Brazen (14 page)

"But Casey is hardly the kind of female who would wear
a ring like this."

"Michael, the two of you are engaged. She is going to
be your wife. You need to start treating her that way."

"But marriages are usually between two people who
love each other."

"Your father and I barely knew each other when we
were married. Sometimes it takes a while for things to
work out, but they will work out if you try hard enough.
It isn't always easy not even when you are in love."

"Being married to Casey is going to be a challenge,
that's for sure."

"I'm not defending her rough ways, but she hasn't had
the easiest life, what with her mother dying when she was
so young."

"I know."

"Be a gentleman when you're around her. Try treating
her like a lady. She's never known that kind of consideration and respect."

"But she's as tough as any of the hands." Even as he
said it, he remembered the way she'd looked down at the
river and the unexpected wonder of her kiss.

"She may wear pants, and she may be able to ride and
rope with the best of the men, but deep down inside,
Cassandra is still a young woman. Court her. Woo her."

"But--" he started to protest further.

She interrupted him. "When will you see her again?"

"I don't know."

"Well, the next time you do pay her a visit, think about
taking her some flowers."

Michael listened to his mother's instructions, but he
knew there was no point in trying to woo Casey. They had
already agreed upon the kind of marriage they were going
to have. He couldn't very well tell his mother that, though.

"Cassandra is going to be your bride, Michael," Elizabeth continued.

"I know, but she's always going to be a Turner."

Elizabeth fixed her son with a steady regard. "That's
where you're wrong, Michael. Once you're married, Cassandra will be a Donovan."

"Michael, you need to ride over to the Bar T and invite
Cassandra to dinner tonight," Elizabeth told her son when
she sought him out at the stable early the following morning.

After their talk the day before, Michael had had a feeling his mother was going to try to bring Casey and him
together; it looked like she was wasting no time.

"Why?"

"Because we need to talk about your wedding plans,
and, besides, the two of you need to get to know each
other better."

"1 know everything I want to know about Casey."

"Michael Donovan, I'm ashamed of you." She used her
motherly tone of voice on him.

He hated it when she did that.

"All right," he gave in. "I'll just send one of the boys
over--"

"I didn't say send one of the boys," she replied sternly.
"It's important you go."

"But I've got work to do."

"Tom can take over for you."

Michael knew it was pointless to argue. "What time
should I tell her to show up?"

Elizabeth gave him a stem look. "You can tell Cassandra that you'll pick her up at five."

"You want me to pick her up?"

"That's right. It wouldn't be appropriate for her to ride
back home by herself after dark."

Michael was thinking to himself that if Casey ate fast,
she could make it back to the Bar T before sundown, but
he knew better than to say that to his mother.

"I'll get Nick, and we'll ride over there right now."

"Good." Elizabeth was pleased when he didn't argue
further.

"All right, Pete. Turn him loose," Casey said, settling down
in the saddle.

Pete had been holding the stallion's bridle. At her order, he released the animal and ran quickly to get out of
harm's way.

Word of what was about to transpire had spread
around the ranch, and some of the men had gathered at
the corral to watch. The stallion was as stubborn, strongwilled and proud as Casey was. The ranch hands knew it
was going to be an interesting contest.

As soon as Pete freed the stallion, the horse reared in
violent protest of the weight on his back. He spun wildly
around, trying to rid himself of the unwanted domination,
but to no avail. The stallion bucked, then raced headlong
about the corral, yet the rider stayed with him.

Cheers went up from those watching. They recognized
fine horsemanship when they saw it.

Michael and Nick were riding up to the house when they
heard the men cheering down by the corral. Curious, they
rode over to see what was going on.

"Isn't that Casey?" Nick asked in amazement.

"I'm afraid so," Michael responded at the sight of his
future bride on the back of the bucking stallion. He
thought about his mother's advice to treat Casey like a
lady, and wondered if his mother would have changed
her opinion if she could have seen Casey now.

Michael and Nick dismounted and went to stand with
the other men to watch.

Michael knew that few men could have stayed in the
saddle for as long as she had, and he reluctantly admitted
to himself that Casey was good damned good.

Casey's battle with the stallion continued.

Neither the horse nor the rider was willing to surrender.

When the stallion made a particularly savage move,
twisting violently and bucking, Casey was thrown. She
landed hard in the dirt and lay unmoving for a minute.

"Is she all right?" Nick asked Michael, worried. He'd
never seen anyone thrown like that before.

"I'd better check," Michael said, entering the corral.

"I don't need your help," Casey snapped as she slowly
got up. Her expression was fierce with determination as
she dusted herself off. She jammed her hat back on her
head, stalked toward the stallion, ready to climb back in
the saddle.

But Michael wasn't about to let her try again so soon.
He reached the stallion before she did and took up the
reins of the quivering steed.

"Why don't you let a real bronc buster show you how
it's done?" he told her.

"You think you're going to ride him?" Casey scoffed,
believing Michael was too soft after all his years back East.

"I know I can," he answered her challenge.

Michael thought he was ready as he swung up in the
saddle, but he learned real fast that he wasn't. The horse
was powerful in its refusal to surrender. It twisted violently
and bucked in wild contortions in its effort to rid itself of
the man on its back.

Casey was genuinely surprised that Michael stayed on
the horse as long as he did. Ultimately, though, the stallion managed a ferocious bucking turn, and Michael lost
his seat. She wasted no time chasing down the stallion
and mounting up.

