Hawk had said hed give her an hour in the heat and thorns at best; Mia had said two. When Lizzy had heard Walker and her cousin, Samwho never laughed at herlaughing, too, shed made a bet of her own that shed make it the whole day, even if every second of it was torture. Hawk and Mia had really smirked at her then, which was why she had to stick it out.
Shed show Hawk and Mia and Daddy, too. Shed show everybody, even Mother, who took such pride in Miashed show them, she was a true Kemble if it killed her!
But even though she was Daddys favorite, she didnt feellike a Kemble, and she never had. She often felt shed beenborn into the wrong family.
On the Golden Spurs taking part in roundup was a sacred family tradition. Every family member was expected to participate alongside the hands. Even Aunt Nanette flew in from Montana to help work cattle and prepare the camp lunch. Of course, the lunch was always fancier than their normal fare when bossy, stylish Aunt Nanette took charge. She hired half a dozen caterers and had them flown in by private jet from Dallas.
For a hundred and forty years, Kembles had been working this land. Theyd endured bandit raids, Union soldiers, drought, the Depression, inheritance taxes and now, in the twenty-first century, family dissention and constant lawsuits. Theyd come close to selling out and giving up on the ranch dozens of times. Then oil and gas had been discovered, and there was too much at stake to sell out.
As long as the family sticks together, the ranch will survive, was the family motto.
Being a Kemble was like being part of a football team or being a believer in a cult religion, or maybe it was worse, more like the Mafia, because it was family. There was a do-or-die feel to being a Kemble. You were supposed to feel your Kembleness in your bones, to dedicate your entire life to the ranch. Or you were the worst kind of traitor.
So Lizzy felt terrible that shed been born with this weird feeling that she didnt belong here and that she lacked the talent to ever be a rancher. This lack in herself filled her with self-doubt. She wanted to please her father by becoming the perfect cowgirl more than anything, but she didnt think she ever could. As if he sensed this, her father, who was not normally intuitive, had done everything in his power to turn her into a proper Kemble.
Keep your eye on me, honey, Daddy had said only this morning when shed begged to stay home. And youll be fine.
Easier said than done. Daddy was everywhere at once.
The sun was a fat red ball low against the horizon, but that didnt mean her daddy would order the cowboying to stop anytime soon. She was tired of the hot rivulets of wet dust running down her face and throat. More than anything she wanted to wash her pale, curly hair so it was no longer matted with dirt and sweat. Shed been in the saddle so long, her butt felt numb and her legs ached. Her throat was dry from all the blowing dust. She probably had chiggers, too.
Nearby a calf escaped, and Hawk waved his cowboy hat and whooped at it. There was laughter and gritos as he and his terrier, Blackie, galloped toward the squealing calf in pursuit. Lizzy jumped forward causing Pájaros hooves to tap skittishly.
Easy, boy, Lizzy said. Phobic about dogs, Pájaro danced backward. Tensing, Lizzy pulled back on the reins. She hated it when horses did anything except walk in a straight line. Shed been bitten, thrown and kicked too many times to remember, and that wasnt even counting today.
It had all started on her fifth birthday when shed begged Daddy for a doll, a beautiful Madame Alexander doll in a gorgeous velvet black dress, but hed given her a dreadful Arabian mare named Gypsy instead. Daddy had told Lizzy the best way to make friends with the huge, snorting beast was to give her an apple. Only when shed tiptoed fearfully up to the mare with the crescents of apple in her palm, the brute had snorted and then bitten off the tip of the little finger on Lizzys left hand. Mia had grabbed the apple and fed the beast expertly. Not that Daddy had even noticed her doing so.
At the plastic surgeons, Lizzy had cried and cried about wanting a doll instead of a biting horse. Not that her daddy had had the least bit of sympathy.
Dont be such a big crybaby, Lizzy. She knew you were afraid.
How do you not be afraid when you are?
Ever since Gypsy, Lizzy had had problem relationships, you might say, with horses and cowswith any large animal, really.
But she loved her daddy. And her daddy was determined to make a cowgirl of her or kill them both trying. So, here she was, out in the blazing sun, in thorny brush country, getting herself all sore and sunburned to make her daddy proud.
