Free Dirty Angel-BarbaraElsborg by Barbara Elsborg Page A

Nelson,” Des said to his dog.
    Brody followed Des inside.
    “Have a look at Captain too. He was off his feed yesterday. I’ll have to hold him. He’s the most bad-tempered brute I’ve ever seen and this week he’s been worse.”
    “Yeah, I noticed. I’ll look at him.”
    “He’s fed up and pissed off. If you’re not going to ride him, you need to sell him.”
    Brody gritted his teeth. “No.”
    “It’s not fair on the horse. Let him go to someone who wants him.”
    “Not yet.” Brody didn’t try to keep the snap out of his voice.
    Des sighed. “Fine. We’ll see him first.”
    Brody walked down the line of stalls wondering if he and his brother would ever be better friends. Des was always surly, always criticising, though Brody knew it was because Des worried about him. His brother was right about Captain, but Brody couldn’t let him go. Captain was his link to the period of his life that hadn’t been blighted by Matt. Just by death.
    Be nice to Des. “Want to go out for a ride later?” Brody asked.
    Des looked at him as if he’d just suggested they go and have their nuts chopped off. “You going to ride Captain?”
    “No.”
    “Then no. I don’t have time.”
    Why did I bother? Brody needed to look for somewhere else to live. He and Des were better apart.
    When they reached Captain’s stall and looked over the half-door, they both started.
    “What the hell?” Des growled.
    A guy lay on his side under blankets with his head resting on the horse’s flank. It was the man Brody had hit last night. His face was streaked with blood.
    “Christ,” Brody whispered.
    “Wake up,” Des barked.
    “Don’t freak out the horse.” Brody’s heart jumped as he imagined Captain’s hooves slamming down on the guy’s head.
    The man opened his eyes and looked from Des to Brody.
    “Get the hell out of there.” Des clenched his fists on the top of the door.
    “Move slowly,” Brody added. He was shocked to see Captain lying down.
    The guy pushed to his feet and let the blankets fall away. Captain stood up at his side. The man picked up his coat and slipped it on, an expression of what looked like discomfort on his face. When he stepped toward them, Captain nudged him back away from the door.
    “It’s okay.” The man rubbed behind the horse’s ear.
    “It’s not bloody okay,” Des said. “You’re trespassing. I’m going to call the police. How dare you—”
    “Shut up. I know him,” Brody said.
    The guy looked at him in shock, then his face lit in a smile. “Hello again.”
    Brody’s relief that the man was alive and well was joined by a bolt of sexual interest. He hadn’t been able to see much last night but those navy eyes were dark and sexy. So was that slightly crooked smile. Oh shit.
    “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Des demanded. “Have you touched him? Done something perverted? Cut him?”
    “What?” the guy gasped.
    “He was lying down,” Des snapped. “Horses rarely lie down and they don’t lie down next to strangers.”
    “They do if they feel safe,” Brody said.
    Des turned to him. “You know this idiot?”
    “Have you been in there with him all night?” Brody asked.
    “Yeah. Totally platonic.” He glared at Des. “Not an easy bedfellow. He lay down, got up, lay down again, got up again. But he kept me warm. Nibbled my ear to warn me when he was going to move, as well.”
    Captain hung his head over the guy’s shoulder, nuzzled into him and the guy winced. Brody couldn’t believe the way Captain was behaving. Not the easiest animal at the best of times, for the last week, he’d been murderous, kicking at the walls of the stall, stamping, not letting anyone near him including Brody.
    “He even took me to the pile of blankets,” the guy said.
    Brody gaped at him and Des snorted.
    “No way,” Des said. “Horses basically think along three lines—What can I eat? How can I get free? Where can I find more of my own kind? They don’t lead someone