Chapter Six

Annie changed her opinion about her grandfather in the days that followed. Bit by bit, sometimes grudgingly, at other times almost willingly, her resentment of him eased. How could it not when he was so touchingly grateful for her company?

The hours she spent with him in his room, which should have been long and tedious, were actually pleasant ones. Walter liked to tell stories about the old days, and his tales could be very amusing.

Annie particularly enjoyed his anecdotes about her father. Having been only a few years old when typhoid fever struck him down, she had only the barest impression of Will Johnson. After his death, he’d been even more of a shadowy figure for her, never quite real. Nor had her mother, who couldn’t bear to talk about the husband she’d loved and lost, ever enlightened her.

But Walter brought his son alive for Annie, and she appreciated that. She heard about her father’s boyhood mischief, his teenage escapades, and the exuberant personality of his adult years that had made Will so liked by everyone.

At other times, Walter talked about the ranch, and that also could be surprisingly interesting, even making Annie curious.

“What happened to all the longhorns?” she asked him one day. “All I saw when we drove here were whitefaces.”

He was pleased by her question. “Turns out the longhorns are fine on the Texas ranges, but the Wyoming winters were just too hard on them. Whitefaces can stand the cold much better. Better meat on them, too.”

When her grandfather wasn’t in the mood to talk, they would settle down to a game of checkers. He was a wily player, winning most of their games. She didn’t mind.

Annie learned to be careful not to tire him. The worst moments for her were when his eyes would drift shut. Then, sitting there beside his bed while he slept, she would reproach herself for her failure to go on hating him for the past. It somehow seemed disloyal to her mother, as did her gradual acceptance to being here on the ranch. However, she never surrendered her resolve to leave when the time came.

Dr. Thomas called on his patient, praising Annie for her attentions to Walter. Her presence had been good for the old man. Although he was still forbidden from going downstairs, he’d improved enough to leave his bed and sit in a chair by the window. The doctor warned her, however, that her grandfather would never make a full recovery. It was too late for that.

Dr. Thomas might be pleased by Annie, but the housekeeper wasn’t. Delores still had no friendly word for her. Maybe she was jealous. Annie didn’t know and didn’t care. By a mutual, unspoken agreement, she and the housekeeper kept out of each other’s way.

And then there was Brady. Or rather there wasn’t Brady. He seemed to vanish from sight. At least her sight. She had only rare glimpses of him, and those were from a distance. Their one accidental encounter in the kitchen was a brief, awkward one.

His absence was understandable, remembering he was managing two ranches, which must keep him constantly busy. On the other hand, he could be deliberately avoiding her. After all, he’d promised not to watch her, trusting her to keep her half of their bargain.

Annie wondered if he kept track of her through Walter. She knew from her grandfather that, when she wasn’t around, Brady met with the old man in order to keep him informed of any ranch business. Maybe he learned about her during those sessions. If so, her grandfather didn’t say. Nor did she ask.

Well, it was better this way. She didn’t miss Brady, didn’t need him in her life. He meant nothing to her. Denials which crumbled on the afternoon when she spotted him from an upstairs window mending a fence in one of the corrals.

The day was an unseasonably hot one, and he had stripped to the waist. The sight of him as he labored, with sweat beading on his powerful chest, collecting in little rivulets that trickled down to his waistband, had her almost feeling faint with a sudden, sharp longing. She couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from him, even though she called herself every kind of fool for being so susceptible to him.

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen him in this state before, which she had on that morning back in Sweet Spot. When he turned around in the next moment, affording her a view of the nasty scar down his muscular back, Annie remembered she had seen that, too.

She wondered about that scar and how he had received it. She had no intention of asking him about it, though. Brady wouldn’t appreciate her curiosity. Like so many men in the West, especially ranchers and the cowboys who served them, he was a private man who maintained a mystery about himself and his origins.

She could have asked Walter about the scar, of course, but she didn’t want her grandfather to suspect she was in any way interested in Brady Malone. Even if she was helplessly drawn to him, it didn’t make sense. Not when they disliked each other. Not when she still had a mission to accomplish once she was able to leave the ranch.

After that, Annie was extra cautious about coming in contact with Brady, either visually or otherwise. It worked. For about two days, anyway.

****

Brady was outside the bunkhouse, giving orders to one of the hands when Delores arrived with a message.

“Walter wants to see you right away.”

Brady was perplexed. The hour was very early, too early for the old man to be awake and stirring. “Is something wrong? Does he need me to fetch the doctor from Banning?”

The housekeeper shrugged. “He seemed fine, even had me bring up his breakfast tray earlier than usual.”

“So, you don’t know what he wants?”

“All I know is that he sent me to get you. You’ll have to ask him yourself.” Delores turned and went back to the house.

