The trail had narrowed, so Reid rode ahead of her now, his form tall and straight in the saddle. As her gaze tracked over his wide back and broad shoulders, she felt a load slipping off her own. She’d tried to convince herself all along that their attraction was purely physical, but that was a lie. The physical chemistry was real enough, but it went deeper. If she confessed the truth, it always had. Her desire was for the man himself, not just his hotter-than-hell outer shell.
Reid had substance and principle. Unlike Jeffrey, he didn’t pander to anyone. Nor did he tolerate politics or bullshit. She might not agree with him on most things, but he’d certainly earned her respect. Maybe it was stupid to think they could work it out, but their conversation and his patience with her had given her hope.
Reid abruptly pulled up his horse, pointing to the sky where a flock of turkey buzzards circled, a sure sign of carrion. “That way,” he directed. “Don’t know if it’s Buckshot, but they’re definitely feeding on something.”
They turned up another narrow and rocky path that ran parallel to a deep ravine. The terrain made Haley’s legs clamp around the horse and her hands clench the reins. As they approached the site of circling vultures, the horses snorted and balked, increasing her nervousness tenfold.
Just when she feared her horse would turn and bolt, Reid came up alongside and took hold of Bud’s bridle. ‘“Easy ol’ boy,” he said, soothing the fretful horse. “Looks like it’s down there in the ravine. It’s probably Buckshot,” he declared grimly. “Horses have a sixth sense about these things. They always seem to know when it’s one of their own.”
He dismounted and then helped Haley do the same. “We’d best proceed the rest of the way by foot. It’s too treacherous to ride.”
“What about them?” she asked as he tethered the nervous horses. “Will they stay put?”
He cocked his head. “Let’s just hope so.”
She chewed her lip as he retrieved his rifle, but refrained from any comment about it. They moved cautiously down the rocky embankment, Reid leading the way. Several times he caught her as her footing slipped on loose rocks. Even in cowboy boots, Reid proved as sure-footed as a bighorn sheep.
The putrid smell of decay assailed them before they even reached the bottom. Haley fought her gag reflex. Reid offered his handkerchief. She accepted it gratefully, covering her nose and mouth with one hand as they approached the carcass. It was indeed a horse, or what remained of one. By the look of things, the kill was at least two days old.
“It’s him.” Reid nodded. “And something’s been making a meal of him.”
“It isn’t a wolf kill,” Haley declared with certainty. Although wolves and grizzlies were both known to scavenge, the hindquarters were still intact. Wolves almost always attacked from behind and devoured their prey the same way.
“Agreed,” Reid said. “It’s also half-buried, which means it was either a mountain lion or a grizzly. My first guess would be griz, but I don’t relish getting up close and personal with either one of ’em.” Reid grabbed her by the elbow. “C’mon. We have the answers we came for. Let’s go.”
“Just a minute,” she protested. “We came all the way out here. Let me at least document the predation. If it was a grizzly, the WGF needs to know. You also have every right to file a claim with your insurance company.”
“Look, Haley. You know as well as I do that there’s nothing more dangerous or aggressive than a griz that’s protecting his meal. I’m not about to risk my life or yours for a few hundred dollars. C’mon.”
“But I only need a few seconds to take some pictures.” Shaking off both his hand and his warning, she pulled out her phone, moving quickly around the carcass snapping shots of the carnage.
“I’m not screwing around,” he warned. “We need to get the hell out of here. Now.”
The brush stirred to life behind her. Reid’s warning had come too late.
Haley’s heart surged into her throat as a huge fur-covered body emerged. Her hands flew to her can of pepper spray but were too unsteady even to release it from the holster.
The bear let loose a bone-chilling growl and then charged.
“Hit the fucking dirt, Haley!” Reid bellowed.
His voice barely penetrated her consciousness. She recognized the command to play dead, but was utterly paralyzed by fear. The following seconds unfurled in a fog. A deafening roar filled her ears. Her body hit the ground with a bone-crushing force that drove the air from her lungs. Then the distinct smell of bear assaulted her nostrils.
She contracted into a ball, squeezing her eyes shut on a fervent prayer. Dear God in heaven, please don’t let me die!
