Along Came a Cowboy, page 7
Of course, she didn’t ride like Janet and Rebecca. They were on the other side of a group of cattle, pushing stragglers to join the main herd. Their horses weren’t trotting either. It looked more like a slow gallop. And they weren’t bouncing in the saddle. Not one bit.
“How long does it take to stop bouncing?” she asked, trying to hide her wistfulness behind a tight smile.
“They’re loping,” Carter said, his voice almost gentle. “It’s an easier gait to sit than a trot. Let’s join them.”
She wished she hadn’t said anything. It was much better having him all to herself, especially when he was being so nice. Ever since her bathroom break, he’d been helpful, almost protective, and she figured he might be a good instructor after all, as long as a student was genuinely interested in learning. She’d even stopped worrying about Hawk kicking Panda since Carter had assured her the two geldings were good buddies. And she was enjoying his company far too much to willingly relinquish his private tutelage.
But he was already trotting his horse toward Janet, and he seemed to expect her to follow. She didn’t want to do the loping thing—it looked too fast for her current ability—but she didn’t want Carter to think she’d wasted his teaching time. So she loosened the reins and reminded herself to sit up. Her horse eased forward and obediently caught up, trotting at Carter’s side.
“Give Panda a little kick now,” Carter said. “And remember to sit up.”
His smile was encouraging but also expectant, and she had the odd need to please him. So she gingerly kicked her horse. Seconds later, just as he had promised, the bouncing turned to a lovely rocking-chair movement. She’d done it! And she couldn’t stop grinning.
“That’s a lope,” Carter said, raising his voice over the sound of their horses’ hooves. “It’s much smoother.”
It certainly was. But she couldn’t think about gaits now, couldn’t pull her gaze away from Carter’s chocolate brown eyes. They were much warmer than she’d ever seen them, and he was smiling at her so sweetly, almost with approval, and something else she couldn’t identify.
But she had to concentrate. Had to remember everything he’d said: Sit up. Don’t pull on Panda’s mouth. Heels down. Relax.
Too soon, her horse reached the other riders. He slowed to a bouncing trot then stopped. But this time she didn’t topple forward onto his neck. Her butt remained in the saddle as she eased to a stop in total synch with Panda.
“Wow, you are athletic,” Rebecca said. “An hour ago, I thought you were seconds away from falling off.”
“But she’s not really riding,” Janet said. “Her horse is just following Hawk. You must be bored, Carter. Want to take a break, help me cut out a cow?”
“Sure,” Carter said, a little too quickly. “Will you stay and look after her for a minute, Rebecca?”
Allie’s flush of accomplishment vanished. “I don’t need anyone to look after me,” she muttered.
Janet’s laugh was quick and dismissive. So was Carter’s, and it was clear everyone still thought she needed babysitting.
“Horses are herd animals,” Rebecca said, as Janet and Carter galloped away without a backward glance. “They prefer company. If I didn’t stay, your horse would fidget, especially since he’s used for beginner trail rides. They’re trained to follow each other.”
It was a little discomforting that a guest—worse, an elite athlete who was here to compete on Man Tracker—had to explain to a ranch employee about the horses, especially since Allie thought she’d been riding so well. In reality, she was just a weight around everyone’s neck, and Carter likely couldn’t wait to be shed of her.
“I’m sorry,” Allie said, patting Panda’s warm neck. “You shouldn’t have to stay with me.”
“No problem. Besides, this trip is mainly for Janet. She’s hoping a good showing on Man Tracker will help bring in endorsement offers.”
“Don’t you want them too?”
“I don’t need them anymore,” Rebecca said. “Besides, I owe her. She was my training partner.” She gave a rueful laugh. “But she needs attention that’s positive, not negative. The media can turn on celebrities so quickly. Seems like she and Carter have a lot in common.”
“What do you mean?”
Rebecca gave a little shrug. “You know, relationships, rumors, scandals. It’s hard for people to forget what they read...” Her voice trailed off and it was evident she was finished with the subject.
