Free Palomino by Danielle Steel Page B

filled with soup, the other with coffee, and it wasn't until she was cherishing the last of her coffee that he spoke to her again.
    Holding up all right, Miss Taylor? There was the faintest trace of mockery in his voice, but this time there was a kinder light in his eyes.
    Fine, thanks. What about you, Mr.' er' you know, I don't know your name. She smiled sweetly at him and this time he grinned. There was definitely some pepper to the girl. He had sensed that right at the first, when he had suggested Lady. He had seen the look of annoyance flare up in her eyes, but he hadn't given a damn what kind of horse she wanted. He was going to give her the quietest mount on the place. He didn't need some dizzy broad from New York breaking her ass on the north boundary that morning. That was all he needed, but so far she seemed to have managed all right. And he had to admit that it was hard to figure out what kind of rider she was on that lazy horse.
    My name's Tate Jordan. He held out a hand, and once again she wasn't sure if he was mocking her or being sincere. How are you enjoying your stay?
    Terrific. She smiled angelically at him. Great weather. Superb horse. Wonderful people.' She faltered a moment and he raised an eyebrow.
    What? Nothing to say about the food?
    I'll think of something.
    I'm sure you will. I must say, I'm surprised you decided to ride today. You could have waited for a better day to start out.
    Why should I? You didn't, did you?
    No. He looked at her almost derisively. But that's hardly the same thing.
    Volunteers always try harder, or didn't you know that, Mr. Jordan?
    I guess I didn't. We haven't had too many around here. Have you been out here before? He looked her over with interest for the first time, but it was curiosity, rather than any friendship he was intending to form.
    Yes, I have, but not in a long time.
    Did Caroline let you ride with the men before too?
    Not really ' oh, once in a while ' but it was more for fun.
    And this time? The questioning eyebrow raised again.
    I guess this is for fun too. She smiled at him more genuinely this time. She could have told him it was therapy, but she wasn't about to disclose her secrets to him. On the spur of the moment she decided to thank him instead. I do appreciate your letting me ride with you. I know it must be difficult having someone new around. She wasn't going to apologize for being a woman. That would have been too much to bear. I hope that eventually I might be of some use.
    Maybe so. He nodded at her then and moved on. He didn't speak to her again for the rest of the afternoon. They never found the strays they had been concerned about, and by two o'clock in the afternoon they met up with one of the parties mending fences and joined them. Samantha was of only minimal use in what they were doing, and the truth of it was that by three o'clock she was so tired, she was ready to fall asleep, in the pouring rain, on the horse, and despite whatever conditions prevailed. By four she was looking truly miserable, and by five thirty when they went back, she was sure that once she got off the horse she would never move again. She had been on horseback and in the rain for eleven out of eleven and a half hours, and she thought that there was a distinct possibility that she might die that night. She could barely crawl off the horse when they got back to the barn, and only Josh's firm hands assisting her kept her from falling bowlegged and exhausted onto the. ground. She met his concerned look with an exhausted chuckle and gratefully took a firm hold of his supporting arm.
    I think maybe you overdid it today, Sam. Why didn't you go home early?
    Are you kidding? I'd have died first. If Aunt Caro can do it, so can I.' And then she looked ruefully at her old buddy. Or can I?
    I hate to tell you this, babe, but she's been doing it for a lot longer than you have, and every day. You're going to hurt like the devil by tomorrow.
    Never mind tomorrow! You should know what it