Page 38 of Wrangled

I knew there was no malice in Butch’s words—it was just his way—but I watched with interest to see how Toby reacted.

He studied Butch in silence for a minute, then cocked his head to one side. “Butch, I don’t know if anyone has ever told you this, but you can be a real dick sometimes.”

Oh my God.It was all I could do not to laugh out loud.

A stunned silence followed his words, followed by an eruption of applause.

Zeeb was laughing his ass off.

Butch let out a mock gasp. “What do you mean,sometimes? I must be doing something wrong. I was aiming for being a dick one hundred percent of the time.”

Toby chuckled. “Yeah, well, keep working at it. They say practice makes perfect, right?”

There was something very attractive about a man who exuded confidence and not arrogance, who appeared comfortable in his own skin.

Did I say by the minute?Toby was growing more attractive by thesecond.

Now I got why Teague thought I’d like him. He wassolike Kevin, it was uncanny. I remembered when Kevin had been made foreman. He’d possessed a similar confidence, and that confidence had spilled over into the bedroom… the barn … outdoors… anywhere there was a flat surface—and sometimes when there wasn’t.

Against the front door had been a particular favorite position.

“There’s coffee in the bunkhouse,” Butch told Toby. “Grab some. We’re not done finding a horse yet for Garrett.”

“Sure. I could do with more caffeine.” Toby gave me a nod. “I’ll be seeing you.”

As he walked away, I was dying to ask, ‘Is that a promise?’

Garrett joined Butch and Zeeb, and I saw my chance to grab Teague. I beckoned him to follow, and we walked away from the small group.

I lowered my voice. “The herd goes to the south pastures next week. Is he gonna be ready by then?” I didn’t have to mention Garrett’s name.

Teague watched Garrett. “He’ll have to be.”

I thought fast. “You know what? Maybe it would help if I spent more time with the guests.”

Teague arched his eyebrows. “Really? And why would you do that?”

“After what you said about Butch taking it easy on Garrett, it might help if I was a little more… hands-on this time. Especially when we’ve got a guest who might benefit from a little one-on-one attention.”

Teague’s eyes twinkled. He glanced to the bunkhouse where Toby had just gone inside, and then back to me. “Sure. Whatever you say, boss.” As I walked away, I caught his whisper.

“Of course, you didn’t specifywhichguest would be doing the benefiting.”

Chapter Nine

Toby

From the door of the bunkhouse, I watched Robert stroll up the path toward the big house, a cup of coffee in my hand.

Damn. That was one fine-looking man. Then it occurred to me. What else did I know about him, apart from the ranch hands telling me he was solid, troubled, fair…Is he married? Divorced? Widowed?

Yeah, I knew diddly squat.I smiled to myself. Inquiring minds needed to know. He’d requested that I call him Mr. Thorston, but in the safety of my own thoughts, he was Robert.

And Robert was something of an enigma.

Teague was headed my way, and I walked over to meet him.

“So… what’s the plan?” I knew he’d have one. Teague struck me as an organized, efficient kinda guy.