Page 35 of Wrangled

Crickets.

When it became obvious being polite wasn’t going to get me anywhere, I resorted to good old-fashioned bluntness.

“Are you always this quiet, or is it just me? Because if we’re going to ride the whole way back in silence, I may have to resort to humming show tunes.” I gave him a sweet smile. “And trust me, you wouldn’t like it. I couldn’t carry a tune if I had a bucket.”

He stared at me, his lips parted, and just as I was beginning to despair, he chuckled.

“You’re right, I’m being rude.” He glanced at Lightning. “To be honest, it was more the shock of seeing you on this horse.”

Really?He was all bent out of shape over me riding Lightning?

“Paul said no one had ridden him in a while.”

Part of me was dying to know why that was. Because Paul’s manner, Butch’s suggestion that I ride Lightning in the first place… There was a mystery here, and I was a sucker for a good mystery.

Robert

“Paul was correct.” I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Toby Merrow sat high in the saddle, so at ease on Lightning that anyone would have thought he’d ridden the horse all his life. He appeared to be in great shape. His dark beard and blue eyes were very attractive.

Those same eyes were locked on mine.

“He also said it was less of a rule and more of a guideline,” Toby continued.

“Okay, he’s right about that too,” I admitted. “I leave stuff like that to his discretion.”

“Then the part about the insurance was—?”

“Only partly true.” I coughed. “Okay, it was me being a hardass.”

His eyes twinkled. “You know, you have that down to a fine art.”

Oh, I like you, Toby Merrow.He had this I-don’t-give-a-shit-air about him, that reminded me strongly of—

“Declan—he’s one of your regular guests, apparently—says he’s only seen you twice, maybe three times in six years.”

“As many times as that?” I quipped.

My attempt at humor rolled right over him. I couldn’t blame him for that, not after the way I’d yelled at him, charging over to confront him when I’d spotted Lightning.

And that had been the real shocker, seeing Kevin’s horse standing beside the creek, across from the cabin—with a man astride him. A familiar-looking man. And for a minute there, I’d really thought…

Then I’d come to my senses. I didn’t believe in ghosts.

“So pardon me for asking, but what do you do all day if you’re not dealing with the guests? You leave all that to Teague.”

I blinked at his forthright manner. “I have meetings with the cattlemen’s association, buying and selling livestock, paperwork, the accounts…”

Toby snorted. “Paperwork? Seriously? If I were in your shoes, I’d hire a bookkeeper. Why be stuck in an office, working, when you havethisoffice?” He gestured to the breathtakingly beautiful landscape surrounding us.

I smiled. “That’s why I come here every morning—to enjoy my office.”And I was doing just that—until the sight of you almost gave me a heart attack.

“Do you usually ride this trail?”

“Most of the time.” I frowned. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Just wanted to know if I was going to run into you again, that’s all.”

I remained silent, not trusting myself to speak. I’d had the same thought.