Page 10 of A Rancher's Bride
“Horses are awesome,” Kelli insisted.
“They are, but you don’t need to talk about them twenty-four/seven,” Tansy pointed out. “I don’t talk nonstop about the red-hot chili peppers inmylife, do I?”
Kelli gave a smirk. “You’re a chef. I expect you to talk about food.”
“And you’re a cowboy, but good grief, girlfriend, you need something outside of Silver Stone and those horses to keep you entertained.”
Rose nodded in agreement, and the two of them dove into an old argument, suggesting different things to broaden Kelli’s horizons. It was kind of entertaining.
Definitely distracting, and not wanting to turn around and check out where Luke was improved her mood. Kelli leaned back against the wall and let her gaze drift as her friends suggested activities they could try at their upcoming girls-night-out gathering.
Not all of them sounded terrible, but Kelli wasn’t about to apologize for loving horses. Working with them had been her dream since she was young. The ranch where she’d grown up was similar to Silver Stone, although her mom had been on staff as a cook, not a hand.
Hanging out near the horses had been like breathing to Kelli. And the day she’d climbed on the back of her first horse had been a revelation. The creature had looked over his shoulder at her, and it had been love at first sight.
Her daydreaming was interrupted as Alex returned, another tall cowboy at his elbow. He winked at Kelli before the two of them turned their gazes determinedly on her friends.
Tansy checked with Kelli before answering the cowboys’ request. “You okay on your own?” she asked. “Because we can say no.”
Kelli made a rude noise. “Good grief, go dance. I’m good.” She stepped back and let amusement slip in as she was temporarily abandoned.
She watched as Rose and Tansy slid into strong arms and were twirled away. Something satisfying stole in at seeing people she loved enjoying themselves.
Her gaze drifted onward, over familiar friends and neighbours until she noticed something across the room less happy-making than dancing and drinking was going down. Voices were raised briefly, loud enough to be heard over the music. A woman ducked her head and slid back from her date, out of fist range.
Kelli moved instinctively, her feet carrying her through the crowd. Her smaller size made it easier for her to weave through the narrow gaps between bodies all the way to where the couple now stood.
Not being foolish, she paused before rushing in. It took a single glance to realize the woman’s forearm was being held so tightly her knuckles were going white. Kelli shot forward the final distance.
She smashed the side of her hand sharply on the man’s wrist, twisting her body and knocking him off-balance as she pushed the woman behind her to safety. A second later she was back up on her toes, twisting her mouth into a lopsided smile, playing it up as an accident.
“Sorry. I’m a little tipsy,” she offered, backing against the woman who was whimpering softly.
The man in front of her glared. “Chelsey, get your ass over here.”
Kelli twirled on the spot, rocking slightly as she grabbed hold of the other woman as if she were hugging her simply to find her balance. “If you need help,” she said quietly, “go to the bar and order a white angel.”
She squeezed the woman’s shoulders briefly before staggering back, angling her body so she slammed into the angry man, blocking his path.
He caught her by the arms, his grip tighter than polite.
“You don’t look very happy,” she slurred at the man, raising her voice and swaying drunkenly. In her peripheral vision, she saw Chelsey slip safely into the crowd.
The man tried to look around Kelli, but she raised her palms to his face to keep his attention focused forward. “Grumpy man. You need to smile more.”
“Don’t mess with things that aren’t your business,” he snarled, shoving her aside.
Or at least that’s what he intended. But Kelli had spent too much time dealing with beasts that outweighed her to be put where she didn’t want to go. She caught hold of his arm and used momentum to swing around his bulk, feet raised before driving them against the back of his knee.
As he staggered, Kelli climbed upward, the change of weight sending him farther off balance until his feet slipped from under him. He landed with a crash, taking out a couple of nearby dancers.
Kelli hit the dance floor as well, rolling to take the impact. Bouncing to vertical as quickly as she could, her fake smile gone.
Chelsey had vanished, but the asshole who’d been manhandling her was on his feet, glaring at Kelli with anger in his eyes.
His gaze slipped behind her, rising higher.
The noise faded slightly in the area directly around them. Kelli was street smart enough to realize what was happening, so when a hand landed on her shoulder she was able to hold back the instinct to jab an elbow into whoever had moved up against her back.
