On Deadly Ground (Dan & Chloe Book 2) by Nathan L. Flamank Page B

dried dates, she offered one to Weiser. Weiser’s head lowered and he nuzzled at her open palm before taking the date and chewing.
    ‘See, we can be friends.’
    Chloe turned to the Appaloosa and offered up another date, the horse took the dried fruit and chewed noisily.
    ‘That’s a good girl Sorbet.’
    Chloe checked her mount’s bridle and saddle. She had no doubt that Dan had secured her rig perfectly but he always told her to check for herself. Chloe smiled when she found a loose strap, Dan would periodically leave something wrong for her to find, ‘keeps you on your toes,’ he would always say. She tightened it and then stowed her saddle bags containing their food and water at the back of her saddle.
    Dan had been teaching her to ride ever since they had bought the ranch and she was now an accomplished rider. Chloe unfastened the reins from the hitching post, looped them back over Sorbet’s head and lifted her left foot up in to the leather stirrup. Her boot found traction and Chloe gripped the saddle’s horn with her left hand and boosted herself up and on to the saddle. She slipped her right foot in to the other stirrup and adjusted her posture and tightened the reins which she held gripped in one leather-gloved hand.
    Dan came out through the open stable door and he asked which she preferred; in each hand he held aloft a rifle. Chloe considered the two options and then decided on the Winchester repeater.
    Dan walked across to her and held the rifle up to Chloe. She leaned out in the saddle and took the rifle from Dan, she saw where his eyes were and she chuckled.
    ‘You wouldn’t have worn it if you didn’t want me looking. I’m on to you Mrs Constantine and your wicked, wicked ways.’
    Chloe laughed and straightened up in the saddle. She checked the rifle and chambered a round and slipped the rifle in to its sheath on the right side of her saddle.
    ‘I feel like Annie Oakley when we’re out on the plains.’
    Dan laughed.
    ‘We don’t own that much land,’ Dan said as he swung up on to his saddle.
    He secured his own rifle, the weapon was a powerful piece of kit and he had regularly hit targets at almost half a mile with it. He knew that the rifle’s accuracy was good up to almost a mile but had never had the need to test it.
    Dan tugged on Weiser’s reins and the horse turned a half circle to the left and Chloe fell in alongside him and the two horses began walking out in to the paddock.
    ‘We’ll head for the Northern gate and then carry on up into the hills. I think Weiser has missed stretching his legs.’
    ‘Fine by me,’ Chloe replied.
    Chloe dug her heels in to the sides of her mount and Sorbet responded by moving up in to a gentle canter and Dan followed Chloe’s lead.
     
    After going out through the North gate (and making sure it was securely shut after they had passed through) they rode up in to the wooded slopes of the hills that bordered most of their property. They let the horses pick a natural route, neither Dan nor Chloe were in any hurry and they were content to let the horses pick their way along the winding trails.
    An hour later and they broke free of a small wooded copse and the terrain here was more open. Grasslands stretched to the horizon and from their elevated vantage point they spotted a herd of bison moving lazily southwards. They watched in contented silence as the herd caught their scent and began to move away at a quicker pace.
    Chloe removed her baseball cap and used the front of her shirt to wipe the sweat from her face.
    ‘It’s getting hot.’
    ‘ Getting ?’ Chloe laughed. ‘I can feel sweat dripping down the crack of my ass.’
    Dan chuckled. ‘ Nice .’
    ‘Do I detect a hint of sarcasm?’
    Dan popped open his water canteen and took several long swallows before leaning out in his saddle to offer Chloe the canteen.
    Chloe stretched for it but couldn’t quite reach and she nudged her horse closer until she could grasp the canteen with her