“I’ve only seen her as the feisty Wyoming cowgirl who doesn’t take any crap.” Tanna paused. “I’m curious to know what she told you about me.”
“That you are a gen-u-wine Texas ranch girl. Tough as dirt. So I was happy to see she hadn’t exaggerated your livestock-handling ability. You were a real asset today.”
She appreciated his compliment. “Thanks. But I’ll point out that you sound surprised.”
He shrugged. “I was. I’ve met a few supposed Texas ranch women a time or two.”
“Consider yourself lucky that you’ve only run across those types. They were the bane of my existence growing up in Texas on our ranch. Those girls whose daddies owned the biggest spreads and ran thousands of heads of cattle, never set foot in the corrals, pastures or barns, let alone helped out during branding. They took private horse riding lessons. So even if they wanted to ride one of their expensive horses on their family land, they had ranch hands to saddle up. They were all about the Texas experience, but not the work.”
“So your folks raised you to do ranch work?”
“Not originally.” She took another pull off her water bottle. “My mom cooked, sewed and ran the household. She wanted me to be like those girls—proud to tell people of their ignorance in what it takes to run a ranch. But I rebelled. Early as I can remember I spent most of my time outside with the horses and my uncle who taught me everything about livestock and ranching. Which means I’m hopeless at domestic things.” She snorted. “So I’m seriously lacking in any career fallback skills outside of chasin’ cans. I’m grateful for the chance to work at the Split Rock for a bit.”
Eli pushed his hat up higher on his forehead. “I heard about your accident. To hear Celia talk, you’re needin’ my help.”
Tanna felt him looking at her but she focused on the grooved edges of her water bottle. “I don’t know if anyone can help me.”
“Why’s that?”
She pointed to the group of horses at least two hundred yards away. “This is the closest I’ve been to any horses in nine months.” She finally met his gaze.
His eyes were gentle, but shrewd. “On a scale of one to ten, how scared are you to get on a horse?”
Tanna imagined herself holding her tack, standing outside the paddock. And just like every time she’d imagined it in the last few months, her stomach roiled. “One hundred.”
He nodded. No judgment. “Before the incident, you had daily interactions with horses?”
“Yes, my whole life. I started helping my uncle feed when I was three. I was riding by myself at age five. And I started running barrels when I was eight.”
“Besides that one specific barrel horse, have you regularly ridden other horses over the past few years?”
“When I used to go home, I’d help with the livestock, which usually entailed me bein’ on horseback. I rode Daisy, a real ranch workhorse.” She looked away, across the pasture. “Now, some days— hell, most days—the thought of bein’ in a pen or a stall or even a damn field with horses makes me physically ill.”
Eli remained contemplative for about a minute. “So I guess my question is . . . since you feel that way, do you want my help to overcome it?”
“I’m not hedging when I tell you I don’t know.”
“You don’t need to decide right now. The offer will stand.”
“Thank you. I’m not blowing off your generous offer. I’m just in an odd place right now, in so many ways. I’m broke. My family has splintered. If not for the generosity of my friends, I wouldn’t even be here.”
Eli gave her that soft smile. “Your friends care about you enough to want you here so they can find a way to help you. That’s more support than a lot of people have. Besides, I’ve spent most my life broke. It ain’t all that bad. The upside is no one ever hits me up for a loan.”
She laughed softly.
“And there’s that,” he said with quiet intensity that was oddly calming. “Never take for granted your ability to feel something good and laugh.”
Tanna had the sense he was speaking from personal experience.
“If and when you’re ready to tackle some of the issues, feel free to call me. I don’t have business cards with me, but I’ll get you my number before you leave today.”
She stared into his serene eyes but there wasn’t a spark of sexual attraction between them, which meant she couldn’t stop the question that tumbled forth. “Why are you offering a total stranger your help?”
“Because you need it and you’re too proud to ask for it. Besides, what do you have to lose by trusting me?”
Nothing, because she’d lost everything already.
Kyle shouted for Eli, and he walked away.
Well, now. That conversation wasn’t what she’d expected.
As she was contemplating Eli’s confident, yet gentle, vibe, two hands landed on either side of hers on the fence. Then a hard male chest connected with her back and the man’s hips did a little bump and grind on her backside. Warm lips brushed her ear.
“Hey, hot stuff. Wanna get down and dirty with me?”
Tanna spun around to find herself body to body with Devin McClain. A couple million women across the world would give anything to be this close to the smoking-hot country music sensation, with his soulful blue eyes, infectious grin and that deep sexy voice. Tanna liked Devin, liked drinking with him, but the man didn’t do it for her at all. A fact Devin attempted to change at every opportunity. “Devin, you horny devil, when you gonna give up and realize I’m not interested?”