Paulie carefully lowered his hand, revealing a red, enlarged nose and streaming eyes.
‘Did you see what she did?’ he snarled.
‘Yes, and I saw what you did. I’d say you’d gotten off lightly.’
‘That bitch-’
‘Well, you can always have your revenge,’ Leo observed, studying the injured proboscis with interest. ‘Just go back and tell Mommy that you got slugged in the kisser by a woman. I’ll be your witness. In fact I’ll make sure the story’s known all over Texas. It’ll probably get into the newspapers. Of course they’ll want a picture of you looking just as you do now.’
There was a deadly silence while Paulie digested the implications of this. His piggy eyes, full of spite, went from one to the other.
‘What do you take me for?’ he snapped at last.
‘If I told you what I took you for we’d be here all night,’ Leo said.
Paulie wisely decided to overlook this.
‘She’s a guest here. Naturally I shall-’ he almost choked over the last words ‘-say nothing.’
‘I felt sure you’d see it that way. A gentleman to the end. And if anyone asks how you got that shiner you can say you tripped on a pitchfork. Or tell them I did it, I don’t mind.’
‘But I do,’ Selena protested. ‘In a pig’s ear you’re getting the credit. If I can’t take it myself, he’ll have to say it was a pitchfork.’
Leo grinned, delighted with her. ‘Atta girl,’ he said softly.
‘You’re crazy, the pair of you,’ Paulie howled.
Giving them a wide berth he sidled his way out of the stable, breaking into a run as soon as he was out of the door.
‘Thank you,’ Selena said fervently. ‘That was terrific.’
‘Glad to be of some help. I should have knocked him down for you, but you didn’t seem to need me.’
‘Oh, I can do that bit for myself,’ she said blithely. ‘It’s the words that confuse me. You knew just what to say to keep him quiet. I never know what to say. The more I try, the more it comes out wrong.’
‘Better with your fists, huh?’
‘I’ve had plenty of practise.’
He appeared to consider the matter seriously. ‘I’d have guessed you to be more of a knee in the groin girl, myself.’
She regarded him steadily. ‘I use whatever weapons are needed.’
‘I suppose this kind of thing happens to you a lot?’
‘Some guys think a woman travelling alone is fair game. I just show them that they’re wrong.’
She spoke lightly, with another of her eloquent shrugs. In some mysterious way that shrug hurt him, with its implied acceptance of all the risks. He thought of her lonely life, always on the move, with only a horse to love. Yet he knew that if she guessed that he was concerned for her she would be incredulous. She would probably accuse him of being sentimental.
Then it occurred to him that she didn’t even realise that she was lonely. She’d known nothing else. And that hurt him more than anything.
Selena watched him, trying to read his thoughts. It irked her not to be able to. Men were usually so easy to read.
She shook her hand, flexing the fingers, and he took it between his, massaging it between his strong, warm palms. She stood there, feeling peace and contentment flood her, almost for the first time in her life. It was a blissful feeling.
‘Are you all right?’ he asked.
‘Everything’s fine,’ she assured him.
‘Until the next time.’
‘Hey, you didn’t save me. I saved myself,’ she said at once.
‘Will you stop being so prickly? Am I the enemy?’
She shook her head, softened, smiling at him. Moved by an impulse too strong for him, Leo enfolded her in his arms, where she almost vanished. He cradled her carefully, longing to hold her there for ever, desperate to kiss her, but knowing that he mustn’t do it while she was so vulnerable.
Selena could hear his heart beating and the sound comforted her. It would have been so easy to lean on this big, generous man, and let him shoulder her problems.
If she had been that kind of female. Which she wasn’t. If she knew anything about herself, she knew that.
She looked up and saw the sudden trouble in his face.
‘What is it?’ she whispered.
He leaned down so that his forehead rested on hers. From here, a kiss was only an inch away, and she waited, wanting it to happen.
‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘I was just wishing-no, nothing’s the matter.’
‘Leo-’ she reached up, but he raised his head quickly.
‘You’ve got to stop sleeping out here,’ he said, releasing her and stepping back. ‘It’s too easy for him to get at you.’
She took a moment to still the pang of disappointment at his rejection.
‘He can do that in the house,’ she said. ‘Unless you sleep across my door again.’
‘No, that’s not a good idea,’ he said desperately. He’d shared her room once without trying to get into her bed, but he knew he couldn’t trust himself to do it again.
‘Let’s go,’ he said, leading the way out, keeping his distance from her.
All the way across the yard she lectured herself silently about staying level-headed. So she didn’t attract him? Well, she’d known that! And the pain in her heart could have been saved if she hadn’t indulged in silly fantasies.
She kept this up until they reached the house and she could assume a sensible manner, and listen to Delia telling how poor Paulie had stepped on a pitchfork and bruised his nose.
Leo made a point of getting Selena alone next morning.
‘Let’s ride,’ he said. ‘I want to try out one of Barton’s horses over a distance.’
He had an ulterior motive, since he’d connived with Barton to get her away while the insurance assessors came to look things over. He had a fair idea what would happen then, and he needed time to sort out his thoughts.
He’d seen her racing around barrels and been impressed. Now he could watch her at ease, riding for the pleasure of it, and thought how natural and elegant she looked. Even on an unfamiliar horse she rode as though they were one. He thought of a fiery mare of his own back home, and wished he could introduce them.
They raced. He was riding the more powerful animal but he only just beat her. She had the trick of getting the best out of her horse, and Jeepers was at ease with her.
They found a shaded stream and stretched out under the trees with the beer and hot dogs they’d brought with them. Selena took a deep breath and leaned back, thinking how good it felt to be here like this, with the sun, the sparkling water, the invigorated feeling of having ridden for miles.
Get real, she told herself. What you really mean is, to be here with him. You’ve got windmills in your head. He’s not for you. Be strong. You can cope as long as he doesn’t talk in that gentle voice that knocks you sideways.
Forewarned should have been forearmed, but she still felt shaken when he asked quietly, ‘Are you all right now?’
She meant to pass it off lightly with some remark about how many people were looking after her these days, but his eyes were kind and warm, and suddenly she couldn’t joke.
‘Yes, I’m feeling really good,’ she said. ‘It’s funny, all the things I ought to be worrying about-I can’t make myself think of them. They’re still there, but-sort of vague, and in the background.’
‘Well, you can’t do anything about them at this moment,’ he said, ‘so why not let yourself float? You may cope better for it.’
‘I know but-’ she gave an awkward little laugh ‘-it’s not like me. Normally I worry at things like a dog with a bone. Does no good, but I still do it.’
He nodded. ‘Worrying’s a waste of time.’
‘You’re not a worrying sort of person, are you?’
