Rodeo Sweetheart Read online

  Ethan’s stomach twisted. He could never purposefully hurt any of the horses, or Sam. Besides, Ethan wanted to be near her—and not just because he was ordered to for his job. He opened his mouth to object.

  Jeffrey caught Ethan’s shoulder in one large hand and bent down to his level. “Do it, or I’ll get your cousin to handle things for you.” He straightened, lowering his hand to his side, but the weight of it continued to rest on Ethan’s shoulders. “It’s your choice.”

  Jeffrey turned and strode back to his cabin, his back ramrod straight in the lengthening shadows. Ethan trudged in the opposite direction toward the north paddock, the excitement of seeing Sam suddenly ruined. He spun his father’s words over and over in his mind, the meaning striking with new clarity at each rotation. It’s your choice.

  None of this was Ethan’s choice. That was the whole problem in the first place. Ethan didn’t get to choose his career. He didn’t get to choose how he did his job, or which bank to use or even which college to attend. He had no choices at all. But there was no way he’d allow his father or Daniel to sabotage Sam’s ranch.

  Ethan’s eyes narrowed at Jeffrey’s retreating form, growing smaller the more distance he put between them. He’d show his father about choices, all right.

  Starting with Sam.

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning, Sam jerked the cinch strap and adjusted the saddle pad on Diego’s back. Then she looped the reins over the fence post, grabbed Piper’s blanket from the top paddock rail and moved toward the gelding waiting on the other side of Diego. At least the chestnut’s ankle had finally completely healed.

  She blew an annoying strand of hair out of her eyes as she slid the checkered blanket over Piper’s sweaty back. It seemed like every guest on the ranch had showed up for the Tuesday morning ride and was waiting impatiently for a horse—even the honeymoon couple. She and Cole had their hands full trying to get the animals ready, and the sun already shone hot on Sam’s head. A fly buzzed by Piper’s mane and she swatted it. Thankfully, the wind was blowing, a welcome respite from the July heat.

  “Miss Priss is ready.” Cole patted the mare’s cheek as he ducked under her neck. “I’ll start helping the riders mount.”

  “Thanks, Cole.” Sam yawned and noted the matching fatigue shadowing Cole’s face. She pushed aside a wave of guilt. She might owe Cole for helping her practice in the middle of the night, but the end result would benefit the generous stable hand, too. They’d both be free from the guests, the endless questions, and the commercialization of the only home they’d known—although at this point, they were also both in danger of falling asleep in the saddle.

  “Mornin’, partner.” Ethan’s exaggerated cowboy drawl sounded over Sam’s shoulder and she couldn’t help but smile. Ethan had watched her practice session last night on the steer, and she didn’t know what was more amusing—her own efforts to stay on Lucy’s back or the look on Ethan’s face every time Sam fell off. If panic had a tangible form, Ethan would have been wearing it.

  Sam handed Piper’s reins to Cole so he could lead the gelding to a guest. She turned to Ethan, the wind whipping her hair in front of her eyes. “Is the rest of your family joining you for the ride?”

  “My mom probably will, as long as she’s nowhere near Piper again.” Ethan laughed. “Do you have a deaf horse?”

  “Very funny.” Sam glanced over her shoulder as Vickie Ames strode into the mounting area in a stark white button-down and jeans. That shirt probably wouldn’t stay pristine for long, but if the Ames family were as wealthy as Sam’s mother kept hinting, Vickie could easily get another ensemble. She could probably fully outfit every rider on the ranch for their entire vacation and never even notice the expense. What did the Ames family do that they were so successful with? She should ask Ethan about his career. Not that it really mattered—the knowledge wouldn’t change the dwindling dollars in the Jensons’ checking account.

  Sam’s mood darkened as she took Miss Priss’s reins and strode toward the start of the trail where the others waited. What would it be like to have that kind of money? Ethan and his family had never wanted for a thing, while Sam and her mother struggled just to pay the electric bill and the gas bill in the same month.

  “Are you okay?” Ethan caught up to Sam and touched her shoulder. “You walked off pretty fast.”