An explosion. A low groan. And then dead silence.
* * *
With his instincts screaming at him to protect, Reid reacted instantly to the attack, but he still wasn’t fast enough. The bear charged, taking Haley down, but now his shot was clear. It was a monster, but at this close range, one well-placed cartridge took him out. Releasing a final agonizing roar, the bear crashed lifelessly to the ground.
His pulse still racing with adrenaline, Reid rushed to Haley. Dropping his rifle and kneeling beside her, his hands shook as he proceeded to assess the damage. She was pale, her skin clammy, her body trembling convulsively, but other than torn clothes and a few abrasions, she appeared unharmed.
“Y-you sh-shot it?” Her voice was a choked whisper.
“Yeah, I shot it.”
“B-but I h-had b-bear spray.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Shh,” he soothed, gently, wiping the dirt and debris from her face. “You’re babbling, sweetheart. It’s a common shock response. No amount of pepper was going to stop that son of a bitch. Are you hurt?”
“I d-don’t know. My head is throbbing real bad.”
He gently palpated her scalp. “There’s no blood, but you hit the ground pretty hard. Could be a concussion. Least I got him before he could do a dance on you. What else are you feeling?”
“Kind of numb.”
“Numbness is shock too. Anything like this ever happened to you before?”
“N-no. Never.”
“Count your blessings. I’ve seen it more times than I can count. Can you move your legs?”
“Y-yes. I think so.”
“Think you can walk? I’d like to get you out of here and back to the ranch.”
She sat up, looked wildly about and then began crawling around on all fours. Was she out of her mind?
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.
“My phone. I’ve lost it. I need my phone.”
“You get mauled by a griz and you’re worried about your damned phone? Un-fucking-believable.”
“You don’t understand. Killing it is a felony, Reid. I’ll need a picture to file a report. It’s documentation for your sake.”
He joined her on the ground, digging around through leaves, pine needles, and debris until they found it. Reid placed it in her hands with a shake of his head. She blew off the dirt and then scrambled back to the dead bear to take a few more pictures.
“Finished yet?” he asked impatiently.
“Yes. I’m finished.”
He gave her a hand to stand up, but her legs almost instantly gave way. Before she could protest again, he scooped her into his arms. “Put me down, Reid. There’s no way you can get back up that embankment carrying me.”
“Oh yeah? Just watch me. For the record, you don’t weigh much more than the pack I carried for eight years.”
Needing a free arm to aid the climb, he hoisted her across his shoulders in a fireman’s carry, and then proceeded to navigate the incline. To his immense relief, the horses were still where he’d left them. “Can you ride?”
“I think so,” she murmured.
He hoisted Haley into the saddle, but she was shaking so hard she could barely hold the reins. “Just hold on, okay?”
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Bud’s a big boy. He can carry us both.” He turned his own horse loose and slapped it on the rump. “This one knows the way home. He doesn’t want to stay up here any more than we do.”
Mounting the horse behind Haley, Reid guided them back to the ranch.
* * *
She didn’t know when she’d fallen asleep, but in the far periphery of her consciousness, Haley was aware of the jolting of her battered body, of the soft snort of horses, and then the weightless sensation of being carried again.
When her eyes finally fluttered open, she was lying in a bed in an unfamiliar room with a ceiling and walls of rough-hewn log. It was a single room cabin, Spartan but adequate, with a tiny kitchenette and a breakfast bar, a table and two chairs, a love seat, and a queen bed. There was a wall-mounted TV above a small fireplace. A dog sprawled nearby with its tongue lolling.
“Where am I?” she whispered.
“My place.” Reid appeared instantly, covering the floor in long strides and then squatting down beside her. The dog soon followed, nudging her hand with its cold, wet nose.
“I took over one of the guest cabins when I got home,” Reid said. “I thought you’d prefer the privacy of it over the house where the family would all be gawking and hovering—only with the best intentions, of course. Mama’s already been by to check on you twice, but I sent her away. I’ve stalled, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to avoid them forever.”
“Thanks.” She smiled up at him and scratched behind the dog’s floppy ears. “Who’s this?”
