Rodeo Sweetheart by Betsy St. Amant Page A

horse as he’d seen Sam do and sidled the mare up to the front of the line, next to Sam. Her eyes widened beneath her cowboy hat and she slowed Diego’s pace to match Miss Priss’s. “Is something wrong? Is it your mom?”
    “No, she’s fine. I just wanted to talk.” Ethan glanced at the trail ahead of them. Plenty of room for two horses to walk side by side, so she’d have no reason to avoid talking to him. “Are you feeling all right?”
    “I’m fine.” Sam faced forward again, her expression stony.
    “Are you mad that I wasn’t at the stable this morning? I meant to be, but I forgot to set the alarm after the late night.”
    “It’s okay. You’re on vacation. You shouldn’t be working in the first place.” Sam’s shoulders tensed and Diego tossed his head, pulling against the reins.
    “We have a deal, remember? I don’t mind working. I askedto.” His father’s manipulative plan pressed on Ethan’s conscience, and he shifted in the saddle. He should tell Sam the truth about why his family was there. But then she’d never talk to him again. Plus, if he backed out of his father’s schemes now, he’d be outside the loop and would have no idea what his family was plotting against Sam and her mom. How could he protect her if he was cut off from the information?
    Ethan cleared his throat. “Really, I don’t mind the chores. I like learning about the ranch.”
    “Why?” Sam turned toward him so fast Ethan wondered how she didn’t fall off Diego’s back. “Why do you care so much?”
    Ethan’s mouth opened, then closed. “I guess if you get to keep your secret about why you’re riding a steer, then I get to keep mine.” He smiled, and Sam’s lips turned up at the corners before she schooled her features back into stone.
    “Fine. Be stubborn.” She nudged Diego with her knees and pulled ahead.
    Ethan tapped Miss Priss’s sides with his heels and caught up. “About your riding that steer—” His voice broke off as Sam edged ahead once again. He pressed forward. “Listen, I’m serious. You don’t have to tell me why if you don’t want to, but whatever the reason, isn’t there a better way? It seems dangerous. You fell a lot, and those horns—”
    Diego stopped suddenly and Sam’s eyes flashed with fire. Ethan reeled backward at the burn. “Don’t you dare pretend to understand me.” An almost tangible tension filtered through her tight-lipped words.
    “I don’t.” Ethan shook his head to clear the shock residue. Of all the women in the entire world, Sam was probably the least predictable and easy to understand—and he’d been to a lot of places.
    “There isn’t another way. Trust me.” Sam urged Diego into a walk. “You wouldn’t get it.”
    Ethan followed. “You’re trusting me with your secret in general—so why not the details of it?”
    Sam’s jaw clenched and she looked away.
    Ethan waited, but didn’t push. He was already threatening their delicate truce, but Sam didn’t realize Ethan was doing her a favor by not following his dad’s orders to sabotage the ranch. She had no idea what was at stake, and the more Ethan knew, the better he could protect Sam from his father’s manipulation—and try to reach his own goals without picking wildflowers along the way.
    Sam avoided his eyes. “It’s not a matter of trust, Ethan. You forced this deal.”
    Guilt pricked Ethan’s heart like a tailor’s pin. “For good reason.”
    “A reason you’re going to share?” The silence between them pulsed heavy with expectation.
    “I just wanted to spend time with yo—just wanted to learn about working a ranch, and I knew you’d never agree without some kind of extra motivation.” Ethan shook his head at the near slip. He had wanted to spend time with Sam, and not just because his dad insisted—but because Ethan wanted to be around her, wanted to soak in her presence like a much needed rain shower.
    “I find it hard to believe you’re actually interested in