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“Fine Let’s keep it that way”

“Are you going to see Jasper on the way back?” Sky changed the subject

“Of course I arowled “You and Will don’t have to re”

Sky drove on in silence Both ed edge of snapping But they made it to the house without an all-out clash Sky let Beau off by the porch and drove around to his own quarters out back Once they’d had a chance to rest and clean up, things would be all right between the away at everyone on the ranch And the blazing afternoon sun pro but more of the same

Jasper, at least, was doing better and would soon be co the days If ever there was a time when the ranch could use Jasper’s salty wisdoentle humor, it was now

Sky showered, dressed, and washed down a turkey sandith a cold beer There wasn’t enough tiht to it, he could ith the colts for several hours

Twenty ray gelding, when he heard Beau’s Jeep peel out of the yard and head down the long gravel lane toward the , he could tell that Beau’swith bankers was like dealing with coyotes They were quick to take advantage of a weakness, and any rancher with his back against the as fair gaotiate a possible loan before it was needed so they could get better terms It was a wisetreated like an errand boy—just as he understood that Will had been too preoccupied to make sure Beau was involved in the plan

Sky eased into the saddle, lowering the bri sun The dwindling ood spell of rain would wash away all those troubles But the heat-seared land was dying, and the heavens were merciless

The dappled gray gelding—naant head that showed his Arabian blood Ss of an ideal cow pony Sky had singled hi a pre and turning, an essentiala cow The sharp little horse responded to the pressure of Sky’s knees and the slight shifts in his weight, perfor theto get their money’s worth out of this boy

Sky was paying no attention to anything going on outside the corral A shrill whinny from the direction of the house shattered his concentration He looked up to see a spectacular black horse dancing across the yard toward hi its rider all the way

Sky swore out loud

Clinging to the saddle, fighting for control of the reins, was Lauren

With Quicksilver distracted by the newco his time, Sky freed the colt from the saddle and bridle and loosed him into the paddock Emotions warred as he walked slowly back to the corral fence Lauren Prescott was nothing but trouble in high-heeled boots So as he so day, red-haired hellion?

More to the point, as she doing to that poor horse?

CHAPTER 6