Chapter Three

Dusty glanced up as April hopped out of her dark blue SUV and headed in his direction. He checked his watch. She’d been gone for a whole hour and a half.

A sigh of resignation escaped his lips. Women weren’t his strong suit, and why this one had caught his interest, he would never know. The last one he’d dated had taught him a hard lesson he hadn’t thought of testing until now. Something about the cheerful blonde with the pretty body made him toss out past wrongs and want to reconsider his earlier rules about dating. Unfortunately, she seemed intent on sticking to him like a burr to a horse’s tail. His plan to avoid women worked much better when they actually stayed away. If he needed a night of thrills, he’d drive to one of the bars famous for hot ladies searching for a man to scratch their itch. A few hours of pumping and dumping typically fulfilled his needs for weeks at a time. That was, until April showed up, stole his attention and proved a heady distraction from a casual daily routine. She already made him question the wisdom of allowing her to hang around, considering how much effect she had on him after such a short time.

She walked into the stable. The gentle sway of her hips drew attention to a backside that drew attention and begged to be patted. Full lips tempted him to seal his mouth over hers to find out if she tasted like a sweet treat, and discover if her lips really were as soft and supple as they appeared. Modest breasts strained against the lightweight shirt, jiggling slightly with each step, sending a spear of desire through him as he pictured how her rosy nipples would pebble with a bit of sucking.

Damn, SEAL. You really need to get laid.

Irritated, he shoved the erotic thoughts from his mind. Boarder. And certainly off limits. Too bad his cock had other ideas and didn’t care for rational rules.

April headed directly to the far stall containing her horses, quickly waving in his direction without breaking stride in the process. He lifted his chin in greeting, not pausing in his brushstrokes over the back of one of the mares. As he worked, he watched April slide into the stall and dote on the pair, speaking softly to them and slipping them a carrot each as a treat.

He couldn’t help but grin. No matter what that filly had been through, she obviously trusted and liked April. She snuffled her, lipped her hair and rubbed her head against the woman’s chest. Amazing considering how she acted around him. If carrots and sugar cubes could win this pair over, he’d buy a ton of the tasty snacks. Making a mental note to pick some up at the store later, he changed brushes and went over the mare’s gleaming hide with a soft cloth.

His mind turned back to the woman. Something about her snared his curiosity and interest, no matter how many times he lectured himself on the evils of the opposite sex. In truth, he knew little about her, but had picked up on a few things. She didn’t wear a wedding ring, proclaiming her single. She adored her horses and had a good heart, judging by the special needs filly she hadn’t been able to leave behind. While not a great amount of knowledge, the facts only whetted his desire to learn more.

The small rental house he’d dropped her off at earlier had appeared tidy and well kept. Nothing about the small structure had spoken of luxury or richness, yet he hadn’t seen any disrepair, overgrown areas or peeling paint. Either she or the owner had to take pride in the small dwelling. Again, a positive sign about April.

Why bother? She’s just a boarder. Nothing more, nothing less.

After he finished with the mare, he scratched her neck then left the stall, while automatically scanning the area for April. Sure enough, she remained with her horses. Grabbing up a couple of brushes, he walked over. “Here. If you’re going to be hanging out with them, you might as well put the time to good use.”

At the sound of his voice, Miracle spun around to face him. Her ears flipped back and forth, but she didn’t appear nearly as anxious as before. Slowly, he handed the items over to April, always cognizant of the filly’s body language, in particular the carriage of her ears.

“Thanks.” April took the larger, coarser brush in hand and started working on Miracle. The gray horse relaxed by increments, although she kept a wary eye on Dusty. He appreciated April’s ability to deal with the traumatized horse.

“She’s a beauty. Thoroughbred, right?” He kept his voice low and calming. The filly flicked her ears but didn’t move otherwise, obviously enjoying the rubdown way too much to bother with trying to take a chunk out of his hide.

“That’s what the Humane Society said. She has a tattoo on the inside of her lip, but they weren’t able to make out the numbers.” April stepped to the other side, nudging Mischief away for the moment. “Ladies first, buddy.” The mini rubbed his head against her hip.

Dusty smiled. “Never thought much about miniature horses before, but that one’s pretty cute.”

April shot him a grin. “I thought so. The director said he’s a total ham.”

“Makes sense. Looks like I need to invest in some sugar cubes.” He watched April make sweeping strokes over the filly’s back and envisioned her doing the same to him. Minus the brush, of course. A bite of need flared.

“The Humane Society trainer recommended them. She’s all about rewards, especially for the horses they see. I didn’t meet her, but that’s what Lois told me. So far, it’s worked for the trailer business.”

She grasped a hoof pick from her back pocket, grabbed Miracle’s foot, and leaned into her side. “Let me have your hoof, Miracle.”

