All four riders met at the gate. Dixie and Beau led the way while Daniel and Tara followed, though she would have much preferred to be beside Beau. The path didn’t exactly allow for three horses to walk abreast of oneanother.
Dixie filled the void of conversation pretty quickly and none of the adults tried to stop her, though, Daniel occasionally tried to cut in and make small talk with Tara as they made their way out to thepasture.
He tried to ask how her job at the dentist office was going and the good ole days of their high school years. She played nice and asked him questions in return, though her eyes were fixed on Beau and how he rhythmically swayed in his saddle. She never thought it would be possible for a man to look so sexy riding a horse, but Beau definitely proved her wrong. She might not have been right beside him the whole way, but the view of his back muscles had that tender space between her legs tingling. And the way the saddle was rubbing there… well, it was a good thing she brought an extra pair of pantiesaswell.
Despite the slight awkwardness of getting on her horse and feeling out of place as a guest at the ranch, Tara was enjoying herself. Once they were a good distance away from the barn, she felt she could savor the fresh air and the glorious cultured wilderness around them. For a girl who lived in Texas her whole life, she rarely made it out into the countryside. One thing or another detained her and she learned to settle for the perfectly worded scenery descriptions in her favorite books, as opposed to experiencing it inperson.
It didn’t take them long to find the cattle. All four of them lined up atop the crest of the hill that overlooked the pasture she had passed on her way uptheroad.
Dixie and Beau were quiet while Daniel explained everything they did on the ranch to ensure the cattle were properly cared for. Though Dixie called them cows, the horns and obvious bulk to their frame showed that they were not themilkingkind.
Half of what Daniel said went in one ear and out the other, though she tried to keep up with all the arduous chores the ranch hands were tasked with each day. It certainly wasn’t a breeze running a big operationlikethis.
“And what do you do to keep all this running smoothly?” Tara asked the youngerbrother.
Beau shifted in his saddle, the leather creaking with the movement. “I help the ranch hands where it’s needed.” His tone betrayed his general indifference to the whole thing, but Tara still admired his resolve to lendahand.
Daniel moved to her left. “I used to do that, too. But, I’ve been having to take care of a lot of paperwork instead. Someone has to balance thebooks.”
Tara’s curiosity prompted her to ask why the switch in positions, but she knew very well what must have instigated it and she wasn’t about to ask that in Dixie’s company. This family dynamic was getting more complicated by the minute and she was suddenly thankful for her quiet, slightlydulllife.
“Can we get closer?” the little girl askedeagerly.
Beau blew out his cheeks and nodded. “I suppose we can. Want a closer look at the cattle? I can show you that brand Daniel was talkingabout.”
The idea of getting closer to the cattle stench was not on her top list of things to do that evening. Tara nodded, knowing that Dixie wanted to go down there. And just maybe if she showed the right amount of interest, Beau would like her all the betterforit.
The three experienced riders prodded their horses to make their way down the hill and Tara did the same. However, what she wasn’t accounting for was the deep slope she would have to compensate for. Magpie did excellent at keeping up with the rest, but Tara found herself struggling to lean back while keeping an adequate hold on the reins with her feet fixed in thestirrups.
She wasn’t sure if Magpie stumbled a bit, or if the horse’s extreme, rocking steps were what did it, but Tara was finally thrown off kilter. Unable to right herself, she fell to the side. Foolishly, she kept a tight hold on Magpie’s reins. The horse was just as surprised as thehumanwas.
They both gave out a cry and one of her feet became dislodged in the fall. Her other ankle twisted in the occupied stirrup, but not in a painful way. What was more painful was the way she face-planted intothedirt.
The reins slipped from her hands and the horse obediently came to a stop just when Tara realized why her chest hadn’t hit solid ground. The smell was the firstgiveaway.
Her face puckered in revulsion as a light swarm of flies buzzed out of the way. She heard the two men dismount and come to her aid. Daniel set to work getting her foot free from the stirrup while Beau helped her tostand.
The entire front of her blouse, once a pretty blue like the clear Texas sky, was now coated in a thick layer of dung. The cow patty had broken her fall, but she would have much rather felt the hard impact of the ground knocking the wind out of herthanthis.
Despite that, Tara caught herself smiling. It was utterly embarrassing, humiliating, and disgusting, but it was too funny not to laugh atherself.
“Are you all right?” Beau asked, and she could see the smile play on his lips like he was ready to burst out in alaughtoo.
“I’m fine,” she giggled, “but I think I’m ready to go changeclothesnow.”
Dixie rode back over and watched. Taking Tara’s lead, she laughed as well. Daniel didn’t find it nearly as amusing and shushed hisdaughter.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, taking Magpie by the reins to keep her from running off. “I thought she would have been a good horseforyou.”
Tara waved him off and looked to a bit of the thick brown sludge that had smeared across the skin on her arms and chest. “She was. I just lost mybalance.”
“Not used to riding?” Beauquestioned.
Tara gave him a pitiful shake of her head, but the smile wouldn’t go away. “Would you mind if I took ashower,too?”
Beau grinned. “Sure. We should have some women’s body wash left in the guestbathroom.”
Such a comedic moment couldn’t be spoiled by that somber thought that they did have lady bathroom amenities, but no lady left in the house. Tara considered it luck that they hadn’t thrown itawayyet.
When she went back to read this scene in the book, Tara knew she’d get a good laugh out of it again. Maybe once the stench left her nose, it would be even funnier. Though, she would never forget the way the cow patty was still pretty warm when she landed in it. And she’d gladly do it again if it meant that Beau would touch her arm again the way he did when he helped her back upthehill.
