Rough Cowboy Read online

  “I take it you’d like to stick around.”

  “Definitely, and I’m sorry about earlier. I probably should’ve waited for you to come to the round pen before starting.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “I’d reconnected with Bonny, and I knew she was in the right headspace. I figured you wouldn’t be long. I didn’t mean to alarm you. I take it working on a loose horse isn’t common around here.”

  “Not at all, and it’s not safe.”

  “Uh-huh,” she said evasively, then crouching down, she began petting Catch. “Hi, there. How are you, fella?”

  “You disagree?” he pressed, guessing her attention to his dog was to avoid responding. “It’s okay. You can tell me.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Of course, but come in the house. I left a cup of coffee sittin’ on the counter and I wanna finish it. Would you like one?”

  “Yes, please. I’d love a cup of coffee. I had to dash out of the house this morning.”

  “Let me guess,” he said with a grin as they started walking. “You didn’t have any time because you were runnin’ late.”

  “Kind of,” she replied sheepishly. “Okay, I admit, being on time is a problem with me.”

  “Why do you think that is?”

  “I have no idea. I can make the effort to get up fifteen minutes earlier, or leave the house earlier, but something always seems to happen to hold me up.”

  “What happened this mornin’?” he asked as they entered the kitchen.

  “Ooh, this is so nice,” she exclaimed, glancing around the country decor, then moving to the bay window, she stared out at the paddocks. “You get to watch the horses. I’ve always wanted to live in a place where I could look out and see a scene like this.”

  “I can’t imagine not bein’ able to stare at that view,” he said with a sigh. “It settles me when I’m tense, and gives me a lift if things get tough. Do you take milk or sugar in your coffee?”

  “Both, please. Which horse is yours?”

  “Leo, the leopard appy,” he replied, pouring her drink. “Not an original name, but it fits. There’s Bonny, of course, and the other two belong to clients, but you didn’t answer my question. What held you up this mornin’?”

  “I wasn’t horribly late, just a few minutes, but it was a garbage truck. To get here I have to take 180th Street.”

  “That can be a pain. Only two lanes, up and down those darn slopes, and no way to pass. Here’s your coffee. The sugar’s on the island.”

  “Great, thanks. Anyway, the truck stopped at every house. What the hell was it doing collecting garbage on a Sunday?”

  “It’s from the recyclin’ plant,” he declared, rolling his eyes. “They come by once a month, on a Sunday. Don’t ask me why, but, Megan, you said you ran out of the house, which means you were already pressed for time.”

  “Uh, yeah. I went out last night and I guess I overslept a bit.”

  “Aha! The truth comes out,” he exclaimed with a grin. “But I thought you were new to this area, or did I get that wrong?”

  “I spent my summer holidays at Doug Haskell’s ranch. That’s one of the reasons I chose to move here. I love the area, and I knew he’d hire me if I got desperate. Plus, he’s letting me stay in one of the cabins until I find something. My parents and the Haskells went to college together. They’ve been friends forever. I call them Uncle Doug and Aunty Marge. Anyway, last night I went out with Teddy, his son. We’ve known each other forever.”

  “Teddy. Sure, I know Teddy, but I thought he was workin’ in New York.”

  “He was, but he hated it there. He’s come home to rethink what he wants to do. He took me to the Stagecoach. I can’t believe that place is still around.”

  Brad nodded. The popular tavern was a landmark, but it was also a place that could get raucous on the weekends, especially Saturday nights. Surprised Teddy Haskell had taken her there, he picked up his coffee and took a sip. It was cold. He grimaced.

  “Are you and Teddy an item?” he asked casually, throwing the cold drink away and pouring himself a fresh cup.

  “No, though there have been times I’ve had the feeling he’d like us to be, but I don’t find him attractive in that way. He’s like the brother I never had. We’re both only kids.”

  Lifting the mug to his lips, he looked up and happened to catch her eyes. They held a look he couldn’t discern.

  “Brad?” she murmured, her voice almost a whisper. “Did you, uh, mean what you said earlier?”