Dusty held his breath the moment April asked and the filly didn’t respond. In such a vulnerable position, April could have been knocked down, bitten or kicked. He prepared to dash in if things went to hell in a handbasket.

After a moment of pause, the filly shifted her weight and allowed April to lift her foot and clean. Each foot followed in turn. When finished, April stood up and pushed a few stray hairs out of her face. “Cloth please?”

He handed one over, relieved she’d completed the riskiest part of grooming without a hitch. “For a second, I didn’t think she’d allow you to do her feet.”

April started gently wiping the filly’s face. “She’s hesitant. I guess the farrier was an issue at the farm since they only had a man for the job. They managed with the trainer and a couple of the female staff surrounding her and helping to hold her feet.” She glanced over the horse’s back. “I’ll make a point to be here when your farrier comes. Surely we can figure out some way to keep her calm and cooperative.”

He nodded briefly. Luckily they had a few weeks before having to cross that particular bridge, because right now he wasn’t about to stress the filly out by forcing a shoe change on the first couple of days at her new home, with people she didn’t know. Hell, the task would be difficult enough after weeks of settling her in.

Finished with the filly, April grabbed up the brush and started working on Mischief. The little gelding lowered his head, sighed and turned into a puddle of mush under her care.

Dusty shook his head. Mischief’s rescuers were right. He was a ham, a dramatic one at that. With a brief grin, he grabbed up a couple of lead ropes, headed out of the stable and made his way to the field to start bringing in horses for dinner time.

After a long while, April finished doting on her new pets. She trailed her fingers over each muzzle once more before slipping from the oversized stall.

Her gaze found his. “Thank you again for taking them in.”

“No problem.” He used the curry comb over Autumn’s back. She’d been rolling in the field, somehow ending up with a bunch of dried mud in her coat. More than likely she’d found a wet spot near the water tank and decided on a cool roll in the resulting damp dirt. He couldn’t blame her, considering the blazing temperatures outside. He would consider the same if a shower or creek wasn’t readily available.

The bay mare was his best broodmare and thus far had produced fine foals with Rule as a sire. His pride and joy, he pampered her and her offspring as a parent cared for their child. The matching foal with a star on her forehead nipped at his jeans. He tugged lightly on her short forelock, unwilling to dissuade the little filly from her playful interaction. Her mother sighed contentedly and shifted her weight to cock one foot in a pose of blatant relaxation.

Totally in his element, he nearly forgot he had a visitor until April walked across his line of vision, only to plop down on a bale of straw, as if she had all night to do nothing more than kick back and watch him work. Come to think of it, she probably did.

“How will you get Miracle to trust you?” The quiet voice carried easily to him across the expansive room.

“Same as the trainers at the Humane Society. Rewards, praise, patience and food.” He tucked the handle of the curry comb in his back pocket and picked up a softer brush he’d left waiting on top of the thick stall door. With practiced ease, he stroked the bristles over the mare’s hide, ridding the dark hairs of the last of the mud, leaving her coat shiny and clean.

“Have you worked with special needs animals before?” She tucked a leg under her and watched him with banked interest.

He couldn’t decide what about him she was trying to figure out, but her intense look left no doubt he’d snared her curiosity. Dusty considered her question as he walked around the big-boned mare and started on her other side. “I’ve handled my fair share of difficult horses, had success with them all. But I’ll be honest, I’ve never worked with one as traumatized as your filly.”

She sighed loudly and lowered her chin. “Lois spoke highly of you and your abilities. Even one of the trainers readily agreed you could do wonders.”

The hope laced in her voice melted over him like tiny snowflakes in the summer sun. April already loved that horse and had put all her eggs in his basket. The unspoken compliment propped up his ego a smidgen more. “Her previous trainer started her out right. With more time, she’ll come around.”

“And be calm around everyone?”

He shook his head, then realized her focus and turned to the horse in question. “Highly doubtful. Most likely, she’ll pick out a few people she trusts and work for them. Strangers will always be on her bad list.” Finished with the mare, he used the soft brush on the three-month-old filly. Not that the baby really needed grooming, but he liked to acclimate the foals to all parts of typical daily care at an early age. The foal snorted, turned her hindquarters in his direction, then ducked her head under her mother for a drink. He grinned and caressed the filly’s rump even as her short tail slapped his hand on each upswing.

Once more his gaze found April. Concern was etched across her face as she stared at the stall containing her new pets. He’d bolster her confidence if he could, but she’d see results all in good time.

Rule whinnied, drawing his attention. Dusty considered what type of foals the filly might throw when mated with his stallion. Images of speedy barrel racing horses flashed through his mind. “Are you going to breed her?”

“No. The Humane Society has a strict no breeding policy. Considering there’s already an overpopulation problem, the last thing they want to do is add to the abundance.”

