How West Was Won (Haven, Texas 7)

“From zero to drama in five seconds,” he muttered. Although he liked that she’d immediately been concerned about Mia.

“What?”

“There’s nothing wrong with Mia.”

“Then why’d you stop me?”

“You’re riding with your foot in a cast.”

She looked down at her foot and then up at him. “Yeah, so?”

He felt his eyebrows raise in disbelief. “So? Do you really think that’s a good idea? To go riding while your broken bones are trying to heal? What if you fall off him? What if he gets away from you?”

“I’ve been riding around on Beast the entire time my foot has been in a cast. That’s why I’m using a saddle.”

Damn fool woman. She most definitely needed a firm hand. Applied to her backside.

“You don’t usually ride with a saddle?” What the hell? Why wasn’t her brother after her better?

“No, I usually ride bareback, but the saddle helps me with balance. I wouldn’t take the risk of hurting Beast.”

“Your horse’s name is Beast?”

“Yeah. Like from Beauty and the Beast.”

Oh, God. She’d named her horse after a character from a fairytale.

“Jesus,” he muttered. “Girl, you need a keeper.”

“Um, you can call me Flick, you know.”

“I know.” He just stared down at her, hoping she got his point.

“And I’m not a girl. I’m twenty-five.”

That surprised him. He would have put her at twenty, tops. But it didn’t matter that she was twenty-five, she was still far too young for him. If he ever got involved with someone again, which was highly unlikely, it would be a woman, not a girl.

And this girl would never be the right one for him.

“You shouldn’t be riding around with your foot in a cast, girl,” he told her firmly. “It’s a stupid, foolish thing to do. I can’t believe your brother lets you do it.”

Something flickered in her eyes. It was gone before he could analyze it.

“Well, like I just said, I’m twenty-five. I don’t need anyone’s permission to do what I want to do.”

Her coming back like that surprised him. He’d never seen her be anything but cheerful and positive.

“You know that’s not the way Haven works. Around here, the men take care of the woman. Maybe I need to go over to talk to your brother and see he does his job better.”

Another flash of something in her eyes. Panic? But before he could decipher it, it was gone. He decided he’d been mistaken. Especially when she gave him a big, bright smile. “All right, then, I won’t do it again. I’m getting this cast off in two days anyway. Not a big deal if I don’t ride Beast until then. Now, if you wouldn’t mind helping me back on, Mia is expecting me.”

He gently shook her. “Didn’t you just hear a word I said?”

“Hard not to hear you when you’re yelling,” she told him, a bite in her voice again.

Fuck. Was he yelling? Shit, he realized he had been.

“I’m gonna put your ass in my truck. Will your horse follow?”