Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
More than once, Cole found himself rubbing his hand along Dopey’s neck. He really was a good horse, and Cole didn’t want to think of anything happening to him because they’d wandered into that particular field.
It sucked that the mood of the day had soured. As the barns came into view, Cole found himself saying the one thing he thought might bring a smile to JB’s face.
“Jason Bradford.”
As he’d hoped, JB smirked as he looked over at Cole. “Nope.”
“Jared Barnes,” he guessed again.
“Not even close.”
Chapter Six
How the hell did those two cows die?
The question teased and picked at JB’s brain the rest of the ride back to the stable. He refused to believe that it was some virus or disease. They kept a damn close eye on all their cattle, made sure they were healthy at all times.
But what else could it be? Something in the water? Did they eat something in that field or another field that killed them?
He scrubbed a hand across his face and blinked at the bright sun. His eyes focused on Cole beside him, and a smirk played with the corners of his mouth. The man looked damn good on a horse. Muscular jean-clad thighs gripped the animal, and his fucking arms were the stuff JB’s dreams were made of. Ripped and corded with thick veins.
He didn’t sit the saddle like he’d been born to it, of course, but he was doing a pretty good job of leading Dopey as they ambled to the stable.
It was hard to pull his gaze from Cole, and he couldn’t help but wonder what Cole was like in bed. Heat pulled at his groin at the thought of taking that man under the covers. Or on top of them. Or up against a wall—he wasn’t picky.
He quickly moved away from that train of thought before his dick got hard. This was not what he needed to be thinking about. He had enough problems on his hands without getting himself tangled up with a man who was very likely straight.
“I guess I should be glad one of the dead cows wasn’t the alpha female, or the whole herd would have been out there,” JB muttered.
“Alpha female?” Cole asked, directing Dopey toward the stable.
“There’s usually one in every herd. The others follow her lead.”
Surprise widened Cole’s eyes. “I didn’t know that.”
“Why would you?” JB teased. “It’s not like you’ve ever been on a ranch, and I don’t see that information coming up too often at Ward Security. But I have to say, you’re riding Dopey well.”
Cole stroked the horse’s neck. “He’s a good animal. He can officially be my horse for any riding.”
“Well, you may be singing a different tune once your muscles start complaining. Don’t forget, I have that hot tub.” Images of Cole naked in the hot tub suddenly danced through his brain, threatening to melt away what higher-level thought process he had left. He mentally shook his head. Enough of that. He needed to get to his office and call the vet, assuming Owen hadn’t handled it already.
Danny came out with his ever-present smile to help unsaddle and free the horses into the corral. As he walked with Cole out of the stable again, his gaze caught on a familiar blue sedan in the driveway. Anger sparked in his gut, and he drew his hands into fists at his sides as his parents came out with a man JB had hoped never to see again.
Brad Dillinger.
The East Coast interloper was trying to make like he was one of them. Just a friendly neighbor. Even set up this llama ranch half an hour from Alexander Ranch, where he claimed to raise llamas and alpacas. It wasn’t a ranch. It was a fucking tourist trap with a gift shop.
The shady property developer was sniffing around their land, had been for months now. JB’s blood ran cold as he took in the smiles on his parents’ faces as they led him to his vehicle.
“Be right back,” JB snarled in Cole’s general direction as he hurried forward to confront Dillinger. Unfortunately, the snake saw him coming and slithered into his car. It peeled out as JB stormed toward his parents.
His dad’s smile widened when he spotted his son, but it quickly died when he took in JB’s expression. With a sigh, he pushed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and spread his legs a bit as if bracing for tornado JB. His father was still a powerful man with broad shoulders and a lean body.
Clearly, JB had gotten his fair coloring from his mother, but his body looked like his dad’s. They were the same height, too. Now a steely gray, his dad’s hair had been a dark, burnished brown. He still had some brown in the short beard he wore.