A Cowboy Worth Claiming by Charlene Sands

Author:Charlene Sands
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-10-21T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The skies overhead were blue and the trail back to Red Ridge not nearly as dusty as when they were driving the herd. With a saddlebag full of cash, the string of horses behind her and Chance riding ahead, Lizzie thoughts flowed free. Her first priority was Grandpa’s health. Soon as she got a doctor to fix him up, they’d make a fresh start with the ranch. Once Grandpa had regained his strength, they could buy a few heifers and a bull. Grandpa knew all there was to know about raising cattle. It wasn’t his fault her father died when he did, leaving the brunt of the work and worries to Edward. He’d raised her and kept the ranch going. He’d done a fine job with both, in her estimation, and if it wasn’t for some bad fortune with the herd they’d have done just fine. It would be slow going starting up the ranch again, but Lizzie didn’t mind. Hope filled her heart that life would get better now after the successful trail drive.

She still smarted from Chance’s utter refusal to give her so much as the time of day since they’d left the hotel room. He acted as though he hadn’t kissed her for all she was worth or caressed her in private places she’d never been touched before. Thinking on it brought gooseflesh to her arms and made her stomach flutter, so she shed herself of those thoughts as best she could.

Three hours later, Chance double backed to ride beside her, his gaze following the darkening sky. “Gonna be dusk soon. You ready to settle for the night?”

Her rear end screamed for mercy. She’d been ready to soothe her sore muscles two hours ago. “I could go another mile or two.”

Chance narrowed his eyes, glancing at the terrain and then up at the sky again. His contemplation worried her silly. She sent up a batch of silent prayers. “Please, don’t let him agree with me. Not this time.”

“No,” he said. “We’d best make camp here.”

She shrugged a shoulder, thanking all that was merciful that her fool mouth hadn’t gotten her another bruise on her backside. “Suit yourself.”

He leaned forward in the saddle, his mouth quirking up. “I always do.”

They made camp right there, near a cropping of trees.

“Build a fire, Lizzie,” Chance said over his shoulder as he led the horses away to feed and bed them down for the night.

She was so grateful to be rid of the saddle she didn’t comment on Chance’s bossy command. She did his bidding, rounding up twigs and dried branches she found nearby. She was getting good at trail fires. Back when her father was alive, she’d never been given the chore and figured now, after watching how it was done for so many years, the building of a good fire was a skill one acquired from experience. Once she got it started, flames licked up in a blaze then settled to a crackling even heat.

After the horses were fed, Chance walked back with two saddlebags slung over his shoulders.

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