“Understandable.” He recalled the information from the file on Miracle. Come to think of it, if the gray filly couldn’t be sound carrying a rider over a pasture, the weight of pregnancy could prove just as concerning. He tossed away the thought as fast as it had come.

Finished with the pair, he left the stall, secured the door behind him and gathered up his lead ropes. Without saying a word, he started out of the stable.

The crunch of tennis shoes on gravel alerted him that April followed hot on his heels. He paused and turned, noted the lead ropes she carried, and waited for her to catch up. “Don’t you know running shoes aren’t safe around horses? If you’re going to hang out here, you need a pair of cowboy boots.”

“I know. I know. I’ve just never found boots comfortable. So I decided to make my feet happy instead. After all, this one pair of feet has to last me the rest of my nursing career.”

He snorted and headed to the far pasture. “You’ll regret that decision first time you get stepped on.” Typically the horses waited for him, eager to get inside and to their supper. Not today. They all stood under the huge shade trees, their tails flicking away flies.

“Been there, done that. No biggie.” She followed him through the gate and closed the barricade behind her.

City girl. He cringed at the term. He’d learned long ago there was a canyon-sized difference between people raised in the city versus those raised in the country. With vastly opposing backgrounds and environments, he rarely came across anyone raised without dust, hayfields and a rooster alarm clock who he could tolerate for long periods of time.

He surely didn’t know much about his newest boarder, but her choice of footwear hinted strongly at a suburban lifestyle. Strike one. Dusty snorted to himself. What did it matter? As long as she paid her monthly boarding fees, she could come from outer space for all he cared. Just keep her out of his way and off the potential fuck buddy docket and he could learn to put up with the pretty blonde.

Walking up to a couple of the geldings, he then snapped the lead ropes on their halters and handed the ends to April. She gave him the other leads, then made smooching noises to get the horses moving. They followed docilely. He watched her for a second, realizing she’d done this before. Lots of times, if he didn’t miss his guess. He re-evaluated his earlier thought, teetered on the fence before deciding she knew something about horses. The familiarity and confidence in her carriage spoke of many things, including hours spent with the large animals.

By the time he’d gathered up the remaining two geldings in the pasture, she’d walked the first ones through the gate, sidestepped them over with the touch of her hand on their shoulders and closed the barrier behind her.

No matter where that girl had grown up, she stood firmly on the country side of things today. In her pink and white tennis shoes. With a shake of his head, he followed in her tracks.

Thirty minutes later, with all the horses settled into their stalls, he poured out grain into a variety of colorful plastic buckets, one for each horse. One variety for the geldings and his stud, another for the mares and foals. A third type for the two senior horses boarding there that needed special feed. He filled the final bucket and rolled down the top of the bag in order to keep the feed fresh and any opportunistic mice out. Grabbing each container in turn, he delivered the evening meal, saving April’s pets for last.

“Hold her for me.” He waited for April to slip into the stall and grab the filly by her halter before stepping inside. Miracle at once lifted her head and stepped back, her eyes rolling with fear.

April stroked her neck and whispered to her, keeping a snug hold on the halter. “Why don’t you let me?”

He shook his head. “The bucket’s heavy. Besides, she has to start getting used to me sometime. Might as well be sooner rather than later.” His voice joined hers in a quiet, soothing manner, aimed at quelling the obviously scared filly. “It’s okay, pretty girl. I’m not going to hurt you. Just bringing your dinner is all.” As he spoke, he inched along the front wall of the stall, keeping a close eye on Miracle while ensuring the feed bucket stayed between him and her. Finally he stopped entirely, holding the container perfectly still. “I know you’re hungry. Just give it a try.”

Miracle’s ears flipped back and forth as she shifted nervously in the confines of the stall. Tension mounted, then eased when he did no more than stand before her. Her skin rippled now and again, but she made no move to lash out with hooves or teeth. Instead she watched him like a wild mare would eye a hungry wolf.

Mischief had no such qualms. He lifted his head and tried to sneak some morsels off the top.

Dusty grinned and glanced down at the mini for a split second. “I should have brought yours first, huh?”

The small gelding whinnied as if in answer.

Ever so slowly, Dusty placed the bigger bucket in the holder, then stepped back to grab the smaller-sized one. He cleared the straw out of the front corner by the entrance and set the container on the ground. Mischief wasted no time digging in.

April praised her filly and spent a few more minutes stroking her pet’s side as Miracle sniffed the feed, took a tentative bite, then ate with exuberance.

The click of a door closing announced that April had vacated the stall, allowing her horses to eat in peace. “I’d count that as a small victory.”

He looked back, found Miracle eating heartily, and nodded briefly. “It’s a start.”

“The first step in healing,” she whispered with feeling.

He told himself that she was speaking of Miracle’s long road back to trusting people again. Yet in reality, her words brushed his very soul. Emotional scars ran deep, some too well ingrained to ever be overcome. He knew that for a fact.