Rafe: (Contemporary Western Romance) (New Horizon Ranch: Mule Hollow Book 2)

by Debra Clopton

  Right in Buford's pathway.

  She landed face first in the dirt and her mouth filled with foul tasting grit. Fighting for breath she couldn't help herself, she was helpless. A flashback to her childhood crowded her mind.

  Wheezing, she willed herself to move. To breathe.

  But, as she'd been unable to help herself all those years ago when she was a sickly abandoned baby, she was helpless now.

  Suddenly, boots attached to denim-clad legs thudded to the ground between her and Buford.

  "Yah," yelled the cowboy, planting himself directly in the line of danger as the bull bolted from the trailer like a runaway tank.

  Where the cowboy had come from, Maddie didn't know, but from her position he looked like a gift dropped straight from heaven.

  "Go on, now," he yelled then stomped and waved his arms—held his ground—Buford cut sharply to the right, away from Maddie.

  Though her lungs still burned with the need for air, relief surged through her watching the cowboy herd the bull away from her and into the holding pen. Within moments he returned and dropped to his knees beside her.

  "Here you go," he drawled, easing her to her side. "Try to relax. The breathing will get easier. Come on, now go easy."

  She struggled to relax. He was right, after a few more inhales the breaths did come easier, though there was a sharp edge to each breath if she inhaled too deeply. "Thank. You," she managed, giving him a weak smile.

  He didn't smile back, concern etched his rugged, handsome face. "Glad I was here. How are you feeling now?"

  Maddie's pulse fluttered, she was mesmerized by his penetrating indigo eyes. Flustered, she yanked her gaze off her gorgeous rescuer and rubbed her ribs, wincing. "Like I've been kicked by a two-thousand-pound bull."

  His soft chuckle sank over her like warm honey.

  "You may have broken some ribs," he said, kindly then demanded. "What were you doing out here by yourself in the first place?"

  "Loading a bull," she retorted, humiliated by the entire pitiful ordeal and the fact he'd witnessed it. This cowboy probably thought she was some greenhorn who didn't know beans about bulls or cattle.

  Needing more control she struggled to sit up without groaning. Honestly, she was feeling better—but who wouldn't? Her cowboy rescuer would make any woman forget she'd been almost stomped to a pulp by a bull—even her.

  And that those eyes of his were lethal weapons.

  The guy was gorgeous—even oxygen deprived and in pain as she'd been she'd realized that immediately. Touchable dark hair curled from beneath his straw hat and enhanced his firm, chiseled jaw. His high cheekbones underlined those penetrating, strength filled, blue eyes.

  He flashed an enticing crooked grin. "You're one tough lady, Maddie Rose."

  Maddie got hung-up on that smile—suddenly thinking about long, slow kisses... There was an understandable delay in her fogged brain relaying the message that he knew her name.

  And she'd never met him. She knew because she would have remembered him if she'd met him anytime in her entire life. And yet, she realized there was something slightly familiar about him.

  "Have we met?" she asked, as dawning hit her dazed brain and she saw the resemblance. "Wait, you're Cliff Masterson, Rafe's twin brother. The bull rider." Rafe was one of her ranch partners and a good friend.

  "Some nights. Some nights I eat more dirt than you just did." His expression was a mixture of humor and ire—one that made him look more like his brother than he had so far. Rafe had said they weren't identical by a long shot. He'd been right.

  They were both dark haired, good looking and with similar face shapes and body builds, but other than the occasional similarity of expressions a person would never mistake them for twins.

  She relaxed, some. "Rafe said you were coming but I thought it wasn't until next week."

  His left cheek twitched. "My plans changed."

  She'd caught the way his expression tightened and pain briefly dulled his eyes. "Oh—"

  "How about we get you up to the house?" he asked and before she could answer or even nod he'd moved behind her and in an instant his strong arms slipped around her, gently lifting her up.

  Momentarily all pain disappeared. His purely masculine scent wrapped around her, drawing her like a hummingbird to sugar water. She fought the overwhelming urge to lean into him.

