Chapter Two
LENNIE GRABBED THE saddle horn as her sorrel mare dove to the left, preventing the escape of a nervous cow from the herd. They were driving the cattle to catch pens about a mile further down the pasture path. Dust rose in low clouds from the animals' cloven hooves and from the wheels of the four-wheelers dancing around the edges of the mob.
She'd made a disappointing discovery this morning. A calf was missing—and presumably dead. She could ill afford the loss. They hadn't found the carcass but the herd ranged far in its search for sustenance in this dry land so it didn't surprise her. The most likely culprits in this death were coyotes.
Kicking her mare into a run, she chased a cow up ahead that had broken away. The horse had speed to burn and soon caught the runner, urging her to join her sisters in the herd. There was a knack to keeping a bunch of cattle together in the wide-open space of a West Texas desert pasture. It made Lennie respect the old-time cowpunchers who'd moved the big herds to the railways in Kansas.
The cattle soon arrived at the pens. One of the cowboys had gone ahead and opened the sixteen-foot gate and now stood at the back of the biggest pen, shaking a bag of feed. The cows trotted inside, a familiar process for them. A couple of hold-outs tried to turn away and were quickly ushered back with the others. The lumbering bull pushed his way through the last remaining cows, and one of the cowhands slammed the gate shut behind them.
Pulling her mare to a stop, Lennie removed her hat and wiped sweat from her brow. It was damn sure hot today, and she hadn't slept well last night after going over the books. She shoved her hat down hard and stepped off her horse, tying the sorrel to the top bar of the corral.
She was at a loss as to how they were going to pay her father's medical bills. His weeks-long hospital stay had been terribly expensive, and without health insurance, it was a devastating blow. His ongoing physical therapy visits were costly, too. He was determined to walk again, but honestly, she was beginning to doubt that would happen. Her heart lurched at the thought of her proud, independent father reduced to life in a wheelchair forever.
She headed over to the truck and pulled out what she needed for inoculations and the bander for rubber banding testicles since the little bull calves hadn't been castrated yet. The boys separated the calves into the smaller pen. The cows and bull were in the other. The dewormer was set up and ready to go and the whole herd would receive a dose. She strode toward the calf pen and her phone rang. "Lennie here."
"Hi, this is Dylan Govain."
Her heart thumped her chest hard then started to race. What was he doing calling her? How did he get her number?"
"Lennie?"
"Yes, hello, Dylan." She swallowed. Her hands were suddenly sweating.
"Your bull is over at our place. The fence is down where he came through. We can put him back on your land and fix the fence, but I wanted to be sure you knew. He's with one of our Brewster county herds, you know, where we share that pasture fence?"
Damn! Her father would be furious. "Right. Thanks for calling. I'll come right over."
"No problem, but like I said, we can handle it." He went on to describe where the break in the fence was and where the bull was at the moment and hung up.
She yelled, "Randy!"
A tall man in his forties came trotting over to her.
"That damn bull from the Brewster herd is over at the Govain place. I need to go get him and fix the fence. Dylan and his boys are out there now."
Loading her horse in the trailer they’d left at the pens that morning, she sped toward the pasture. Once there, she rode horseback through the fence break in the direction the bull should be. Hitting redial, she waited for Dylan to answer.
"Lennie? You here?"
She scanned ahead. "I'm through the fence, and I'm heading that way. Where are you all?"
"We're about a half mile northwest of the break, coming your way. Your big boy is behaving so far. Once we got him away from the cows, he settled down and turned toward home."
"I'll be on the lookout for you." She hung up and peered in the direction the bull and cowboys would be coming from. There were outcrops and some uneven land between them. This freaking bull had been a handful since birth. He was a good breeder and had great bloodlines but if this bullshit behavior continued, he was going to the bologna factory.
Soon the behemoth appeared, his large bobbing head catching her attention. Black Angus cattle didn't have horns, but the bulls could be dangerous and mighty protective of their females. She swung around wide to ensure she didn't make him turn back, and brought up the rear.
