Espino, Stacey - Hogtying the Cowgirl [Ride 'em Hard 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (15 page)

“I’ll provide. She has both of us.”

“You’re right, Clay. You can provide.” He dug his hands into his pockets feeling insignificant. “Look, I’ve gotta job I need to be at in half an hour, so I best be going.” He tilted his hat, not wanting the conversation to progress further, and then boarded his truck.

* * * *

Angel carried a sheet-metal bucket from the outdoor tap to the side of the barn where her mare was waiting. The water sploshed to the sides, wetting her boots as she struggled to carry it.

“Need help with that?” Wyatt Carson appeared from the side of the barn and easily took the bucket from her.

“I’m fine. I’m just about to give Betsy a wash down.”

“Nice day for it.” He leaned against the wooden wall and watched her as she squatted down to soap up the mare’s legs.

Angel wasn’t used to Wyatt or his brothers giving her the time of day. They hated her ever since she mouthed off to their girlfriend, now wife. “Since when are you nice to me, Wyatt?”

“I’m always nice.”

She frowned. He used to be all right to be around, and Cord and Val had been fun to grow up with. Angel was born loyal, raised by parents who enforced the cowboy way of loyalty and honor. When her friends needed help, she helped them, no questions asked. There was no need for them to know her sacrifice, because she never did it for a pat on the back. She did it out of love. The
Carsons
were like brothers to her.

The fact her good deed had dragged her own life through the dirt afterward wasn’t their fault. She could live with pain and inner turmoil, and she had for five years. What hurt the most was the
Carsons
taking their friendship away from her. No second chance. It was in her nature to be suspicious where her friends were concerned. She’d honestly thought Samantha was a gold digger. The Lord knew how many came through their town each year hoping to land a rodeo champ or million-dollar rancher. She was looking out for them, and all she got was more heartache.

“If you’re looking for Grant or Matthew, they’re inside watching the game. They woke up before sunrise to get their chores done just to make that stupid game. If you head in now, prepare to be ignored.”

“I didn’t come to see them. I came to see you. We’ve been at each other’s throats for too long.”

“There’s no need. I have no problem with you, Wyatt.” She poured some water on the mare’s back, ready to head around back for another bucket.

He held her arm back when she started to leave. “Something going on with you and Landon?”

“What do you mean? He’s my best friend. It’s no secret.”

“I mean more than friends. He looked pretty upset when he left town yesterday afternoon.”

Angel dropped her bucket, not even realizing under the hollow thud pulled her head around. “Left town? What are you talking about?”

“He said something about a job in the oil sands.”

She shook her head. “I just saw him two days ago. He would have said something to me.” Now she felt her face heat. Was she that unimportant that he wouldn’t even call if he was leaving?

“I thought you knew. He just seemed so distraught when he left. Thought you may know something about it, considering you and him are
best friends
.”

“I hope you’re not suggesting that I’m the one who scared him out of town. Am I that much of a fucking repellant? First my friends, then my family, now the man I love?” She’d said it, but Wyatt already knew—probably half the town, too. Right now she needed to get to the bottom of things, and had the sneaky suspicion Clay may be behind Landon’s sudden disappearance. Did he decide he no longer wanted to share?

Angel set her mare to graze with the cattle and then asked Wyatt for a ride out to the Roberts ranch. He dropped her off at the main iron archway before the long, winding driveway. “You sure you don’t want me to bring you to the front door? It’s quite the hike.”

“I’m sure.” She wanted to be alone when she dealt with Clay. The beat-up truck was sure to signal their arrival. If Wyatt came along, she’d have to bite her tongue when Clay came out to greet them.

“And you don’t need a ride back?”

“No. I’ll be fine. Now you should stop being so nice to me, Wyatt Carson. I’m certainly not used to it.”

“Well, I’m the one who made the mistake of holding a grudge with you. But no more.”

She offered him a smile, something she rarely did these days. It felt unnatural, but there were a lot of things about herself that needed changing. Wyatt offering her forgiveness was one step in healing, in repairing her reputation with her friends.

Angel set up the long path to the house alone. The bright rays of sunlight filtered through the leaves of the great oaks lining the driveway. He had a little slice of heaven on this ranch. There were no livestock besides his two horses, but it would make an excellent cattle ranch if he ever had the mind to do such a thing. She was excited to see her stallion. Since she last saw Clay and Landon, she’d been kept busy on the ranch. Her brothers were watching her like hawks, as if they could sense something was amiss.

When she didn’t see the cowboy outside, she knew he had to be in the house. His truck was parked outside, the engine still settling. She stopped at the split rail fence to watch the horse for a while. Time stood still out here in the country, only nature providing sounds that soothed her soul. The horse was a beauty. He noticed her standing there, which agitated him. The stallion flicked his head and stomped in challenge, but it only made her eager to get in there with him for some training. Later. She had to find out what happened to Landon before she worried about anything else.

Did she just hear more than one voice? She crept up the porch, taking care on the creaky steps. The windows were wide open as would be expected during a hot summer day.

“I don’t want to move in with you, Clay. How many times have I told you that I need my own space?”

“That apartment you’re renting is a shithole, Kayla. I don’t like it. Let me pay for something better.”

