“You ready?” he asked, his eyes carefully fixed on her face. Libby knew she looked good. Score one for her.
Pasting on a smile, she tipped her head back to look at him from beneath the brim of her hat. “Whichhorse is mine?”
Sam pointed to a little palomino mare with the sweetest long-lashed brown eyes she’d ever seen. “That’s Sunshine,” he said. “Most of the others have ridden at least once or twice since they got here, so they’re ready to go. I wish you’d had the chance, but you don’t need to worry. Sunshine’s good-natured and easy to handle, and you’ll be riding right behind me.”
Oh, lucky me!She could watch his broad back and tight buns all the way to the top of the mountain.
“You were raised on a farm,” Sam said. “You know how to ride, right?”
“We used to have a couple of horses, but it was along time ago.”
“I’m sure it’ll come back to you, but I can give you a quick refresher course.”
Sam walked her over to Sunshine, who turned a patient look inher direction.
“All you have to do is grab the horn, stick your boot in the stirrup, and swing up into the saddle.”
She bent to the task, saddle leather creaking as she settled herself in the seat.
Sam adjusted the position of her boot. “Stirrups are just about right.” He lifted the reins over Sunshine’s head. “She’s got a soft mouth, so keep your touch light. You remember how touse the reins?”
Surprisingly, she did. And sitting on a horse again felt good. Really good.
He smoothed a gloved hand down Sunshine’s sleek neck, and she remembered his palm kneading her breast. A rush of heat hit her that had nothing to do with the warm sun and everything to do with how good he’dmade her feel.
Sam rested a hand on her thigh, then hastily jerked it away. “Just relax and have fun, okay?”
Ignoring a fresh rush of heat, Libby focused on the day ahead. She had decided to make the best of the situation. Other people were there to have fun. She wasn’t going to spoil it for them.
Or so she thought until she saw Max and Vince come out of Wolverine Cabin and walk toward them.
“I thought they were staying behind to fish,” Libby said.
“They changed their minds at the last minute and decided to join us. Fishing’s always good up at the lake.”
Libby said nothing. But as the men walked past, she felt Vince’s pale eyes skimming over her, and a chill slid down her spine. Max nudged Vince toward the barn, where a pair of bay horses stood saddled and waiting.
Sam tied a bedroll on the back of Libby’s saddle, took her overnight bag and packed it in one of the mule panniers. According to Sam, each side of the box had to be weighted exactly right in order to keep the load from shifting and creating a problem for the mule.
* * * *
“Everybody’s mounted and ready,” Sam said. He swung up into the saddle of a sorrel quarter horse with a thick chest and bowed neck and turned to give her a last reassuring glance. “You have any kind of problem, don’t be afraid to letme know, okay?”
Libbynodded. “Okay.”
“Let’s go.”
They set off single file, with the Dunbar family on the trail behind Libby, Caleb looking nearly as comfortable in the saddle as Sam. The perky black horse Caleb rode had plenty of energy, dancing from side to side and tossing his pretty head. Jordy and Suzy followed, grinning from ear to ear, Jenny smiling as she rode behind them.
Betty on Biscuit and Alice on Red were clearly enthralled. Kim and Brad Hillman mostly grinned at each other, barely noticing the spectacular scenery. Max and Vince rode in silence. They didn’t look particularly happy to be there, but maybe their attitude would improve once they reached the lake.
Big John led the pack string, three mules plodding along in a line tied together with a length of rope. The riders made their way along the main ranch road, then turned onto a trail across one of the pastures. Clusters of curious Black Angus watched them; then Sam dismounted and opened a gate, and they headed upinto the hills.
Libby shifted in the saddle, but it didn’t take long to get familiar with the roll and sway of the horse, and she found herself relaxing. It was hard to admit, but she was glad she had come. If she didn’t have to look at the broad shoulders and narrow hips of the man in front of her, the dark gold hair that curled over his collar beneath the brim of his hat, she might have thought the day was perfect.
By lunchtime, she wasn’t so sure. Her legs and bottom were aching, and sweat trickled down the back of her neck. She was working up the courage to swing down from the horse when she felt Sam’s big hands wrap around her waist and lift her downto the ground.
Pain traveled up her thighs, and Libby inwardly groaned. Sam smiled, and she wanted to hit him.