Dylan slowed and joined her. "We would have done this ourselves."
She frowned. "Nonsense. My bull busted the fence. Of course, I'll bring him back and fix it. Did he get to any of your cows?"
Dylan shrugged. "I doubt it. I have a good bull on my herd. There shouldn't have been any open cows. Does your bull do this often?"
Grimacing, she shook her head in disgust. "He's an asshole. This isn't his first jailbreak. He's got a nice harem of his own, too. Who does he think he is? Marco Polo?"
Dylan laughed. "An explorer. I like that. The problem is, once a bull gets a taste for plowing through fences, he keeps it up."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't I know it." Her body responded strongly to Dylan. The side closest to him tingled with little electrical pulses. He made her feel alive and happy, something that had been missing from her life for a long time.
The broken fence appeared in the distance. The bull wasn't interested in going anywhere but home and walked stolidly along, head down. When he arrived at the fence, he stepped calmly through the opening he'd made when he entered Govain land.
Lennie pulled to a stop and turned, looking into Dylan's steady brown eyes. "Thanks so much for your help. It would have been a hell of a job without you and your boys. I appreciate it."
He stuck out his hand. "You're welcome, neighbor. Anytime. I understand your daddy's having a hard time right now, and a lot of responsibility has fallen on your shoulders. You have my number now. Save it, and call me if you need anything."
Looking at his hand, she considered his words. Ask a Govain for help? That was a novel idea. But he obviously meant it sincerely. She shook hands. "Thank you, Dylan." Walking her horse through the gap in the fence, she knew his eyes were on her. Damned if it didn’t feel amazing.
A WEEK LATER, DYLAN headed out on a herd check, the same one where Lennie's bull had been, in fact, and she was all he could think about. Billy, one of the ranch hands, rode with him. Feeding the cattle some cow cubes when they found them was a good way to ensure they were happy to see the cowboys and made the animals easier to round up when the time came.
The Brewster County pasture was huge, and it took a while to locate the herd. When he did, he had an unwelcome surprise. Two bulls butted heads in the middle of a bunch of cows. Lennie's bull had rammed his way through the fence again.
He got on the phone and called in more help. The bull might not be so easy to send home this time. It would take some horses and a four-wheeler to handle this mess. Then he dialed Lennie. "I have some bad news. Asshole is over on our place again."
"Dammit! I'm so sorry. We'll be right there. That bastard's days are numbered."
Dylan told her where to find them and hung up before heading toward the edge of the shared property. First, he needed to find out where the bull had broken in so they could drive him back through the breach. Part of pasture upkeep was clearing a ten-foot-wide expanse along the entire fence line. Starting at the corner, he drove, following the wire, until he found a twelve-foot downed section. After pulling the broken wire back against the fence so the bull wouldn't catch himself in it, he called Lennie to tell her where the hole in the fence was.
He headed on back to the herd to keep an eye on things until help could get there.
Lennie and a couple of her hands rode up just as his hands arrived from the opposite direction.
While a cowboy unloaded
the four-wheeler, and another unloaded the horses, Lennie said, "He sure looks wound up." Her bull paced at the edge of the herd, no longer fighting with the Govain bull.
Dylan nodded. "He may be a handful today. Watch yourself."
Another cowboy put out more cubes to calm the other cattle.
Lennie walked her horse toward her bull, rope at the ready. Not that she'd rope him. He outweighed her mount by close to a thousand pounds. But she could slap him with it to get his attention.
He eyed her as she grew close, but didn't stop moving as he jiggled the hide on his back in nervous spasms.
Lennie moved in between him and the herd, positioning herself by his head. A cowboy did the same from the rear and they turned into the bull, making him give way. The anxious bull moved a few feet out from the other cattle and kept walking. A few seconds later, however, he shot forward and rejoined the herd.
Working with a recalcitrant bull weighing nearly a ton without a catch pen was no easy thing. Dylan motioned to the cowboy on the four-wheeler to start it up. Then Dylan got the hot-shot from the truck—a wand that delivered a shock when touched to an animal's hide. This was one of the few things that could get a dangerous bull's attention through their many inches of muscle and fat.
