Her Cowboy Knight Page 2

Rufus said, “Rufus Sawyer, and this is Dave Sheridan. Dave, this here is the daughter of an old buddy of mine.”

  The sheriff shook her hand and said, “It’s nice to meet you, Miss McGrath. I must say though, I doubt Mr. Harris or your father either would be very happy about your getting involved in a fight or the language I heard a few minutes ago. We don’t really allow that kind of thing in public in this town, so keep that in mind while you’re here, and we’ll get along all right. I know Susan provoked most of it, so I’m not going to write any tickets or anything, just take it under advisement.”

  Gabby colored under the scolding, and dropped into her automatic ‘dealing with cops’ mode, learned over years of being an outsider. She put on her blank face and said, “Yes, sir.”

  Dave said, “Do you want me to call a tow truck for your car?”

  Gabby looked at her beloved little car and wanted to just cry. She didn’t know what else to do, and the last thing she wanted to do was call her dad, so she just looked at the policeman with her ‘cop face’ and repeated, “Yes, sir.”

  He sighed and said, “Do you need a ride somewhere in the meantime?”

  Dave got tired of waiting and said, “Tell you what—I’m going to take you to Jed’s place and let him sort it out.”

  Gabby stood silently for as long as she could, realizing that she was about to have her first ride in a police car. Could this day get any worse?

  She nodded and said, “Yes, sir. Just let me get my suitcase and backpack.”

  * * *

  The sheriff didn’t visit Cooper very often, so when the police cruiser pulled up in front of the barn, it caught Cooper’s notice. The sheriff stepped out. “Howdy, Coop.”

  “Hey, Dave. What brings you around?” He shook Dave’s hand as it was offered.

  The sheriff gestured to the backseat of his car. “Well, this girl claims she hired on here with Jed. That true?”

  Cooper eyed the girl in the backseat. “Yes, sir, I think it might be. Why don’t you let her out.”

  Dave opened the back door, and a girl with dark curls climbed out. She brushed at her clothes, but that only smeared the dirt and didn’t do much for her torn sleeve and untucked shirt.

  Dave cleared his throat. “Uh, Cooper, this is Gabby McGrath. Gabby, this is Jed’s nephew. By the way, where is Jed?”

  Cooper kept his eyes on the girl. “He’s out of town for a few days.”

  Dave shook his head. “Well, I was hoping to talk to him about this one, actually.”

  Dave saw the girl stiffen and her face hardened. She crossed her arms.

  Cooper said, “What about her?”

  Dave rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, to be honest, it wasn’t all her fault. She had a bit of a run-in with Susan right off the bat, but seeing as Jed is to be responsible for her, I figured he’d like to know about it.”

  Cooper looked at the girl, who looked about ready to shoot flames out of her dark brown eyes, she was so incensed at being spoken about like a child. “So what happened?”

  Dave shook his head and sighed. “Well, this one dodged Rufus’ goat Mabel and swerved into the lane in front of Susan, then crashed. Susan jumped out of her truck and started her normal spouting off. This one took exception, and they started brawling in the dirt, shouting obscenities and such. Rufus and I had a time pulling them apart.”

  Cooper frowned at the girl in front of him. Obviously, he had one of Jed’s ‘projects’ on his hands. He looked at her again and had the thought that she was the prettiest of his projects, though, even with the attitude. She met his eyes then, and Cooper’s world tilted just a bit. No, he couldn’t be this attracted to one of Jed’s delinquents.

  “Thanks for dropping her off, Dave. I’ll take care of it from here. Does she have any gear?”

  Gabby spoke up then. “Yes, she does. If you’ll pop the trunk, sheriff, I’ll grab my stuff.”

  When she went to grab her suitcase, Cooper reached in and hauled it out for her, handing her the smaller backpack. “This all of it?”

  Gabby jerked her head in a nod and shouldered the backpack. The men shook hands, then the sheriff climbed back in the car. Dave rolled down the window and said, “Nice to meet you, Miss Gabby, and welcome to town. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay here.”

  She stuck her hands in her pockets. “Thanks for the ride.”

