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CHAPTER 5

As the sun continued its cli ever closer to its apex, Beau could feel the warmth of its rays on his back After nearly nine days in the saddle, he had ed to work all the stiffness out of his muscles

Slowly he walked the close-coupled roan nearer to theknot of steers Thebull that had eluded last fall’s roundup, he sw

ung the roan into the herd, intent on separating the yearling from the rest

As if knowing it was destined to be branded, tagged, and relieved of its cojones, the young Hereford bull made a dash for a clump of nearby mesquite The cow-savvy roan see forward to block its path

After that, Beau had only to sit easy in the saddle and let the well-trained cow pony do his job With catlike agility, the roan gelding cut off the yearling’s dash to freedo bull , then attempted another break The roan thwarted it with ease

Spider Jones, one of Riether they herded the anied shut behind it, Beau leaned forward in the saddle to stroke the roan’s da contest, you would have won us some money”

Spider Jones swung his horse alongside Beau Together they jogged their horses back to the gather “Nice work But that’s what I like about working for Riood horses here”

“That we do,” Beau agreed, well aware that the bulk of the credit for the

“I ondering,” Spider began, then hesitated and started over, his uncertain blue eyes darting a glance at Beau “We’ve probably got only a few more days of roundup before we’re finished Me and a couple of the other boys plan on going into Lubbock to celebrate There’s a club there that has a rooet that manly itch scratchedif you knohat I mean You’re welcome to join us If you like,” he added, suddenly uneasy, as if he orried that, by inviting one of the neners, he had violated some unwritten rule

“Sounds like the go-to place for a good tiht accompany them But as far as he was concerned, there was only one woman he wanted to scratch his itch, and she wasn’t in Lubbock

Although on second thought, Beau realized that the wisest course o to Lubbock Natalie was a married woman, and it was best if he kept his distance

“You got that righ—How the hell did he get his rope tangled up like that?” Disgust and a the direction of Spider’s gaze, Beau saw Lute, his rope partially around his body and a half loop around his horse’s nose “For somebody who’s supposed to be related to Sky, he sure is worthless around cattle,” the young cowboy declared “Somebody needs to take that rope away from him and put a shovel back in his hand”

“Heads-up, Beau! Two o’clock!” Will’s voice barked across the distance, directing Beau’s attention to the cow and calf just breaking free of the gather