Brady finished his instructions to the hand and followed her a minute later. He was still puzzled by this summons. He and Walter never discussed ranch matters until late afternoon after the old man woke from his daily nap. What could be so urgent?

He found Walter seated in his comfortable chair by the window. The breakfast tray had been placed on the small table in front of him. Its empty dishes were evidence that the old man’s appetite was greatly improved.

For that matter, he had changed considerably in other ways as well. He had a livelier spirit, and his color was more healthy. If Brady didn’t know better, he could have deceived himself into believing Walter was making a full recovery.

Brady knew who to thank for these differences. Annie, of course. There was no question of it. The sassy-tongued little witch had gone and charmed the old boy.

“Mornin’, Brady. Like some coffee? There’s still plenty in the pot here.”

“No, thanks. I had my coffee in the bunkhouse. You wanted to see me?”

“I do. I have a little job for you.”

“What is it?”

“I want you to teach my granddaughter how to ride.”

Walter hadn’t offered him a seat, but Brady suddenly felt the need of one. He sank down on the nearest chair. What Walter proposed wasn’t a little job. It was a major undertaking, and he wanted no part of it.

“Are you telling me she doesn’t already know how to ride?”

“A fine thing, isn’t it? A granddaughter of a rancher living on a ranch, his ranch, and she never learned to ride.”

“Are you sure?”

“Told me so herself just yesterday. We’ve got to fix that, boy.”

“Walter, I don’t think—”

They were interrupted by a tap on the door. Annie breezed into the room. “Delores said you wanted me to—” She stopped when she saw Brady. The cheerful smile left her face. It was picked up by Walter.

“Come on over here, girl. We got us some business to discuss.”

Brady got to his feet, offering Annie his chair. He could tell she wasn’t pleased to find him here. She demonstrated that by refusing the chair with a shake of her head.

“Why don’t I come back after you and Brady settle your business?”

“You are the business, girl.”

She didn’t say anything, but Brady saw those gorgeous amber eyes widen with apprehension.

“And for pity’s sake,” Walter continued, “will the two of you perch somewhere. You’re giving me a crick in my neck.”

Brady returned to his chair, and Annie took the stool.

“There, that’s better.” Walter turned to his granddaughter. “Now, Annie, it’s high time you learned how to ride. And Brady here is going to teach you.”

A look of alarm crossed her face. “But I told you yesterday—”

“I know what you told me yesterday.” She had half risen from the stool. Walter waved her back down, explaining her reluctance to Brady. “There was a pony here on the ranch when she was five or so. Just the right size for a little girl. Should have been perfect for her. Would have been, too, if the stinker hadn’t gone and run away with her. She was scared of horses after that.”

“And I still am,” she insisted.

“Now, Annie, that’s just plain nonsense. You’re no longer five years old. I can’t have a grown granddaughter of mine not know how to mount up and head out.”

“Well, this one isn’t going to.”

“Honey, ponies can be mean. A good horse isn’t. You’re not scared of riding in a buckboard or a buggy behind a team, are you?”

“That’s different. Someone else is in control of them. And stop trying to sweet-talk me into it. Anyway, I don’t have any riding clothes.”

Walter was ready to counter that move. Just like when he played checkers, Brady thought.

“We can take care of that. Lydia left most of her things in that big old wardrobe in her room when the two of you moved on. She used to ride. Bound to still be an outfit or two in there you can use.”

“Mama and I weren’t the same size. She was taller.”

The sly old man was ready for that one, too. “That would be a problem for anyone who wasn’t handy with a needle and thread. But you are handy with them, aren’t you, Annie? Real handy.” He turned to Brady again. “Know what she told me just the other day? That she sewed all the costumes for that medicine show she and Lydia traveled on. Isn’t that something?”

“Yeah, that’s something,” Brady agreed, resisting the urge to mention the nun’s costume she must have also made for herself.

“Bet she can alter one of those riding outfits without any trouble at all.”

“I could,” she admitted, “but I’m not going to.”

Where stubbornness was concerned, Brady knew Walter had no match. Not even his granddaughter.

“Now, Annie, my mind is made up. You are going to learn to ride horseback, and Brady is going to teach you. And that’s that.”

Not quite, Brady thought. It was time for him to insert his own objection. “Walter,” he said earnestly, leaning forward in his chair, “I’m flattered you want to trust me with this responsibility. But my hands are pretty full managing both spreads. Why not let one of the boys teach her?”

“Yes,” Annie quickly agreed, “one of the hands must be every bit as experienced as Brady.”

Brady could see at once that their joint opposition was a big mistake. Walter got very red in the face. The kind of red that meant he was about to work himself up into a real temper. Dr. Thomas had warned them about these tempers. That they could trigger another heart attack.