“Jethro. He’s a Bluetick Coonhound. They’re supposed to be good at tracking mountain lions, but this one’s not shown a whole lot of promise at anything, let alone hunting. Yet, he’s somehow managed to insinuate himself into my place.”
“Or maybe into your heart?” she suggested with a smile. “I didn’t know you were such a softy, Reid.”
He shrugged. “Least he’s helped me watch over you.”
“Has he? How long have I been asleep?”
“’Bout twelve hours. How’s your head feeling?”
She lifted it tentatively from the pillow and then let it drop back again with a groan.
“Still throbbing, eh?” His brows met in a frown. “Should I take you to the hospital?”
“No. Honest. I’m fine. Just feeling a bit beat up.”
“You hungry?” he asked.
“Maybe.” She paused to assess her stomach, unable to determine if the churning was hunger or impending nausea. “I’m not sure.”
“Mama brought vegetable soup. Wanna try some?”
“In a bit. I really need to get up first. Nature is calling.” She pulled the blankets away and threw her legs over the side, suddenly realizing they were bare. She looked down to discover she wore nothing but a USMC T-shirt. “Who undressed me?” she asked.
“Who do you think?” His brows rose at her accusatory scowl. “I’ve seen it all before, remember?”
“But that was different. I was conscious then.”
“You think I had my wicked way with you?”
“Of course not! It’s just—” The fact that she was unconscious made her feel all too vulnerable.
“Trust, Haley. You need to learn it. Your clothes were torn and dirty. I pilfered some of Krista’s for later, but thought this would be more comfortable for you to sleep in. C’mon. I’ll help you to the john.”
A wave of dizziness swept over her the moment her bare feet hit the floor. His arm came instantly around her waist. “You okay?”
“I will be. I just need a minute or two.” She clutched his arm until the moment passed. “I haven’t thanked you.”
His jaw clenched. “It was a dumbass move to take you down there. I shouldn’t have done it. It wasn’t safe.”
“You’re not my keeper, Reid. I was doing my job, remember? It’s not like you have any say in that.”
“As your guide, safety is my job.”
“I didn’t hire you as my guide. I was doing an investigation. But there’s no point arguing it any further,” she said. “I freely admit I was wrong. I should have listened to you.”
Her confession seemed to take him aback. But rather than the smug reply she half-expected, he acknowledged it with a grunt.
“I’m steady enough now,” she said. “Can you just help me get across the room? I should be okay after that.” He helped her to the bathroom, but then remained in the doorway. “I don’t need an audience, Reid. I have a shy bladder.”
“I’m not leaving you. What if you pass out?”
“I won’t. I’m fine. Now please go.”
He turned with reluctance, leaving the door cracked. Haley closed it sharply behind him. His sudden mother hen act was annoying as hell, but also mildly endearing.
After relieving herself, she clutched the sink and stared into the mirror, getting her first look at herself. Ugh! What a mess. Her hair was tangled in knots and scratches from the fall covered her face. She found a hairbrush and a toothbrush and set out to repair some of the damage. Although she’d washed her face, her body was still covered with dirt from rolling on the ground. She felt grimy and smelled like bear.
Thank God he’d taken it down before it’d gotten its claws into her. Grizzly claws were extremely lethal weapons. The memory of those fateful seconds struck her anew.
What if Reid hadn’t been there? Or what if he’d gone along with her wishes and left the gun behind? She didn’t want to think about it anymore. One confession of fault was her quota for the day. She couldn’t bring herself to make another. They’d begun a reconciliation of sorts, but a lot of things were still up in the air.
Haley was suddenly aware that Reid was waiting on the other side of that door, and she found herself stalling. They were alone together in his cabin. He’d even undressed her. Now what?
She glanced longingly at the bathtub. Although she didn’t feel stable enough to stand long enough for a shower, a bath would be soothing to her bruised body. She turned on the tap. Then knowing he’d probably bust down the door if she didn’t come out soon, she opened it.
“Reid?”
“What, sweetheart?”
“I’m going to take a bath.”
His broad shoulders suddenly filled the doorway. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea yet. I’m not about to leave you alone for that long.”
