She blinked. “We could have stayed and left before sunup.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “You should know, Cora, I’m as determined to protect you from wild cowhands as you are to protect me from wild broncs.”
She gaped at him. “I don’t need protect… I… Good?—”
A chuckle rumbled under Ben’s breath.
Charlie’s brow furrowed. “What would a wild cowhand do?”
“After all those weeks on the trail, they forget what a girl looks like. They might stare at her or talk to her all night long and not let her get any sleep. We couldn’t have that. Or they might drag poor Blue or one of the other broncs out to show their riding skills.”
“Hmmm.” The boy tossed his scraps into the embers.
Ben stirred the fire, avoiding Cora’s blatant gaze.
Charlie’s head jerked up, eyes bright. “Is that why you wanted to ride the bronc, Ben?”
Heat crept up Ben’s neck. “No, I mean…” Had it been so obvious that even a nine-year-old could see it? The boy needed a neckerchief tied over his mouth at times.
Cora squirmed. “Ben has a…someone…a gi...”
Ben shot her a look.
“What do you mean, ‘someone’?” Charlie stroked the rabbit fur at his feet.
Cora bit her lip.
“I don’t remember if I tethered the horses tight enough.” Ben stood. “I don’t want them getting spooked if a mountain lion comes by in the night.”
“If a mountain lion attacks in the night, I’d better have my shotgun by my side.” Charlie jumped up. “I’ll help you check on the horses.”
Ben stuck his hands in his pockets. Sage and juniper scratched at his trouser legs as he strode to the brush where they’d hidden the horses. Charlie followed a step behind. It was Cora’s idea to hide them there in case of Indian raiders. She knew this country. Wise woman. Wise enough to discern the truth in Charlie’s comment about the bronc, and unlike Charlie, not liable to forget the conversation in favor of a mountain lion. She’d probably seen it from the moment Ben opened his mouth at the corral, unlike him who’d acted without thought, hot under his collar over the way her eyes lit up over Goodnight. What did it matter to him what Cora thought of anyone? If he’d been thinking straight, he would have introduced her to the rancher.
Right. About as appealing as swallowing cactus needles.
Footfalls silent, Charlie crept along beside him. “I’m glad we didn’t stay at that ranch. This is more of an adventure.”
Ben held back a scraggly branch for Charlie to enter the grove. “Day after tomorrow, I’ll have to head out on the trail to round up those mavericks we were talked about earlier.”
“I could come too.” He held out his palm to Lightfoot, his mare.
The horse nickered and turned its nose at the rabbit smell.
Ben tugged on the rope securing his new quarter horse, Penny. “No. This time, you need to stay at the ranch and help your sister. You’ll be the man of the family while I’m gone.” He winced.Family. Where had that come from?
“I like that we’re a family.” Charlie dug a carrot stub from his trouser pocket.
Of course, the boy would latch onto that word. “It’ll be your duty to look out for Cora.” Ben rubbed Penny’s neck and moved on to the other horse.
By the time they returned to the campsite, Cora had cleaned up from their meal, except for the tin coffeepot which rested on a flat stone by the embers.
Ben’s breath hitched.
Braid unraveled, she sat raking her fingers through her hair which flowed over her shoulders and halfway down her back.
Beautiful silk. What would it feel like to touch the lush tresses?
Snap. Charlie stepped on a twig.