Dylan nodded to his boys on the horses and to the man on the machine, then rode straight for the bull. Squeezing his horse between the bull and the nearest cow, he pressed the wand to the bull's behind.
The bull jumped forward a few steps and turned to see what happened as Dylan rammed his horse into him and touched him with the wand again.
The bull bellowed and took off, away from the herd.
The cowboy on the four-wheeler roared into action, catching up to the bull and pulling alongside.
The herd had scattered, the noise and commotion too much for them.
The other cowboys on horses headed after the bull, meeting up as the four-wheeler turned the bull in an arc back toward the hole in the fence.
Lennie rode over to Dylan. "That bull is lunchmeat. He's going to the auction. This is the fourth time he's busted out, and I'm not putting up with this crap anymore."
Dylan nodded. "It's hard losing a good bull, but you've made the right choice. He'll just keep doing stupid shit like this. Do you have a back-up bull?"
Lennie looked off in the distance. "I've got a couple of young ones that show promise, but they're not ready to breed yet. I hate to buy one." She sucked in her bottom lip and looked down.
"We've got a young bull that should be about ready. I just looked at him a few days ago and we don't have a particular need for him now. I'll ask Caleb about lending him to you for a while."
She exhaled loudly. "My dad would have a heart attack. Thanks, but I can't accept."
"Lennie, aren't you running things at your place now?"
She nodded slowly.
"Does your dad need to know every little detail? Doesn't he have enough going on trying to get well?"
Looking down at her reins, she said, "I see your point. With his medical bills, it would sure be nice not having to buy a new bull right now." She sighed and met Dylan's gaze. "If Caleb's willing, I'd be glad to take you up on the offer. Only, we need to keep it on the down-low. My dad can't find out."
Dylan grinned. "Mum's the word."
She reached out her hand, "Thanks. I really appreciate this and your help again today."
As he clasped her hand, he noted the soft calluses on her palm. Lennie worked hard providing for her family. Damn, everything about this woman turned him on. He smiled and released her fingers. "I'm here for you. I told you that. I'll give you a call tonight."
AFTER A QUIET DINNER, Dylan caught Caleb before he could enter the family room. "Mind if we talk in the office?"
Caleb drew his brows together. "Sure, what's up?"
Dylan followed his brother down the hallway and into the office. "You know Lennie's bull got into our pasture again." He sat in front of the desk and Caleb took the chair beside him.
"Yeah. What a pain in the ass."
"She's taking him to the auction. Apparently, he's made a habit of barreling through fences and getting in with other herds. She doesn't have another one ready to breed, and now she'll be short a bull. With her father's medical bills, she's stretched too thin to buy another one."
Caleb frowned. "That's too bad. I didn't realize things were so rough over there."
Dylan nodded. "She didn't like sharing it with me, but I dragged it out of her." He met Caleb's gaze. "I was wondering, you remember that young bull we just pulled out of the herd in the Pecos County pasture? Could we, like, lend her the bull until things settle down over at her place? I mean, we're neighbors and all."
Caleb rubbed his chin and looked off over Dylan's shoulder. "Dad did offer to help them a while back, though Evan turned him down."
Dylan shifted in his chair. "That's the other thing. If we do this, Lennie's father can't know. I don't want Dad to hear about it, either. Can we do that?"
Caleb quirked his brow. "Dad can't know? How am I supposed to keep it a secret?"
"Does Dad pay that close attention anymore?"
"I don't think he knows we've pulled the bull from the herd yet. He may not notice anything at all. I won't tell him what we're doing, but if he asks, I'll tell the truth. Do you agree to that?"
Dylan grinned. "Of course. I don't expect you to lie."
Caleb smiled. "The bull is hers, for as long as she needs him. Tell her I'm sorry about her dad."
Dylan stood and shook his brother's hand. "Thanks, Caleb. I love you, brother."