“Then come in here with me.”
His body stiffened and pupils flared. “In the tub?”
“No,” she flushed. “I mean in the bathroom. You can sit beside me while I bathe.”
“You’re really pushing my self-control. You know that?”
“I’ll pull the curtain.”
“Won’t make any difference. I’ll still know you’re naked in that tub.”
“Yeah, Reid,” she snorted. “I’m a truly irresistible sex goddess right now.”
He came to her then, cupping her chin and tilting her face. “I think you underestimate your appeal.” His big, warm hands dropped to her shoulders. “The thought of you wet and naked just switched off the thinking side of my brain.” Even if he hadn’t said it, the desire in his eyes was unmistakable.
He still wants me.
She swallowed hard, not knowing whether to respond to his remark or to the flicker he’d stirred to life inside her. The longer his gaze lingered on her, the stronger it became.
“I’m done thinking now too, Reid. Only hours ago I had my life flash before my eyes. I want to feel now.” She wet her lips and laced her arms around his neck. “I want to feel you.”
* * *
He exhaled an exasperated sigh. “As tempting as that offer is, I think we need to cool it for a while.”
“Why?”
“Because an intense desire for sex is a common response to trauma. The shrinks even coined a term for it—‘terror sex.’”
“Do I look afraid?”
His gazed tracked involuntarily south, lingering on her nipples. They tightened into peaks before his eyes, evoking a similar hardening in his prick.
“You might feel differently about this later,” he said. “I told you I’d give you some space. I intend to keep that promise. I’m not about to jump back into anything until I know exactly where I stand. I’m not taking that chance again.”
“Where do you want to stand?” She flashed a slow and sexy grin as she slipped out of her panties, sending a surge of blood from his head to lower parts. His mind was rapidly losing focus, finding it harder to answer her questions. “Then again,” she continued, snaking her arms around his neck, “we don’t have to stand at all. It’s much more comfortable sitting or lying down.”
“Quit it, Haley.” He reached up to encircle her wrists, bringing them behind her back, a position that pitched her breasts forward against his chest. Not helpful. At all. He abruptly released her. “One of us has to exercise a little common sense.”
“Fine then.” She jerked away, yanking the T-shirt over her head and throwing it at him. “Have it your way. You can just sit there and scrub my back, Mr. I-need-to-be-in-total-control-at-all-times.”
He dropped onto the toilet lid. He’d resolved not to take her up on her offer, but damned if he’d deny himself the pleasure of watching. She bent to shut off the tap, intentionally taunting him with a prime view of her delectable ass. He sucked in a sharp breath.
Her coy smile said she knew damned well what she was doing to him. “It was your choice, Reid.”
She reached a hand to his shoulder to steady herself as she dipped her toes into the water. Enough was enough.
He yanked her onto his lap. “Don’t play with me, sweetheart. I promise you’ll get far more than you bargained for.”
“But that’s exactly what I was counting on.”
“I’m not screwing around here.” In all truth, his resolve was weakening, his threats growing emptier by the second. It took all he had to turn her down, but he vowed he wasn’t going to break this time. “I want to know exactly what I’m dealing with before we take this any further. I need your unconditional trust.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that you have to stop jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst of me. You need to give me the benefit of the doubt when we disagree. That’s what I’m asking for. What I expect. Those are my terms, Haley. I can’t compromise on that. I’m an all-or-nothing deal.”
He rose, deposited her in the bathtub, jerked the curtain closed, and walked out, leaving the door half open behind him. He leaned against the wall, his chest heaving, while he tried to will away a raging hard-on. He shut his eyes on a mumbled curse. Why did he always seem to get punished for doing the right thing?
Watching that grizzly attack had flipped a switch. The thought of losing her had nearly eviscerated him. He still had so much more to say to her, but she still wasn’t near ready to hear it. Maybe she never would be, but until then, he swore he’d keep his dick zipped if it killed him.
* * *
Haley found a set of pink sweats sitting beside the sink when she got out of the tub. Apparently he didn’t want to see her in his T-shirt anymore. His earlier rejection had stung, but she was too tired to think about it anymore. Although the bath had soothed her sore body, it had also made her incredibly sleepy.
