Page 27 of Take a Chance (Blue Creek Ranch #1)

Mal slowed Jaina to a walk and she moseyed closer. It wasn’t long before I heard the familiar creak of leather. Shooter had gone back to eating so I waited for the pair of horsemen to get close enough that I didn’t have to yell.

“Hey, little man. Having fun?”

He nodded fast and his helmet slipped down a touch. Pay impatiently pushed it back and Mal immediately reached to tighten the chinstrap a bit more.

“I like riding with Daddy.”

I squinted up at him and pursed my mouth, as though I was assessing him. “You’re almost too big to be riding doubles with your daddy. Pretty soon, we’re going to have to find you your own pony.”

“Crew,” Mal growled.

I instantly knew where his mind went and I held up my hands. “Aria will need one. And other kids. Ponies for the ranch, I swear.”

Whatever Mal was going to say was cut off by Pay’s fake retch. “I only like riding Jaina with Daddy. I don’t wanna ride by myself.” He glanced over at Shooter and then back at me. “But maybe I would ride Shoot with you. If I had to.”

“His name’s Shooter,” Mal corrected gently.

I was about to open my mouth and offer a ride now, but Mal shot daggers at me and I zipped my lips.

Jaina sidestepped and pinned her ears back, no doubt in response to the tension in Mal’s body.

I took that as my cue to leave. Not that I was worried about Mal handling his horse.

Not at all. But I didn’t want to make it harder on him.

Plus I had the sneaking suspicion Jaina wouldn’t hesitate to take a chunk out of me if she thought she shouldn’t like me.

I whistled through my teeth and Shooter walked over. I checked his girth real quick, then pulled myself up. I thought Mal checked out my ass as I swung my leg over, but that was probably just wishful thinking.

“Enjoy your ride, gentlemen,” I said, tipping the brim of my ballcap at them.

Pay giggled and yelled “Bye!” but all I got was a tight nod from Mal.

Clearly he wasn’t ready to talk yet.

When the day was done, I ambled over to the yearling barn to check on the new colt.

Russ had met Dr. Matigan that morning and was there to give the vet the run down.

By all accounts, the colt was healthy if underweight.

They’d taken x-rays of his hocks, stifles, knees, and pasterns, and everything looked good.

Matigan had also drawn blood just to run a battery of tests.

The colt’s paperwork said he had a negative Coggins, but Matigan was going to run another one, just in case.

Overall he needed good care and groceries. Considering the length of his cannon bone, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he topped seventeen hands. He was going to need a lot of groceries. He’d get whatever he needed.

I stopped dead when I walked into the barn and saw the colt in the wash bay crossties. Movement behind the horse caught my eye. Mal was working on the colt’s tail. Of course he was giving him a good groom. I stayed back until Mal noticed me, not wanting to spook either horse or Mal.

It took a minute, and when he did see me, he scowled. But kept brushing. After a few tense moments of silence, Mal said, “I’m probably gonna have to roach his mane. But I don’t want to cut his tail if I can avoid it. Flies will be out soon.”

I moved slowly, ducking under one tie but staying close to the wall.

Mal must have been at it for a while because most of the loose hair of his coat had been brushed away and the colt had already been bathed.

The colt was calm and docile, submitting to Mal’s care.

If I hadn’t seen them myself, I would have been convinced this horse had already been gelded.

“He looks a lot better,” I said softly. The colt’s ear swiveled toward me then forward again.

I heard a tinny chime-like sound and looked across the aisle.

Pay was seated on a straw bale, a saddle pad underneath him, and playing something on a tablet, that from what I could make out was about numbers and math.

It was smart to keep him well out of the way.

No matter how chill the colt acted, he could be unpredictable.

“He just needs some TLC,” Mal said. He kept brushing, slow and easy, working out the tangles.

“And a name.”

“Jesus fuck, Crew,” Mal whispered tersely.

“Hey,” I murmured, trying for gentle. “I just want a chance to say my piece. Explain some things. Last night….” I blew out a breath.

“You got me all twisted up with the kiss and everything. I didn’t say what I really meant or needed to say.

So all I’m asking is a few minutes of your time. When you’re ready.”

Mal didn’t say anything. Just kept working on the colt’s tail. The familiar sound of a stubborn knot reached my ears; the way the bristles caught and tugged, the scrape and pull. I waited, not exactly patiently, but it was all I could do. Once he acknowledged my statement, I would go.

“Talk fast,” he finally said, dropping the piece he was working on and moving to a new section.

Oh. We were doing this now. Okay. I took the chance while I had it. I cleared my throat.

“Everything I said last night was true, just not the complete picture.” I shoved my hands in my pockets.

“I bought this horse because he needed to be saved. And trust me, I screwed Masterson in the deal. Not only did I get this colt for way below what he wanted, but I called my contact at the BAP this morning and let her know just what I suspected about his operation.”

Mal’s head jerked up and his gaze crashed into mine. “You called the Bureau of Animal Protection?”

I nodded. “She knows I would never make the claim lightly. Since that fuckwad is in Kansas, there’ll be red tape but she’s assured me she’ll get it in front of the right people. The agencies in the surrounding states all work together.”

Mal smashed his lips together, not saying a word. After a beat, he went back to brushing. Okay then. I kept going.

“I teased about this colt being yours, and yeah, it was because you clearly connected with him. I figure you’ll work with him.

You and Hawk together. But he’s a ranch horse.

I swear, he’s not the first horse I’ve brought here because a hand saw something in it.

” My lips quirked up. “And I’m not talking about Jaina. ”

I knew the joke fell flat when the brushing got more intense. The colt shifted on his feet and Mal immediately slowed down again. All right then. This was not the time for levity. I had to lay it all out there.

“The thing you don’t get, that you don’t fully understand yet, is that everyone here, family and employees alike, every last one of us, work together.

Support each other. I really hope you can learn to trust that one day.

When I said you could work for Hawk, it was because that’s where your talents are best used, even if that also puts you in a different chain of command.

When I said we’d help you get a place in town if you needed it, that was because we’d do that for anyone who needed it. ”

I had to take a breath. “But there was a selfish motivation too. I won’t lie about that.

You’re beautiful and competent and caring, and that’s my fucking kryptonite.

So yes, I want to know you in every sense of the word.

But I would never, and I mean never, want you in a position where you thought your place here was in jeopardy.

‘No’ is a complete sentence. If you don’t want anything to do with me, then I’ll walk away.

We can have as little contact as necessary. ”

Internally, I was dying. I so desperately wanted him to contradict me. But he said nothing at all, though he was still, eyes on the colt’s tail, not moving at all.

I took a few steps closer and dropped my voice further. “But if you want to take a chance with me, as much as I want one with you, then we can figure out a way to make it work. We can set boundaries that will work for both of us. It’s possible, is all I’m saying.”

Neither one of us moved. Hell, even the colt stood completely still. The silence stretched on until it was painfully tight. I barely even dared to breathe.

Eventually, finally, Mal sucked in a breath. “I hear you.”

I waited a beat. Then another. But he didn’t say anything else. Our gazes caught. Held. I nodded once and turned away. I figured that was the best I was going to get. At least for now. Maybe forever. And I had to be okay with that.

I was going to say goodbye to Pay, but the little boy had closed his eyes and slumped back against the bale. I watched him for a moment, his chest rising and falling, and for just a second, wished for his obliviousness.

The ball was in Mal’s court now. All I could do was wait. And hope.