Free A Cowgirl's Christmas by C. J. Carmichael

I’d still like it to be yours. If you want it.”
    “Shouldn’t you be more worried about what Hawksley wanted? I’m assuming he intended the saddle to stay in the family. The blood-line, so to speak.”
    Court went silent for a bit. Then he turned to look at her. “So. You know, then?”
    “That I’m only Hawksley’s adopted daughter? Yeah. My sisters and I found out yesterday.” She put the velvet bag into one of the saddle bags, trying to pretend her fingers weren’t shaking and hoping Court wasn’t the observant sort. “Ready?”
    Five minutes later they were beyond the first gate, heading out toward the foothills, taking a different route from the one she and her father had set out on four days ago. Callan was disappointed to see that Court was a technically flawless rider, if rather stiff. She’d been hoping to offer him some pointers, put him in his place.
    Frustrated, she urged Sapphire faster, getting to the next gate first and making a show of waiting for Court to catch up.
    “Didn’t know it was a race,” he said, as he urged old Pinstripes though to the next field.
    “Might as well get this over with.” She glanced up at the mountains, not liking the heavy clouds that were settling around the peaks. “Looks like snow is coming.”
    “Have the cattle been moved in, yet?”
    She was surprised by the question, which showed he knew at least a few basics about cattle ranching. “No. We were already running late thanks to Sage’s wedding. Then with Hawksley’s heart attack this week we lost a few more precious days.”
    She stopped, as she caught her mistake. “I mean you lost a few precious days. Have you spoken to Red, yet?”
    “No. I take it he’s the foreman?”
    “ Your foreman. Yes.”
    Abruptly Court urged his horse forward and then to the right, cutting her off and forcing her to bring Sapphire to a halt. “Would you stop it, already? The will is in probate. I won’t actually own it for a long while. Even once all the legal stuff is settled, none of this should affect you or your position here.”
    “Oh, really?” she mocked. “A week ago I was the daughter of the owner. Now I’m a—what? Paid employee? Speaking of which, just what wages are you willing to offer me to stay on the Circle C?”
    “Nothing.”
    “Oh, really?” He had that smug expression again, the one she really hated. Even worse, he was working old Pinstripes this way then the other, keeping her and Sapphire trapped like a cornered cow. “You expect me to work for free?”
    “Why not? Like you said in the bar the other night, you’re a rich woman. You don’t need wages.”
    Inwardly she cringed with embarrassment. There wasn’t much about that night she took pleasure in remembering. But she wouldn’t back down, or let him know he’d scored a hit. “Maybe I don’t need them, but I sure as hell wouldn’t work for free. I wouldn’t work for you, period .”
    With a sharp jab of her heels, she urged Sapphire forward, brushing past old Pinstripes with just an inch to spare. Without a backward glance, she rejoined the old trail, pushing Sapphire to keep the lead as they rode through the pines, crossing a few dried-up creeks, slowly gaining elevation until they reached a knoll with a pretty view to the west and north.
    She knew Court was following. She could hear him and Pinstripes behind her and sometimes when she turned her head she caught a glimpse of them. But he didn’t challenge her lead and didn’t come up alongside of her until she brought Sapphire to a standstill.
    “Is this the place?” Court asked.
    The ride had put some color in his face, which made his eyes look bluer than ever. Even the sky seemed pale in comparison. He was in better shape than she’d figured, hardly out of breath, his posture still straight. He looked like he could keep doing this all day.
    “Yeah. This is the place.” She pulled the bag of ashes from the saddle bag, hesitated then handed it to him.
    With his eyes,