  She eased away from the innocent contact, too upset to care how the touch held just as much spark as it had yesterday in the barn. Fireworks were dangerous, and so was Ethan Ames. She forced a smile. “Fine. Just busy.”

  “Can I help? Partner?” Ethan smiled.

  Sam winced at the teamwork reference. She should have never made a bargain with Ethan, though she supposed it was better than the alternative of him blabbing her secret to her mom. It wasn’t his fault that he had money and a successful family business. There was no reason to take her anger out on him.

  She blew out her breath and fought for control of her exhausted emotions. “I think Cole and I have it under control. Looks like you’re riding Miss Priss again.” She handed Ethan the reins, careful to avoid brushing his fingers in the process, and strode toward Diego. Ethan’s gaze burned into her back the entire way.

  Sam and Ethan might be forced together for the time being, but she didn’t have to like it—didn’t have to like him. He was on vacation, and while it was nice having the extra help for the chores yesterday, Ethan was bound to get bored soon. And once he did, the workload would fall once again on Sam’s weary shoulders, along with everything else that had taken permanent residence there.

  She gripped the saddle horn in one hand and easily swung onto Diego’s back, automatically dropping her heels and squeezing with her lower legs to urge him toward the rest of the group.

  It was a wonder the poor gelding didn’t collapse from the weight of all the problems Sam bore.

  Ethan couldn’t stop staring at the back of Sam’s head. At least this time on the trail, he felt somewhat more comfortable in the saddle, and could afford the time spent thinking now that he wasn’t worrying about falling off. His upper body swayed in rhythm to Miss Priss’s smooth steps as the sun warmed the tops of his shoulders. What was Sam’s problem? She’d smiled like she was happy to see him, then turned distant so fast he’d almost gotten whiplash.

  He adjusted his hands on the reins, ducking along with the rest of the string of riders as they cleared a low-hanging branch. Women. Changing their moods more often than Daniel changed his socks. But Sam didn’t seem the type to play the same mind games that the women he was accustomed to often did. Something specific must have happened to douse her spirits during those few minutes in the paddock.

  Only one way to find out what. Ethan clucked to his horse as he’d seen Sam do and sidled the mare up to the front of the line, next to Sam. Her eyes widened beneath her cowboy hat and she slowed Diego’s pace to match Miss Priss’s. “Is something wrong? Is it your mom?”

  “No, she’s fine. I just wanted to talk.” Ethan glanced at the trail ahead of them. Plenty of room for two horses to walk side by side, so she’d have no reason to avoid talking to him. “Are you feeling all right?”

  “I’m fine.” Sam faced forward again, her expression stony.

  “Are you mad that I wasn’t at the stable this morning? I meant to be, but I forgot to set the alarm after the late night.”

  “It’s okay. You’re on vacation. You shouldn’t be working in the first place.” Sam’s shoulders tensed and Diego tossed his head, pulling against the reins.

  “We have a deal, remember? I don’t mind working. I asked to.” His father’s manipulative plan pressed on Ethan’s conscience, and he shifted in the saddle. He should tell Sam the truth about why his family was there. But then she’d never talk to him again. Plus, if he backed out of his father’s schemes now, he’d be outside the loop and would have no idea what his family was plotting against Sam and her mom. How could he protect her if he was cut off from the information?

  Ethan c
leared his throat. “Really, I don’t mind the chores. I like learning about the ranch.”

  “Why?” Sam turned toward him so fast Ethan wondered how she didn’t fall off Diego’s back. “Why do you care so much?”

  Ethan’s mouth opened, then closed. “I guess if you get to keep your secret about why you’re riding a steer, then I get to keep mine.” He smiled, and Sam’s lips turned up at the corners before she schooled her features back into stone.

  “Fine. Be stubborn.” She nudged Diego with her knees and pulled ahead.