  "Lean on me," he said, as if he could read her mind.

  Ha! Like she needed any encouragement. Even the sharp pains shooting from her ribs overrode the initial shock of his touch, Maddie's awareness of the man stunned her.

  She didn't let men get too close. Held them at bay and even though she got lonely and hoped one day she'd have the guts to change that...this kind of reaction had never been a problem.

  Never happened.

  She chalked it up to the fault of the ordeal she'd just gone through.

  It didn't matter anyway. Not right now. Finding the guts to knock down her emotional barriers. To risk her heart for her dream of falling in love and having the family she longed for—that dream was on hold for now.

  She had other priorities. Like not flubbing up any more. To prove to herself that she was deserving of this gift.

  Needing a hero to ride to her rescue was not the way to do it.

  Purchase HER MULE HOLLOW COWBOY

  Excerpt from

  CHASE

  New Horizon Ranch: Mule Hollow Book Three

  Chapter One

  The cowboy had her attention the moment he rode the golden horse over the hill. The horse galloped at full speed, cutting across the pasture, with the man riding low in the saddle. Man and horse almost one as they charged down the slope then angled along the fence.

  Amber Rivers almost ran off the road watching them.

  Graceful, masculine...breathtaking.

  She had her top down on her convertible and for a moment her car was almost neck and neck with the horse and cowboy. She couldn’t help herself when the cowboy looked over his shoulder at her, she laughed...and pressed the accelerator.

  The cowboy grinned and urged his horse faster to keep up. She laughed again feeling invigorated by the exchange. The wind stinging her cheeks made it almost feel as if she were riding a horse beside the cowboy. She slowed almost without realizing it so they continued to run parallel to each other for a few yards. The New Horizon Ranch entrance loomed suddenly down the road. She slowed the car then pulled into the drive. The cowboy had slowed his horse to a trot and she pulled the car to a halt in the lane. She watched him ride toward her.

  He wore tan chaps with a deep cranberry colored shirt and a pale straw cowboy hat pulled low over his eyes. What a picture he made with the sun beaming bright and seeming to cast a spotlight on the golden horse and its rider.

  Amber got out of the car and walked around to the fence as he rode up on the other side. “Hey there,” she said. “That horse had some race in him.”

  Sitting straight in the saddle the rugged cowboy’s lips hitched into a proud smile and Amber’s stomach dipped.

  “Oh yeah, Nugget can hold his own alright. I think you must have a little NASCAR in you.”

  She laughed and cautiously reached out to pet the horse’s forehead. “That’s me, a Richard Petty wanna be.”

  That won her a chuckle and an appreciative sweep of his gaze. “I bet you’d hold your own out there. Are you Amber? Sadie’s friend?”

  She met his steel gray eyes and for a minute she forgot everything, even that she was here to be maid of honor in her best friend’s wedding. “I am,” she said, after a second. “And you are?”

  “Chase Hartley, I’m one of the partners who own the ranch. Sadie’s up at the house. I won’t keep you since I know she’s anxious to see you.”

  “Thank you. That horse is a beauty. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse that looks so handsome. I love that golden color.”

  As if the horse knew he was being talked about he pranced to one side and nodded his head, straining on the bit
in its mouth. Chase chuckled. “You’ll give him a big head. He gets told he’s beautiful all the time, but handsome is good for his ego”

  “Then I’m glad I could help his ego.” You’re not bad yourself she almost said but reined in her tongue before the words came out. “Is the ranch far?” she asked, deciding it was time to turn this conversation back where it was supposed to be. She wasn’t here to flirt or think about flirting.

  “It’s not far and as I said Sadie’s at the house waiting on you.” He tipped his hat. “I believe I better get back to work. It was nice meeting you, Amber.”

  “You too. I’ll see you later.”

  “No doubt about that.” He smiled again, then with a nudge of his knee the beautiful horse loped away.

  Amber watched them go…but it wasn’t the horse she was watching.

  Not that she was interested in anything that had to do with a cowboy or small towns but wow.

  Just wow. “That was some cowboy,” she muttered and climbed into the car and drove down the long drive outlined with pipe fence and oak trees.