But Allie tilted her head, stoked with interest. She didn’t care a bit about the self-centered Janet. Carter’s scandals were a different matter. She’d googled him before but only his rodeo background had popped up, nothing personal. Tonight, she resolved to dig a little deeper.
“Look at Dwight cut that cow,” Rebecca said, pointing over her horse’s head. “He’s good. Apparently he used to run an outfitting company before he bought some ski hills and moved into the corporate world. His wife can ride a bit but she’s so proper. They’re an odd couple, don’t you think?”
Allie made a non-committal sound. She never talked about guests and had learned how to deflect. Besides, she liked Trina though she would never forgive Dwight for trying to rope the cat. That incident had squashed any potential admiration.
Dwight spotted them standing back from the herd and immediately turned his horse and galloped over, followed closely by his wife.
“Beautiful country,” he called, pulling his horse to a stop and blowing out a satisfied sigh. “I love getting away from the city.” He edged his horse closer to Rebecca. “Is this where the Man Tracker race will start?”
“I’m not sure,” Rebecca said. “We’re not given a map until tomorrow, although at some point it goes in by the Mustang River.” She glanced at Allie. “Do you know anything more?”
“Not specifically,” Allie said. Even if she knew something she would never divulge details. However, Rebecca and Dwight were staring at her with open curiosity.
“A four-day race can be forty to eighty miles long,” Allie said, deciding it was safe to stick to generalities. “It all depends on the terrain. The route will go from the ranch deep into the park. You’ll have a map and compass, but Monty and Carter will have no idea of your destination. They have to follow your tracks.”
“I could evade them,” Dwight said. “Easily.”
Trina slanted him a look, as if uncomfortable with his bragging. But she stayed silent, obviously in total adoration of her husband. Dwight was an attractive man and apparently a fast learner. Trina had mentioned that since their marriage he’d increased her company’s profits by more than twenty percent.
However, Allie’s opinion of Dwight had soured and she guessed an animal lover like Rebecca wouldn’t enjoy his company either. She could already feel a tension between Dwight and Rebecca, a sixth sense she’d honed from working with a variety of guests.
“Let’s walk closer to the herd,” Allie suggested to Rebecca. “And let Dwight and Trina enjoy their ride.”
But Rebecca was straightening her horse’s mane and didn’t seem to hear.
“Maybe I can get a picture of you and Janet closer to a cow,” Allie added, pulling out her phone and waving it for emphasis. But her fingers hit the saddle horn and her phone tumbled into the tall buffalo grass.
“Oh, no,” she muttered, peering over her horse’s shoulder. Even from this vantage point she couldn’t spot the phone. But she didn’t want to move Panda, afraid her horse might crush it with his big hoof. Technically the expensive phone wasn’t even hers. Sharon had bought it for her because of its advanced camera capabilities.
“It’s okay,” Rebecca said. “Sit still. Think I see it.”
She gracefully stepped down from the saddle and moved around Allie’s horse. After feeling for a moment in the long grass, she triumphantly held up the phone.
“There you go.” She passed it to Allie and moved back toward her horse. Rebecca was so athletic it didn’t faze her that the animal moved when she mounted. Her foot was already in the stirrup as her horse stepped sideways and sniffed at the flank of Trina’s mount. There was a loud squeal and a thump as Trina’s mare lashed out with both hind feet.
Rebecca slumped forward, her face white. She was tough though; she didn’t cry out or make a sound. She just stared down at her left ankle.
“Dammit,” Dwight said, scrambling off his horse. “Are you all right, Rebecca?”
“I got kicked,” Rebecca said.
Dwight paled and glanced around, his accusing look bouncing from Allie to Trina, and then back to Allie. “This will wreck everything,” he snapped.
Allie could only stare in dismay at Rebecca’s leg. It certainly did wreck everything. Man Tracker contestants had to start in pairs. A single person could never compete.
Hooves pounded behind her. She glanced over her shoulder as Carter and Janet galloped up.
“What happened?” Carter’s intent eyes swept the group, locking on Allie. “Are you all right?”