  Cooper came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, thanks, Dave. ‘Preciate you makin’ sure she got out here safe.”

  The sheriff gave a wave and said, “No problem, Coop, Miss Gabby. See y’all around.” He gave a wave and pulled off onto the dusty road toward town.

  * * *

  Gabby stood there very aware of the hand on her shoulder and the height of the man behind her. He had to be at least as tall as her father—6′4″ or so.

  Cooper said, “So I’m guessing you haven’t had the best day so far.”

  His kindness at this point surprised her, and she glanced up at him.

  His eyes crinkled, the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. “Come on, I’ll show you where you can get cleaned up, and you can drop your stuff.”

  He took her to a small room in the barn that contained a bed and a small bathroom. He left her then, saying, “When you’re ready, just come on out to the office in the front of the barn. I’ll have some paperwork ready for you to sign, and we’ll have a talk.”

  He walked away, and Gabby sank down on the little bed. Something about the way he said the word ‘talk’ reminded her of when her father said it when she was in trouble.

  Chapter Two

  After she had made herself a little more presentable, Gabby stepped out of her little room into one of the most well-appointed barns she had ever seen. She looked to her left and saw rows of neatly maintained stalls, and the bright daytime light of the open doors at the end of the rows. She fought a silly inclination to make a break for it, and instead turned toward the front office and a discussion with the strong-jawed, handsome cowboy. She paused when one of the horses stuck his head out of a stall to nicker at her, a blue roan. Out of instinct, she smiled and reached out to let him smell her hand.

  “Gabby!” It wasn’t a shout, but the low voice made her pull her hand back guiltily… and she wasn’t even sure why she felt guilty. When she looked up, Cooper had a stern expression on his face. “Come on in here a minute.”

  He stepped into the office, assuming she’d comply. Gabby hated it that she complied, but she did give a glance back at the roan horse.

  When she walked into the office, he stood leaning against the desk. She paused just inside the door until he indicated a chair in front of him. “Have a seat.”

  She sat down, nervous without quite knowing why. He folded his arms across his chest, which made her notice his arms, corded with muscles and tanned.

  When Cooper spoke, his words took her aback. “First things first: safety. The biggest rule for you in my barn is that you don’t ever, ever, ever approach the horses like I just saw you doing. Not until you are a lot more familiar with them, and I am a lot more familiar with you. Is that clear?”

  Gabby stammered, “But I hired on as a…”

  “Is that clear?” His low words weren’t yelled, but they cut across Gabby’s just the same.

  Gabby nodded. “It’s clear.”

  “Good. Now, as for what you’ll be doing around here, there are some projects that have been piling up that I think will be perfect for you.”

  Gabby looked at him in puzzlement. “But I do work with horses. I thought I was hiring on as a hand.”

  Cooper said, “Jed said you traveled with some sort of Medieval Fair, and that you needed a job. I already have hands that handle the horses.”

  At this point, Gabby stopped and decided to just let him see her in action at a later point. He’d have to relent when he saw what she could do. She’d do things his way for the time being. She had seen her father put volunteers through this sort of process, though she had never really b
een at the other end of things herself. “Okay, so what would you like me to do?”

  “Well, there will be all sorts of things, but I’m sure it won’t be anything you can’t handle. If you have any problems, just come talk to me about it, and we’ll work it out. Now as for rules, as I’ve said, the biggest one is to stay away from the horses. Also, just let someone know where you are. This is a big place, and we need to know where everyone is so we can keep track of everyone. Take a radio and some water if you are going out on a walk or anything… you aren’t taking any of the horses, so that one shouldn’t be too big of a problem; you can’t get far. Other than that, just keep a good attitude and do as you’re told and everything should go along fine.”

  After that speech, Gabby wasn’t sure quite what to say. It sounded like he expected her to be trouble, which—after she’d arrived in a police car, and the sheriff’s little introduction—she guessed she couldn’t blame him. Still, she didn’t like being talked to like a naughty twelve-year-old, and she made it clear with her tone when she said, “I’ll work hard, Mr. Harris. Of course, out of courtesy, I will inform someone of my whereabouts.”