"This is how it's done, cowboy," she called as she prepared herself to continue her battle.

Michael couldn't believe she was so eager to try again.
He returned to Nick's side to watch.

"Casey is one tough woman," Nick said in amazement.

"I know." And he did, judging from the way he felt from
just being thrown one time.

The stallion tried every maneuver he could to throw
Casey again, but to no avail. At long last, he quieted and
came to stand in the middle of the corral, trembling from
exhaustion.

Victorious, Casey kneed him to action and rode at a
controlled pace past the onlookers.

The ranch hands cheered her success.

"I told you if anybody could break that stubborn piece
of horseflesh it would be Casey," Pete bragged to the
other hands.

"She is one helluva horsewoman," they agreed.

"They're right about that," Nick told Michael as they
watched her pass by.

Casey smiled at Michael, gloating, "Now, that's how it's
done."

"You only broke him because I wore him out for you,"
Michael countered with a grin.

Casey grinned back and finally reined in where Pete
had come back into the corral to help her.

"I did it," Casey said with a confident smile as she dismounted and handed him the reins.

"Were you worried?" Pete teased.

"If I was, I'd never tell you."

They laughed in easy camaraderie.

"I had faith in you, Casey. This big boy didn't stand a
chance against you."

"It wasn't easy, but he's worth it."

"What are you going to name him?"

Casey looked up at the beautiful, but stubborn stallion and stroked his neck. "I think I'll call him Buck, because
he sure knows how to do it."

"Good name," Pete agreed. "It suits him. What's your
fiance doing here?" Pete had been surprised when Jack
had told him about Casey's upcoming marriage. He'd understood the need to join the two ranches, but he wondered at the wisdom of her marrying Michael.

"I guess I'm about to find out," she told him as she let
herself out of the corral and went over to join with Michael and Nick as everybody else drifted back to work.

"This is a surprise," Casey greeted them, smiling at Nick
in welcome.

"That was some fine riding, Casey," Nick complimented
her. "I've never seen anyone actually break a horse before. You're very good."

"Thanks."

"Do you enjoy doing it?"

"When it's over," she laughed.

He laughed with her. "I can understand why. Have you
ever run into a horse you couldn't break?"

"Not yet," she answered. "If you want to learn how, I
can teach you."

"I'll think about it."

Michael listened to their conversation and almost felt
a little envious of how at ease they were with each other.
He grew irritated for even caring, and turned his thoughts
to what his mother might think of Casey's activities that
morning. Though his mother had advised him to treat
Casey like a lady, Casey wasn't going to make that easy
for him. She'd caused him nothing but trouble for as long as he'd known her, and he doubted that was going to
change even after she became his wife.

"What brings you to the Bar T? Did you really come
over to help me break horses?" She looked at Michael. "I
know you two weren't just passing by."

"I came to invite you to dinner tonight," he answered.

"Why would you do that?" she asked.

"Because it will give us a chance to discuss our wedding plans."

"Did your mother hear from Reverend Harris yet?"

"She's hoping he'll let her know something this afternoon, so she can tell you what time you'll be meeting
with him when she sees you tonight."

"Let me go make sure it's all right with Pa for me to
leave tonight. He's up at the house," she said. She was
hesitant to get too far away from him these days. After his
trip to the Circle D, she didn't trust him to take care of
himself anymore. The memory of finding him unconscious on the floor still haunted her, so she'd gotten promises from the hands to check on him during the day to
make sure he was all right. "You haven't met my pa yet,
have you, Nick?"

"No, but I'm looking forward to it," he told her.

Casey led the way to the house, and Michael watched
her for a moment as she walked away. Though she was
wearing a man's work clothes, there was nothing masculine about the way she moved. He found himself
watching the natural, easy sway of her hips. He reminded
himself that this was Casey as he and Nick followed after
her.

"Come on in," Casey invited as she went up the porch
steps and into the house. "Pa," she called out.

Jack was in the back of the house, and he came out to
see what she wanted.

"Why, Michael. This is a surprise. Welcome to the
Bar T."

"Thanks."

"And who is this young man?"

"This is Nick, Michael's cousin from back East."

"Good to meet you. So, what brings you here today?"
Jack asked as he showed them into the parlor.

"I wanted to invite Casey to dinner tonight," Michael
answered.

"And I wanted to make sure it was all right with you
before I told him I would go," she explained. She was
almost hoping her father would insist she stay home with
him. The last thing she wanted to do was spend any more
time than necessary with Michael. It was going to be difficult enough once they were married, she didn't see any
reason to rush things.

"Of course it is, darling," Jack said. "That will be fine."

"Good. I'll come back for you about five o'clock," Michael told her.

Casey frowned. "You don't have to come here. I'm perfectly capable of riding over to your place on my own."

"No," Michael insisted.

"But--" she started to argue with him.

"It will be dark by the time we finish with dinner, and
it wouldn't be safe for you to be out by yourself."

"Safe? Nothing's going to happen to me," she scoffed.

"You're right. Nothing is going to happen to you, because I'll be with you. After what happened to my father,
there's no point in taking any chances."

"Casey, Michael's right," Jack advised.

"Yes, Pa," she relented, annoyed but resigned to her
fate. It looked as if she was destined to spend the entire
evening with Michael.

"I'll see you around five," Michael said, more than
ready to leave.