Patricia Rosemoor - A Rancher's Vow

“Hmm, sounds pretty darn interesting if you ask me.” Coming up from behind them, Chance slipped an arm around his new wife’s waist. “Making exotic plans for the evening, are you, Miss Prudence?”

Pru blushed and smacked him in the chest with the flat of her hand.

“Want to play rough, huh?” He grinned and arched one eyebrow. “How about we—”

“Enough already!” Alcina said with a laugh. “Too much information. I don’t need any more details. And I think the two of you had better get out of here so you can be alone before you embarrass everyone.”

Chance grinned. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Not until we observe the formalities,” Pru countered.

The formalities being the cake cutting and garter and bouquet throws, Alcina knew.

But first Pru wanted to freshen up. And Chance followed her inside the house, meaning the formalities wouldn’t commence for some time yet.

Alcina started off, intending on rejoining the party, when she realized that she’d be on the sidelines watching couples dance. Forget that, she chose to take herself for some solitary exercise instead.

With dusk came a chill in the high-desert air. Alcina wrapped the scrap of material that matched her dress around her shoulders closer. Good thing she’d fetched it while in the house.

As she strolled behind the storage building that also held the living quarters of the only permanent hand on the Curly-Q, a loud thump startled her.

“Moon-Eye?” she called out.

But if the hired hand was around, he must not have heard, because he didn’t answer.

On edge, she rounded the storage building and looked for the hired hand. Deep shadows thrust across the property, so it was difficult to make out details at any distance. Still, a movement from the back of the barn caught her attention. Of course it must be Moon-Eye—who else?—though she couldn’t actually see the man well enough to be certain.

Alcina guessed chores on a ranch didn’t wait, not even for a wedding. She thought to join the hired hand, to keep him company for a few minutes, when a voice coming from the opposite direction distracted her.

“C’mon…I know you want it…”

A man’s enticing voice.

“That’s it, sweetheart…”

Reed’s voice.

“That’s good, isn’t it?”

Alcina’s mouth went dry at the seductive tone.

“I told you it would be…”

Who in the world was out here with him? Alcina wondered, her imagination on overdrive. Like a fool, she found herself wanting the full picture.

“More, yes…take it all…”

Shocked by the implication and yet drawn like a moth to a flame, she came close enough to see for herself.

And then her face flamed with her foolishness.

For, hunkered down next to his truck, Reed was hand-feeding a wretched-looking brown and white dog with a torn ear. The moment the animal spotted her, it backed off toward the pickup, cowering.

“You scared her,” Reed stated. “Damn! And I was just getting her to come around.”

Alcina ignored the blame placed on her and murmured, “Oh, no, girl, you don’t need to be afraid of me,” crouching also and holding out a nonthreatening hand.

Aware of Reed staring at her, Alcina grew self-conscious, but she didn’t want to scare the dog further and so stayed exactly as she was. Barely a moment went by before the animal ventured forward to smell her fingers.

“You poor thing,” Alcina said, turning her hand so the dog lightly nuzzled her palm. In the same tone, she asked Reed, “Where did she come from?”

“Not here. I found her on the road—the reason I was late. I’d never ask you to lie, but if you wouldn’t tell Chance…”

She remembered him being honest to a fault, so his keeping something like that from his brother was a big deal. Reed confiding in her… Warmth flooded Alcina.

“I think Chance would understand, but I’ll keep mum.”

She’d always known Reed was a kind man. Without thinking, she stroked the dog’s neck, then continued petting her, running a hand down a bony spine.

Suddenly catching herself, Alcina murmured, “Oh, sorry.”

She expected the dog to slither away and was surprised when it moved closer for more.

“She must trust you,” Reed said.

Alcina ran gentle fingers along the animal’s protruding ribs. “You don’t have to sound so surprised.”

“I didn’t mean that to sound judgmental. It’s just that she’s so skittish.”

Suddenly feeling a little skittish herself, Alcina met Reed’s gaze and realized that he was staring at her. His expression was appreciative. And puzzling.

“What?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Most women wouldn’t have touched a dog that looked scruffy and sick.”

“I’m not—”

“Most women,” he finished for her. “I remember.”

Getting to her feet, Alcina asked, “So what’s her name?”

“I don’t know. She’s not my dog.”

A disbelieving Alcina cleared her throat.

“She’s not.” Reed rose, as well. “But I intend to find her a good home.”

From the way the dog was looking at him so adoringly, Alcina figured she’d already found herself one—her new owner obviously hadn’t realized it yet.

“In the meantime,” she said, “you have to call her something.”

“What’s wrong with Girl?”

“Not very personal.”

“Then what do you suggest?” he asked.

“You want me to name your…uh, her?”

“Why not? It’s only temporary.”

“Right, temporary.” Alcina looked deep into the dog’s liquid brown eyes. “Hey, Temporary.”

The dog whistled through her nose and gave a sharp bark.

“I think she likes it,” Alcina said.

Reed snorted. “Temporary? Come on, that’s a ridiculous name for a dog.”

“Then you name her.”

For a moment, she thought Reed might take her challenge. Then he shrugged.

“Temporary it is.”

Alcina grinned. They stood there grinning at each other for a moment before she remembered the festivities. She’d only meant to kill a few minutes and had lost track of time.

“I think we’d better get back if we want to send the bride and groom off with our best wishes,” she said.

“That means it’s time for you to get back into the pickup,” Reed told the dog.

He patted her and opened the door. She stood there looking at him.

Giving her a hand signal, he said, “C’mon, Temporary, get in.”

The dog jumped into the truck and onto the driver’s seat where she settled, her adoring gaze still on Reed.

“You’re her hero,” Alcina murmured.

“I only did what any decent person would do.”

She knew that wasn’t true. The world was filled with decent folks. But the dog obviously had been on her own for a while now. Only a really caring person would have taken the time and trouble with her that Reed had.

With the dog settled, they hurried back to the party to find the wedding cake had already been cut, and the unmarried men were being urged to step up for the garter toss.

Nearly two dozen men, mostly old bachelor cowboys, got into the spirit of the competition. Moon-Eye was at the front of the line, she noted; he must have finished his chores. Even Bart and Reed jostled each other good-naturedly as one of the musicians beat a tattoo on his drum.

Chance took a quick look over his shoulder, and Alcina was certain he aimed directly for Bart, who was committed, if not yet officially engaged, to Josie Walker.

Only, Reed was the one who ended up with the garter on his arm.

Alcina tried to sit out the bouquet throw, but Pru wouldn’t hear of it. Certain her friend would send the spray of flowers Josie’s way, Alcina gave in and moved to the opposite side of the much smaller group of women, the oldest of whom was Felice, the youngest Lainey.