Read Online A Broken Cowboy (BWWM Interracial Romance) by Renee Phillips - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Renee Phillips
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with them and more importantly, in what society did a man bring back horses for a woman he’d just had unbelievably dirty sex with?
“No, I’m returning them. They belonged to the previous owner, and I took them when he died so they wouldn’t starve. Then I had to see first what kind of person you are, to see if you could be trusted with them. And you can. So here.”
“Wow. That’s…great! But I’m not very good at riding a horse. The only experience I have is just walking around like we did over at Sarah’s place, and even that was only for a week.”
“You’ll learn,” Gabriel said before climbing back up the ladder and resuming banging on the roof. He watched Mimi from his post carefully, as she took tentative steps toward the large animals, holding out her hand for them to smell like she was approaching a growling dog instead of two gentle horses. Soon she was rubbing their noses and picking tufts of pollen and twig out of their manes, scratching their flanks in slow, careful circles.
After working for another hour, Gabriel came down from the roof and announced that he was done. Mimi thanked him profusely and admired his handiwork, then went inside and returned with a check.
“You didn’t tell me how much to make it out for, so let me know if this isn’t a fair enough price,” she said, flinching when a look of anger crossed Gabriel’s face.
“You’re going to pay me?” he demanded.
“Well, yes. That’s what we agreed to when you first pointed out that you could do it.”
“That was before. So now, I’m done and you’re going to give me money for helping you. I thought things were different between us,” he said, more confused sounding than hurt.
“What do you mean? I’m not going to assume that you’re going to do labor on my ranch for free, just because we’ve had sex! So take your check and leave!” She went into the house and slammed the door, angrily kicking at the little piles of sawdust that had fallen in as Gabriel worked, spreading any evidence that he’d been nearby before sweeping them up with her broom. As she turned to dump the dustpan out the back door, she saw that Gabriel was still standing in the yard, not half a mountain away as she’d expected.
He looked at her, completely at a loss for words. Mimi returned his stare from her place on the porch, her hands firmly planted on her hips, willing herself to be strong and not fall completely apart from the look of hurt on Gabriel’s face.
Too late , she thought to herself. I’ve already fallen apart, and I didn’t even know it .
“I’m sorry,” Gabriel began quietly. “This is all kind of new to me.”
Mimi dropped her gaze and waited, then stepped down from the porch, crossing the yard to stand in front of Gabriel. “I’m sorry, too,” she said. “And if it’s any consolation, I don’t know what I’m doing either. I bought a farm, for cryin’ out loud, all because being out here made me feel alive for the first time in years. I didn’t know you were part of the package when I bought the place, and I think I’m still trying to figure you out.”
Gabriel nodded. “I’m still trying to figure me out, too. It just hasn’t happened yet.”
Mimi cringed a little before asking, “Have you ever thought maybe you’re just too much to figure out on your own? There’s a reason that support groups exist. You are certainly not the only messed up soldier to come home from war a completely different person.”
“I’m not just different,” Gabriel answered, “I’m not even sure I’m a person anymore.”
Tears formed in the corners of Mimi’s eyes as she pulled Gabriel close to her. “Oh, Gabriel. I’m right here, and I feel a person in front of me. You’re real, and you’re a person. A good person. You might not be the person you used to be, but there is no doubt that you’re a person and that you have needs. And you deserve to have those needs met.”
Gabriel let her hold him for a long
“No, I’m returning them. They belonged to the previous owner, and I took them when he died so they wouldn’t starve. Then I had to see first what kind of person you are, to see if you could be trusted with them. And you can. So here.”
“Wow. That’s…great! But I’m not very good at riding a horse. The only experience I have is just walking around like we did over at Sarah’s place, and even that was only for a week.”
“You’ll learn,” Gabriel said before climbing back up the ladder and resuming banging on the roof. He watched Mimi from his post carefully, as she took tentative steps toward the large animals, holding out her hand for them to smell like she was approaching a growling dog instead of two gentle horses. Soon she was rubbing their noses and picking tufts of pollen and twig out of their manes, scratching their flanks in slow, careful circles.
After working for another hour, Gabriel came down from the roof and announced that he was done. Mimi thanked him profusely and admired his handiwork, then went inside and returned with a check.
“You didn’t tell me how much to make it out for, so let me know if this isn’t a fair enough price,” she said, flinching when a look of anger crossed Gabriel’s face.
“You’re going to pay me?” he demanded.
“Well, yes. That’s what we agreed to when you first pointed out that you could do it.”
“That was before. So now, I’m done and you’re going to give me money for helping you. I thought things were different between us,” he said, more confused sounding than hurt.
“What do you mean? I’m not going to assume that you’re going to do labor on my ranch for free, just because we’ve had sex! So take your check and leave!” She went into the house and slammed the door, angrily kicking at the little piles of sawdust that had fallen in as Gabriel worked, spreading any evidence that he’d been nearby before sweeping them up with her broom. As she turned to dump the dustpan out the back door, she saw that Gabriel was still standing in the yard, not half a mountain away as she’d expected.
He looked at her, completely at a loss for words. Mimi returned his stare from her place on the porch, her hands firmly planted on her hips, willing herself to be strong and not fall completely apart from the look of hurt on Gabriel’s face.
Too late , she thought to herself. I’ve already fallen apart, and I didn’t even know it .
“I’m sorry,” Gabriel began quietly. “This is all kind of new to me.”
Mimi dropped her gaze and waited, then stepped down from the porch, crossing the yard to stand in front of Gabriel. “I’m sorry, too,” she said. “And if it’s any consolation, I don’t know what I’m doing either. I bought a farm, for cryin’ out loud, all because being out here made me feel alive for the first time in years. I didn’t know you were part of the package when I bought the place, and I think I’m still trying to figure you out.”
Gabriel nodded. “I’m still trying to figure me out, too. It just hasn’t happened yet.”
Mimi cringed a little before asking, “Have you ever thought maybe you’re just too much to figure out on your own? There’s a reason that support groups exist. You are certainly not the only messed up soldier to come home from war a completely different person.”
“I’m not just different,” Gabriel answered, “I’m not even sure I’m a person anymore.”
Tears formed in the corners of Mimi’s eyes as she pulled Gabriel close to her. “Oh, Gabriel. I’m right here, and I feel a person in front of me. You’re real, and you’re a person. A good person. You might not be the person you used to be, but there is no doubt that you’re a person and that you have needs. And you deserve to have those needs met.”
Gabriel let her hold him for a long
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