  Ethan tapped Miss Priss’s sides with his heels and caught up. “About your riding that steer—” His voice broke off as Sam edged ahead once again. He pressed forward. “Listen, I’m serious. You don’t have to tell me why if you don’t want to, but whatever the reason, isn’t there a better way? It seems dangerous. You fell a lot, and those horns—”

  Diego stopped suddenly and Sam’s eyes flashed with fire. Ethan reeled backward at the burn. “Don’t you dare pretend to understand me.” An almost tangible tension filtered through her tight-lipped words.

  “I don’t.” Ethan shook his head to clear the shock residue. Of all the women in the entire world, Sam was probably the least predictable and easy to understand—and he’d been to a lot of places.

  “There isn’t another way. Trust me.” Sam urged Diego into a walk. “You wouldn’t get it.”

  Ethan followed. “You’re trusting me with your secret in general—so why not the details of it?”

  Sam’s jaw clenched and she looked away.

  Ethan waited, but didn’t push. He was already threatening their delicate truce, but Sam didn’t realize Ethan was doing her a favor by not following his dad’s orders to sabotage the ranch. She had no idea what was at stake, and the more Ethan knew, the better he could protect Sam from his father’s manipulation—and try to reach his own goals without picking wildflowers along the way.

  Sam avoided his eyes. “It’s not a matter of trust, Ethan. You forced this deal.”

  Guilt pricked Ethan’s heart like a tailor’s pin. “For good reason.”

  “A reason you’re going to share?” The silence between them pulsed heavy with expectation.

  “I just wanted to spend time with yo—just wanted to learn about working a ranch, and I knew you’d never agree without some kind of extra motivation.” Ethan shook his head at the near slip. He had wanted to spend time with Sam, and not just because his dad insisted—but because Ethan wanted to be around her, wanted to soak in her presence like a much needed rain shower.

  “I find it hard to believe you’re actually interested in cleaning stalls and grooming horses.” Sam’s eyebrows rose and her face shadowed under the brim of her hat.

  “But I am.” Again, it was the truth. There was something rewarding about rising early and working with his hands, not just pushing papers around on a mahogany desk while staring at the view from his twentieth-floor, high-rise condo. “Sam, please. Just tell me what’s going on.”

  She tossed her hair, the sun highlighting the honey strands brushing across her back, and inhaled deeply. “I need money, and there’s a bull-riding rodeo competition in a little over a week.”

  “Why do you need money?” What could be so important that she’d risk her life? Was the ranch struggling that badly? At that point, Ethan and his family had less “work” to do than they’d thought, but right now he only cared about finding a way to make Sam smile again.

  Sam looked over her shoulder, and Ethan’s head automatically swiveled with hers. The rest of the riders in their group were several paces back, talking and gesturing at the meadow view to their left. Sam turned back to Ethan, apparently satisfied no one was listening. “My best friend’s father is selling a stallion. Noble Star could help my family resurrect our old breeding business.”

  Ethan’s lips pressed together. Sam was entering the rodeo to win a horse. How could one stallion make or break an entire business? He still didn’t get why Sam felt compelled to ride a steer—a bull—when there were more conventional options of obtaining money. “What about a loan?”

  “Not possible.”

  The firm set of Sam’s jaw convinced Ethan not to force that route. Sam was a smart woman—if there was a way to get money from a bank, she’d have done it by now. There were probably credit issues involved, and logically so considering the state of the ranch and his own family’s presence. “Why not sell the stallions in that fence by the guest cabins? They’re not being used anymore, are they?”

  “Not for guests. Cole and I still work them regularly to keep them exercised. But if we sold them and were able to start the breeding farm again, then we’d have nothing to start with. They could still earn us some money, but it’d be too time-consuming to get off the ground without a head start like Noble Star.” Sam shrugged. “Not to mention we have zero free time right now running the dude ranch business.”

  “Is the dude ranch not bringing in enough income?”

  “It pays the bills. Barely.” Sam shifted her weight in the saddle, the brushed leather creaking beneath her. “But this isn’t what it should be. This isn’t home anymore.” Sam leaned forward to pat Diego’s neck, but not before Ethan saw a single tear track her cheek.

  He let the silence protect her misery, and waited until she wiped her face and cleared her throat. Then he smiled. “I’m sure if anyone can meet their goals, Sam, it’s you.”