  He paused.

  “What exactly are you talkin’ about?” he asked softly, stepping closer.

  “You know.”

  “I don’t like to make assumptions.”

  “When you said, uh, what would happen if I, uh, didn’t do what you said.”

  His heart skipped.

  Her face had suddenly blushed beet red, and her breathy voice suggested more than nerves. He quickly told himself to listen to his own advice and not assume anything.

  “I sure did, Megan, but I’ll deny it if anyone asks. I have a certain way of doin’ things. Carry out your job and do what I tell you, and it’s not something you’ll need to worry about, but if you don’t, yeah, I might take it into my head to whack your butt. It’s up to you. Do you still want to work here?”

  “Call me crazy, but I do.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes, Brad,” she said firmly, though her voice was a murmur. “I’m very sure.”

  “Then we’re gonna start by fixin’ your problem.”

  “My problem?”

  “From now on you’ll get a swat for every minute you’re late.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “Even if it’s because a road is blocked, or some stupid garbage truck holds me up?”

  “No excuses, Megan. That’s it.”

  “Shit.”

  “Any questions?”

  “Can I pick up Andy’s barefoot clients?” she asked, then suddenly giggled. “I said it again. Barefoot clients.”

  He grinned, but a moment later he found himself wanting to sweep her into his arms, grab her hair, and consume her mouth.

  “How will I meet them?” she asked, interrupting his salacious thoughts. “Will I go with you, or...?”

  “Yeah,” he replied, clearing his throat. “I’ll take you with me when I visit those particular barns. If they give their approval, you can work on their horses, and hopefully they’ll like what you do. It’s up to them, but I’ll recommend you. Uh, Megan, did you say you’re staying at the Haskells’?”

  “I did, in one of their guest cabins, but I want to move as soon as I can. If Teddy wasn’t there I could probably stay longer, but he’s always knocking on my door. I feel bad for him. I think he’s lonely. Aunty Marge is always off somewhere, and Uncle Doug is either busy with his owners, or locked up in his office.”

  “I have a thought,” Brad said slowly. “It’s entirely up to you, but when I was renovatin’ the house last year I fixed up the loft above the barn so I’d have place to live that wasn’t full of plastic sheetin’ and dust. It’s big, and it’s still furnished. I bought all new stuff for this house, and I haven’t gotten around to movin’ out what’s up there, and I might not. You wanna take a look?”

  “Absolutely,” she said with a sassy grin. “That will stop me being late!”

  “Not necessarily. You’ll be doin’ more than trainin’ and trimmin’. You’ll be sharin’ feedin’ and cleanin’ chores with me, so you’ll be on a strict schedule. We never talked about that, so I guess I’d better ask you again. You still want the job?”

  “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  “Nope,” he replied, a frown crossing his brow. “If I didn’t want you here, you’d already be drivin’ that Jeep back to Furlong Farms!”

  “Is there anything else you haven’t mentioned?”

  “Probably, but nothin’ comes to mind right now. Drink up and I’l
l show you the loft.”

  “I just thought of something. If I’m able to buy Bonny, can she stay here?”

  “You don’t have a horse?”

  “I had Miss Piggy, that was my mare, since I was twelve years old. After she, uh, left,” Megan managed, still unable to say passed away, “I tried to find Bonny, but as I mentioned, her owner had disappeared. I looked for another horse, but in Southern California horse hunting is a nightmare. I knew I’d be getting out of there, so I stopped searching and decided to wait.”

  “I take it you’re a mare lover.”

  “I love all horses, but yeah, I’m partial to mares. So, if I am able to buy Bonny, can she stay here?”

  “That goes without sayin’.”

  “I don’t like to make assumptions, Mr. Hillman,” she quipped, shooting him a wink.

  Shaking his head, he downed the last of his coffee and set the mug on the counter. She was as sassy as she was smart and skilled, and he had no doubt she’d be over his lap before the week was out.

