Tackling Summer Part 7

Chanel worked at a stable near Doumit University teaching riding lessons to children and teens. She often led weekend trail rides for dudes of all ages. Unless she wanted to argue with her father again, and she didn't, there was nothing she could say except, "No problem. We'll start after dinner tomorrow."

Satisfied with her answer, Mitch nodded and grabbed a banana from a bowl on the counter and headed back out the door.

Maddox watched Chanel disappear into the trees and then turned and jogged the opposite direction. He should follow her but was unwilling to give her the satisfaction. How hard could it be to find his way back to headquarters? He noted the aspen grove to his right and a couple of unusual looking rock outcroppings before heading up the hill.

She ran with a gun. It seemed like overkill. Wolves? Seriously? He urged his feet to carry him faster, resulting in trips on tree roots and random rocks. Why had he kissed her? She wasn't his type, but there was something about her that drew him in, made him want to get closer, and not just for s.e.x. It'd been there from the first day. No woman had ever been able to rankle him. Why would he want to be with someone like that?

The toe of his shoe caught in a hole and he stumbled to a stop, twisting his ankle hard. It made an ugly crunching sound and there was a stab of pain.

Maddox hobbled over to a log to catch his breath wishing for a bottle of water. Man, it was nice to have some lackey to hand him one whenever he even looked thirsty. He had to admit he'd never really appreciated the service until now. That was the kind of thinking Chanel kept harping about, he thought while ma.s.saging his ankle.

Once he was sure there wasn't anything seriously wrong, Maddox took an easy jog back down the hill. Temper cooled, he took the time to breathe in the scent of the forest, damp with herbal notes he didn't recognize. It smelled good. He paused when he reached a fork in the trail. Hands on hips, he studied it. He didn't remember seeing this on his way up. Sc.r.a.ping his hair away from his face and holding it with both hands, he took the path on the left. He walked and walked waiting for the aspen grove to appear. Rustling in the bushes made the hair on his arms stand on end. Occasionally, a chipmunk would skitter by just in front of his feet making him feel silly for his unease. Chanel had probably packed that pistol just to freak him out. There was nothing out here except rodents and deer. Weren't wolves about extinct anyway?

And then it happened. The biggest gray dog he'd ever seen stepped into the path about a hundred yards in front of him. Maddox froze as the animal turned and pinned him with an amber stare. Holy s.h.i.t, Chanel hadn't been kidding.

Afraid to break eye contact, Maddox hoped he wasn't surrounded by an entire pack and wondered if there were any limbs on the nearby trees he could grab so he could climb up. Before he could move, a shot rang out, and Maddox felt his feet leave the ground. He looked around wildly, not sure what to do in his panic. Eyes forward again, Maddox found the trail empty. Where had the wolf gone? Bile rose in his throat. The d.a.m.n wolf was hiding somewhere ready to attack. Someone was shooting at him. He was having a hard time catching his breath.

"Maddox!"

He spun around to see Mitch emerge from the trees. Never had he been so excited to see another human being, but before he could speak, his stomach buckled and he threw up.

"Easy there!" Mitch said coming alongside him, putting a hand on his heaving back. "You okay?"

Maddox righted himself and drug his forearm across his mouth. "I will be."

Mitch grinned. "Got a good look at him, didn't ya."

Maddox nodded. He could feel the cold sweat covering his skin.

"He's gone now. Let's head home."

Unable to find intelligible words, Maddox pulled on his shirt and followed Mitch. Half an hour later, they came to the main road. Maddox was grateful for the older man's silence. Most guys would have hara.s.sed him for getting lost and teased him for freaking out.

"I gave her a talkin' to," Mitch said when the ranch buildings came into sight.

"K."

"I know you don't like taking orders, but life'll be easier for you if you listen to her."

Maddox clenched his jaw at the offered wisdom.

"It's okay to be quiet and learn sometimes. We don't have to know everything."

They were in front of the barn now. Maddox appreciated Mitch's quiet correction. It was easier to swallow than the bellows from the coaching staff or the sharp disdain he received from Chanel.

"Thanks," Maddox said. "You won't tell anyone I..."

"Nope. We all have our moments. If it had been me, I woulda s.h.i.t myself." Mitch's eyes danced, and his lips turned up just a bit.