His assumption she was the one who was hurt was almost laughable, except there was no humor to be found here. Not only would the accident derail the scheduled competitors, but Kate would be back from her honeymoon at the end of the month. This was Carter’s only chance to prove himself on Man Tracker.
“I’m fine,” Allie said. “But Rebecca hurt her ankle.”
“What the hell happened?” Janet asked, staring at her partner.
“Allie dropped her phone,” Dwight said, shaking his head in disgust. “And Rebecca was kicked while trying to help.”
“You idiot!” Janet wheeled her horse toward Allie, her face ugly with rage. “You couldn’t put your phone down, could you!”
Allie blanched. Naturally Dwight would want to protect his wife but it hadn’t been Panda who had kicked Rebecca. It had been Trina’s horse. And everyone seemed to forget that she needed her phone out to take the all-important pictures. Besides, she wasn’t in charge of this lesson or rider safety. Carter was.
She gulped, swept with regret. This would be the nail in his coffin. She’d seen the evaluation forms, had often filled them out for Sharon. Guest safety was heavily weighted. Few instructors kept their jobs if a guest was injured on their watch.
She glanced hopefully at Rebecca’s ankle. Maybe she wasn’t badly hurt; maybe she could shake it off. But already the woman’s face was white with pain. She was obviously tough but if the bone were fractured, she’d have to see a doctor. More importantly, she wouldn’t be able to compete. Sharon would be livid and Carter would be her target.
“Well, this sucks,” Janet said bitterly. “No way can I find another replacement by tomorrow.”
Cancelling Man Tracker at this late date wouldn’t be good for the ranch, Allie knew. But she wasn’t going to offer to be the replacement. Not for her boss; not for Carter; and definitely not for Janet. She bit her tongue, pulled in her cheeks, but the words spilled out anyway.
“I’ll take Rebecca’s place,” she heard herself say.
CHAPTER TEN
Rebecca’s accident was freaky bad luck. Carter jammed a drawer shut and tossed an extra shirt on top of his bedroll. And obviously he was a piss poor instructor. He shouldn’t have ridden off with Janet but he’d let Allie get under his skin. He’d needed to escape before he was just another besotted wrangler falling under her spell. Dammit though, it hurt to look at her. She was all smiles and light and he couldn’t keep his eyes off her pink mouth, and everything he wanted to do to it.
He’d been shocked that she had volunteered for Man Tracker. A woman like that shouldn’t be running through the wilderness unprotected. She barely knew what it was like to go without a bathroom. And she wouldn’t have her usual bevy of admirers around. As it was, their boss was furious.
“Please explain again how Rebecca was kicked?” Sharon had asked, as soon as she hauled Allie and Carter into her office. Her icy blue eyes had leveled on Carter. “And why you left the guests alone?”
“Rebecca wasn’t alone.” Allie had spoken before he could reply. “I was with her. And she dismounted to retrieve my phone.”
“Non-riders hardly count,” Sharon had snapped.
Carter didn’t need Allie defending him but Sharon had already moved into damage control, talking about media buildup and liability and how it was important that Janet still be able to compete.
“You’re not the ideal contestant, Allie,” Sharon had said, blowing out a sigh. “But Janet wants a female partner, and now she’s locked on you. Evidently she thinks winning will be a more impressive feat if she has you slowing her down.”
Allie had winced at the comment and that had bothered him. But it had disturbed him even more that Sharon would allow Allie to fill in. This wasn’t a dance-off contest where the biggest risk was breaking some sweat. The Montana backcountry could be cruel and inhospitable and it wasn’t a place for her, no matter that she’d shown surprising determination while riding earlier that day.
“Allie just has to start the race, right?” he’d asked. “If we catch her the first hour, Janet can compete alone?”
“That’s correct,” Sharon said. “Once Allie is captured, it’s Janet’s race to win or lose.” She’d leveled that searing gaze on him again. “Let’s hope you perform better on Man Tracker than you did today. Allie doesn’t know anything about horses but you and I both know that gelding should have been kept away from the mare.”