  Chapter Three

  Megan couldn’t believe her luck. She’d be working for a hunky cowboy at a beautiful ranch, and living in a fantastic loft apartment. With paned windows running along both sides, it was light and airy, though she wanted to add curtains. The space had a masculine feel, but she already had some ideas. She’d buy cushions for the couch, a white tablecloth on the dining table, and replace the ugly brown bedspread with something new and pretty.

  As she drove back to Furlong Farms, the Haskells’ sprawling thoroughbred ranch, she loved the idea of living above the horses, but a moment later, her smile grew wider. Though her new living quarters were a dream come true, that dream could be topped. Living in the newly renovated ranch house with Mr. Sexy Cowboy himself would be the ultimate, but she was under no illusions. Though he’d lightened up as he’d taken her on a tour of the ranch, introduced her to the horses, and showed her how the feed room was arranged, he was still gruff, rough, and tough. He’d made it abundantly clear he was her boss, and she suspected he wasn’t the type to mix business with pleasure. It didn’t matter. She wouldn’t want to screw things up by becoming romantically involved either, though she’d found his threat tantalizing, and still did.

  “I wonder what it would be like to be spanked by him,” she mumbled, slowing down and turning into the driveway, then giggling, she added, “Maybe I should find out.”

  As she thought about provoking the muscled cowboy, the giggle became a laugh, continuing as she imagined crazy scenarios that might result with her over his knee. She was almost hysterical as she drove up to the Haskells’ impressive home, but rolling to a stop in the motor court and spotting Teddy’s Mustang convertible, her silliness dissolved. Though she was excited about giving Doug the good news, Teddy had spent most of the night before trying to persuade her to stop looking for a job and work for his father.

  “Might as well get it over with,” she mumbled. “Teddy will find out soon enough, and I don’t need him banging on my door asking why I didn’t tell him myself.”

  Climbing from her Jeep, she walked up to the front door and rang the bell. She’d been told many times she could come and go as she pleased, but she didn’t feel comfortable entering the house unannounced.

  “Hello, Megan,” the housekeeper said with a smile. “Come on in. You know you don’t have to ring.”

  “Hi, Rosalie. I know. It was different when I was staying here, but now that I’m in a guest cabin it doesn’t feel right.”

  “Land sakes, you’re one of the family.”

  “I can’t help it. Is Uncle Doug here?”

  “He sure is. In his study. Can I get you anything?”

  “Could you make me one of your frothy nutmeg coffees?”

  “Sure I can. You go ahead and I’ll bring it in.”

  Rosalie had worked for the Haskells from the day they’d moved in twenty-five years before, and Megan adored her. She and Teddy had been born within a few months of each other, and Rosalie had watched over them whenever Megan’s parents had visited.

  When Megan was older and spent the summers there, Rosalie was in charge. Teddy’s mother was often away, and his father too busy running the stable to worry about keeping tabs on young teenagers.

  The ranch had changed over the years, and so had the house. Moving down a wide hallway to one of the newer extensions, she knocked on the arched door, then poked her head around.

  “Uncle Doug? Are you busy?”

  “Never too busy for you, hon. Come on in.”

  “I wanted to thank you for getting me that interview with Brad Hillman,” she said gratefully, ambling in and sitting in a chair in front of his desk. “What a beautiful ranch he has, but he’s a real character.”

  “Yeah, he is that, but don’t keep me in suspense. How did it go?”

  “Can’t you tell?” she said excitedly. “Uncle Doug, he offered me the job.”

  “Honey, that’s wonderful,” Doug exclaimed, rising from his desk and moving around to hug her. “He’s a man with high standards. Sit back down and tell me everything. I don’t think he was particularly open to hiring a female. How did you win him over?”

  “He has a horse there called Bonny. I knew her in L.A. She’s absolutely wonderful, but her owner moved and I lost track of her. Anyway, I was thrilled to see her. Apparently the woman who owns her now is having trouble just like her previous owner did.”

  “Jennifer Roberts. She and her husband have horses with me.”

  “Really? I want Bonny so badly. Do you think they’d be open to selling her?”