“What are the two of you trying to do me?” the old man choked. “It’s not as if I’m asking for anything that—”

Brady stopped him with a hasty correction. “It’s no problem, Walter. Of course, I’ll teach her.”

To his relief, Annie must have also read the warning signs. She concurred with an equally swift, “And I’ll try to be a willing pupil.”

Walter was happy when Brady left his room. Brady wasn’t. What’s more, he realized that Annie was no more willing than he was. Why would she be when she had to know, just as he did, how combustible the two of them were whenever they got anywhere near other?

But Walter had given them no choice. The first lesson was set for tomorrow morning in the corral. Brady knew he was being negative about the whole thing, and that wasn’t good. How bad could it be? Probably not bad at all. From that moment he began to look at the session in a positive way. He was even looking forward to it.

Like hell you are, Malone.

****

The handsome bay Brady had selected was saddled and ready for Annie when she arrived in the corral early the next morning.

Well, Brady thought, gazing at her apparel with approval, she’s making a good start, anyway.

Annie wore a divided, serviceable brown skirt, a sensible, cream-colored shirtwaist and a low-crowned, lady’s Stetson over her auburn hair.

It was a funny thing, though. The outfit was a plain one. It shouldn’t have emphasized the swell of her breasts, the trimness of her waist, the womanly curve of her hips. But it managed to do just that. Damn, what did she have to wear to make him safe from her allure? A tent? And why did he forever have to imagine what was under every garment she put on her lush body?

Easy, cowboy. Tend to business here, or you’re going to be in trouble.

“What do you think?” Brady asked, his hands on the reins as he stood at the head of the horse.

Annie eyed the animal nervously, then ducked down and looked under its belly. “It’s a stallion! Why are you giving me a stallion? Everybody knows stallions are wild!”

“Jasper isn’t a stallion. He’s a gelding.”

“Then why does he still have his, um, thing?”

“Annie, how can you be so ignorant when you’ve been around horses all your life, even if you haven’t ridden them? When a horse is gelded, it’s his testes that are removed. You do know what those are, don’t you?”

“Oh, right.”

Brady wasn’t so sure that she did know. “And a stallion doesn’t have to be wild.”

“A mare would have been better.”

“All mares aren’t gentle. But Jasper here is the gentlest horse in the barn.” He could see she needed some convincing. “We’ll start by you and Jasper getting to know each other. Take the reins. Come on, he won’t hurt you.”

Annie approached Jasper’s head with obvious trepidation. Brady had to put the reins into her hand. “You see? He doesn’t mind you holding him.”

“Uh-huh. Now what do I do?”

“I want you to lead him around the corral.”

“By myself?”

“Yes.”

She bit her lip with uncertainty, drew a deep breath and dragged sharply at the reins. “He won’t go!”

“Horses turn stubborn if you pull on them too hard. All you need is an easy tug. Try it.”

“Look, he is following me.”

“I told you so.”

Annie was plainly delighted with her victory. And remained so, until she and Jasper had circled halfway around the perimeter of the corral. Here she halted abruptly, squealing a loud, “He bit me!”

Brady had promised himself he would exercise patience with Annie, whatever effort it cost him. But he already feared this lesson was on a fast track to disaster.

“He didn’t bite you. He just snuffed your neck in a friendly way.”

She slapped her hand to the back of her neck. “Well, he did slobber on me.”

Oh, Lord, please give me as much tolerance as you can spare. “Annie, bring Jasper over here to me.”

She did, gladly surrendering the reins to him. “Are we done?”

“We’re just beginning. It’s time now to have you mount Jasper.”

“You’re actually going to make me do that, aren’t you?”

“It’s usually required when you ride a horse.”

“Naturally. Uh, how do I mount him?”

“The same way you mounted that pony. Boot in the stirrup, swing your free leg over to the other side and you’re in the saddle.”

“Just like that, huh?”

“Just like that.”

“Except I didn’t mount the pony. If I remember correctly, somebody picked me up when I didn’t want to be picked me up and placed me on his back.”

All wrong, Brady thought. No wonder she ended up having a bad experience. “Look, I’ll show you how it’s done. Left foot in the left stirrup. Like this.” He demonstrated for her. “Always mount and dismount on the left side.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the way it’s done, and what a trained horse expects.”

“But—”

“Annie, it doesn’t matter. All you have to remember is left, never right. Now my left hand gets a firm hold on the saddle horn, I do a little spring, throw my right leg over the saddle, and you see, I’m up. Easy.”

“Mmm.”

Brady dismounted. “Now you try it. Come on, you can do this. Boot in the stirrup. That’s right.”

Jasper had turned his head around to gaze at her.