  Cooper regarded her for a long moment. “Then we’ll get along fine. Fill out these papers, and we’ll get you situated. When you are finished, come on outside and see me.” He pushed away from the desk, but turned around at the door, leveling his blue eyes at her. “And this time, I mean straight out to see me, not stopping along the way.”

  Gabby flushed guiltily and nodded, turning her eyes to the paperwork in front of her.

  * * *

  Gabby dove right into the list of chores Cooper left her that afternoon, figuring that the best way to prove herself would be to do her best on the little chores in order to be given more responsibility. When Cooper checked on her two hours later, she had completely nearly a quarter of the items on a list that was meant to last a week.

  “Whoa, slow down, Gabby, no need to knock yourself out.” Cooper leaned on the doorjamb of a shed Gabby was organizing.

  Gabby looked up and grinned. “Oh, Mr. Harris, you scared me.”

  “Cooper, please. Come on. I’d like you to meet my foreman, and it’s time for lunch.”

  Gabby followed him to a gentleman who hovered over some papers in the back of a truck. The new man turned around as they walked up, removing his hat as Cooper said, “Kwan, I’d like you to meet our new hand, Gabby. She’ll be doing a few odd jobs around here. Her dad is an old friend of Jed’s. Gabby, this is Kwan Martinez, my top hand. If you have a question or problem and can’t find me, you can ask him and his word goes, okay?”

  Gabby nodded and took Kwan’s offered hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Martinez.”

  “It’s just Kwan, Miss Gabby. We’re not very formal around here.” He flashed her a smile, bright in his olive complexion.

  “Then just call me Gabby, Kwan, and we’ll call it even.”

  Just then a boy of about twelve, with straight blue-black hair, ran up. “Mom said lunch is ready, and y’all should come on and eat.”

  Kwan prompted, “Mind your manners.”

  Cooper said, “Michael, this is Miss Gabby. She’ll be staying with us for a few weeks.”

  Michael paused briefly. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

  Gabby said, “You too, Michael. If you’ll lead the way, I’m hungry as well. Can you show me where to wash up first?”

  Michael pointed to the barn. “Yeah, Mom would be mad if you showed up all dirty like that. Good idea. Come on. I better show you how to work it so it doesn’t spray all over you, or you’ll be even later for dinner.”

  Gabby turned on her best Ren Faire accent. “Lead on then, sir knight, for I would hate to be even a second later than absolutely necessary.”

  Michael grinned. “You’re funny.”

  Gabby smiled. “Thanks… I think.”

  As Michael led to her dinner, Gabby stopped just a moment at the bottom of the steps to admire the house, a white ranch house with a wraparound veranda. The house had been extended and renovated several times over the years to accommodate growing families and fortunes, giving it an organic, lived-in appearance.

  Michael broke into her reverie, saying, “Miss Gabby, seriously, we are all going to starve.”

  “Michael.” A dark-haired woman stepped on the front porch and spoke the one word, instantly silencing the boy.

  “No, it’s my fault. I was just admiring the house. My name’s Gabby.”

  “Angelina… and he gets a little anxious that he will die of starvation… every day.” The woman smiled, and held the door for Gabby to enter.

  Gabby said, “No, really, it’s fine. It reminds me of home. I have a brother just his age.”

  The men were already sitting at the table, but they rose, and Kwan nudged Michael’s elbow at the same time, reminding him to rise when a lady entered the room. She waved them all to sit and hurried to do the same so they could all start eating.

  She ate very little, instead looking around at the sideboard, and the antique dishes displayed on the wall in between old pictures of family members. She didn’t dare tell anyone that she could count on both hands the number of times she had sat at a table in a house for a meal.

  * * *

  That night, when Gabby lay down in the bed, she couldn’t settle in the unfamiliar cot, so she slid her shoes back on and headed out to catch some fresh air. She leaned out the split door at the end of the barn and watched the stars for a long time. On her way back to her room she saw a huge head stick out of one of the stalls in greeting. She recognized the blue roan, and moved to him. She stopped three feet from his stall, and read the tag on his door. “Blue Boy, huh?”