  “I have no idea. You can always ask.”

  “Bonny’s with Brad because she was being difficult, but she was always a dream with me. Anyway, long story short, Brad found me trimming her feet and she wasn’t tied up. To me it was no big deal, but it was for him.”

  “You mean—she was loose? I don’t understand. How did you get her to stand still?”

  “I’m not sure how to explain this to a racehorse breeder, but I don’t make a horse do anything. They do what they do because they want to.”

  “Because they want to,” Doug repeated, raising his eyebrows. “You always did have a way with the horses here, and dogs too. Monty was always so thrilled to see you.”

  “I miss him. Why don’t you get another dog? This place needs one.”

  “Your Aunt Marge is worried about the rugs we have here now. It’s not dog-proof tile anymore.”

  “That’s ridiculous.”

  “You know what, Megan, you’re right! I miss having a mutt running around too. I’m going to look into it.”

  “Just get an older dog that’s housebroken.”

  “I’m going to.”

  “You’re not just saying that?”

  “Hell, no. Anyway, back to you. Whatever magic you weave, I’m just glad things worked out the way they did. Like I told you, Hammer is gruff, rough, and tough, but he’s a good man.”

  “Hammer? I’m glad you didn’t call him that when you were telling me about him,” she remarked with a grin. “Makes him sound like a Neanderthal.”

  “That’s what we call him around here. His ranch is called Hammer and Nails, and he’s always pounding metal. He’s an artist as well as a shoer.”

  “An artist? I would never have guessed that.”

  “You should see the pieces he’s made. He did that one,” Doug declared, pointing to a silver statue of a horse galloping. “Ask him to show you his gallery. He has an entire room with nothing but his metal sculptures. I’m sure he’d be happy to let you see it.”

  “He made that? Amazing.”

  “Yep. I keep telling him he needs to start selling them, but he likes to give them away as gifts. I think he’s crazy.”

  “Here’s your coffee, hon,” Rosalie said, walking in and handing it to her. “Teddy will be here in a minute. He saw me carrying this and he guessed you were here.”

  “Ah, good, he can hear the great news,” Doug declared. “Rose, Mega
n has landed a job with Hammer.”

  “Congratulations. That’s wonderful news. Mind you, he’ll be demanding, but if anyone can handle him, you can!”

  “You know Brad?”

  “Well, sure. He’s here all the time.”

  “I don’t understand. Why haven’t I met him?”

  “You did once. Don’t you remember?” Rosalie asked, her eyes wide in surprise. “It was only about three, maybe four years ago. I don’t remember. Time goes by so fast these days. You were riding that palomino we had here for a while. You went galloping past him while he was shoeing one of the stallions. It spooked the horse and he—”

  “That was him?” Megan exclaimed, interrupting her. “That was Brad? But, how do you know about that? There was no one around.”

  “What’s this?” Doug interjected. “Megan, you know that area’s off limits. With all the places you can gallop a horse, why did you go over there?”

  “Uh, I’m not sure,” she muttered, her face flushing, “but Rosalie, you still haven’t told me how you know about that. Did Brad mention it?”

  “He certainly didn’t tell me,” Doug remarked, still frowning across at Megan, “and neither did you, Rosalie!”

  “I’m no snitch!”

  “I wonder what else I don’t know about,” he grunted. “On second thoughts, I’m not sure I want to.”

  “Probably not,” Rosalie said with a grin. “To answer your question, Megan, it was a hot day, and I’d taken down a large pitcher of iced lemonade. Poor guy had been out there for hours.”

  “Shoot,” Megan muttered. “There’s no way he’s put two and two together. He wouldn’t have hired me if he’d known that was me.”

  “So what exactly happened?” Doug demanded. “I may as well know all the details, since I appear to be the only one who doesn’t. I take it you spooked a horse while Hammer was shoeing him, which is disgraceful, but then what?”

  “Uh, well...” Megan began hesitantly, “there’s not much to tell. He yelled at me and I yelled back.”