Read Online And Then You Dare (Crested Butte Cowboys Series Book 5) by Heather A Buchman - Free Book Online

couldn’t see his face. As she got
closer, she saw he was working with a bronc.
    “Shh now,” she heard him say, his hands holding the catch rope
lightly. “You can let your guard down. I ain’t gonna hurt you.”
    She listened to him soothe the horse. “Come on now, let’s be
friends. Let ol’ Bullet take care of you.”
    It was the tone of voice one might use with a lover. Slow,
sultry, reinforcing the care he’d give, the time he’d take. Tristan leaned up
against the fence, and closed her eyes. He coaxed and cajoled. Sweetly.
    “Come on now darlin’, that’s a girl.”
    He was working with a filly? Surprising. Geldings typically
made better broncs. Maybe this was just a spirited horse, not one they intended
to take out to rodeos.
    Tristan climbed up on the fence and watched as Bullet
continued to soothe the horse, murmuring to her as he took the lead, and walked
her around the arena.
    “She’s a beauty, ain’t she?”
    Tristan hadn’t realized he knew she was there.
    “She sure is.” The palomino paint didn’t look to be much over
two years old, and about fifteen hands.
    “You takin’ her out?”
    “Not yet. Not sure they ever will.”
    “What’s her name?”
    “Holbrook.”
    Tristan grinned. How did he know the name of her hometown? “Oh
yeah? You playin’ with me cowboy?”
    When Bullet smiled, she almost fell off the fence. It had been
a while since one had been directed at her. The blue eyes that had been so
frosty, warmed again when he winked at her.
    He dropped the lead and walked over to where she sat.
    “I’d like to be friends again,” she said before he could say
anything.
    “Friends huh? I didn’t realize that’s what we were.”
    Tristan cheeks flushed. “I’d like to be.”
    “All right. We can be friends. If that’s what you’d like,” he
drawled. As he got closer, she could see his dimples.
    God, he was dangerous. He knew just what to say, and how to
say it. If she was a little younger, and a lot dumber, he could talk her into
just about anything. He put his hand on her knee.
    “I’m sorry I ran out of the house so quick. I’m runnin’ low on
sleep and high on anxiety these days.” The devastating smile didn’t leave his
face. He squeezed her knee. “Forgive me?”
    “Bullet…I…” What was she trying to say? She couldn’t think
with him caressing her knee.
    “Come on now, darlin’. Say you’ll forgive me.” He was using
the same tone of voice with her that he used with the filly. And it was working
just as well on her as it had with the horse.
    She brushed his hand away. “There isn’t anything to forgive. I
was the one that insulted you. You still haven’t accepted my apology.”
    Bullet leaned in closer, so his body rested up against her
leg, his hand came back to rub her knee. “I haven’t? Well, now.” His hand
stopped moving and he looked up at her face. “Tristan, I accept your apology.”
    ***
    1965
    It had been three years since he first set foot on
Double-P-Bar Ranch, and three years since he’d seen his mama. When Clancy
offered to take him to Colorado Springs to see her, Bill didn’t hesitate to
take him up on it. He missed her so much. And his sister. There was something
important his mama wanted to tell him, that’s what Clancy said. Bill hoped it
wasn’t more bad news. His family had more than their fair share of strife in
the last five years.
    It took them seven hours to make the drive. The weather over
Loveland Pass was rough, which made Bill worry more. If Clancy was making this
drive in the middle of winter, his mother’s news must be mighty important.
    “Stop worryin’ so much,” Clancy punched his arm.
    “Can’t help it. Did she tell you anything at all?”
    “She did, but she made me promise not to tell. So you gotta
wait.”
    Clancy was smiling. If it was bad news he wouldn’t be smiling.
Right? Bill continued to chew on his fingernails. He couldn’t help it.

 
    His mama came running out the back door of the