“Oh. I apologize for bothering you, Mr. Cooper.”
Jade Taylor turned her head toward Chloe’s place. This woman’s profile was as devastatingly disarming as the rest of her. Shading her eyes, she looked west while his eyes swept over her, north to south. Her snug dress, the same shade as her lips and car, hugged her perky, handful-sized breasts and saucy-as-sass rounded bottom. If she were to kick off those red stilettos, he figured she would be about five-foot-five.
Tight dress? High heels? On a ranch? Definitely a city girl.
As she turned back to him, Chase wiped the grin off his face and met her gaze. “I guess you missed the sign for the bed-and-breakfast?”
“Yes, but I’m sure I can find it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Chase watched the captivating stranger stroll away from him. When she reached the far edge of the porch, he heard himself make a first-time offer, “Hang on. I’ll lead the way in my pickup.” Before this very essence of femininity could reply, Chloe’s Hellayella Jeep turned into his ranch. Behind her came a double-cab truck pulling a two-horse trailer. “Here’s my sister now, along with my horses.”
Jade Taylor’s smile was breathtaking. “Excellent.”
You damn sure are.Then, recalling his decision about women, he muttered, “Yeah.”
* * *
The Jeep Wranglercame to a stop, and the truck pulled in behind it. Chloe hopped out of her vehicle and waved at him. She was three years his junior and two years older than Cash. Long black hair tied in a ponytail, Chloe walked toward a woman alighting from the truck.
“The Chinook winds blew my Triple C Ranch-West sign down last night. But Martyman said he’ll fix it,” Chloe called to Chase and then motioned to the brunette with her. Both women were clad in shirts, jeans, and cowboy boots. “This is Kendra Desmond, and she thought my place was your ranch, Chase.”
“Hello,” Chase said to them. Then, indicating the blonde bombshell at his side, he added, “The missing sign explains why your guest showed up at my place.”
“You must be Jade Taylor.” With a big smile, Chloe made her way toward them.
“Yes, and you must be Chloe Cooper.”
“I am.” Extending her hand, Chloe said, “Welcome, Jade.”
“Excuse me, Miss Taylor,” Chase said, and leaving Jade with his sister for the moment, he walked to Kendra Desmond. “I’m Chase Cooper.”
“Well, hello there, Chase,” Kendra said. “I’ve got your horses. Sorry about the mix-up.”
“Sorry about the sign,” Chase replied.
The woman swung a long dark braid over her shoulder and boldly perused him as if he were a stallion she’d like to ride and said, “I’m sure you’ll be worth the effort.”
Not taking the bait, Chase said, “Let’s unload the horses, and I’ll be out of your way.”
He’d not had the heart to search for a new horse until Wild Bill passed. The mustang had wandered onto the ranch half-starved when Chase was a teenager. He’d nursed the horse back to health, and though he’d loved Wild Bill, Chase had tried to turn him loose more than once. But Wild Bill always returned and had stayed. Thus, recently finding himself in need of another horse, Chase had located a couple of beautiful American Quarter Horses less than an hour away in Castle Rock. Deciding to breed them, he’d bought both. And here they were—an extraordinary stallion and an incomparable mare. He hoped Ralph Desmond’s daughter didn’t cause him to regret the deal by making things awkward.
“So,” her gaze rising from his belt buckle, Kendra asked, “need help breedin’?”
“Nope,” Chase said.
“Your horses are here!” Coop trotted into view on his chestnut gelding from a side road that led back to the barn, stables, garages, and other two homes. “Whoa, Bowie!” Coop said to the horse and reined him in. “That goes for you, too, Crockett,” he called after the Australian cattle dog barreling toward Chase.
“Ladies, meet our well-known grandfather, professional rodeo rider, Crawford Cooper.” Swinging a hand in Coop’s direction, Chase added with love and pride, “Winner of seven world titles for team roping, steer roping, and tie-down roping per the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, whose headquarters is our hometown of Colorado Springs.” Chase then leaned down to ruffle the dog’s speckled head. “Hey, Crockett.”
“Howdy!” Spry and sharp, his gray-haired grandfather tipped his cowboy hat. “Used to get called crawfish and crawdad when I was ridin’ and ropin’ on the rodeo circuit.” Dismounting Bowie, humble despite his fame and success, his grandfather added, “So just call me Coop.”
Smiles on the ladies’ faces said Coop had instantly won them over. Chase noted his grandfather nodded politely to Kendra Desmond and then at Jade Taylor. Coop did a double-take when he looked at Jade. Chase chuckled to himself as his grandfather widened his sharp blue eyes and then squinted as if in shock or disbelief. When Coop looked back at him, Chase nodded just slightly in acknowledgment of such splendor standing near the bluegrass. Chase heard Chloe ask Jade if she’d like to stay long enough to see the horses. Jade had replied with an enthusiastic yes as Kendra opened the doors of the horse trailer.
“The lady first,” Kendra said, presenting the palomino.
The mare’s rich golden color complimented her snowy white mane and tail. She was 15.2 hands high and had turned four in April. The right age for breeding next spring.
“She’s a beauty, Chase,” Coop said.