  The house was a towering two story, white sandstone with massive windows and a large terrace starting at the side doors and wrapping around to the rear of the house. The site of the house and that she would soon see Sadie sent relief coursing through Amber.

  The yard was shaded by huge oak trees that would offer a reprieve in the summer months from the relentless Texas sun. To Amber the main house of the New Horizon Ranch was a welcomed site. And for a few weeks it would be her reprieve. Her hideaway.

  She parked her small sports car in the parking area and slid out of the car and closed the door. She stretched, having driven for nearly four hours with only a few breaks. Sadie’s sudden wedding had come at the perfect time for Amber. She’d needed to get away for a little while. Her job at the abuse hotline center exposed her to a lot of stressful situations and sometimes, like now, despite every effort for anonymity she was placed in the direct path of trouble.

  She was ready to see and hug her best friend as much for herself as for joy at Sadie’s newfound happiness. But this was Sadie’s time. Her happy celebration and Amber would push her own problems to the back burner. She was concentrating on Sadie for the next few days.

  And not the mess she’d gotten herself into back home in the Houston suburbs.

  She leaned into the car and grabbed her purse and her phone and as she started up the flagstone walkway she slung the purse over her shoulder and dropped her phone into the outer pocket. She was almost to the patio when one of the French doors flew open and Sadie rushed outside. “You’re here!” the leggy, red headed beauty exclaimed rushing from the house and engulfing Amber in a tight hug that involved rocking from side to side and having the breath squeezed right out of her. Laughing, Amber hugged Sadie just as exuberantly. She had needed this hug more than Sadie would ever know. “It’s so good to see you,” she said, and meant it.

  “You too, my friend.” Sadie pulled back but kept her arm around Amber’s shoulder. “Come inside. I’ve got nice cold tea and some cookies—although, I have to admit that though I’m getting better in the kitchen I’m no Betty Crocker. Not even close.”

  The very idea of her buddy even being near the kitchen made Amber laugh again. “I still can’t believe you hired on here as the cook. And that you like it.”

  Sadie’s face dipped into a comical expression of confusion. “Go figure. Surprised me too. But believe me I have a long way to go. Thank goodness for the Food Network!”

  She dropped her arm and led the way into the kitchen. Amber followed her into the gorgeous room. Amber and Sadie had both seen their fair share of expensive kitchens, so she understood that the previous owner had spared no expense in this room. It was decked out with amazing granite countertops, stunning walnut cabinetry with intricate details and the tiled floors were pure beauty.

  “Wow.”

  “I know, have you ever seen such beautiful woodwork on cabinets? CC who owned the ranch had expensive taste.”

  “A yeah ya think!” Amber teased. “Kind of reminds me of your mother.”

  “You’ve got that right. I’m building something more casual than this showplace and it’s going to be wonderful but not this amazing. Rafe and I want our place to be comfortable and welcoming and very family friendly. I have no plans to make it extravagant. I can’t wait for you to see it.”

  Amber dropped her purse onto a barstool then leaned against the counter and watched her friend quickly fill two glasses with ice and tea. “You look so happy, Sadie. I mean I knew you sounded happy over the phone but you just beam.”

  Sadie blushed. “I never thought I could be this happy.” She passed a cold glass to Amber then led the way to the table. They settled into the chairs and Sadie sighed.

  “Sometimes the worst day of your life can turn into the best day of your life. And that’s what happened to me the day I met Rafe.”

  Sadie had been a week away from her wedding and found her weasel of a fiancé with another woman. Just thinking about it spiked Amber’s blood pressure. Sadie had gotten in her car and driven away and then she’d kept on driving. She’d run away and hadn’t stopped until she’d broken down here on the outskirts of Mule Hollow, four hours away from home. Rafe had stopped to help her.

  “I agree. The day you met Rafe and stopped thinking about that good for nothing weasel ex-fiancé,” she halted, having to bite back a foul mood. Just thinking about Sadie finding her ex with another woman sent Amber’s temper boiling again. “Okay, I’m going to take a deep breath now and think the good thoughts—”

  “Which are me ending up here and meeting Rafe that same day. God took something terrible and made it for good. He’s like that you know.”

