Page 65 of Untamed

A wave of surprise and something else washes over me. Mila went to bat for me. No one’s ever fought for me like that woman has. Christ. She really is incredible. I give him a tight nod.

“I’ll be sure to thank her.” I rise out of my chair, ready to get out of here and do just that.

As I stand, Lincoln’s expression sharpens, his eyes narrowing to slits. “I trust I don’t need to remind you to keep your distance, do I Colter?”

I stare at him, fighting the urge to tell him it’s already too late. That she’s mine. That I fucking laid claim to his precious daughter the moment I stuck my cock in her. But saying those words would guarantee I lose the very opportunity he’s just handed me. I force a small smile.

“No need, sir.” I turn away before he can catch the lie I’m sure is written all over my face.

“Good. Now get ready for the weekend. You’ve got three days.”

I don’t respond to Lincoln. Instead, I walk out of his office and head to the barn where, despite her bruises, Mila is still working. Before I get back to work, I want to thank my girl. I stride through the barn doors, spotting a couple of low men mucking out stalls. I ignore them, and make my way to Clover’s stable, where I find Mila and see the sunflower I left this morning hooked carefully on the door. A smile tugs at my lips. Such a simple act, yet it makes my girl happy. Mila doesn’t notice me at first, too focused on running a brush down her horse’s neck. Her beautiful face screws up in pain when she bends slightly to get to a certain spot.

“You should be resting,” I say, my voice firm. Her head snaps up, and she winces at the sudden movement. “Fuck’s sake.” I curse under my breath, angry at myself for causing her pain and at her for being out here in the first place. I close the distance between us, wanting to take her in my arms.

Mila’s eyes dart behind me, before she waves me off, and even though I want nothing more than to hold her, to make everything better, it’s reckless. Especially out here, in broad daylight, with a ranch full of people who could catch us at any moment.

“I’m fine,” she says, though the grimace on her face doesn’t match her words. “The farrier is coming today, and I just wanted to get Clover cleaned up before he works on his feet.”

“You don’t look fine,” I grate out, my arms crossing over my chest to prevent me from reaching for her. “You look like you’re in pain.”

She grins, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I like seeing your concerned, soft side. You worrying about me… It’s cute.”

I shake my head letting out a quiet huff as I admit, “Yeah, well… Seems like you’ve become more important to me than I ever thought possible.”

Her face lights up with the most breathtaking smile and I swear, I nearly stumble back from the sheer force of it. Christ, she’s exquisite.

“Careful there, cowboy,” she teases; her eyes sparkling as she winks. “Anyone would think you’ve caught feelings.”

Too late for that,my subconscious whispers but I shake it away, ignoring the voice in my head and Mila. “I came to say thank you.” Mila’s face screws up in confusion, so I elaborate. “For putting in a good word with your father.”

“He went for it?” she asks, hope creeping into her voice.

I nod, a grin spreading across my face. “Yeah. This cowboy’s gonna be competing at Bigfork this weekend.”

She squeals, her joy infectious, and I can’t help but laugh. Mila steps closer, her features sobering, those unique eyes softening. “Show them what you’ve got, Colter. I believe in you.”

My chest tightens and without a thought, I drop my arms, curling one around her waist and pulling her into me. I rest myhead against the curve of her neck, my lips brushing her ear. She shivers, and a smile pulls at my lips. “I’m gonna showyouexactly what I’ve got, Sunshine. And when I win, you’re gonna show your champion just how good you can ride him.”

A soft whimper escapes her lips and for a brief moment all I can focus on is the sound of her responding to me. But then I hear footsteps approaching. I quickly release her, stepping back just as Lincoln appears in the doorway. Fuck, that was close.

His gaze bounces between us, suspicion flashing in his eyes before he covers it. “Everything okay here?”

Clearing my throat, I shove my hands in my pockets, trying to act casual. “Yeah, just wanted to say thank you…and make sure Mila’s alright after her fall.”

Lincoln narrows his eyes, studying my face for any sign of dishonesty. He won’t find it. My features remain a blank mask, betraying nothing. Satisfied or not, he shifts his attention to his daughter.

“Come on. You need to rest today. The staff will take care of the farrier.”

Mila rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue. She hobbles toward her father, and he places a possessive arm around her shoulders. Before they leave, Lincoln shoots me a look of caution. My body tenses but I remain rooted to the spot until they disappear from sight.

Once they’ve gone, I exhale a breath, stepping out of the stall and shutting the door behind me.

There’s no time to dwell on what just happened. Not now. I need to focus. The rodeo is this weekend and that’s where my head needs to be.

Everything else can wait.

Chapter Forty-One

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