LITMIR.BIZ

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them with the barking pack of dogs at her heels, her skirt flying, gaily waving hello like she’d known them all her life.

      Linc could only imagine what Bud and Linda must be thinking at the sight of Rachel. Her long dress alone marked her as a member of The Community. Even if they were as ignorant as he had been about their customs and didn’t guess about the marriage, he still had to explain what she was doing here. Guests weren’t scarce to the Triple M, but female guests attached to him were. Not that Linc didn’t like the ladies. But he liked even better to keep his personal life private.

      He hurried to manage the introductions as all of them came together and the dogs quieted down. “Rachel, I’d like you to meet the best housekeeper and all around troubleshooter in the business, Linda Amato. She keeps this place humming whether I’m training my horses here or traveling on a buying trip. Linda, this is Rachel.”

      “Hi, Rachel,” Linda said, brushing back her salt and pepper curls and beaming a smile outlined in cheery red lipstick. She extended her hand, jangling the silver bracelets on her wrist.

      Much impressed by Linda’s warmth and style, Rachel shook the hand and curtsied, too. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Linda.”

      Linc gestured to Bud. “This is my foreman, Bud Sylvester. He sees to the day-to-day operations of the ranch.”

      Bud removed his battered straw cowboy hat from his silvered hair and nodded his head. “How ’do, ma’am.”

      Rachel shook hands without curtseying this time, much to Linc’s relief. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Sylvester.”

      Without missing a beat, Linc draped his arm around Rachel’s shoulders. “If you’re going to call him that, then he better call you Mrs. Monroe.”

      Clapping her hands to her mouth, Linda squealed in excitement. Bud scratched his head, looking from Linda to Rachel to Linc. “Naw. Can’t be.”

      “My wife,” Linc confirmed, taking perverse satisfaction in seeing Bud’s mouth drop open in shock. Very little surprised Bud. And Linda usually had a pretty calm head on her shoulders. But not today.

      “Congratulations,” Linda cried, pumping Rachel’s hand up and down. “It’s about time Lincoln Monroe settled down and decided to be happy.”

      Linc forestalled more ridiculous outbursts by squeezing Rachel’s shoulders. “Before the Missus and I go inside the house and enjoy the really happy part, there’s plenty of work that needs doing. Bud, I picked up fifty head of working cattle and a real beaut of an untried filly. She’s in the trailer, if you want to take a look. Linda, don’t worry about supper for Rachel and me. I do need you to make up the master bedroom, though, please.”

      Linda bustled away immediately, while Bud appeared to have eyes for Rachel only. “Well, I’ll be damn—Jim Dandy. Congratulations, little lady. I wonder if you could oblige me with the story of how—”

      “She’s had a long day, Bud,” Linc cut in. “Get ready to unload the filly while I show Rachel into the house.”

      “But there’s so much to see,” she answered, swinging away toward the barn. By the time Linc explained what he wanted from Bud and caught up with Rachel, she was well inside the barn, her head tipped back to check out he-knew-not-what. “Goodness gracious. I’ve never seen so many stalls in one barn before. You didn’t tell me you had a horse operation.”

      He took her elbow and firmly reversed her direction, propelling her back the way she had come. “I didn’t tell you for a reason. It’s none of your business.”

      “Certainly you can’t blame me for my curiosity.”

      He figured there was no harm in humoring her as long as she kept moving. “I made a name for myself ropin’ and ridin’ in rodeos. Now that I’m retired, folks have taken to hiring me to train their horses.”

      “Is that why you bought the filly…to train her for someone else?”

      “Not exactly. I may keep her for myself, depending on how she turns out.”

      “Thank heavens you found me to help.” Rachel paused to rub the nose of the gelding in the stall nearest the door. “The filly is intelligent and well conformed, but unschooled.”

      “Rachel, the last thing I need—”

      “Goodness gracious,” she exclaimed, rising up on the tips of her shoes to better see over the nearest stall door. “That broodmare is about ready to burst.”

      “She’s carrying twins,” he said dryly, knowing exactly what Rachel was up to. Question was, how to handle it. She wouldn’t take no for an answer.

      “The mare needs looking after. I can’t believe you would leave her alone.”

      “I have five cowhands who live here full-time—more in calving season. Bud sees to it that all my stock gets the attention it needs.”

      “Five men aside from you? How many cattle do you run?”

      “Give or take a thousand,” he replied, forestalling her next question by propelling her out into the yard. “I’m sure you must be tired. The front door of the ranch house is open. It’s time you looked around in there.”

      “Aren’t you going to unload the filly?”

      “Bud and I will take care of it.”

      “But—”

      “Rachel,” he interrupted, his tone full of implied warning. “Remember our little discussion on cooperation?”

      “Cooperation implies working together. Where would you like me to be when you unload Summer?”

      “On the front porch of the house,” Linc replied. “Going inside. All I want from you is a couple of minutes of blind obedience.”

      There was the humor, lurking under his soft, deadpan delivery. At least she hoped it was humor. If not, her next words would be like waving a handkerchief in the face of an angry bull. “It won’t be blind. I’ll be watching from the porch. I want to see how Summer handles you.”

      The corner of his mouth may have twitched. She wasn’t sure. His rugged face didn’t lend itself to easy reading. What she noticed were the intimidating strides that ate up the ground between the porch and the trailer. He grabbed a lariat from the bed of his truck and motioned to Bud.

      Linc tied a short rope to the trailer door, then set the looped lariat in the crook of his arm. He readied the rest between his gloved hands for what she assumed would be a throw. He obviously thought Summer was going to come flying out of that trailer like a bat out of hell.

      He was right. He signaled Bud with a quick nod, then yanked the trailer door open. Rachel saw Summer’s rump bunch as she tried to kick and back out of the trailer at the same time. Whinnying in fear, she banged sideways a couple of times, visibly shaking the trailer.

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