Page 23 of Taming the Billionaire Cowboy
Right. Ride the horse.
I rack my memory bank, trying to find a movie reference for how to start a horse. That’s right — you kick your heels into their side.
Grinning triumphantly, I do exactly that. Buckaneer moves, but not in the way I expected him to. He rears back, sending me off the saddle and dumping me unceremoniously onto the ground.
Carly gasps and rushes over. Happier without me (and who could blame him?) Buckaneer calmly walks back into the stable.
“Are you okay?” she asks, kneeling next to me.
I’m not sure if she means it. I should be mad, but there’s a softness to her expression that makes me pause.
“I’m fine.” I sit up, dusting off my jeans and my ego. “Guess you win this one.”
“Told ya.” Carly’s voice carries a small note of triumph. “I knew you hadn’t ridden before.”
“What gave it away?”
“Everything about you.” She chuckles.
My pride still smarting, I stand and keep brushing myself off. When I look up, to my surprise, we’re standing only inches apart. Her green eyes are soft, her hair hanging loose in wavesaround her shoulders. The afternoon sun casts a halo of light around her, making her look ethereal, like some kind of angel cowgirl.
The silence between us lingers for a moment too long, so I clear my throat.
“I guess I owe you now, huh?” I ask. “You won the bet… so what can I do for you?”
She shrugs and takes a step back, breaking the palpable tension between us.
“You could start by not attempting to do anything without supervision,” she suggests with a glimmer of humor in her eyes.
“If I followed that rule, I wouldn’t be where I am today in life.”
“I assume you’re talking about your company, not your ranch skills. Are you sure you’re okay?” She looks me up and down, concern knitting her eyebrows together.
“Yeah.” I dust myself off. “Hurt my pride more than anything.”
There’s a smirk playing at her lips as she fights back a smile. “Pride can be a tricky thing, especially for someone who has such an abundance of it.”
I chuckle, appreciating her jab. “Well, at least I tried. That counts for something, right?”
She hums noncommittally, a teasing twinkle in her eyes. “If you say so, city boy.”
We both return to our respective tasks, but the atmosphere is decidedly lighter. Hours pass by as we work side by side on the land and with the animals. I watch her from under my lashes —the way she moves, confident and graceful, every action sure and strong.
Her muscles are familiar with the rhythm of her work, the swing of the hammer, the grip of the pliers. Even the dirt and sweat that cling to her seem like they belong. It’s captivating, watching her in her element, doing what she loves.
And underneath it all, there’s a kindness and dedication that you don’t often see. Every creature she interacts with trusts her completely; the horses lean into her touch, and the cows seem to relax at the sight of her. I want to earn that same trust, not only from these animals but from Carly herself. I need her to believe in me as much as I’m starting to believe in her.
Maybe it’s because she seems so hard to prove yourself to. She’s tough, with the kind of walls that I can tell don’t come down easily. Some people would back down from the task, but for me it’s a welcome challenge.
Whoever Carly is, whatever drives her, I’ll figure it out. And then… well, I don’t know.
For now, though, I’m happy to be by her side in the sun and fresh air, doing chores I never saw in my future, and enjoying it more than I ever thought I could.
CHAPTER 11
CARLY
Imove around the kitchen, my hands flying as I make a sandwich, chop veggie sticks, and pop some mini cookies in a sandwich baggie. Usually, I pack Bradley’s camp lunch the night before, but last night was chaotic with grocery shopping and troubleshooting the leaking dishwasher, and I didn’t get the chance to.
