Free Dusty Britches by Marcia Lynn McClure Page A

brushing the water from his face. “ I got work to do! I don ’ t have time to be foolin ’ around with your tantrums! ”
    Ryder ’ s face was tight with irritation. He reached out , taking hold of Dusty ’ s arm . T ucking his hand into the waist of her skirt, he pulled her into the trough with him.
     
    “ Ain ’ t nothin ’ gonna get done on this ranch with them two goin ’ at it all the time, ” Hank mumbled under his breath to Feller. The smile on his face told the top hand that the boss favored his daughter getting a talking - to from somebody other than her father for once.
    “ Ryder won ’ t put up with her poutin ’ the way the rest of us do, ” Feller told him. “ Wisest investment you ever made was payin ’ that boy to cowboy for you again. ” Mounting up, they rode away to leave Dusty to fend for herself in her battle with Ryder.
     
    Dusty stood up, coughing and sputtering. Wiping at the water in her eyes, she met Ryder ’ s angry glare with one of her own. “ You! ” was all she could exclaim.
    “ Now, listen here, sugar, ” Ryder began, pointing an index finger in her face . “ I know I ’ ve been gone a long time and that you want my attention —”
    “ What? ” Dusty shouted, completely in awe at his conceited remark.
    “ But your daddy ’ s payin ’ me good money to work for him , and you know that when I take a man ’ s money, I work hard! There ’ s plenty of time for your horsin ’ around when the day ’ s through. You wanna play with me, Dusty? Then yo u wait ’til my workday is done—j ust like it used to be. ” Dusty could only stand panting with fury and indignation. “ I ’ m glad we agree, ” he muttered, nodding triumphantly.
    Dusty ’ s vexation was at an explosive level. She raised her hand to slap him for teasing her , b ut he caught her hand and grabbed the other. Holding them at her back, he pulled her body to his. Instantly, Dusty felt the anger draining from her to be replaced by a thrill she hadn ’ t experienced since…
    “ Don ’ t you raise your hand to me, girl, ” he exclaimed. She saw a hint of mischief flash in hi s eyes as he attempted to frown—but an amused grin spread across his face. “ I can take you on anytime. ” He gently pushed her backward. Losing her balance, she sunk into the water once more. “ Now, you sit there and cool off. Your temp er’s even worse than I remember.” Stepping out of the trough, he took his horse by the bit and sloshed off toward the bunkhouse.
    “ Never turn your back on a woman, boy, ” he chuckled as he left Dusty sitting in the trough.
    Looking around to see if anyone witnessed her impetuous and now humiliating act of vengeance toward Ryder, Dusty rose from the trough, lifted her heavy skirts, and climbed out. She continued wringing the water out of her skirts and petticoats and tried to ignore Becca casually walking toward her on her way to the chicken house.
    “ And to think, ” Becca muttered as she passed her sister, “ he ain ’ t even been here one whole day! ”
    Dusty was furious. She was also delighted. No! She was furious! Reaching down and unlacing her boots, she tossed them aside and stripped off her stockings as well. She was so determined to remain angry s he didn ’ t care who saw her strip off her stockings. Reaching up and pulling the pin from her hair, she gave it reprieve from the tightly wound knot . Running her fingers through her hair, she relished the feel of the morning breeze as she fairly ran away from the house and toward the waterfall feeding the creek some distance off.
    She hadn ’ t been to the pond and falls for ages. It was about time she took a moment for herself. Angrily, she plodded along, trying to think of every unlikable character flaw possessed by Ryder Maddox. To think she ’ d cried tender tears over him the night before! She growled to herself as she let her skirt and petticoats drop to the ground near the falls. After all, she reminded