* * *
“WAIT,” SHANE YELLED, watching the teenager on the horse. “Wait.”
Elias, nineteen and sure he knew better, jerked back on the reins. The gelding dug in hard and came to a stop. Elias’s rope fell about three feet shy of the calf who darted away.
Elias swore. “Damn calf is laughing at me.”
“He’s not the only one,” Shane grumbled. “Why are you here if you’re not going to listen?”
“I’m listening.”
“No. You’re doing what you want to do and look where it’s getting you.”
Elias muttered something under his breath and reached for his rope. “If I wait too long, I’m gonna miss.”
“Waiting too long isn’t your problem.”
“Now you sound like my girlfriend.”
Shane chuckled. “You’ll get better with practice on both counts. Now let’s try this again.”
“See, you need to be working with me, Shane. What have you got going on here that’s better than the rodeo?”
“A life.”
“Not much of one. You’re stuck in this small town. I swore, once I got out of mine, I was never going back. I can’t believe you could live anywhere and you’re here.”
Shane thought about the couple hundred acres he’d bought and the stables and house he would have built. “I’ve got everything I need.”
Elias grimaced. “Well, help me win and I’ll take care of everything I owe.”
“Kid, you got heart, but you’re going to need a lot more practice. And I’m out of the game.”
Elias nodded toward the far corral, where Khatar watched everything going on. “How much did you waste on him? Coulda bought a whole ranch with what you paid for that one.”
“He’s worth it.”
“In your dreams.”
“He’s perfect,” Shane said, not bothering to glance at the stallion.
“If he doesn’t kill you first.”
“He has a reputation, I’ll grant you that. But I’m not convinced he’s as mean as everyone says. You interested in practicing or are you here to flap your gums at me? I’ve got better things to do than stand around listening to you tell me what you don’t know.”
Elias grinned. “I’m here to learn.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“Until three. Then I have to head to Wyoming.” Elias opened his mouth to say something else, then closed it and gave a low whistle. “I sure wouldn’t mind getting me a piece of that first, though.”
As the teen spoke, Shane felt a prickling on the back of his neck. He didn’t even have to turn around to know who had arrived, didn’t have to see to understand that his afternoon had just taken a jog toward the impossible.
Elias slid off his horse. He dropped the reins and pulled off his hat, then walked to the fence.
“Afternoon,” he called, his eyes wide, his lips curving in a stupid grin.
Shane gave in to the inevitable and shifted so he could watch Annabelle approach.
She’d replaced her fitted summer dress with jeans and a T-shirt, which shouldn’t have been sexy, but were. The jeans hugged impressive curves, and while her legs weren’t all that long, they were well-shaped. She’d pulled her wavy red hair back into a braid. Her green gaze met him and damned if he didn’t want to go down on his knees and beg. He wasn’t sure what for, but at this point he would gladly take anything she offered. Although if it was hot, took a long time and was illegal in several states, he could like it even more.
“Yours?” Elias asked, speaking under his breath.
“No, but stay away.”
“But I—”
“No.”
Elias huffed in annoyance and spun his hat in his hands.
“Hello, Shane,” Annabelle said as she stopped in front of him. “I’m here for my lesson.” She smiled and held up a tiny foot. “I bought cowboy boots. I want to tell you that you should be impressed, but honestly any excuse to buy new shoes is welcome.” The smile blossomed. “It’s a girl thing.”
“They’re real nice,” Elias said.
“Thank you.”
Shane gave in to the inevitable. “Annabelle, this is Elias.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said easily.
“My pleasure.” Elias looked her over thoroughly. “I was supposed to be heading to Wyoming. It’s my grandma’s birthday in a couple of days. But I could stay put for a while.”
“No, you couldn’t,” Shane told him, watching Annabelle to see if she was going to start flirting with the younger man.
“We should let the lady decide.”
Annabelle watched them both, then frowned. “I’m sorry. Do you mean me?”
“Elias wants to know if he should stick around,” Shane said. “For you.”
A delicate frown pulled her eyebrows together. “I don’t understand.”
“We could go out to dinner,” Elias offered. “Or back to my place.”
“You don’t have a place,” Shane reminded him. “You stayed with me last night.”
“I could get a place.”
“You have a girlfriend.”
Elias turned back to Annabelle. “It’s not serious.”
“You’re nineteen.”
Elias glared at him. “Don’t make me hurt you, old man.”
Annabelle shook her head. “I’m still confused. I’m, ah, here to learn how to ride.”
Shane winked at Elias. “That was a no.”
“Like you’re going to do any better.”
Shane knew that was probably true. More important, for reasons of self-preservation, he needed to stay clear of Annabelle Weiss. Even if she was a temptation.
“About the riding lesson,” she began.
Elias sighed. “Is it an age thing? Everyone thinks I’m real mature.”
Shane slapped him on the back. “Is that what they’re saying?”
“You stay out of this, old man. This is between me and the lady.”
Old man?
Annabelle’s green eyes widened. “Are you trying to ask me out?”
“If you have to ask, then I’m doing it wrong,” Elias muttered.
“Something else the girlfriend says?” Shane asked quietly.
Elias glared at him. “Shut up.”
Shane patted him on the back. “Give it time, kid. You’ll get the hang of it.”
“I do just fine.”
“Uh-huh.”
Shane turned his attention back to Annabelle. As he’d suspected, she created trouble wherever she went. He was torn between regretting his offer to help and wondering how he would survive if he didn’t get to see her. She was the kind of woman who—
He