She dressed and toweled her hair dry. When she emerged from the bathroom, the smell of homemade bread and a steaming bowl of vegetable soup greeted her. Her stomach reacted vociferously.
“So you’re hungry after all.” He spoke casually, as if nothing had happened. She wasn’t sure what to make of that.
“Yeah. I am,” she replied.
“Did the bath help?” His tone was a little too polite, his manner too reserved.
“It did. Immensely.”
He might be able to ignore what happened—or better said, what didn’t—but she couldn’t deal with awkwardness. “I’m sorry,” she blurted. “I shouldn’t have pushed myself on you like that. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
His mouth curved into a dry smile. “I was uncomfortable all right. Just not the way you imply.” He laid his hands on her shoulders, his gaze holding hers. “Let me make one thing perfectly clear, Haley. It wasn’t because I don’t want you.”
She chewed on that. “Then I guess I should thank you for not taking advantage of me.”
“Let’s forget it. Come and sit down before it gets cold.”
Reid took a seat across from her, slouching back in his chair.
“Aren’t you going to eat, too?” she asked, feeling self-conscious.
“I ate earlier while you were sleeping.”
She sipped broth from her spoon, testing the temperature before diving into the bowl. The soup was wonderful, definitely not the Campbell’s variety. “Your mom brought this over?”
“Yeah. I’m a lousy cook. I mostly eat at the house.”
“But you don’t live over there.”
“No. The cabin’s not much, but I need my own space. Eventually, I’d like to buy my own spread, but there’s no reason to.” His gaze met hers. “Not yet anyway.”
“What kind of place do you want?” she asked.
“Probably a ranch like this one, but smaller.”
“You want to stay in the same kind of business?”
He shrugged. “It’s what I know. What I’m good at. ’Sides that, we’ve always made a decent living at it, which is more than many ranchers can say these days. What about you? Do you ever think about what you want a few years down the road?”
“I’ve started to,” she said. “I think it began when Yolanda married last year. She already has a baby boy.” She couldn’t help the note of wistfulness.
His brows rose. “You want kids, Haley?”
“I do. I’ve always wanted a big family, maybe because it was always just me and my grandparents.”
“That was partly your own choice, wasn’t it?”
Her gaze narrowed. “They told you about my mother?”
“Yeah. Why didn’t you want to live with her?”
“Because she never wanted me.”
“She obviously had regrets later. She came for you, after all. Maybe you should make peace with her.”
“I can never forgive her, and I don’t want to talk about it. Why are you always trying to reason with me anyway?”
“Dunno.” He shrugged. “It’s just how I tick. I’ve always tried to look at both sides of every situation, even if it doesn’t change my own opinion.”
“I have a right to my feelings even if they don’t make sense to you,” she snapped.
“Absolutely,” he agreed. “There’s pie. Want some?”
“Pie is an unfair weapon, Reid.” And he’d skillfully wielded it to diffuse her flare of temper. “Apple?” she asked hopefully.
“Yup. The best kind.”
“It’s my favorite, too. Yolanda makes a killer apple-jalapeño pie.”
“Jalapeño peppers in pie?” He grimaced.
“Yup. Don’t knock it ’til you try it. But it’s best eaten with lots of ice cream.”
She finished her soup while he cut two slices of pie. She suddenly realized just how comfortable she’d become sitting here with him. They’d been going on the last few minutes as if they were longtime friends. It struck her even harder that they hadn’t even disagreed about anything besides her mother, but she’d even argued with her grandparents and Yolanda over that.
“You’re joining me this time?” she remarked.
“Yup.” He flashed a guilty grin. “Though I already had two pieces of it earlier.”
“You’re not afraid of getting fat?”
“Nope. I seem to burn it off.” He looked almost boyish as he dug his fork into the pie.
Another flare of desire came out of nowhere. She could think of lots of ways to help him work off those calories. They ate stealing occasional glances at one another. The silence seemed companionable on the surface, but held an undercurrent of growing sexual tension.
When they finished, she watched him clear the table. He moved around the kitchen the same way he did everything—with confident ease. Fatigue once more overtaking her, Haley yawned and stretched.
