guiding her around a puddle and a pile of horse dung as they neared the arena. “You’re a natural.”

She shrugged. “I’ve always liked to do voices from the time I was young. Whenever I heard a new accent, I mimicked it until it sounded right.” She smiled at the memories of her childhood. “You should have heard my dolls chatting it up. Sometimes, each one of them would have a different accent.”

“Do you speak any languages other than Old English?”

She laughed. “I’m fluent in Spanish, and I’m fair with Japanese. I’d try to study another language if I had the time. Maybe Swedish or Italian.”

“Swedish?” He raised an eyebrow. “Have you been to Sweden?”

She shook her head. “It’s on the bucket list.”

“I hear it’s a beautiful country,” he said as they reached the arena.

Cheers and jeers drowned their conversation when the yellow knight was hit dead on his chest plate by his opponent’s lance. The yellow knight flew off his horse and landed flat on his back while the blue knight’s horse trotted back to the starting point.

“The competition is fun to watch.” Ellie and Tucker continued as the crowd quieted in anticipation of the next joust. “Do you supply the horses for the fair?”

Tucker shook his head. “My friend does. He hires a trainer for this type of thing, and he sells them to Renaissance reenactors across the U.S.”

“Is that all he does?” she asked. “Provide horses for Renaissance fairs?”

Tucker shook his head. “It’s just a side thing. He trains horses for show, which is one of the things I do on my ranch.”

“Sounds interesting.” Ellie had been on plenty of cattle ranches but never a horse ranch. She wanted to ask if she could visit his ranch, but it was a bit forward of her. If he asked for her number or gave his to her, she’d ask him the next time they talked. She didn’t want to seem too anxious.

But a cowboy? Returning to ranch life—was that even something she wanted to do?

She wasn’t sure, but this man intrigued her more than any man she’d ever met.

They reached the stables and walked in through the open doors. Smells of horses and alfalfa hay swept over her—familiar scents from growing up on McLeod Ranch.

Tucker thought she was a city girl, but she wasn’t ready to reveal her background to him until she got to know him better, if that was in their future.

They stopped at the first stall, where a powerful Quarter horse gelding stomped the ground with one hoof, as if anxious to join the jousting competition.

Tucker smiled, caught the horse by his bridle, and spoke in a soothing tone as he stroked the gelding’s long neck. Ellie watched the big man, wishing she could hear whatever he said to the horse.

She imagined Tucker speaking to her intimately, whispering soft words in his low country drawl. A shiver ran over her skin as she imagined his big hands caressing her.

He turned his smile on her, and her cheeks warmed as if he’d heard her thoughts. She moved toward the next stall, where a dappled gray mare tossed her head as they approached.

“You are gorgeous.” Ellie stroked the mare from her forelock to her muzzle along the white blaze.

The horse lipped her palm with her soft muzzle, tickling Ellie and making her laugh. She really needed to go riding again. She’d been so busy she hadn’t gone to her parents’ ranch to climb into a saddle and set out for a Superstition Mountain trail.

Ellie turned to Tucker to see him watching her. The way he looked at her made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. She was far from it, but she loved the attention. She wanted to ask him if he’d like to ride with her, but instead said, “I wish I had a treat to give her.”

Tucker slid his fingers into his right front pocket and held up his closed fist. She opened her hand, and he dropped five sugar cubes on her palm. “In case you want to share with any of the other horses.”

She grinned at him. “Thank you.” She slid four cubes into her pocket, then offered the dappled mare the fifth one. “Here you go, sweetie.” The mare took the treat, then bobbed her head as if in thanks.

The horse in the next stall whickered as Ellie and Tucker walked to the stall. The gelding was pure white from mane to tail.

“Aren’t you the fancy man?” Ellie held out a cube in one palm while patting his thick neck.

The gelding snorted and lipped her palm, and the sugar disappeared as Ellie stroked him. “I bet you beat all the other horses in the arena.”

He bumped his head against her arm, asking for another treat.

Tucker rested his forearms on the stall door. “You’re good with horses.”

Ellie flashed him a smile. “I’ve been around my fair share.” She gave the horse a last pat on his neck. “See you, big guy.”

A knight dressed in a suit of armor hurried in with his squire, who led a roan that walked as if missing a shoe.

The knight gave them a brief nod. “My horse threw a shoe. I need to take one of the backups.”

“I’ll call the farrier.” Tucker nodded toward the second stall they’d stopped at. “Take the gray.”

The stableboy removed the roan mare’s costume as the knight took the dappled gray out of her stall. They put the red costume on the horse and secured it.

Tucker took the reins of the roan. “Good luck.”

The knight climbed onto a wooden step stool, swung his leg over the back of the horse, and seated himself in the saddle. At his urging, the mare, looking proud in her costume and raring to go, trotted out of the shed.

“I need to call the farrier.” Tucker smiled at Ellie as he drew his phone out of his pocket.

He selected a number from contacts and brought the phone to his ear.

“Got a moment?” A second later, he told the farrier about the shoe and that the horse was needed for the fair.

Tucker finished with, “Great, I’ll see you tomorrow. ”

He slid his phone back into his pocket. “That’s taken care of. Now we have to hope none of the others lose a shoe and end up lame.”

She looked at the five remaining stalls. “Which one is injured?”

Tucker nodded toward a stall on the other side of the shed. “The black gelding.”

Ellie moved in that direction. “You poor thing.” She stroked the majestic horse. “I bet you don’t like missing all the action.”

She went still as she realized she’d lost track of time. She pulled her phone out of her dress pocket and saw it was already four p.m. “Oh, my gosh. I’m late.” She met Tucker’s gaze. “I have really enjoyed spending time with you. I’m sorry I have to rush off like this.”

Tucker looked disappointed, then smiled. “I’ve had a great time, Ellie. If you have a moment, I’d like to give you my number, and you can call me.”

“I’d like that.” She returned his smile, then followed him to an area full of horse tack and jousting equipment. He found a pencil and a grimy notepad. He jotted down his information and handed it to her.

She glanced at the neat, masculine printing and slid the paper into her pocket. “I’ll give you a call later this week.”

He gave a nod. “Sounds good.”

Impulsively, she hugged him, then darted back before he could return it if he wanted. “Thank you for rescuing me.”

She whirled and hurried out of the shed and through the crowded fair. Her mother had an injury to her right leg and couldn’t drive, so Ellie had promised to take her grocery shopping.

That was ten minutes ago. Her mother was German and had always insisted on punctuality, so she wouldn’t be thrilled about waiting another fifteen minutes for her to get to the family ranch outside of King Creek.

Ellie texted her mom a quick apology and ran the rest of the way through the fair to her car, feeling warm and happy from her time spent with one sexy, sweet, intelligent cowboy.