Page 30 of Waiting for the Rancher
Tanner held up his hands as though he was afraid of being shot. “Hey now. She invited me. I can’t say no to such a grand opportunity, can I?”
“Thought you were gonna help me sort through the studs.” Maverick’s answer was solemn and filled with accusation.
“If we do that tomorrow, we’ll be done in time for the foaling.”
Hazel had been attending to foalings long enough to learn that most mares waited until the quiet and privacy of night to start foaling. She didn’t know how they could plan it that way, but daytime foalings were an exception and not the rule. And Maverick knew it, which meant there was no way he could object to Tanner helping her.
As though recognizing the same, Maverick pursed his lips together, and then without another word, he nudged his horse toward the barn entrance.
Tanner watched Maverick’s retreating form with a growing smile. “It sure is fun riling him up.”
Hazel wrapped up a fistful of hair and then began winding it back toward the top of her head. She didn’t see the humor or fun in the interaction the same way Tanner did. Now, after seeing Maverick and having him ignore her again, she felt even worse.
He’d seemed almost angry with her. Maybe this past week, he hadn’t just gone about his business as usual as she’d thought. Maybe he was upset about the kiss. Maybe he blamed her for it—which would be preposterous, because he’d been the one to initiate it.
But why else was he going out of his way to be cold and unfriendly toward her?
She finished her afternoon chores with the mares and foals, and as she studied her chart of the rest of the mares and their foalings hanging next to the barn door, she half listened for Alonzo and the wagon. From what she could tell, she’d have two mares ready to give birth next week, two the week after that. But during May, the foalings would grow more infrequent.
At the crunch of footsteps in the hay behind her, she tossed a glance over her shoulder to find Maverick approaching from the rear barn door. Even though he was wearing his Stetson, the furrows in his brow were deep and easy to see in the shadows.
He was still angry about something.
At the sight of her, he veered his steps toward her, as if he’d come into the barn intending to speak with her directly. If so, that would be the first time all week.
She fidgeted first with her hat, then her coat. Now that he was ready to talk, she wasn’t sure she was ready to hear what he had to say.
His stride was hard and purposeful.
Her stomach cinched. She didn’t want to hear him say that he hadn’t liked their kiss, that he wished it hadn’t happened, that he was sorry about it. She moved into the door and peered down the wooded lane. Alonzo wasn’t in sight.
She started to step outside anyway, needing to get away from Maverick.
“Hazel, wait,” he called.
Her stomach flipped with the urge to keep him from saying whatever he was on a mission to say, but she only made it two steps away from the barn before his hand closed about her arm and drew her to a halt.
She didn’t fight against his hold, although she knew she should. Instead, her skin warmed under his touch, his strength sending a current through her, making her insides quiver with the longing to have both his hands upon her and not just one.
She closed her eyes against the desire. “Hello, Maverick. What can I do for you?” She tried to keep her voice calm.
“I want you to stop flirting with Tanner.” His demand came out low, almost a growl.
Frustration fueled into a hot flame inside her. Pulling her arm out of his grip, she spun around so that she was facing him. “You have no right to tell me who I can flirt with.”
“I taught you, so I get some say.”
His answer was so silly and illogical, she almost laughed. “Maybe I like Tanner and want to gain his attention.”
Maverick’s eyes were stormy. “Do you like him?”
“What does it matter to you if I do?” A part of her willed him to say that he cared about her and didn’t want her to like any other man. But she knew he didn’t, that she’d simply allowed her girlish feelings to surface and influence everything.
He released a tight sigh. “Tanner’s my brother, and I love him. But he’s not the right man for you.”
“And I suppose you’re the expert in knowing what kind of man I need?” She silently dared him to say yes, that he was well aware of the kind of man she needed. Him.
But he shook his head. “I know it’s not Tanner.”