The woman sighed. “I love you, but you’re impossible sometimes.” She heard a distinct kissing sound and then heels on the hardwood.
Motherfucker had a girlfriend on the side.
Or was Angel the side dish? Her palms began to ache from her nails digging in deep. Then blistering-hot anger morphed into panic, her heart rate increasing, her face sweaty. Had they both used her in the barn like some cheap hussy? Did Clay feel anything for her or did he
love
all his women? She’d actually fell for his act, even confided in him
. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Angel had to get out of there before they found her and made her feel even more pathetic. She looked around for a source of escape. With no ride, the untamed stallion looked more and more tempting. She’d made a terrible mistake with Clay. In the span of a couple weeks she’d managed to ruin a wonderful friendship and turn into a rich man’s whore. She had to get away.

Just as she was climbing the fence, the screen door whined open, and they both stood there on the porch, watching her. They looked like they’d seen a ghost. Angel was blonde but not that blonde. After doing a double-take of the woman, she realized it was that dame from Clay’s distribution centre. He was fucking his secretary, how appropriate.

Angel continued over the fence and cautiously approached the stallion. She was used to riding bareback, but his horse was untamed, so it would be a challenge. When she heard Clay call her, approaching the pen, she held her breath and took the leap. With a grip full of mane, she gave a sharp prod, hollering for him to go. Did he ever go. The wind was flying by her face within seconds, the perimeter fence closing in fast.

“Angel!”

She ignored Clay. “Come on, beauty. You can do this.” With her head lowered, she charged the fence, jamming her heels in the horse’s sides to encourage him. She closed her eyes when they reached the last few feet of space, and then they were airborne.

Chapter Fifteen

That woman was off her rocker. Angel quickly became a speck on the horizon as she galloped off full speed on the unbroken stallion. The horse wasn’t even saddled or bridled, only wearing the simple halter he’d managed to get on when they started their training.

“She sure wanted to get out of here in a hurry,” said Kayla, a hand over her eyes as she watched them disappear.

“I don’t know what came over her.” Clay was completely clueless. Regardless, he’d have to go out and get her. She was likely to get herself killed on that beast. He hadn’t even scouted his own land yet. It was probably riddled with gopher holes.

Kayla smirked. “She probably thought I was your girlfriend. Unless you told her I was your sister after she came into the office.”

No, he hadn’t mentioned anything to Angel about Kayla being his little sister. There was no need at the time. All he had wanted to do was get her home so he could play with her.

“Then why in God’s name wouldn’t she ask me? Why’d she run off like crazed woman?”

Kayla rolled her eyes. “You men are all the same, aren’t you? You wouldn’t know how to handle a woman if they came with instructions. The poor girl probably thinks she’s in love with you. You said she’s only twenty-two. All her emotions will be heightened, especially jealousy if she thinks you’re messing around on her.”

“Jealous? Fuck, that’s not good. That girl is wicked as it is.” He had to find her before she got hurt or did something stupid. His only choice was his new gelding because his sister needed his pickup truck. “I’m going after her.”

She touched his arm before he bolted off. “Clay, you really like this girl?”

“I do.” As foolish as the cowgirl was, she was constantly on his mind.

Kayla smiled. “Then you’re doing the right thing. Tell her how you feel. You’ve been alone since Mom and Dad died. I want to see you happy.”

He loved his younger sister more than the world. It had been just him and her since that fateful day their parents were stolen from them. He was more a father than a brother most days—taking care of Kayla, supporting her, teaching her. Although he wanted her to move into the big ranch, under his protective wing, she refused to leave the heart of the town. She liked being independent, and he knew she hated working at the distribution center. Her first love was art, but she had no time now that Clay needed her in the office every waking hour.

“Take the truck keys. They’re hanging in the foyer. If I’m not back in the office by closing, just drive my truck back for me, will ya?”

“Sure thing.”

As he hurried to the barn, already having stalled too long, he called back over his shoulder. “One of the Garner brothers will be in to settle his account later today. The
Richmond
boys, too.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m on it. Go!”

He hastily saddled the gelding and walked him beyond the fence line. Where would Angel go? Clay mounted the horse and followed in the same direction as the stallion.

* * * *

Angel slowed the horse when she reached one of the small streams cutting across the land. She dare not get off the horse. He’d be gone before she could blink, and with no rope to tie him to a tree, she was better off on his back. Her own mare was the best-trained horse in the province. It took a lot of hours and love to get her there, but it was worth it to have a dependable horse.

“It’s just you and me now,” she said to the horse. “I’ll take you home and teach you real good.” She shifted back when the horse leaned over to take a drink. Angel almost laughed at her situation. One day she was basking in the love of two men, and the next she was abandoned by one and cheated on by another. She’d given both of them her virginity, so she had nothing special to offer a man in the future. Not that she’d dare go through this again. She should have listened to her brothers and stayed home where she belonged. They were family, the only people she could count on to really love her.

She decided to follow the stream to the small waterfall on the
Richmond
ranch. It was the place she went to for comfort when the world and its burdens were too heavy to bear. She’d reflect, collect her thoughts, and then head home.

As soon as she arrived at her favorite spot, she slipped off the horse, looking for something to secure him with. That’s when the other horse came galloping up, spraying dirt and clumps of grass when it stopped abruptly right in front of her. She looked up to see Clay’s stoic face and the determined set of his dark eyes. She cursed when she realized the stallion had wandered off onto the Richmonds’ fields.