KEPT HIS LAUGHTER in check until he’d turned the last horse out in the corral. He’d never seen a woman so rip-roaring mad in all his life. After her hissy fit, she’d settled down and got to work mucking the stalls. She had to learn the ropes somehow.
He had to admit, even with all the aggravation she caused him, he sure did enjoy the sway of her hips when she walked and the way her hair fell free, to the middle of her back. She was a looker. There was no doubt about it.
Jesse knew the instant Miranda climbed from her truck, the name Double Trouble finally rung true. She was shapelier than a Coke bottle and had green eyes the color of spring leaves. A woman like her could only make a man’s life difficult. And she’d proven to be no exception so far.
Not only had he lost everything, he’d lost it to a beautiful blonde. But there was something different about her. She possessed such a deep self-confidence yet her face reflected a loneliness that reminded him of a child on the first day of a new school.
When Fran Carter’s sister put the ranch up for sale, Jesse was livid. He’d offered Caroline more than a fair price for the place. Nevertheless, she had been determined to get all she could for it.
It didn’t matter one iota that Fran and Ed Carter had spoken at great length about their intentions to sell Double Trouble to Jesse. They treated him like a son and Jesse considered himself blessed to have a second family. While the Carters enjoyed the ranch, the house had needed more and more repairs. They were tired and wanted a stress-free retirement in a smaller house near town. Then tragedy had struck.
Though Caroline had been devastated by her sister’s and brother-in-law’s deaths, when it came to the ranch all Caroline could see were dollar signs. From her Seattle home, she’d arranged the sale of the antiques and most of the furniture only two days after Fran’s funeral. Assuming the ranch would run itself she didn’t realize half of what Jesse brought in training horses was his to keep. Combined with the vet and feed bills, Double Trouble cut into her bottom line. Thanks to Jesse spreading the word around town not to buy the horses and cattle, she gave up and left them to the new owner.
After Jesse had forgone his father’s offer to work on his family’s ranch when he graduated high school, the Carters had hired him. Despite the fact he loved his family and respected his brothers’ decisions to work there, he didn’t want anything handed to him.
Bridle Dance was his great-grandfather’s legacy. And while he was proud of his family, Jesse wanted a legacy of his own. Now fifteen years later, he had to walk away from what he believed would have been his.
Just when he thought his time on Double Trouble was over, he had to contend with Miranda. The sight of her stepping out of that new truck made his blood boil. The woman didn’t know one end of a bull from the other. Now she owned his ranch. The last thing he wanted was to witness the destruction of the place he loved.
Common decency told him to show her enough to get by. Help her hire a foreman and then be on his way. Another part told him to stay in case she floundered and decided to hotfoot it back home.
If her expensive jeans and new boots were any indication, there was no way she could handle running a ranch. If his instincts were right, maybe Double Trouble would be his after all.
A girl like her wasn’t used to this type of life but she was about to learn the gritty details. And maybe, just maybe, she would realize this was not for her.
A few hours later, Jesse checked in on Miranda. He expected to see one, maybe two stalls mucked. Instead, he was amazed to see every stall clean and freshly bedded.
He gave her credit. It couldn’t have been easy for her, but she accomplished it anyway. Jesse had to admire her tenacity.
Jesse found Miranda behind the stables, rubbing her feet through the leather of her boots. His dog, Max, who was apparently not man’s best friend, was wagging his tail as he sat beside her. Traitor. He hurried inside before she saw him. He whistled a Western tune to warn her he was around the corner.
“Here you are,” Jesse said as Miranda wobbled to her feet. “I see you met Max. For the record, he doesn’t come with the ranch.”
“It’s all finished.” Wisps of hair fell from her makeshift ponytail. Dust and sweat covered her chest and arms. She looked as though she was ready to drop. On the other hand, maybe it was the guaranteed blisters on her feet that were making her face scrunch up as it did. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to see my house.”
Jesse let her get halfway to the porch before he called to her.
“You best be careful where you wander off to.” Jesse warned. “You never know who or what might be prowling around here.”
Miranda spun around, her eyes wide.
“Don’t look so surprised.” Jesse feigned concern. “This is Texas, after all. We have snakes and all sorts of wild animals around these parts. Never mind what the livestock will do if provoked.”
Miranda eyed him warily as he walked toward her.
“Remember the old saying,” he whispered in her hair as he brushed past her. “You mess with the bull, and you’re going to get horned.”
The corner of her mouth rose in a sly smile.
“Be careful, cowboy,” she said as she continued to her house. “You just may be the one to get horned.”
Jesse caught her elbow before she could go inside.
“Listen, little girl.” He encircled her waist and drew her close. “Watch it before you get yourself in a whole heap of trouble.”
Miranda didn’t break her gaze, she matched it. Tiny droplets formed above her lip. He’d gamble those lips tasted salty right about now. Before he lost complete control, Jesse stepped aside.
She attempted a smile, but fatigue won out. Jesse hadn’t considered how long she had driven to get here. From the looks of her, all night. He felt like a heel. He bossed her around for half the day and didn’t even allow her to see her house.
“Are there any more chores or may I be excused?” Miranda stood with a look of defiance he had never seen before.
Except maybe in a mirror.
“Go in and see your new house.” Jesse kicked at some hay. “Get yourself settled and grab something to eat. I’ll finish up out here.”
Miranda didn’t protest. She limped past him, toward the porch.
The urge was too great for him to resist. “I told you those new boots were going to be a killer.”
Miranda stopped. He half expected her to give him another tongue-lashing. Instead, she hesitated briefly then continued on walking.
It was time to get back to work while he still had duties here at the ranch. “She’s something else,” he said to General Lee as Jesse led him out of the corral.
The horse nodded his head as if he understood. Jesse watched Miranda hobble up the porch stairs. Each step was a well-calculated movement.
“I almost feel sorry for her.” Jesse latched the stall door once the horse was inside. “It must be rough. A new town, a new home