“Why is he looking at me like that?”

Probably because he can’t believe this comedy. “He’s just being curious. Forget about him. Just concentrate on getting your leg over. You want a little boost?”

“No, I can manage it.” To Brady’s relief, she did. And was vastly pleased with herself. “I’m in the saddle!”

“I knew you could do it. But don’t have your feet so far forward in the stirrups.” He prayed she wouldn’t ask him why. Any mention of being dragged by a horse, if you couldn’t easily remove your boots from the stirrups in the event of an emergency, was sure to panic her. Thankfully, she didn’t ask. “Now gather up the reins.”

“Like this?”

“Yes, but loosely. You don’t want Jasper thinking you’re ready to move yet.”

“What’s next?”

“A few simple instructions. Tuck your backside in, shoulders back but not up. Push your heels down. There should be a straight line from your shoulders to the backs of your heels. Arms bent slightly at the elbow and straight ahead so your hands are right in front of the saddle over the horse’s withers. Then a rein in each hand so your thumbs are up. Wrists bent slightly in but never out. Understand?”

She gazed down at him blankly. “I beg your pardon?”

Brady blew out his cheeks in exasperation. “Never mind. We’ll work on all that later. For now, we’ll just have you and Jasper amble around the corral.”

“Uh, how do I—?”

“Kick your heels against his sides behind you. Not hard. Just a slight nudge is all it takes for a walk.”

“It works!”

“That’s fine, Annie,” he encouraged her as horse and rider started around the corral. “Nice and easy.”

As a first lesson, it was a success. Or would have been if Jasper hadn’t stopped midway around the corral. Annie was instantly alarmed.

“What’s wrong with him?”

“You’re confusing him. Stop pulling back on the right rein. He thinks you want him to go in that direction, and he knows better than to walk straight into the fence.”

Jasper tossed his head and snorted, as if he were disgusted with the woman on his back. Brady couldn’t say he blamed him.

“Now what’s wrong with him?”

“Nothing. He’s just being a horse.”

“I don’t believe that. He’s angry. I just know he’s angry with me. I’m getting off before he throws me.”

“No, Annie! Don’t—”

Too late. She was already scrambling off Jasper’s back.

“Not the right side!” Brady shouted at her, running toward the horse and rider. “The left! Always the left!”

She was already on the ground when he reached them.

“I don’t care which is the correct side and which is the wrong one. I’ve had enough. And stop yelling at me.”

“Annie, get back up on the horse.”

“I will not. I’m finished for the day.”

“You’re behaving like a spoiled child.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t be if I had a teacher who was a little more sympathetic. But you don’t know the meaning of the word, do you, Brady Malone?”

They had been rubbing the familiar sparks off each other from the beginning of the lesson. But now those sparks escalated into a blaze. Brady could feel himself burning with frustration. Jasper, wanting no part of the scene, sensibly trotted off to the other side of the corral, leaving man and woman sizzling behind him.

Brady knew he had to do something to release that sizzle before he exploded from it. Turning the defiant Annie over his knee and smacking her bottom would have been a satisfying solution. But since that was out of the question, he did the next best thing. Arms capturing her before she had any opportunity to escape him, he pinned her tightly against his length, lowered his mouth over hers and kissed her savagely.

She resisted, of course, struggling uselessly against his embrace. Brady was already too deep into that kiss to care. Too wondrously aware that, what started as a punishment, quickly turned into a thing of supremely sensual delight.

What’s more, Annie stopped fighting him, opened her lips under his and invited his entry. Brady didn’t hesitate to slide his tongue into her mouth. Dear God, she was actually responding to him, her tongue mating with his as they devoured each other in a fiery eruption of pure bliss!

Brady could feel himself growing painfully hard as he inhaled the scent of her, tasted her sweetness, mingled his breath with hers. Unbelievable! The infuriating Annie Johnson had breached his every careful defense, and he loved it!

****

They were not aware of it, but Walter had been watching the entire performance from the window of his bedroom.

“Well, well,” he muttered to himself, “so that’s how it is between them, is it?”

He had posted himself at the window simply to witness the riding lesson. But this unexpected kiss…now that was a revelation. Interesting. No, more than just interesting. Promising, very promising.

Except, he asked himself, just how did he actually feel about the two people who mattered most to him being so strongly attracted to each other?

He thought about that for a moment before deciding he was delighted with the potential of the whole thing. It had merit. In fact, if he could live long enough to see them committed to each other, it would be perfect.

Trouble was, the two of them were so mule-headed they’d probably refuse to see how practical such an arrangement was. Especially if they suspected he had any reason to promote it.

Yep, Walter realized, he had his work cut out for him. No question about it. He would have to play this game very carefully.