“I’ll take care of it,” Chase replied over his shoulder.
* * *
They trottedaround the house and took what appeared to be a well-traveled back road east across the properties. Chase explained this trail avoided the traffic out on the main road and stretched for miles across the ranches.
“So, where are we riding?” Jade asked.
“Past my ranch to Cash’s ranch, to buy you a pair of boots.”
“I didn’t bring my purse.”
“Maybe I’ll vouch for you, and he’ll extend you some credit.”
“Oh, okay,” Jade replied. “Thank you.”
When Chase chuckled, she realized he was teasing her in some way. She laughed, but then, slipping sideways, she redirected her full concentration to not falling out of the saddle. Glancing left to see if Chase had noticed her ineptness, he was looking straight ahead. So Jade admired his handsome profile. His black hat covered thick, chocolate-brown hair above a high forehead. He had expressive dark brown brows, one of which he’d cocked in appraisal when she’d put on her hat. His nose was straight and just the right size. Sideburns, any man would like to have, blended into masculine black stubble along his strong, square jaw.
Talk about a hot-blooded challenge. This cowboy was a lot to handle standing on solid ground. Trying to ride a horse and not do or say anything else stupid was more than she’d bargained for. As they rode east, she silently warned herself that Chase Cooper waswaymore than she’d bargained for.
“Here is the start of my ranch on this side of the main road,” Chase said and pointed to a distant pasture. “Those are a few of my Black Angus.”
This sideof the main road? Cattle, more than Jade had ever seen anywhere, including in movies, grazed and mooed in green meadows, on sloping hills, among evergreens, and under leafy trees on an endless grassy prairie.
“Beautiful,” Jade said in awe as they paused for a moment. “I love your cows.”
“Yeah,” Chase chuckled. “From far away. Close up, they’re dirty, big, and smelly. Cows are female cattle that have had at least one calf.”
“I love your bulls too. Your steers?” She shrugged. “What’s the difference?”
“Their balls.” Chase laughed as Jade’s cheeks heated to bright red. “Or lack thereof. A steer is a neutered male that, in two or three years, will grow to an ox. Bulls are males that haven’t been neutered, and heifers are young females that haven’t borne a calf.”
“Okay. Good to know.” Looking away from the virile male on the stallion to the pasture, she saw some men riding among the cattle. Recovering some, she teased, “Rustlers?”
“Ranch hands.” Chase chuckled, raising a hand when a couple of the men waved. “They’re rounding up calves and moving some of the herd to another pasture to graze.”
He pointed out, in addition to horse and cattle corrals, the stables and a barn, both painted red. He said the log bunkhouse could sleep a dozen ranch hands and indicated a couple of houses he rented to Mean Pete and Martyman. She said Chloe had mentioned those two ranch hands and Rachel’s connection to Martyman. They rode on with no end in sight to his ranch and cattle.
Jade sighed. “You must be busy from sunup to sundown every day.”
“Crack of dawn most days,” he said and grinned. “Cattle ranching is the year-round care of cows and bulls to produce calves to sell. In the process, it’s my responsibility to be a good steward of the land, water, and wildlife on this ranch.”
“Are you first in command?”
“Always.”
Chase indicated the back of his house when it came into view, saying the white buildings represented a barn, a garage, and newly constructed stables. A log cabin belonged to Coop, but his grandmother, Zoe, was deceased. The sky-blue rancher was occupied by Bob, his foreman who managed the ranch hands. Bob’s wife, Teresa, kept Chase’s house running smoothly.
To say she was overwhelmed was an understatement. Jade looked at him to say, “I appreciate you taking the time to show me around, especially on horseback. It’s my first time on a ranch.”
“You’re welcome.” After a pause, he asked, “You doing okay over there, city girl, or do you need to turn in your horse for a car?”
“A walk in the park.” Not really, but she wouldn’t give up this thrilling experience for anything. “Let’s keep riding.” Then she asked, “What makes you think I’m a city girl?”
Chase dipped his head and looked at her over the top of his sunglasses. “Aren’t you?”
His confident grin appeared on those kissable lips, and she tingled.
“Yes.”