You were born to this life, honey, Daddy was constantly saying, but there was always a lack of conviction in his voice that scared Lizzy deep down and made her wonder why he was trying so hard to prove she belonged.
Even though he took her everywhere, constantly instructing her about the operation of the ranch, somehow, she never quite felt a true kinship with the Golden Spurs. It was as if her life were a puzzle, and a big piece in the middle was missing.
Why cant I do the cowgirl stuff then? she had asked him.
Because youre stubborn and youve made up your mind you cant. Change your mind, and youll change your result.
And so their discussions went, if you could call them discussions. Daddy, who never listened, always did ninety percent of the lecturing, and if she said anything, that just kept the unpleasant conversation going.
Sometimes she made small improvements in her horsemanship. But who wouldnt have, considering how many hours had gone into her training? Sometimes she went for months without a mishap, but she always backslid.
No father ever spent more time grooming an heiress for the running of his empire. Before shed been old enough for school, hed carried her with him everywhere, whether on horseback or in his pickup or in the ranchs plane. Hed taken her to San Antonio to the board meetings, introducing her to everyone important, who had anything to do with the ranch. Hed taken her to feedlots, to auctions. Hed let her play at his feet when hed worked in his office.
Sam and her siblings had begged her father to take them, but almost always, hed insisted upon Lizzy going because ranching came so naturally to the rest of the brood. Hed taught her to shoot and to ride, but she disliked guns and horses. The other children had watched her leave with her father for her lessons or trips, their eyes narrowed and sullen with jealousy.
One minute Lizzy was hovering on the edge of the herd, watching her daddy, mother, her uncles, cousins, brothers and her sister do the real work while she tried to stay out of their way and endured the blistering day. Then she saw hima real live Border banditor maybe a drug runnerlurking in the brush, staring holes through her, stripping her naked.
Just why she didnt weep or scream in terror, shed never know. Maybe its true what they say about curiosity killing cats.
He was half-hidden in the mesquite and granjeño and palmetto fronds. Hunkered low over his saddle, the lone cowboy drilled her with such angry, laser-bright blue eyes she knew he was bad. Even after he realized shed spotted him, he didnt avert his predatory gaze or smile or even bother to apologize.
No, bold as brass, his narrowed eyes roved from her face to her breasts and her thighs.
Rigid with shock and not a little fear, she glowered back at his harsh, set face.
Who do you think you aretrespassing, spying on me? she said, wishing for once that she was carrying a hateful gun like her daddy always advised.
If your daddy wasnt a thief, youd be trespassing, honey. This was Knight land for five generations.
English. He spoke English. Drawling, lazy, pure Texas English,but English. So, youre Cole
Naturally she knew that Cole Knight was as bad as any bandit. Worseif her daddy had his say.
Cole lifted his hat and nodded, his hostile, white smirk mocking her. Pleased to meet you, darlin. Not that he looked pleased.
She wasnt about to say she was pleased to meet him.
He had longish black hair, dark skin and radar eyes that saw through a girl.
Ive heard all about you, she said. Youre known to have a nasty vengeful disposition. Youre a gambler, too, and youve got a bad reputation with girls.
Did your daddy tell you all that, little girl?
She refused to give him the satisfaction of admitting it, but she felt herself get hot and guessed her blushing was telling him more than she wanted it to.
Cole Knight is set on revenge against me, honey, her daddy had told her, and more than once.
Why, Daddy? shed asked.
Oh, no reason. Just because hes an ill-natured cuss if ever there was one.
So, youre Lizzy Kemble, the handsome, ill-natured cuss drawled lazily in that pure-Texas accent of his, bringing her thoughts back to the present.
When he edged his mount closer to hers, she instinctively backed hers up. Again he smiled and let his hot, sinful eyes devour the length of her body, taking liberties shed never given any manand certainly didnt want to give the insolent likes of him.
He stared until she was practically frothing with fury. Then he shot her another bold smile that made her skin really heat.
You blush real easy, dont you, little girl? I like that.
Well, I dont like it, and I dont like anything about you, either, she snapped.
You barely know me.
I know enough.
Then why dont you run, Little Red Riding Hood?
Go away. Just go away! she said. Before somebody sees you here.
Youve seen me. Arent you somebody?
