Chapter 17
Knox
Iback my truck up to the barn and drop the tailgate so I can unload my tools.
We’re trimming more broodmares today and I think Kacey is avoiding me.
I haven’t seen her for two days. She texted me two lame excuses for why she couldn’t help with Buck, and I probably shouldn’t find it funny, but I do.
I don’t know what went on behind that front door the other night, but I have a pretty damn good idea.
She was adorable answering the door, hair messed, cheeks red, and clearly flustered.
I’m not playing games with her. I didn’t leave her standing on her porch clenching her thighs, eyes burning with desire for fun.
I want her to admit she wants me as badly as I want her.
I could feel the tension as I walked her home.
We’ve spent a lot of time together, and I feel like I’ve gotten to know her better over the last few weeks.
I don’t know if she could handle the rodeo season, but I like her enough to see where this goes.
As I walk around my truck, I hear the crunching of gravel and look up to see Kacey walking in my direction. A red flash comes out of nowhere and flies past her, headed right for me.
I crouch. “Hi, Rein.” I pat my palms on my knees as the red dog barrels toward me and jumps in my lap, almost knocking me over as I rock on my heels.
“I don’t know why, but she seems to like you.”
“I mean, what’s not to like? I think I’m great.” I smirk up at her, noticing the glare she’s already directing at me and her dog.
“You sure don’t lack confidence, do you?”
“Nah, confidence is key. You know, being a bull rider and all.” I give Rein one last pet before turning to face her owner.
“Buck switched leads smoothly in a figure eight yesterday. You’ll have to ride him later; he’s really coming along.
How was hauling cattle with Carson? Everything go smoothly?
” That was one of the excuses I got. And I bought it.
Until Carson walked by the arena, heading to work on one of the ranch trucks. Kacey was nowhere in sight.
“It was fine.”
“That’s good. Hope he got that truck fixed he was working on all afternoon, too. Busy guy.” I raise a brow at her.
She shuffles on her feet before looking up to see the grin split across my face.
She scoffs and hits my upper arm, shoving me to the side. “You’re an asshole.”
I can’t help but laugh, which seems to only irritate her more. “What did I do?”
“You know what you did.” She glares at me, crossing her arms.
“I am completely innocent. I’m practically an angel.”
“So was Lucifer,” she grumbles under her breath. “Pull a stunt like that again, and you’ll regret it.”
She’s cute when she’s mad. Her nose is scrunched up, her eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and determination.
“Oh, is that so, sweetheart?” I cross my arms back at her and step into her space.
“Don’t ‘sweetheart’ me,” she huffs, but leans into me, our arms touching now. “You think you’re so smooth, don’t you?”
I say nothing, only giving her a crooked grin and a wink. She sidesteps to walk around me, but I grab her waist and pull her in until we’re chest to chest. “Sweetheart, I never think about myself when I’m around you. There’s no time with all the thoughts of you running through my mind.”
I can see the heat flare in her eyes when she looks up at me. Right before they flick to my lips.
Then, she jerks away from me. “Ugh! Why do you always smell so good?” she yells as she stomps toward the barn.
I throw my head back and let out a roar of a laugh.
This is going to be a fun afternoon.
Kacey gets the first mare out to trim.
“You sure are cute when you get fired up, you know that?” I ask before I bend to pick up a front hoof.
“Speaking of fires, you know you shouldn’t pour gasoline on them, right?”
“Yeah, but I like to live on the wild side.” I smirk up at her before I get to work, pulling my hoof knife through the frog of the foot.
Several hours and a couple of very angry broodmares later, we’re finally on the last one. Suddenly, the sound of rustling in a stall and hooves hitting boards catches my attention.
“Sounds like a horse is trying to roll in their stall. Do you want to go check and make sure they aren’t cast?”
I’ve seen a few horses get cast. They’ll lay there, stuck on their side or back, thrashing around, until they finally kick themselves away from the wall they rolled too close to so they can stand. Or until someone finds them and pulls them away from the wall.
“Yeah, I probably should. Last thing I need is a hurt horse.” Kacey hands me the lead to the mare and walks down the alley. “It’s just Hooch trying to roll.” She smooches at him and he must get up because she comes back and takes the lead again.
I finish the foot, and as I set it back on the concrete, we hear Hooch trying to roll again.
Kacey leads the mare to an empty stall. “Can you go look at him?”
I walk down to his stall, put his halter on, and lead him down the alley to her. He’s a little gaunt and the droop in his ears is noticeable. “Think he’s colicky?”
“He kind of acts like it. I agree that he isn’t feeling good; I better treat him. I don’t want him to twist a gut from rolling too much. I’ll go get some Banamine if you want to walk him around until I get back?”
“Yeah, no problem.” I walk him out to the round pen, and he tries to lie down as soon as we step into the sand. I pulled on his lead. “Come on, bud, you have to keep moving.”
Kacey returns, and we give him the medicine. She tries to convince me I don’t need to stay, but there is no way I’m leaving her here with a colicky horse by herself all night. We take turns walking him around, stopping every ten minutes to see if he wants water.
I hear the gate to the round pen open.
Kacey suggests, “We can probably put him on the walker now. We’ll just keep an eye on him.”
I walk him out to the walker and clip his halter to a lead coming off one of the arms.
Kacey flips the switch, and the machine turns on, leading Hooch around and around.
We both climb a nearby panel and sit on the top rung right as headlights shine around the barn, landing on us.
Cody pulls up and holds out two paper bags. “Figured you two might want some burgers. How’s Hooch?”
“He drank a little water. We’re just waiting now.”
“Good. Well, if you need me, let me know.” He drives off and we both inhale our burgers.
It’s late, and after trimming those mares I’ve been starving.
We wait another hour before putting Hooch back in his stall.
It’s late now, but I grab a hay bale and place it across from him so we can keep an eye on him.
Thankfully, the barn is warm. We both drop onto the bale with heavy sighs.
I can tell Kacey is exhausted. I know she worked all day before we trimmed the mares, and she did chores earlier while I walked Hooch.
She leans her head back onto the stall behind us. “You didn’t have to stay all night, but thanks.”
“I don’t mind. I enjoy spending time with you. Helping you isn’t a chore, Kace. It’s something I want to do.”
“You mean that, don’t you?” Her voice is quiet as she turns to face me.
“Every word,” I reassure her.
We slip into silence, and a few minutes later, I hear her breathing slow.
She’s fallen asleep. When her head softly leans into my shoulder, I slip my arm behind her, gently holding her.
Even though her hair is messy and her clothes are dirty, she’s beautiful.
Her blonde lashes rest on her cheeks; her lips sit slightly parted.
She catches me off guard when her arm crosses over and she slips her hand into mine.
I don’t move, I don’t even breathe for several seconds, but she doesn’t stir. She’s sound asleep. I don’t think she’s even aware she did it. I could sit here like this until the sun comes up. The more time I spend with her, the more I want—her attention, her thoughts, her body.
And a few minutes later, right before I start to fall asleep, I come to the startling conclusion that even though I said it, I don’t want her to find someone better to date. I’m ready to take my no-girlfriends rule and chuck it out the window.
I want Kacey Hart, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get her.