Read Online The Bachelor’s Surrender by Janelle Denison - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janelle Denison
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warranted.
Lauren grinned, and using the gate a few feet away from where she stood, she slipped into the corral and approached the trio. “Mucking out stalls, huh? I guess I did get lucky by sleeping in.”
“Yep, you did,” Chad said solemnly, as if he took his morning tasks very seriously. “And now that my chores are done, Rafe is going to let me ride Bronwyn.”
Stopping next to Rafe, Lauren rubbed the gentle chestnut along her snout. “She’s certainly a beauty.”
As if understanding the compliment, Bronwyn shifted closer to Lauren and nudged her in the arm, then snuffled her neck. Lauren laughed at the fond gesture, and when she glanced toward Rafe with a smile, she caught him watching her, his expression heart-breakingly vulnerable—as if wanted to share in her enjoyment, but didn’t dare. As soon as their eyes met, he immediately averted his.
“Haul yourself into the saddle, partner,” Rafe ordered Chad, and waited until the young boy had seated himself on top of the horse.
Chad sat patiently while Rafe adjusted the stirrups for his short legs, looking like a little rodeo cowboy in his hat, western shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. “Will you watch me ride, Lauren?”
The hopeful note in his voice grabbed at Lauren, reminding her why they were here on Rafe’s ranch—to give this young boy a week of wonderful memories to sustain him for the uncertain years ahead. “Of course I will. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”
Finished with the stirrups, Rafe plucked his own hat from a hook on a nearby post, jammed the Stetson on his head, and returned to Chad. Grabbing Bronwyn’s reins, he led the horse into the sun and toward the end of the corral, where he opened a wide gate leading to a few acres of flat, green pasture.
Lauren followed at a more leisurely pace, listening to Rafe give Chad a few last minute rules before giving him the okay to take off with Bronwyn. Chad turned in the saddle to glance at Lauren, his expression anxious and excited at the same time.
Knowing he sought her approval, she gave him a thumbs-up sign. “Have fun, kiddo.”
Rafe patted Bronwyn on the rump, gently urging her forward, out into the pasture. Chad took the lead from there, gradually easing the mare into a trot. As he gained confidence he progressed Bronwyn to a canter, then to a full-fledged gallop that had horse and rider moving smoothly across the open field.
Rafe moved next to where Lauren had positioned herself at the fence, so she could keep Chad in sight at all times, though she had to shade her eyes with her hand because of the bright sunshine.
“You ought to get yourself a hat,” Rafe said, his gruff tone making the suggestion sound more like an order. “You’re gonna burn that soft, smooth skin of yours before the week is out.”
And he would know just how soft and smooth her skin was, considering he’d caressed it the night before. Ignoring the slight kick of her pulse at how near he stood—close enough to touch her—she sent him a brilliant smile. “A little sun never hurt me before, but thank you for caring.”
Her appreciative comment startled him, and she could see that he wanted to refute the fact that he cared , even about something inconsequential as her fair skin, but to do so would make him look defensive and trivial. No doubt miffed at her deliberate twist in words, his jaw tightened and he glanced away.
Biting back a grin, she scored herself a minor victory. By the end of next week, she was determined to breach this hard-hearted hero’s resolve. As a foster care assistant, she’d managed to do just that with more foster children than she could count, and though Rafe was a grown man, his scornful attitude was the same— back off and keep your distance, because I don’t deserve anyone’s tenderness or love. She had plenty of experience dealing with this particular defense tactic.
She followed Rafe’s line of vision to Chad, who’d taken Bronwyn out to the edge of the
Lauren grinned, and using the gate a few feet away from where she stood, she slipped into the corral and approached the trio. “Mucking out stalls, huh? I guess I did get lucky by sleeping in.”
“Yep, you did,” Chad said solemnly, as if he took his morning tasks very seriously. “And now that my chores are done, Rafe is going to let me ride Bronwyn.”
Stopping next to Rafe, Lauren rubbed the gentle chestnut along her snout. “She’s certainly a beauty.”
As if understanding the compliment, Bronwyn shifted closer to Lauren and nudged her in the arm, then snuffled her neck. Lauren laughed at the fond gesture, and when she glanced toward Rafe with a smile, she caught him watching her, his expression heart-breakingly vulnerable—as if wanted to share in her enjoyment, but didn’t dare. As soon as their eyes met, he immediately averted his.
“Haul yourself into the saddle, partner,” Rafe ordered Chad, and waited until the young boy had seated himself on top of the horse.
Chad sat patiently while Rafe adjusted the stirrups for his short legs, looking like a little rodeo cowboy in his hat, western shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. “Will you watch me ride, Lauren?”
The hopeful note in his voice grabbed at Lauren, reminding her why they were here on Rafe’s ranch—to give this young boy a week of wonderful memories to sustain him for the uncertain years ahead. “Of course I will. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”
Finished with the stirrups, Rafe plucked his own hat from a hook on a nearby post, jammed the Stetson on his head, and returned to Chad. Grabbing Bronwyn’s reins, he led the horse into the sun and toward the end of the corral, where he opened a wide gate leading to a few acres of flat, green pasture.
Lauren followed at a more leisurely pace, listening to Rafe give Chad a few last minute rules before giving him the okay to take off with Bronwyn. Chad turned in the saddle to glance at Lauren, his expression anxious and excited at the same time.
Knowing he sought her approval, she gave him a thumbs-up sign. “Have fun, kiddo.”
Rafe patted Bronwyn on the rump, gently urging her forward, out into the pasture. Chad took the lead from there, gradually easing the mare into a trot. As he gained confidence he progressed Bronwyn to a canter, then to a full-fledged gallop that had horse and rider moving smoothly across the open field.
Rafe moved next to where Lauren had positioned herself at the fence, so she could keep Chad in sight at all times, though she had to shade her eyes with her hand because of the bright sunshine.
“You ought to get yourself a hat,” Rafe said, his gruff tone making the suggestion sound more like an order. “You’re gonna burn that soft, smooth skin of yours before the week is out.”
And he would know just how soft and smooth her skin was, considering he’d caressed it the night before. Ignoring the slight kick of her pulse at how near he stood—close enough to touch her—she sent him a brilliant smile. “A little sun never hurt me before, but thank you for caring.”
Her appreciative comment startled him, and she could see that he wanted to refute the fact that he cared , even about something inconsequential as her fair skin, but to do so would make him look defensive and trivial. No doubt miffed at her deliberate twist in words, his jaw tightened and he glanced away.
Biting back a grin, she scored herself a minor victory. By the end of next week, she was determined to breach this hard-hearted hero’s resolve. As a foster care assistant, she’d managed to do just that with more foster children than she could count, and though Rafe was a grown man, his scornful attitude was the same— back off and keep your distance, because I don’t deserve anyone’s tenderness or love. She had plenty of experience dealing with this particular defense tactic.
She followed Rafe’s line of vision to Chad, who’d taken Bronwyn out to the edge of the
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