As he strode to his bedroom, Dylan called Lennie, anticipating the sound of her crisp, authoritative, yet somehow sexy voice.
"Lennie here."
He found it funny that she answered her phone the same way after working hours as she did during the day. "Hi, this is Dylan. I spoke to Caleb and he's glad to loan you the bull for as long as you need. Just tell me when you want me to bring him to you."
He could hear the smile in her voice. "Tell him how much I appreciate his kindness. I'm hauling Asshole to auction on Monday, so any time after that we'll be ready. I'll meet you somewhere so that you don't come by the house, okay?"
"No problem." He imagined her on the other end of the line. "What are you doing right now?"
"Now? Why?"
"I just finished dinner and don't feel like hanging out with Caleb and Eve. I'm in my room staring at the ceiling, bored as hell. I wondered what you did with yourself in the evenings."
She sighed. "I understand bored as hell. I'm usually too tired to hang out with my parents for long, and dad's pretty crabby nowadays anyway. He hates it that talking is so hard for him." She laughed softly. "I end up staring at the ceiling, too."
"Sounds like we both need a little more fun in our lives. What are you doing Sunday?"
"Dylan, you know my dad—"
"Don't worry, I won't pick you up. Meet me at Balmorhea Springs at noon. I haven't been to that place in forever. What do you say? Live dangerously with me, Lennie." He waited, nerves tingling, for her answer. She had to say yes.
"Okay. I'll figure something out. I love that place, and I can't remember the last time I went. I don't even know if my swimsuit still fits me, though."
He shoved his fist at the ceiling and grinned. "You haven't changed a bit. It'll still fit. I'll bring lunch and drinks, so save some room for food. See you then!"
Next, he logged on to the State Parks reservation system and purchased Save the Day passes for each of them in case the park reached capacity. It had the largest spring-fed pool in the country with up to a thousand visitors a day.
Closing his eyes, he imagined Lennie's trim, full-busted figure in a bikini. His chest tightened and he was immediately erect. Lord, that better not happen at the pool. He desperately hoped she really did wear a bikini. Grinning, he got up and undressed. He'd have to wait two whole days to find out.
Chapter Three
LENNIE STUFFED HER
suit, sunscreen and towel in a bag and left the house. Her mom thought she was going to visit her friend, Daisy, who was in the loop in case Lennie's mother called. Damn, Lennie hated lying to her mom, but she had no alternative. If her father found out she was seeing a Govain, there would be hell to pay.
Tickles of anticipation raced through her as she drove down I-10. She couldn't hide from the fact any longer. She liked Dylan—a lot. After doing her best to ignore him for years, she admitted that he was a man she could really go for. He was kind, thoughtful, and he had the cutest smile. If only she didn't have to sneak around like this.
And then there was Caleb, loaning her the bull like that. The Govains weren't the villains her dad had made them out to be. This damn feud. She could understand her family's point, though. What Dylan's way-back grandfather had done was wrong, and it had cost the Duncan's terribly through the years.
She took the exit off I-10 and headed toward Toyahvale. Balmorhea State Park was less than ten miles down the road. If someone had told her a year ago that she'd meet the Dylan Govain, the rodeo stud, for a swim and a picnic, she would have called them a liar. Yet, here she was, and looking forward to it, too.
Dylan met her at the entrance. Waving, he climbed out of his truck and came over to her window, handing her a pass. "You made it."
She smiled. "I told my mom I was going to my friend, Daisy’s, house."
He laughed. "Good one. It sucks that we need tell fibs to be together, though."
She nodded. "Truly."
He smacked her door with his palm. "Follow me." Like a true gentleman, he found her a parking spot first, marking it with his blinker, then continued on until he found his own place in the crowded lot.
The sweet gesture touched her. This guy was awesome. How come she’d never noticed that before? This guy was more than just a rodeo stud. Grabbing her bag, she got out and clicked her door locks.
Dylan came jogging up. "Ready to cool off in that pool?"
The Cowboy's Wish (The Govain Cowboys Book 3) Page 2