Before she could stop herself, I dont count for much around here.
He laughed at that, and some of the strain and anger left his dark face. He was handsometoo handsome for his good and for hers, too, she suddenly realized. This was bad. She wasnt as immune to his charm as she needed to be.
I know that feelingnot counting for much, he said, his voice low and beguilingly gentle now as he urged his big horse to sidle closer to hers. He tipped his hat back, so that she could see his beautiful, long-lashed eyes better. Its an awful feeling, isnt it?
Ive got to go, she said, studying the silky length of his lashes rather too fixedly.
Youre not scared of me, now are you, little girl?
No! Of course not!
Then stay. Relax. Im not the big bad wolf. Im just your neighbor. Maybe its time we got better acquainted.
She was about to say no, but Blackie charged through the brush, yapping his fool terrier head off at a rabbit that was running for his life. Panicked at the shrill barks, Pájaro reared slightly.
When the rabbit and dog sprinted toward the gelding like a pair of bullets, Lizzy screamed, and Pájaro started bucking for all he was worth.
Keep your head, girl, and quit your screaming, Cole yelled, moving swiftly toward her.
Lizzy hollered again and again.
Hush, Cole ordered, trying to grab her reins.
Get away! she yelled, slapping at his hands with them.
Then Blackie rushed under Pájaros hooves again, and the gelding tossed his head wildly and reared. Cole grabbed the reins just as Pájaro bolted. The reins flew out of his hands, and Lizzy clutched the saddle horn and the geldings mane and held on.
Born to fly, Pájaros hooves pounded the earth as if ten demon terriers were chasing him straight to hell instead of one small dog. Lizzy was equally spooked. No way could she stop screaming now.
Pájaro dashed straight through thorny brushthrough mesquite, huisache and granjeño, racing for the middle of the herd. Lizzy clung desperately, fighting to hang on. If she fell, she could be trampled. Behind her, she heard Cole shouting instructions, but the cattle were bawling so loudly, she couldnt make out what he was saying.
Ahead she saw a low branch, so she bent low over Pájaros back. When he raced beneath it, thorns knocked off her hat and shredded the back of her blouse. Pájaro shot through a bunch of cattle, scattering them in all directions. Then he veered away from the herd back into the brush, racing at a full gallop for maybe five minutes.
Her heart was thudding in terror, but still she held on. If anything the monster sped up. The man on the horse behind them seemed to be catching up, which made Pájaro even wilder to outrun them.
Tightening her grip on the saddle horn and the coarse hair of Pájaros mane, somehow she endured the wild, thundering chase. Suddenly Cole and his horse were racing right beside her.
Let go! a hard voice yelled. Ive got you.
Let go? Was he crazy?
Even when she felt Coles powerful arm around her waist, her knees gripped Pájaros flanks and she held on to the saddle horn for dear life. But her strength was nothing compared to Coles, who yanked her off with seeming ease.
Her hands were ripped off the saddle horn, and for a fleeting horrible second she was airborne between the two flying horses. Pájaro veered to the left, and Cole pulled her in front of him on his horse.
Ive got you, Cole repeated over and over against her ear.
Panic tightened her stomach even as Cole pressed her tightly against his body as he reined in his mount.
There. Youre okay. Youre safe, he muttered between harsh, rasping breaths as the thudding hooves slowed. Youre okay.
I want down. I dont care if I have to walk all the way home, I dont want to ever ride a horse again.
Thats understandable, Cole said soothingly.
This is all your fault! You shouldnt have chased me!
Then Im sorry. Im sorry, he said in that same calming tone.
Her daddy would never have been so reasonable. When she fell off a horse, he always hollered or used a stern voice to order her back on.
Cole dismounted and helped her down. Still, terrified, her heart continued to race as he circled her waist with his hands and lowered her from the horse. When he continued to hold her, she was so upset, she lacked the sense to push him away.
Her choked breaths erupted in burning gasps. Her knees were so wobbly she could barely stand, and her eyes burned with unshed tears. She was scared and too mortified for words.
II probably look a mess.
There now, he said. When he drew her close, she forgot her fear of him and clung. He was breathing hard and fast, just like she was. But he was holding her gently, caressing her and letting her cling.