Maddox laughed. "I'm not sure that I didn't. Think I better go do some laundry."

Mitch laughed and turned toward the barn. "See you in the morning, son."

Son. Maddox's dad had never called him that outside of formal introductions.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Chanel handed Maddox a horse brush and currycomb, keeping a set for herself for demonstration purposes. "Okay, let's get you started brushing Rosalind." Chanel led the way to the stall where a gray mare was tied. "She's Dad's horse, but she's getting up there in years, so she doesn't get ridden much these days. Sometimes Dad takes her out for an easy ride on Sundays."

When Maddox hesitated, she heaved a sigh. She was tired and hot after a long day of moving cows. More than anything, she wanted a long shower and to stretch out on a lounger on the deck. "Get in here. She won't bite. Just set your hand on her b.u.t.t as you come in, so you don't startle her."

"Yeah, right. She'll probably kick me in the nuts then bite me on the head when I'm doubled over," Maddox muttered taking a tentative step toward the stall.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"After your little stunt yesterday? I don't trust you."

Needing something to do with her hands, Chanel began working through Rosalind's mane with the currycomb. She probably shouldn't have left him in the forest. Mitch had hiked out and found him wandering in the opposite direction of the ranch, sunburned and ticked off. He'd told Chanel at dinner that the kid was spooked out of his gourd after his first wolf sighting.

Chanel had laughed and confessed to telling Maddox about the wolves and showing him her gun. Mitch had glowered at her and told her leaving him was childish. She'd protested saying she took off down the trail they'd just come up on, and it was on Maddox for not following her.

"Whatever it is that's eating you about him, get over it. I've got enough on my plate right now keeping Jerry from smothering him with a pillow during the night. Sounds like he's a bit of a whiner after hours."

Chanel rolled her eyes. "Tell me you're surprised."

Mitch shrugged. "I still stand by my decision to take him on this summer. Be the adult, Chanel."

This was one of those times when Chanel wished she wasn't so devoted to her dad. Not wanting to cause him any extra stress, she'd agreed to attempt to make Maddox horse savvy enough to ride drag during the yearling drive.

"I don't mess around when it comes to the horses," Chanel said as she unsnarled a particularly nasty snag in Rosalind's mane. "It's not fair to them. Now, pay attention and we'll get this over with. Use the currycomb and go over her whole body, including her mane and tail. Work out the dust and loose hair. Then smooth her out with the brush. If you want, you can do it all at once like this." Her hands were in motion before she'd even stopped speaking- the left sweeping down with the currycomb, closely followed by the right. She moved with speed and grace, a product of a lifetime of grooming horses.

Maddox cautiously shuffled up to Rosalind's hindquarters. Placing a hesitant hand on her rump, he eased in on the opposite side from Chanel. She noticed the weary look in his eyes, and a zing of satisfaction whizzed through her. Good, he was as drained as she was. Maybe he'd cooperate, so they could turn in sooner.

Determined to be the bigger person, Chanel didn't comment. Instead, she left the stall and said, "I'm going to catch someone for me to ride. We'll get you saddled when I get back."

A couple of minutes later, she reentered the barn leading a short red roan horse with a wide blaze running down his nose.

"Not using Vivi tonight?" Maddox asked.

"No, I worked her pretty hard today. She needs to rest. Overworking your horse can make it lame."

Maddox nodded and moved around to Rosalind's other side to finish where Chanel had left off. Unable to help herself, Chanel watched him as she curried her horse. His broad shoulders were relaxed, and he seemed focused on his task. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was enjoying himself.

"You about ready to saddle up?" Chanel said once her grooming was done. She was impressed with the job Maddox had done on Rosalind.

"Sure," Maddox replied giving the gray horse a pat on the rump and following Chanel to the tack room.

"Grab that saddle right there with the blue pad on top," Chanel said pointing to the tack atop a wooden stand attached to the wall. She grabbed her own saddle, but instead of snagging her regular hot pink and black Navajo print pad, she reached for a black one from another shelf.

"I've never seen you use that one before," Maddox said nodding at the pad in her hand.

Impressed with his observation, Chanel smiled and said, "My regular pad is wet with Vivi's sweat. Pete will appreciate a dry one."

