LITMIR.BIZ

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braced her legs for the rocky ride.

      When the vehicle finally crested the last rise, the land flattened and they entered a deep forest of ponderosa pine. After traveling a hundred yards under the thick canopy of evergreens, they reached the turn off to Bella’s house.

      A graveled drive circled in front of a two-story structure made of rough cedar and native rock, shaded by more pines. Since she lived alone, Noah had often wondered why she’d wanted so much space. To fill it with a bunch of kids, or was the huge structure just to impress her friends?

      Pushing away both annoying questions, Noah parked the truck and trailer in a favorable spot to unload the mare, then killed the engine. “I’ll fix Mary Mae’s shoe and unsaddle her for you. Do you keep her stalled at the barn?”

      She pushed aside the seat belt and reached for the door handle. “No. I have a little paddock fenced off for her and Casper. I’ll show you.”

      He opened his mouth to assure her that he could handle the task alone, but before he could utter a word, she was already climbing out of the cab.

      Cursing to himself, he left the truck and quickly strode to the back of the trailer. Bella was already there, shoving up the latch on the trailer gate.

      Instinctively, he stepped next to her and brushed her hands aside. “That thing is heavy. Let me do it.”

      Thankfully, she moved back a few steps and allowed him to finish the task. But even that wasn’t enough space to give Noah normal breathing room. Something about Bella made him forget who he was and why he’d turned his back on having a woman in his life. That was reason enough for him to get Mary Mae fixed as fast as he could and get the hell out of here before he started staring at her like a moonstruck teenager.

      She stood watching, her hands resting on her hips. “Just because my job requires sitting at a desk doesn’t mean I’m helpless and weak. I have muscles and I know how to use them, too.”

      “You can use them when I’m not around.” He let the trailer gate swing open and immediately the mare backed up until she was standing safely on solid ground.

      Bella immediately snatched a hold on Mary Mae’s reins and Noah realized she had every intention of hanging around until this job was finished. So much for losing her company, he thought hopelessly.

      “Do you have tools with you to deal with her shoe?” she asked.

      “I have tools. Just not a big assortment of shoe sizes. This one I just took off still looks pretty straight. I can reset it,” he told her.

      “I didn’t realize you were a blacksmith.”

      His gaze fixed safely on the mare, he said, “I’m not.”

      “What are you then, a farrier?”

      “No. Just a guy who’s taken care of horses for a long, long time. But if you’d feel better about waiting on a real farrier to fix Mary Mae, that’s fine with me. He’ll be coming by the ranch in a couple of weeks to deal with the remuda.”

      She didn’t answer immediately and Noah glanced around to see she was looking at him with surprise. “Why would you think I’d want to wait?” she asked. “I don’t want her going without a shoe for that long. Besides, I trust you.”

      She said the words so easily, as though she didn’t have to think about them, as though she considered Noah worthy of handling any task she could throw his way. The idea caused a spot in the middle of his chest to go as soft as gooey chocolate.

      “I’ll get my things.” He gestured to a flat piece of ground a few feet away. “If you’d like, you can take her over there in the shade of that pine.”

      Because he’d been helping the other ranch hands brand calves today, his shirt was still soaked with sweat while his caramel-colored chinks and blue jeans were marked with dirt and manure. No doubt he stunk to high heaven, but there was nothing he could do about sparing her the unpleasant odor. Except keep his distance. Something he’d do even if he smelled as fresh as a piece of sweet sage.

      * * *

      Beneath the cool shade of the pine, Bella stood near Mary Mae’s head, keeping a steady hold on the reins, while her gaze remained fixed on Noah. With the mare’s foot snug between his knees, he was bent over the upturned hoof, carefully hammering nails into the iron shoe.

      While he was totally absorbed with the task, Bella used the opportunity to study his big hands. The backs were browned by the sun and sprinkled with black hair. The fingers were long and strong. Just like him, she couldn’t help thinking.

      Six years ago when Bella had first come to live on the J Bar S, her brother had introduced her to Noah. At the time, he’d been the only man helping Jett take care of the sprawling ranch. In spite of her being numb from a fresh divorce, she’d found Noah’s presence striking and unforgettable. But even then it had been obvious he wasn’t a sociable man. He’d said little more than hello to her that day and since then she could count on one hand the times he’d spoken to her. Until today.

      A few minutes ago, when he’d stopped along the road to check on her, she’d been totally surprised. Not that he was the type of man who’d ever say no to a woman in need of a helping hand. But this morning Jett had told her the men would be branding calves on the far side of the ranch today. She’d not expected to see Noah or any of the ranch hands on this section of the property.

      The fact that Noah had been the one to happen by secretly pleased her. Of all the men Bella had encountered since her divorce, he’d been the only one who’d intrigued her. And to be totally honest with herself, he was the only one who’d turned her thoughts to the bedroom. She realized part of the reason for having such a sensual reaction to the man was his strong, sexy appearance. Yet he was also elusive, full of secrets and determined to keep his distance from her. Just the sort of man a woman liked to undress.

      Funny, she thought, how Jett had believed she was besotted with Curtis, the lawyer she’d worked with for a few years before she’d passed the bar exam. True, she’d liked Curtis and admired his skills in the courtroom. And more than likely she would’ve gone on a date with him, if he’d ever felt inclined to ask. But he’d not asked and in the end, she’d been okay with that.

      As for Noah, she’d never tried to catch his attention. He clearly didn’t want to be her friend, or anything else. And she wasn’t one to push herself on anyone. Besides, Jett had told her long ago that Noah was a very private man, who enjoyed the company of a horse far more than that of a human. There’d been many times she’d felt like that herself.

      Pulling her thoughts back to the moment, Bella saw he was working quickly to snip off the excess ends of the nails he’d driven through the shoe and were now protruding through the outer wall of the mare’s hoof. Using a big steel file, he smoothed away the residual bumps, then placed Mary Mae’s foot back on the ground.

      “All finished.” He straightened to his full height and turned to face her. “The shoe should stay in place for a couple more weeks or so. By then she’ll need four new ones anyway.”

      Bella nodded that she understood. “I’ll make sure Jett sends the farrier up here to take care of her and Casper.” She gestured toward the barn located several yards beyond the house. “I don’t think you’ve seen my barn. After we get Mary Mae unsaddled I’ll show you around.”

      As she waited for him to make some sort of reply, she lowered her lashes and slowly studied his face. For years a black beard had been a trademark of his appearance, but last spring Jett had commented about Noah shaving off his beard. A few days later, as she’d driven by the ranch yard, she happened to spot him from a distance. The change in his appearance had been dramatic, to say the least. And now that Bella could see him up close, she could admit she was mesmerized.

      Noah was not a handsome man. Not by conventional standards, anyway. His craggy features were set in a wide, square-jawed face with a nose that was too big, and sun-browned skin that resembled the texture of a graveled road. Yet there was something about his dark blue

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