She gestured at her office door. “Now both of you need to go and join Janet. She’s requested updated photos for the event.”
Carter hadn’t immediately followed Allie out the door. He’d lingered, needing to set something straight.
“Allie may not know much about horses,” he’d said, “but she has plenty of common sense.”
“Pardon?” Sharon’s head had shot up, as if surprised to see him still standing there.
“Allie knows horses can kick. And it wasn’t her gelding that caused the problem.” He didn’t know why it was important to stay and make that point other than he didn’t appreciate Sharon’s dismissive attitude. It was apparent it bothered Allie. So it bothered him.
“And that’s about all she knows,” Sharon had said. “So make sure you catch her before sundown tomorrow. I don’t want her out there overnight.” Sharon’s voice softened in a way he’d never heard before. “She’s our star employee. And she’s saving your ass by volunteering to do something way out of her element.”
Carter relaxed when he realized the woman wasn’t demeaning Allie. She was truly worried about her. “Yes, I realize that,” he said. “But I imagine we’ll catch her before noon. Or that she’ll quit.”
Sharon had snorted. “She won’t quit. So I’m relying on you to bring her home safely.”
Carter had nodded and left the office, but now Sharon’s words echoed as he packed. He’d catch Allie quickly so she would only have to rough it for a few hours. Still, she probably had no idea what to pack, even for a two-hour hike. He and Monty would be on horses but the contestants had to carry their supplies. She probably didn’t own a decent backpack or even a sleeping bag. And a thirty-pound load could quickly turn heavy, maybe not for Janet but Allie would have trouble.
On the other hand, she wouldn’t be out there long enough to need a sleeping bag. So a good water bottle and some energy bars were the most important things.
He scooped up a collapsible water bottle and gathered some of his favorite trail bars, ones with fruit, oatmeal and nuts that didn’t melt in the heat. Then he swung open his door and strode down the hall.
He didn’t know her exact location—had resolved to stay far away from her room. But this end of the dorm always seemed to be the center of activity, and she was probably in the middle of it.
The dorm was quiet this evening, with only muted chatter. Most of the doors were closed but a few were open.
“Hey, Carter,” a feminine voice called. “Come on in. Join me for a beer!”
He gave a polite head shake and kept walking. If it had been someone he trusted he would have stopped and asked for Allie’s room number, but he’d learned his lesson about walking into a woman’s hotel room and the media mess that could ignite.
He’d find Allie’s room on his own. No doubt she had her door decorated with purple rainbows and unicorns—something suited to her but totally inappropriate for a ranch. He gave a rueful sigh. She was far sweeter than he’d expected, to both animals and people. She’d even lingered by the corral, helping him put away the tack and picking Panda some fresh grass as a reward for not letting her fall off.
He snorted. There’d never been any danger of that. He’d been too aware of her every twitch, every reaction: her solemn nod when he pointed out the difference between shod and unshod hooves, the genuine enjoyment in her intelligent eyes, and the way her shirt had tightened around her breasts whenever she lifted her phone. He’d almost wanted her to fall off so he’d have an excuse to snag her in his arm. But she was a heartbreak waiting for a place to happen, and no way would he allow himself to be weakened by lust.
This job was too important to lose because of a fling with a Barbie cowgirl. If he needed a woman, there were plenty he could hook up with from the circuit, ladies who were tough, focused and would race him out the motel door in the morning. They didn’t make his blood pound like Allie, but they were much more suitable.
He gave a frustrated sigh then jerked to a stop, puzzled by the packs piled outside a closed door. It seemed that one of the staff was arranging a hiking expedition. The ranch facilitated overnight trips for guests who were experienced and wanted to camp without a guide, but he’d never seen an assembly station within the dorm before.
A variety of equipment had been gathered, from high-tech backpacks to filtered water bottles and wool socks. A lightweight sleeping bag and nylon tent were propped against the wall alongside a mesh fly hood, three baseball caps and bear spray. There was a battery pack and a solar-powered flashlight and a pocket book on the constellations, along with a poster crammed with more signatures than employees.
Give them hell, Allie, it read.