"Makes sense. We always use fresh base layers under our gear on double practice days."

Chanel led the way out of the tack room, saddle under her left arm, blanket in her right hand. Maddox positioned his tack the same and stood outside Pete's stall to watch as she flipped the blanket onto Pete's back, pulling it up to where his mane began. Then with an effortless swing, she settled the saddle in place. With a grin his direction, she began outlining what she was doing.

"First, you want to get the cinch hooked around the belly just snug enough so the saddle doesn't fall off. We'll tighten more just before we get on. Then you secure the back cinch. It doesn't have to be too tight. Now for the breast collar." Chanel pulled a strap free from the saddle horn and stretched the piece of leather around the horse's barrel chest and buckled it through a ring on the opposite side of the saddle. "And there you go. Now it's your turn."

She followed Maddox to Rosalind's stall and watched as he approached the mare on the left side. He lifted the pad onto the mare's back and glanced back at Chanel for rea.s.surance on his placement. She nodded with encouragement, so he swung the saddle up. He was a quick study when he wanted to be, and he wasn't resisting tonight. She only had to coach him when it came to fastening the breast collar, which drew her in close. Her senses were overwhelmed with the scent of leather and Maddox's unique blend of detergent and warm male. His thick fingers were a bit clumsy working the tongue of the buckle through the hole in the strap, but he grinned in triumph once it was secure. That smile lit a blaze in Chanel's stomach that almost knocked the air right out of her. With a sharp inhale, she stood and backed out of the stall.

"Nice work," she mumbled as she started fumbling around on a hook, looking for a couple of bridles. "Now lead her out of here, and I'll bring you a bridle."

Without a word, Maddox pulled the end of the lead rope to release the slipknot tethering Rosalind to the manger and exited the barn. Finally locating her own bridle and an extra for Maddox, Chanel grabbed the roan, tucking his lead rope into her waistband. Her nerves were too raw for a lesson on bridling, so she slipped both bits into the horses' mouths. She just wanted to get mounted and go for a ride. The rocking motion of a horse never failed to steady her.

"Before we get on, we need to tighten our cinches. We don't want our saddles slipping around and dumping us on our b.u.t.ts." Chanel tightened the girth around her gelding, nodding at Maddox to do the same.

He gave the strap a strong tug that made Rosalind fart and leap to the side. "Hold still!" Maddox hollered at the horse.

"Whoa! I think you overdid it there. She's telling you it's too tight." Chanel stepped between Maddox and the mare.

"How do you know? I suppose you speak horse too." His nostrils were flared, face red. This was not going to work until he settled down and conjured some patience.

Eyebrows drawn into a frown, Chanel shot him a look before loosening the cinch a couple of notches.

"Did my horse fart and jump around like I goosed him when I tightened his cinch? Now feel this." Chanel took Maddox's hand and guided it to the strap circling Rosalind's belly. She knew she should have had him feel hers before turning him loose, but she'd been dis...o...b..bulated at the moment. Her skin p.r.i.c.kled as it touched Maddox's, and he jerked his hand away like he felt it too.

Maddox forked his fingers through his hair. "Okay, the horse is dressed. Let's ride. Isn't that the point of all this?"

Chanel led Rosalind forward a few steps. "Don't forget to lead your horse forward a bit to make sure it's comfortable. Some of them will buck if things aren't sitting right. Okay, get on. I'll adjust your stirrups." Chanel made a mental note to tell her father to designate this saddle as Maddox's for the rest of the season. She didn't want to go through these adjustments again. Forcing herself into autopilot, Chanel pretended she couldn't feel the muscles through Maddox's jeans as she moved his legs out of the way to set the stirrups to the proper length. He was just another dude at the stable where she worked during the school year.

"Can you stand in them?" Chanel asked taking a step back to study his legs.

He stood.

"Good. Now, think of the reins as your steering wheel. If you want to go right, press the left rein onto her neck, like this." Chanel gathered the reins in her hand in front of the saddle horn and guided the horse from the ground. Just as the leather touched her neck, Rosalind began to turn her head. "If you want her to do more than look that way, you need to squeeze your legs to tell her to go."

Maddox took the reins and squeezed. Rosalind walked in a slow circle.

