Скачать книгу

went back to his place. Alone.

      Wasn’t that what he really wanted? For her to stay away. Hell, yes! He didn’t want to get mixed up with a woman again. Not a woman like Jade Hamilton. She wanted something from him that he was not willing to give. His heart.

      That was how he’d been talked into helping break two horses they’d picked up at auction last month. He’d been putting it off with so much to do. Since the roundup was set for the coming weekend, what better time.

      Hell, he needed to get his mind on something constructive. Something except Jade Hamilton. Anything was worth trying.

      Besides, a couple of the young ranch hands were giving him a bad time about one particular horse, Black Knight. A beautiful, big black stallion he’d purchased hoping to breed some exceptional foals. Except this guy wouldn’t get anywhere near any of their brood mares until he learned some manners.

      Johnny Reeves had lasted the longest on Knight before getting thrown. Wasn’t any better for the others who’d tried. They called Sloan. No matter how much he wanted to decline, he was a big believer in doing the same work as he expected from his hired hands.

      “You’re next, boss,” young Johnny called.

      Everyone watched and waited. What the heck? He’d put on a show. He walked over to the nervous stallion, calling himself every kind of crazy.

      Jade had come out the back door following Louisa when she heard all the commotion down at the corral. She’d looked toward the area and seen several of the ranch hands sitting along the top of the fence, cheering and applauding as a rider climbed in the saddle. Just as quickly, the man was bucked off.

      She’d glanced around for Sloan. She recognized his familiar black hat and his slow, deliberate gait as he appeared in the pen.

      “What’s going on?” she asked Louisa.

      The older woman’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, my, looks like they’re trying to saddle-break Knight again.”

      “Again?”

      “Let’s just say that stallion is a little on the stubborn side.” Louisa smiled. “Come on, let’s go down and watch.”

      Jade didn’t want to appear too anxious to go, but it was difficult not to. “Sure.”

      They made their way toward the barn, then veered off to the far side of the corral not wanting to cause any distractions.

      That was when Jade got the first look at the next rider. It was Sloan. She hadn’t seen him in more than two days, and she was hungry to get her fill. Dressed in leather chaps and vest, he looked the part of a man in charge. He strolled up to the powerful animal and stroked him. There was a gentleness to his touch she could see even from far away.

      Neighing, the horse danced away, but two ranch hands held him steady as Sloan checked the cinch.

      “Whoa, fella,” he coaxed him back in a low, steady voice. Knight blew out a breath as if saying he didn’t trust him.

      “That’s one beautiful animal,” Louisa whispered. “Smart, too. Yet, he is totally worthless unless he can be saddle broke. If anyone can do it Sloan can.”

      Jade couldn’t take her eyes off the man or the animal. Pushing his black hat down on his head, Sloan approached the horse. Reins in hand, he grabbed the saddle horn. Then he raised his booted foot in the stirrup and climbed on just as the horse swung around in a circle. Gripping the reins, he pulled them back, as the animal reared.

      Sloan was ready.

      Knight bucked, and then bucked again. Power against power, stubbornness against stubbornness, the dance continued on for what seemed an endless amount of time. Neither willing to give in.

      It was incredible to watch.

      The horse slowed his assault and Sloan thought he had everything under control. Then suddenly the animal changed directions and started all over again. The guys cheered him on as he concentrated on his job. A few more hard bucks in the saddle and his hat came off, and his teeth felt the jarring, too. How could he ever think this was fun?