“You wanna go back to bed?” he asked.
“Maybe. What time is it?”
“Probably getting close to sunup by now.”
“You’re kidding!”
“Nope. You slept a long time.”
“So you’ve been up all night watching me?”
“It’s the norm for me. Told you I don’t sleep. Not much anyway. My body’s conditioned to do without it.”
“That’s not normal, Reid. Not healthy.”
“It’s the way it is.” He shrugged. “I crash for short periods when I need it.”
“Come to bed with me.”
He shook his head. “Told you, it’s not gonna happen.”
“No, Reid. I don’t mean it like that. I just feel guilty about keeping you up all night. Just come and lie down with me. We’ll stay dressed. I’ll sleep better if you do.” Haley climbed into the bed but stayed on top of the covers. She patted the space beside her. “Please, Reid.”
He hesitated, then kicked off his boots. A moment later, the mattress sank beside her. Gravity alone rolled her up against him, not that she minded or tried to fight it.
“C’mere, Runt.” He pulled her up close to his side.
“Runt?” she snorted. “I suppose that’s better than some of the other names I’ve been called.”
“You got picked on for your size?”
“Yup. And for the geeky glasses I wore until I was old enough for contacts.”
“But now you’re back to the geeky glasses.”
“Now they serve a higher purpose,” she argued.
“Do people really treat you differently because you wear them? Or it is because of the attitude you adopt when you wear them?”
“Attitude? What do you mean by that?”
“You know, that snotty Ivy-League elitism.”
She pulled back with a frown. “You really think I act like that?”
“Intellectually superior? Sometimes you do, but it seems to be lessening. Then again,” he teased, “maybe I’m just getting used to it.”
“Yolanda says the same thing,” she grudgingly confessed. “You’re not perfect either, you know.”
“Never said I was. But is there a particular imperfection that eats you?”
“Yes. There is. Why are you so damned unflappable? Doesn’t anything ever get you worked up?”
“Besides you?” He flashed a crooked grin that made her heart flutter.
“I’m serious, Reid.”
“So am I. I find you damned irritating, but I’ve learned to pick my battles. I’ve also learned that there just aren’t that many things worth getting truly riled up about.”
“What kind of things?” she asked. “What really and truly pisses you off?”
“You really want to know?”
“Yeah, I really do.”
“Dishonesty, mainly. Liars, cheaters, and manipulators. People who take advantage of others’ vulnerabilities and misfortunes. I’ve got no use for ’em.”
“There are a lot of people like that in the world,” Haley remarked.
“You got that right. And they better not ever mess with me or mine.”
She chuckled. “You sound just like John Wayne when you talk like that. I can picture you in the saloon, in the corner, eyeing the bad guy with your six-shooter.”
He shrugged. “I mean what I say, Haley.” He pulled her closer. “I protect what’s mine.”
She lay snuggled under his arm with her head resting on his chest, listening to the low and rhythmic beat of his heart. She murmured softly. “Times may change, but I guess cowboys don’t.”
* * *
The sun was blazing through the windows when Reid woke up. “What the hell?” He snatched up his phone from the bedside nightstand. “Eight o’clock?” Had he really slept for four hours straight? That was the first time in years. He flung his legs over the bed and scrubbed the sleep from his eyes.
Haley didn’t stir. For several minutes he just watched her. The sight of her filled his chest. She was snoring softly. He chuckled. He’d have to torment her about that. She’d hate knowing she snored. Then again, he’d probably have to record it before she’d ever believe him. He stood and stretched. Eager to get out of the clothes he’d slept in, he headed for the shower.
* * *
Haley awoke to a soft knock on the door. Her body was still one big ache from head to toe, but the dizziness and the throbbing in her head were gone. The bathroom door was closed and the shower was running, so she padded barefoot across the cabin to answer.
She opened it to find Krista standing there.
“You?” Reid’s sister glared. “What are you doing here? Are those my sweats?”
“Yeah,” Haley replied, suddenly embarrassed. “Reid borrowed them for me. I thought you knew. My clothes got shredded in the grizzly attack yesterday.”