"Now gently pull back on the reins and sit heavy in your saddle. That's your brakes. Make sure to stop squeezing."

Maddox did as she said, and the horse stopped.

"Great. Let me get on, and we'll take a short ride in the meadow."

Turning her back to him, Chanel swung onto the red horse. She swore she could feel Maddox undressing her with his eyes but told herself to stop daydreaming. Signaling her horse to move out, Chanel took deep breaths and focused on where they were headed.

A loud, "Whoa!" drew her attention back to her student. Chanel spun Pete around in time to see Rosalind trotting toward the barn door with Maddox bouncing helplessly on her back.

"Pull back on the reins and sit down!" Chanel called, but it was too late. Rosalind continued into the barn. Thankfully Maddox had the good sense to duck at the last minute so as not to smack his head on the doorframe.

Snickering to herself, Chanel cantered back to the barn and jumped off Pete. She found Rosalind in her stall, her face buried in the grain box, and Maddox sitting astride her cussing at the top of his lungs.

"Okay, calm down," Chanel said when he took a breath. She led Pete into his stall and tied him to the rail. "I'm sorry, I put too much on you too soon."

She strode into the stall with Rosalind and Maddox and tugged on the horse's bridle. "Not cool, Ros." Chanel backed the mare out of the stall and slipped the reins over her head so she could lead her. "You better duck," she said to Maddox. "We're going for a walk."

"No. Way." Maddox swung his leg over the saddle horn and made to jump down, but his left foot got hung up in the stirrup. He fell from Rosalind's back and crashed onto the packed dirt barn floor, his foot still in the stirrup.

Rosalind turned her head and calmly stared at the man lying beside her.

Chanel gaped at him for a moment before collecting herself. She'd never seen anyone nose dive from a horse quite like that before. At a loss for the right words, she went for the wrong ones, "And that's why we wear cowboy boots."

CHAPTER NINE.

Late Sat.u.r.day afternoon found Maddox restless. His work done for the day, he prowled around the bunkhouse. There was no way he could spend another weekend sitting around this place. He hadn't left the ranch since that trip to the grocery store, which reminded him, he needed to give Christine his list. He'd sweet-talked her into grabbing a few things for him when she made her weekly trip to town. It would tick Chanel off to know that, and for some sick reason it gave him a hint of satisfaction.

Jerry, when he was around, wasn't much of a conversationalist, so they spent their evenings watching sports or NASCAR. Accustomed to having people around all the time, he was starting to feel like he was going crazy. Sometimes during the week he'd shoot the s.h.i.t with David on the porch, but when the weekend came, the other man split for town to see his girlfriend. Fritz was nice, but Maddox had noticed he slipped away a lot when the day was done. He couldn't figure out where the mustached man disappeared to-his truck never left the drive-and normally wouldn't care, but he didn't have much else to think about. Except Chanel. And thoughts of her just put him in a bad mood.

They'd tried one more riding lesson the night after he hit the dirt, but he'd walked out before attempting to mount the cranky mare. It seemed Chanel and the stupid horse were in cahoots. When he entered Rosalind's stall, she'd pinned back her ears and took a snap at him with big yellow teeth. Chanel had let out one of those irritating snorts she always had when she thought something was especially funny, and he was done. He told her he didn't care that Mitch expected him to help trail yearlings in a few weeks. They'd have to do it without him.

The sound of boots on the porch next door brought Maddox to the front window. He saw David disappearing into his own bunkhouse. Maybe he could b.u.m a ride to town with him. He'd figure out how to get home on his own. Right now, all that mattered was getting out.

"Why do you stay out here?" Maddox asked as David's dented red pickup b.u.mped over the slim track leading them toward the slightly more maintained main road. Maddox longed to sink into his Miata and tear down a smooth freeway.

David gave him a sideways glance, the corner of his mouth twitched up when he said, "Whaddya mean?"

Maddox tried to sit a little heavier in his seat, so he didn't bounce so much. David drove faster than Mitch or Chanel, making the ride even rougher. "I don't know. You don't seem to love living out here, and you run to town as soon as you have some extra time."

David was silent for a minute, chewing on a toothpick, one hand lazily draped on the steering wheel. Maddox started to think he wasn't going to answer.

"For one, my girlfriend, Faith, is in town."