  “Oh yes, so true.”

  They both laughed though they were completely serious in everything they’d said. Amber had never liked the first fiancée and had kept her opinion to herself because she loved Sadie. But Andrew’s fooling around hadn’t surprised her in the least.

  She squeezed Sadie’s hand. “I’m so happy for you and can’t wait to meet this hunk of burnin’ love that swept you off your bunny feet.” She smiled at that—Sadie had gone through all of that wearing her big hairy white bunny suit…the one she wore to the cancer center to cheer up sick children. There was no telling what Rafe thought when he’d spied her on the side of the road. Amber would have loved to have been a fly on the window to have seen that.

  “Oh, you’ll meet him soon. He wants to meet you too. He’s in town picking up supplies but will be back to put dinner on the grill. He and all his partners are doing dinner. You’re going to love him. You’re going to love all of them. They’re a great group.”

  “I already do love him. He loves you and that makes me love him.” It was true. Sadie deserved so much love and she looked so very happy. It did her heart good seeing the joy on Sadie’s face. Thoughts of Chase Hartley flashed like a neon sign in her mind. “Oh, I’ve already met one of the partners.”

  “You did—who?”

  “Chase Hartley. He was riding a gorgeous horse up by the road when I reached the entrance. He and the horse kind of raced my car.” She laughed. “And the horse was so amazing I had to stop and look at it.”

  Sadie eyes lit with mischief. “So, only the horse was gorgeous?”

  The handsome, steel blue-eyed cowboy with the dark brown hair filled her mind. “Oh, I cannot tell a lie—the cowboy could turn heads too.”

  Sadie grunted. “Un-huh got that right. He’s a great guy too. I really wanted you to meet him. I’ve been thinking you two might hit it off.”

  Amber stared at her friend. “Oh no you don’t. You know I don’t like the logistics of small towns. They’re away from everything. Not to mention, I have my job.” Or at least she thought she still had her job. Being forced to take a leave of absence had her on edge. Lately, she was becoming more and more frustrated by certain things. That included having one of the abused victim's violent boyfriend disco
vering her identity and that she’d talked his girlfriend to go into hiding…nope, no ma’am you aren’t going there. Focusing on Sadie—remember?

  Not her troubles back in Houston. Right.

  She shot Sadie a gentle warning. “When I want one, I can find my own boyfriend. I do not need you trying to match me up with your friends.”

  “But that’s just it—you don’t date. You’re too young to just spend all your time talking to hysterical, fearful, and hurting victims. And when you’re not doing that you’re teaching women how to hurt men who want to hurt them. There is no normal in your life. You need to get around some good men…because believe it or not they are out there,” Sadie pleaded, then her expression turned impish. “Several are right here on this ranch.”

  Amber took a deep breath. “Okay, girlfriend. I love you dearly and I am overjoyed that you’ve found your man, but I’m not ready to settle down. Especially in a small town. Besides this is supposed to be all about you right now, not me. This is your wedding we’re about to have on Saturday. That’s only two days away and I’m focused on that and nothing else. And I might add, so should you be.”

  A sweet, dreamy look came into Sadie’s eyes. “Oh I am focused. I just want you to be as happy as I am. And if you’d just give Mule Hollow a chance it’s a wonderful small town. And since you’re going to be here for a month…it could happen.”

  “I’ll be coming here to visit because you’re my buddy, but I can promise you I’m not falling for a small town. And I will never, ever fall for a cowboy—so give it up girlfriend.”

  “But—”

  “Sadie.” Amber laughed and after the day—the week—she’d had it felt good. Sadie had no idea that a man for herself was the last thing on Amber’s mind right now. A vivid image of Chase galloping across the pasture filled her mind in that instant. Okay, so there had been that moment but that was all it was…a moment.

  “Fine. For now,” Sadie huffed. “But one day I’m going to succeed in helping some wonderful man find you and make all your dreams come true.”