to have to sit Mr. Wilde down and explain his responsibilities to him.”
“Invite me along,” Jake suggested. “I’d like to hear that. It should be better entertainment than what the Old West Grill puts on on Saturday night.”
The sudden bellowing of his name prevented Jake from going on.
“Dammit, boy, stop hanging out in the kitchen and get in here,” Trent shouted. “We’ve got to look over these papers the attorney left yesterday. I thought you were anxious to get things settled.”
Jake glanced back at Annie, whose expression had turned resigned. “It’s too late, Annie, my love. This horse is out of the barn.”
Her chin thrust out stubbornly. “You’re discounting my powers of persuasion and the love that man has for his daughters. Once he sees what he’s doing to Sara, he’ll change his mind.”
Something ran cold deep inside Jake at the conviction in her voice. “Never,” he said, equally adamant.
He walked out of the kitchen before Annie could say anything that might convince him that she had the power to do what none of the rest of them could…change Trent Wilde’s mind.
* * *
Sara’s butt felt as if she’d been paddled with a two-by-four. The expression “eat dirt” had taken on new meaning. In fact, she’d hit the ground so hard her teeth had rattled.
The horse responsible was now munching on hay as calmly as if he’d spent the morning loafing in his stall. He hadn’t even worked up a good lather.
She eyed the big roan balefully. She had a feeling she could grow to despise the beautiful creature before this was over. And he was the most docile in Zeke’s barn or so he claimed. She’d barely settled in the saddle before he’d launched her in the air with no more than a violent kick of those powerful back legs.
“That’s it for the day,” Zeke said, offering a hand to drag her to her feet.
Sara ignored it and leapt up. “Come on, Zeke. One more time.”
“Girl, you got more grit than sense,” Zeke told her, shaking his head.
“Somehow that sounds like a compliment, when you say it,” Sara retorted. “Please, one more time.”
“Nope. You’ll be sore enough as it is. Git on home and soak in a hot tub filled with some Epsom Salts. You’ll thank me in the morning.”
Since it seemed unlikely she was going to change his mind, Sara gave up. How had she managed to surround herself with such stubborn males? Was she ever likely to be able to do things her own way again?
That’s what the bet was all about, she reminded herself sternly. Once she beat Jake and owned Three-Stars outright, she would never have to answer to anyone again.
Keeping that goal in mind was all that had gotten her through this first painful, humiliating lesson. She might have been thoroughly discouraged by her inability to remain on the horse for more than a nanosecond, if Zeke hadn’t been so lavish with his praise. He was a great instructor—tough, but quick to point out the minute successes, rather than the obvious failures.
“Was Jake this bad when he started?” she asked, despite her determination not to pry for information about the man who’d practically kissed her senseless a few hours earlier.
Zeke hesitated, avoiding her gaze. When he finally looked at her, he said, “I won’t lie to you. Jake was a natural. But being a winner is as much about character as it is about inborn skill. I can teach you the skills, but if you don’t have the will to stick with it, nothing I show you is going to help.”
“I’m not giving up,” Sara said grimly.
Zeke nodded approvingly. “Never thought you would. See you again first thing tomorrow, though I’m predicting that a few hours from now you’re going to hate me for putting your body through this torture. You’ll be ready to go check yourself into some fancy spa where they can pamper you.”
“Never,” she promised. A few aches and pains were a small price to pay for Three-Stars.
By the time she got back to the ranch,
“Invite me along,” Jake suggested. “I’d like to hear that. It should be better entertainment than what the Old West Grill puts on on Saturday night.”
The sudden bellowing of his name prevented Jake from going on.
“Dammit, boy, stop hanging out in the kitchen and get in here,” Trent shouted. “We’ve got to look over these papers the attorney left yesterday. I thought you were anxious to get things settled.”
Jake glanced back at Annie, whose expression had turned resigned. “It’s too late, Annie, my love. This horse is out of the barn.”
Her chin thrust out stubbornly. “You’re discounting my powers of persuasion and the love that man has for his daughters. Once he sees what he’s doing to Sara, he’ll change his mind.”
Something ran cold deep inside Jake at the conviction in her voice. “Never,” he said, equally adamant.
He walked out of the kitchen before Annie could say anything that might convince him that she had the power to do what none of the rest of them could…change Trent Wilde’s mind.
* * *
Sara’s butt felt as if she’d been paddled with a two-by-four. The expression “eat dirt” had taken on new meaning. In fact, she’d hit the ground so hard her teeth had rattled.
The horse responsible was now munching on hay as calmly as if he’d spent the morning loafing in his stall. He hadn’t even worked up a good lather.
She eyed the big roan balefully. She had a feeling she could grow to despise the beautiful creature before this was over. And he was the most docile in Zeke’s barn or so he claimed. She’d barely settled in the saddle before he’d launched her in the air with no more than a violent kick of those powerful back legs.
“That’s it for the day,” Zeke said, offering a hand to drag her to her feet.
Sara ignored it and leapt up. “Come on, Zeke. One more time.”
“Girl, you got more grit than sense,” Zeke told her, shaking his head.
“Somehow that sounds like a compliment, when you say it,” Sara retorted. “Please, one more time.”
“Nope. You’ll be sore enough as it is. Git on home and soak in a hot tub filled with some Epsom Salts. You’ll thank me in the morning.”
Since it seemed unlikely she was going to change his mind, Sara gave up. How had she managed to surround herself with such stubborn males? Was she ever likely to be able to do things her own way again?
That’s what the bet was all about, she reminded herself sternly. Once she beat Jake and owned Three-Stars outright, she would never have to answer to anyone again.
Keeping that goal in mind was all that had gotten her through this first painful, humiliating lesson. She might have been thoroughly discouraged by her inability to remain on the horse for more than a nanosecond, if Zeke hadn’t been so lavish with his praise. He was a great instructor—tough, but quick to point out the minute successes, rather than the obvious failures.
“Was Jake this bad when he started?” she asked, despite her determination not to pry for information about the man who’d practically kissed her senseless a few hours earlier.
Zeke hesitated, avoiding her gaze. When he finally looked at her, he said, “I won’t lie to you. Jake was a natural. But being a winner is as much about character as it is about inborn skill. I can teach you the skills, but if you don’t have the will to stick with it, nothing I show you is going to help.”
“I’m not giving up,” Sara said grimly.
Zeke nodded approvingly. “Never thought you would. See you again first thing tomorrow, though I’m predicting that a few hours from now you’re going to hate me for putting your body through this torture. You’ll be ready to go check yourself into some fancy spa where they can pamper you.”
“Never,” she promised. A few aches and pains were a small price to pay for Three-Stars.
By the time she got back to the ranch,
Similar Books