      “Whoa, fella,” Sloan soothed, hoping the horse was finally losing steam. Knight puffed air from his nostrils and bobbed his head, then began to walk.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4RyERXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgADAEAAAMAAAABAfQAAAEBAAMAAAABArwAAAECAAMAAAADAAAA ngEGAAMAAAABAAIAAAESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEVAAMAAAABAAMAAAEaAAUAAAABAAAApAEbAAUAAAAB AAAArAEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAgAAAAtAEyAAIAAAAUAAAA1IdpAAQAAAABAAAA6AAAASAA CAAIAAgADqYAAAAnEAAOpgAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNiAoTWFjaW50b3NoKQAyMDE1 OjA4OjEyIDE2OjUzOjE1AAAEkAAABwAAAAQwMjIxoAEAAwAAAAH//wAAoAIABAAAAAEAAAXcoAMA BAAAAAEAAAg0AAAAAAAAAAYBAwADAAAAAQAGAAABGgAFAAAAAQAAAW4BGwAFAAAAAQAAAXYBKAAD AAAAAQACAAACAQAEAAAAAQAAAX4CAgAEAAAAAQAAGv4AAAAAAAAASAAAAAEAAABIAAAAAf/Y/+0A DEFkb2JlX0NNAAL/7gAOQWRvYmUAZIAAAAAB/9sAhAAMCAgICQgMCQkMEQsKCxEVDwwMDxUYExMV ExMYEQwMDAwMDBEMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMAQ0LCw0ODRAODhAUDg4OFBQO Dg4OFBEMDAwMDBERDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAz/wAARCACgAHID ASIAAhEBAxEB/90ABAAI/8QBPwAAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAwABAgQFBgcICQoLAQABBQEBAQEB AQAAAAAAAAABAAIDBAUGBwgJCgsQAAEEAQMCBAIFBwYIBQMMMwEAAhEDBCESMQVBUWETInGBMgYU kaGxQiMkFVLBYjM0coLRQwclklPw4fFjczUWorKDJkSTVGRFwqN0NhfSVeJl8rOEw9N14/NGJ5Sk hbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2N0dXZ3eHl6e3x9fn9xEAAgIBAgQEAwQFBgcHBgU1AQAC EQMhMRIEQVFhcSITBTKBkRShsUIjwVLR8DMkYuFygpJDUxVjczTxJQYWorKDByY1wtJEk1SjF2RF VTZ0ZeLys4TD03Xj80aUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm9ic3R1dnd4eXp7fH/9oADAMB AAIRAxEAPwDlcfByur9QdVjRi1V6vuMuAbP0WrZyei1Yz2MpbuaXmedzyB9Kx3538n/BrV+ruJjC 4tqbtpDi/YeSYE7v6vtXR2YtD9dsmInwVcns2IQ7vDOfmtDmADaRzt0gHf7W/wApVn4bCASzSYJB jX6X/fl2uR0ira4tEbhEoX7Pxq2/Rkzqm2QyiFvJs6XcdgILmxDT/wCZJsjpr/QnGrrPoSbQGw8h 35x/eXWOfjMADw0D7ldxeg411jcyxjmHbtdXo0Pbqa3On97/AL4jayeMPl0hjyNWuj2tiJU8EvZm NsaPaf5xo8V6NlfUzpmRS6mmtzMkzN7zvcS787Y3az+X7GLNs/xeuqYwM6iBeHS5jq5G3XaN7C3d t9u/2I8Qpj4CHmH9fvpfZT6QeHA+mW+3+w/95an1c6EOv5I9aa8VrBbkvaZdtkN+zjVux9/u/Sfm e9Kr6n9cNj8ex2KA9zj6peYaG/nQ5jbHN/4tdn9WOlUdG6X6L7Guyr3erkuYdzZjayun6P6Gqv8A 6fqIDh6K4D2d/EZU30qmNDGMhrGNEABo9jG/yWtCsZeRZQ1npUPyH2O2hrIAboXepa+wtayv2rPr zG1WNfaWtY0wXGOD7ZVzqdGbkY/o4dwo3mLX6h+z85lNjP5mx/0fW/wf+D/SKbGQQUcI448VCJ/e +X/ms8HMrzcZuRW0sBc9jmuiQ6tzqbWywvY7bZW73McoZPUGY+Vj4zqrHfaXbG2gDY122ywNcXOa 76ND/wCbY9ZgvorwsfGrtZjU1sP6OqtzhtaWOqfV6zT9Gk7mPs/w2y/8z07bBAybcKp9/qZGHk77 nBhgv9G3dUI+g39Y/R7v9D6X88nshwxEpEg8HrqNSuIHySt1kkkkms//0J/VS0WFwZ+YN0+LXBu3 /OXUNJieywOmdKb012U/pzy+q6qv7P63uc33W/zx/R+rt/sLPy/rJ17GJONT9rY07XuNThLv5H0N zf8Ai2vYq3XRti4ipDUPV3XEEN7HlVbwQCe3YrP6L1PP6mwuyqm45AMCHAz/ACd/5qy/rB9Yc3Fu +zYrGus8XBzvnDE3UmmUEAW38m9lVweQXmshwaIgx7vfubZ7f7C0LvrZghlZdbG8uJcJhujdrdr9 3pW/pNv6Wz2f8X+kXnt/UuttDjlutaDqXNp2tGunu3b3f5qNiF+VjZlFn866iwseBAJjd/31Hg7n 7Fkpg6gbd3s8XrVfUHGyuw49tZI9O39G+ARuEA+/Z/hNj/51XD6cGMh3uBFgcXa67nN9zmrhqhWc YSx7M2qv1a8ndo6t72121WMd9N+9/queujws1mZhseQ0WN9r9TIsH02tP/TTZRA2QJG6Ohqx5NvK 610vp1E5Nprrb2rG4u4/M9z7OP8AzNTo6l0x7Ca3vrbYQ9zXMsaZ82w5cjnlud16jBa8PZQ71LnO cAPaZZj17vpvfc39IuooxrGtALdBygY0B3XRN32dFnUum7Gs+0MbH70tMH+U8fSW90nq9HpNotuZ Y1ujLWuB07Ns1/8ABFyrq2xq2Qq1uNjO5qH3QjGZibCpYxIUXt7OnZTt/omj03Oc5gLR7mkfo9zt jtrq3WP/AH/5jH/4ZFow8pmW213ptqbv9rIky572OJ2N+i23Z/4J/hF5b1HP670V1d/Ss+6hsmcd zjZU7u7dVbu/6K0Okf40Mm21mH1h5xLnENbkVhrqXE/v72+rR/nWsVgZbF19jFMzFxJj2sju+pJL k/23k/8AcwfQ9Tln0f8ASf8AFpIe/HsWP2T3D//R6Gqq6ne26A0uAqb+7W0CtrHT9F7XD3qd1W+u CSQVe+sWOzGo+2NG1zrQHDcSDvBL9rI+lua16zmZlfoS4gDs5ViKNFuRnxaoPs9eOwioRA4GpXJ5 rW2dSd6mr3OG0+S6LM6hbTaXU/zDGuL2hu55gTO7d9Fv9RcnlZGc/Nc69jaxua

Скачать книгу