  He nodded his head, and she chuckled low. “Well, someone got imaginative with that name, didn’t they?”

  She reached out and let him smell her, then slid her hand down his neck when he nuzzled her hand. “You are a beauty, aren’t you? But you know that. I can’t be seen talking to you, though. I’ve got to go to bed, okay?”

  He looked beyond her and she backed up… right into a wall that hadn’t been there before.

  She yelped as she found herself lifted off her feet and tucked under an arm. She fought and kicked for the brief amount of time it took for her to be carried the short distance to her room, seeing only a blur of stalls as she passed them in her horizontal position.

  Just as suddenly, she ended up on her feet in front of a very angry Cooper who towered over her, his hand under her chin demanding eye contact.

  “What was the first rule I gave you?”

  The full force of the adrenaline hit Gabby’s system, and she made the mistake of going on the attack. “What did you mean, grabbing me in the dark like that? You scared me half to death! You can’t just manhandle people like that.”

  Cooper put his hands to his hips, his eyebrows shooting nearer his hairline at being challenged by someone more than a foot shorter. “I’m going to give you one more chance to answer me, little girl, or I’ll do a lot more than manhandle you. What was the first rule I gave you?”

  Gabby put her own hands on her own hips. “I don’t respond to threats, Mr. Harris. So take your rules and shove them where the… oh!”

  Gabby didn’t get a chance to finish her statement before Cooper grabbed her by the arm and sat down in one fluid motion, tipping her over his left knee. Her position had hardly registered before Gabby felt the first of a series of hard slaps to her behind.

  “Hey! No! Oh, you just absolutely can’t spank me!” Gabby reached her hand back only to have Cooper pin it to her back and keep laying down swats to her bottom that had her squirming on his lap.

  Cooper paused just long enough to say, “Care to talk about those rules yet, Miss Gabby?”

  Gabby’s response slightly shocked him in its vulgarity. “Care to stop screwing the neighbor’s sheep yet?”

  Cooper lifted her just enough to whisk her pajama bottoms down to her knees. “With a mouth like that, obviously this spanking
is long overdue.”

  Gabby gasped as she realized that Cooper could now see most of her bottom with only her panties for covering. Why had she chosen the skimpy lace panties today of all days? Their cream color was practically see-through, and she could only imagine what Cooper could see right now. Her bottom felt like it had to be candy apple red.

  Cooper didn’t hesitate long if he did admire the view; he soon set about deepening the shade of red in her cheeks, and the reaction on uncovered flesh was immediate. Gabby howled and squirmed from the first stroke, finally reaching back again to try to protect her tender bottom.

  Cooper grabbed her wrist and pinned it, pausing to ask, “What was the first rule I gave you?”

  Gabby buried her eyes in the crook of her left arm and mumbled, “Not to go near the horses.”

  Cooper held his hand on her bottom. “And when I come out to check on the barn, where did I find you?”

  Gabby remained silent, so Cooper brought his hand down sharply ten more times, making her raise her upper body and kick her feet.

  He paused again. “Where did I find you when I came out to check on the barn?”

  “Near the horses.”

  “Right. Near the horses. And that was naughty, wasn’t it?”

  Gabby about died, but as he lifted his hand again, she hurried to say, “Yes, sir.”

  He brought his hand down softly, rubbing instead of spanking. “I cannot have you around the horses, Gabby.”

  He stood her between his legs then, forcing her to look him in the eye, even though she wanted to cover herself and look away. “I cannot take the chance that something will happen to you, okay?”

  One tear rolled down her cheek. “But it won’t. I promise. Will you let me try?”

  He sighed and brushed the tear away. “No, now you’ve disobeyed, and broken the rules. Jed and your father have you here for a reason, so just do what you are told and try to get along, okay?”

  Gabby looked so forlorn at that pronouncement that Cooper leaned down and kissed her on the nose. “And no more going near the horses. I mean it. Now let’s get you in bed.”