Page 25 of My Cowboy Trouble
"They all look like that."
"Then you're learning." He moves past me to grab a halter, and his arm brushes mine. It's barely a touch, but my skin lights up like someone hit it with a cattle prod. "Whiskey's in stall seven. Try not to let him bite you."
"He bites?"
"Only people he doesn't respect."
"Great. A horse with judgment issues."
"He's got excellent judgment, actually." Trent's mouth twitches. "He bit Gavin twice yesterday."
"I take it back. Whiskey's my new favorite."
I make my way to stall seven, where a massive horse is eyeing me like I'm either breakfast or entertainment. Probably both.
"Hey, Whiskey," I say, trying to sound confident. "I come bearing food and supplements. Please don't eat my fingers."
The horse snorts, which I choose to interpret as agreement rather than contempt. I dump the feed into his bucket and add the supplement, managing to avoid his teeth when he lunges for the food.
"See? We're practically best friends now," I tell him.
"You're talking to the horse."
Trent's watching me from the next stall, and I can't read his expression.
"He's a good listener. Better than some humans I know."
"Horses don't care about your coffee rituals."
"No, but they also don't judge my time management skills."
"That's because they don't have any. Like someone else I know."
I'm about to retort when Billy bursts into the barn, looking frantic. "Trent! We've got a problem! The bull got out and he's over in Clara Mae's vegetable garden and she's threatening to shoot him and?—"
"Slow down." Trent's already moving, grabbing a rope from the wall. "When did he get out?"
"Maybe an hour ago? I tried to get him back but he charged meand?—"
"Christ." Trent looks at me. "Can you finish feeding?"
"I can help with the bull," I offer, not sure why.
He actually laughs. "You? With Brutus? You can barely handle Sir Clucks-a-Lot."
"That's different. That rooster is possessed."
"And Brutus is two thousand pounds of pissed-off beef with a grudge against anything that moves." He heads for the door. "Just finish the feeding. Try not to burn down the barn."
He and Billy disappear, leaving me alone with a barn full of horses who are all looking at me expectantly.
"Well," I tell them. "Guess it's just us now. Anyone want to share their feelings about our local dictator?"
Whiskey snorts again. I think I like this horse.
By the time Trent returns,I've finished feeding all the horses, refilled water buckets, and even attempted to muck out a stall. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself until I see his expression.
"You fed Thunder twice."
