Count on a Cowboy by Patricia Thayer

can handle her?”
    “I have no doubt you can, but I’ll be close by if you need help.”
    “I’ll help you, too, Brooke,” Ricky chimed in.
    Trent took the reins of his mount, Rango, from his ranch hand. “You just worry about getting the herd moved. I’ll handle Brooke’s safety.”
    Ricky grinned. “Sure, boss, if you say so.”
    Returning to Brooke, Trent helped her mount Raven and checked her stirrups. Then he went to his horse, swung his leg over the gelding’s back and sat in the saddle. He looked over at Brooke.
    “You’ll do fine. Just handle the horse like you did yesterday.”
    He watched as she nodded, then she tugged on the reins and Raven backed away from the pens. Soon, she was taking the mare through commands. He nearly beamed with pride as she got the feel for the animal. She looked damn good on horseback.
    “I’d say you’re ready to go,” he told her.
    He dug his heels into Rango, and motioned for Ricky and Mike to head toward the pasture. Trent fell in next to Brooke. Although she seemed to be handling Raven just fine, he wasn’t going to stray too far from her. That was his excuse and he was sticking to it.
    * * *
    O VER THE NEXT thirty minutes, the sun made an appearance and they began to warm up. They removed their heavy coats, and Trent showed Brooke how to tie it to her saddle. She had found the ride relaxing, with the gentle sway of the horse. Raven was easy to ride.
    Soon Mike called out as the herd came into view just over the rise. “There are about sixty head of mamas and calves,” Trent told Brooke. “We had a good winter, and we only lost a few. To protect them, I’ll need to inoculate the calves and castrate the males and ship the yearlings to market.”
    Brooke took time to watch the red and white cows. The new calves were adorable. “They’re so cute. How can you sell them off to be slaughtered?”
    Trent shifted position in the saddle. “Because it’s a business. And there’s a big demand for beef.”
    “We need our hamburgers and steak,” she said as she enjoyed the scenery on horseback and the company of the man beside her.
    She saw him fighting a smile. “If I remember you weren’t complaining last night while you were gnawing on those ribs.”
    “Guilty. Seeing them grazing in the pasture, it’s hard to think they could be my next meal.”
    “I grew up on a cattle ranch, so it’s second nature to me. Being from the city, you probably don’t give a thought about where your beef came from.”
    “I guess Laurel and I really have had different lives.”
    “It’s nice that you have a chance to get to know her. So let me show you how Laurel would ride across the pasture.”
    “Oh, I don’t like the sound of that.”
    He must have seen her panicked look and reassured her. “Come on, I think you can handle picking up the pace a little. Not too fast, but ease into a canter. Gently dig your heels into Raven’s sides.”
    Brooke did as he asked and the animal started to lengthen its stride. He instructed her how to get into a tempo with the horse.
    Grinning, she worked to stay balanced on the mare. She looked at Trent. “How am I doing?”
    He looked too satisfied with himself. “Just fine. Now, I want you to learn how to handle sudden turns and stops because Raven is a trained cutting horse. So let her take the lead. If she takes off after a stray, just tug on the reins if you can’t handle it.”
    Brooke found instead of being frightened, she was excited. She wanted to prove to herself and Trent she could do this. She blew out a breath, feeling her heart pound in her chest. After all, she was Rory Quinn’s daughter.
    Mike and Ricky were waving their arms in the air and shouting to start the herd on its way. There were a lot of complaints from the bovines, bawling and mooing from both mamas and babies.
    With Trent’s instructions, Mike and Ricky rode to flank the herd, and he and Brooke rode drag beside and behind the cows.
    She couldn’t stop