  He’d always been a sucker for wildflowers.

  Chapter Ten

  Sprawled on packed dirt, staring up at the stars dotting the inky black sky, Sam wondered if this whole brilliant plan of hers was worth it. Divine providence, or just a really stupid mistake? She pushed herself into a sitting position and brushed at her dusty sleeves, ignoring Cole’s amused grin, Ethan’s furrowed brow and the throbbing of her right shoulder. At least Kate’s expression was one of sympathy and respect.

  “Need a hand?” Cole called from the chute. He grabbed the rope around Lucy’s girth and began freeing the steer.

  “No.” Sam stood on her own, despite the soreness. What she really needed was a stun gun, one to point first at Lucy, and then at Ethan. If he didn’t knock off that parental worry he wore on his face like a permanent mask, she’d clobber him. It was bad enough having Cole treat her like she was made of china, another for Ethan to watch and cringe as if she would break. Why did he care so much? Ethan barely knew her, and yet his tenderness earlier in the day on the trail ride tugged at Sam’s heart. It’d been a vulnerable moment on her part, moments that grew rarer and rarer the busier Sam stayed, and she could have kicked herself for crying in front of Ethan. The stress of the past few weeks—make that years—had gotten to her. It figured her weakness would bloom in front of a guest—one with chocolate-brown eyes and a smile that beckoned, despite the warnings screaming in Sam’s mind.

  Avoiding Ethan’s gaze, Sam turned to Cole. “How long that time?”

  Cole checked the stopwatch he held between calloused fingers. “Four seconds. And that’s giving you a tenth.”

  Kate clapped her hands. “Not bad!”

  “More like awful.” Sam groaned. “This isn’t working. Lucy isn’t even a real bull, and I can’t manage.”

  Cole pocketed the watch. “You can’t expect to be a pro after a few days of practice, kid.”

  Kate shook her red curls back from her face. “Yeah, Sam. It takes time. But you’ve made amazing progress.”

  “I don’t have time.” Sam pressed her fingers against her forehead. No time, no money, no patience. Nothing but a big balloon of stress pressing against her temples. “I might as well be a rodeo clown. I’m a joke.”

  Ethan straightened from his slumped position against the fence beside Kate. “No, you’re not. That’s ridiculous.”

  She briefly squeezed her eyes shut. “What’s ridiculous is me riding Lucy.” Sam had gotten in over her head—and now was sinking faster than a baby calf in quicksand. Good intentions didn’t hold nearly as much merit when she w
as on the ground staring up at the horned beast. At least her father wasn’t here to see her failure. Tears burned the back of Sam’s throat.

  “Nothing is ridiculous. You just expect too much of yourself.” Cole tossed the rope over the fence and slapped Lucy’s rump. The steer ambled out of the chute and began nibbling at the grass growing through the rail.

  They really should hedge around the posts, the weeds were practically inside the paddock. Though if the grass kept growing inside the fence, it’d just be extra padding to land on when flying off Lucy. Sam swallowed back a rush of overwhelming emotion. Would the to-do list around the ranch ever be caught up? Not without money. Not without Noble Star. She groaned. If only Kate’s father could lower the price of the stallion. But even if he would, could she accept charity like that? She and her mom had made it on their own this long, even if they were a little worse for the wear because of it. She couldn’t let someone else pave the way now, even if that meant she had to take the bull by the horns—literally.

  Ethan climbed on the top of the fence and hesitated, as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to jump to the ground on the other side or not. “Look, I’m sure there’s a better way for you to get money than this whole bull-riding thing.” He wobbled, and grabbed the rail with both hands.

  “And I’m sure in your world, there’s plenty of ways.” Sam glared. “But welcome to reality.”

  Cole cocked his head to one side and crossed his arms. “Why is this guy still here, anyway? You want me to get rid of him?” He directed the question to Sam but stared at Ethan. Ethan shifted again on the fence and nearly toppled off. Kate shot out her arm to steady him and grinned at Ethan’s responding scowl.