“You got attacked by a grizzly? Oh my God! I’m so sorry.” She was suddenly contrite. “I didn’t know anything about it. I stayed at Tonya’s last night and just got home.”
Haley stepped back from the door. “I guess you’re looking for Reid?”
“Yeah. I was getting worried when I didn’t see him this morning. Now I know why,” she added dryly.
“Nothing happened between us, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“It’s none of my business anyway, right? Please tell my brother I need to see him right away.”
“Is something wrong?” Haley asked.
“As a matter of fact, yes. Another one of your precious wolves attacked one of my colts.”
“It wasn’t a wolf that killed Buckshot, Krista. We found his remains. All the evidence indicates a grizzly. It’s how I nearly got mauled.”
Krista planted her hands on her hip. “Well it was a wolf that got my horse. And I have proof. Half his tail is eaten off.”
“Then it wasn’t an intended kill,” Haley said. “The pack must be training their young to hunt.”
“Well, they aren’t going to practice on any more of my horses! I’m telling you right now, Dr. Cooper, if I see a wolf anywhere near my stock, I’m shooting it.”
“Please, Krista,” Haley pleaded. “Let me help with this situation. It’s my job.”
“How?” Krista demanded. “What are you going to do about it?”
“I’ll start by checking my logs to see if it’s a pack we’re monitoring. If so, we should be able to find the troublemaker and remove it. If not, we’ll have to trap and collar them one by one until we determine which wolf is the culprit.”
“And in the meantime, they’re all free to wreak havoc on our stock? We have a business to run here, Dr. Cooper. We don’t need our horses traumatized by predators that you people refuse to control.”
“What’s the trouble?” Reid asked.
Haley spun to find him standing behind her shirtless and toweling his hair. The vision made her mouth go dry.
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong,” Krista said. “We’ve got a damned wolf problem, and I’ve got a colt with a missing tail to prove it.”
“Then we’re fortunate that Haley’s here to help us deal with it,” Reid replied evenly.
Krista’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe you just said that! All she wants to do is put freaking collars on them.”
“It’s the first step, Krista,” Reid said. “They’re still a protected species. We can’t just kill them indiscriminately.”
“Indiscriminately?” Krista repeated eyes blazing. “They’re hunting wolves legally across two state lines, and we can’t even shoot the ones that are harassing us in Wyoming?”
“Not yet,” Reid said.
“And that’s exactly why I’m here,” Haley interjected. “Before they’ll turn over management to the state, U.S. Wildlife Service needs to know the people of Wyoming will responsibly manage and not exterminate the wolves. I’m here to provide that evidence. If you shoot any of them without proper authorization, you’re only hurting your own cause.”
“She’s right, Krista,” Reid said. “It’s a pain in the ass, but we need to go through the proper channels.”
“Is that what you did with the griz, Reid?” she shot back. “Did you whip out your phone and call the feds to ask permission before pulling the trigger on that bear? Or do the same rules not apply to Dr. Cooper?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Krista,” Reid said. “Her life was endangered.”
“I don’t want to hear it, Reid. I can’t believe my brother, the U.S. Marine, has become such a traitor.” She threw her hands in the air and spun away on her booted heels.
Reid stood behind Haley, his hands resting on her shoulders. Although he hadn’t made any answering retort, she’d felt him stiffen at his sister’s parting shot.
“You see?” Haley said softly. “She hates me. Your whole family is going to after this, aren’t they?”
“Don’t let her get to you. She’ll come around…eventually. They all will.”
“No. They won’t,” she insisted. “Why should they? It’s time to face reality, Reid. I care about you. I truly do, but I care enough not to come between you and the people you love.”
“It doesn’t have to be one or the other,” Reid insisted.
“Not to you and me perhaps, but based on Krista’s reaction, your family is going to force a choice upon you whether you like it or not. I don’t think I can live with that.” She turned away unable to look him in the face. “I have to go now. Don’t you see?”
“Please don’t,” Reid said.
“I’m sorry, Reid,” she said in a choked voice, “but I think we both knew this couldn’t work. I’ll be back in a few days with a team to set traps.”