Page 27 of What the Cowboy Wants
“What happened herelast night?”Cooper asked Will and Kane, the new hands who helped in the stables.They’d just returned after he’d sent them home last night so that he could be alone with Scarlett.Only then had she allowed him to enter her stall.That was when he’d seen the snake.The snake was gone, but Scarlett was still so freaked out and hurt, she wouldn’t let him touch her.
Will rubbed his face.“I don’t know.The one minute she was fine and then she just went crazy, bumping into everything.I don’t know if anything spooked her, she wouldn’t let us into the stall to check what was wrong.”
“It was a snake.Why didn’t you call me?”
“We… um… we thought you’d know.”
He would’ve known sooner if he hadn’t been locking lips with a certain redhead.Damn it.“Next time, call me immediately, okay?”
“Will do,” Kane said quickly.“What can we do?”
“Feed the other horses and clean out the stalls, please.Afterwards you can turn all the horses out.Be gentle with Midnight, though.I’m staying here with Scarlett for the time being” Tired, he turned and walked back toward Scarlett’s stall.Snorting, the sorrel moved away quickly.“Steady now,” he crooned as Prince and Charlie, sitting on the floor next to him, whimpered.Leaning forward, he put out his hand to the sorrel.“I can’t help you if you won’t let me near you.”
Becket had arrived a while ago with Prince, Charlie, and Ebony as well as something to eat, but Cooper couldn’t eat before he knew what was wrong with Scarlett.On top of his frustration, he also couldn’t stop thinking about Rose.
In a way he was glad not to see her so soon after the day before.It had been a long night.What had happened between them had been all he could think about.
Talking softly to Scarlett he tried to calm her down so that he could help her.What he’d felt when he he’d been with Rose, was freaking him out if he was honest.
The dogs barked, alerting him to a new arrival.Irritated, he turned around, and the breath simply left his body.Rose was walking toward him.He’d been so wrapped up in his thoughts, he hadn’t realized she was here.Dressed in jeans and a light coat, her eyes on him, she was breathtaking.
Bending down, she greeted his dogs; they lapped up the attention.Even Ebony settled next to her.
With two strides, he was with her.“Rose…” Pulling her up, he read everything she was feeling—she wasn’t sure how he’d feel about her being here, but she was worried about Scarlett, and she wanted to see him.
Cupping her face, he sighed.“I smell like horse and I haven’t shaved yet, but I have to kiss you.”
She sniffed.“Yeah, you stink but I don’t care.”
Grinning, he gathered her silky, long tresses in his hands and kissed her.They were both out of breath when he finally lifted his head.“How did you get here?”
“I drove here.”
“Alone, in the dark?”The question just slipped out.She wasn’t going to like it.I was going to pick you up.”
Lifting her chin, she shrugged.“You’re busy.Besides, I’m a big girl and I’ve been on the ranch before.I wanted to see how Scarlett is doing.I’ll leave my car at the airport.That way I have transport when I return.”Combing her fingers through her hair, she moved toward the stall.
“Is Scarlett the only reason you’re here?”
All he got was a smile over her shoulder.
Scarlett whinnied softly.
“I found a snake in her stall last night,” Cooper said.“She’s still too freaked out to let me touch her, though.She’s hurt herself and I can help, but she has to be still for me to do that.Maybe now you’re here, she’ll calm down.You two had a powerful connection before.”
Rose put out her hand.For long moments, Scarlett stared at Rose before she slowly moved closer to her.
“Hallo, sweetie,” Rose crooned.“Cooper can help you if you let him.You see this?”Rose pointed toward her own head.“He fixed this.I don’t know how, but I don’t even have a scar.”
Scarlett whinnied softly and dropped her head.
“He won’t hurt you, okay?”Rose continued as she stroked Scarlett’s head.“Look at me, give him a chance to see what’s wrong.”
Cooper opened the stall.Scarlett had recognized Rose, and her words had calmed the mare down.Scarlett turned her head to look at him, but Rose kept stroking the horse’s head and talking to her until the sorrel settled again.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here,” he said as he approached Scarlett slowly.A movement caught his eyes and he smiled.“Look, all your friends are here.”Prince, Charlie, and Ebony all followed him into the stall and were sitting in front of Scarlett.“You’re safe now.The snake is gone.”
Scarlett finally quieted down so that Cooper could run his hands over her.
