Elle James - Protecting the Colton Bride

Too many strange things had happened on the ranch in the past few months. The main house had been robbed and his father’s wife, Abra, had been attacked and left in a coma. Now someone had tried to kill one of his prize mares.

Daniel wasn’t ready to give up on Halo, yet. And he still had to come up with a solution to Megan’s problem or he’d lose her, too.

Megan smiled over her shoulder at him. “I kept Sleek from eating your sandwich.”

The barn cat sat beside Megan, licking its paws. The stray had been an asset to the ranch and kept the mouse population down.

The sun had dipped below the horizon while Daniel talked on the phone with Kennedy. With his world tilted on its axis, Daniel wasn’t sure what the next day would bring or how to keep everything he’d worked for from falling apart.

“You can go home. I’ll stay with Halo,” he said to Megan.

She shook her head. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather stay. I know it doesn’t make sense, but I feel like it’s my fault Halo’s in the shape she’s in.”

“Unless you purposely poisoned her, I don’t see how it could be your fault.”

“I should have realized something was terribly wrong with her and dealt with her immediately.” She scratched behind the horse’s ear. “Then you wouldn’t be as sick as you are now, would you, baby?” Her tone was soothing, and Halo’s ears twitched.

“We wouldn’t have known anything sooner,” Daniel said. “The lab had to make that determination. It wasn’t until this morning that she went downhill.”

“Still, I was the last one to ride her.”

“Stop.” Daniel held up a hand. “We’ll both stay with her.”

She gave him a crooked smile. “Thanks. I’d like that.”

He left her in the stall and went about the task of feeding the other animals. When he returned to the stall, he carried several clean horse blankets and a section of hay. He spread out the hay on the ground.

Megan took one of the blankets from him, laid it over the hay and sat on one side of it, patting the spot next to her. “Sit and eat your supper.”

Daniel sat and took the sandwich from Megan. When their hands touched, a spark of electricity shot up his arm, reminding him of that kiss and the subsequent dreams that had plagued his sleep the night before. At least if he stayed awake all night with Halo, he wouldn’t be dreaming of lying naked with Megan.

“Was that Marshall Kennedy on the phone?” Megan gave him a half smile. “Sorry, I overheard a little.”

Daniel chewed on a bite of deli meat, mentally going over his conversation with Kennedy. Megan had been with him when he’d researched the studs and breeders. She knew as well as he did what they needed at the Lucky C to make it a world-class operation, and she deserved to know the outcome of that conversation, even if she did quit in two days’ time. “Yes.”

“Well?” She leaned forward on her knees, her green eyes bright in the soft glow from the overhead lighting. “Is he going to deal with us or not?”

Daniel shook his head. “Jury’s still out.”

“Then why bother calling you?” She sat back, her excitement replaced by a frown. “Either he’s going to sell to you or he’s not.”

“It’s like I told Brett and Jack. The man has a thing about family. He looks at the lineage of the horses, but he’s concerned about the family raising those horses.”

“Then it should be a slam dunk. The Coltons are well respected as ranchers not only in Oklahoma but also across the United States.”

“Ranching cattle. But we’re new at horse breeding and not as well proven. That’s not what he’s concerned about, though. He wants to know his horses are going to a good family.”

“Again, the Coltons are well respected. What could he be concerned about?”

“He’s specifically worried about me. He called me a skeleton in the Colton closet. From what I’ve learned, the Kennedys are socially elite and proud of their status.”

“Sounds like my parents. They would hate to have me mess up their standing by marrying beneath me.” Megan shivered. “I’ve met too many of their social picks.” She snorted. “No thanks. Do you think that’s what’s holding the Kennedys back?”

Daniel nodded. “I’m the stick in the man’s craw. The bastard son of a Colton, and a Cherokee to boot.”

Megan’s face reddened and her eyes flashed. “Is he refusing to sell to you because you’re half-Cherokee?”

“He didn’t say that, but I’m betting he’s not comfortable selling to the bastard son. I don’t have the social status of a Kennedy.”

“Daniel, you’re just as much a Colton as any of your siblings.”

“Not according to my stepmother.”

“Abra is a bitter old woman who doesn’t even like her own children. She’s more interested in social status than love and family.” Megan clapped a hand over her mouth and then sat back. “Sorry. I couldn’t stop myself. I’ve seen how she treats you and your brothers and wanted to tell her what I thought about that. How can a woman dislike her own children?”

“It doesn’t matter, and it doesn’t bother me anymore.” Not since he’d moved out of the main house. He didn’t come into contact with Abra Colton as often and it suited him just fine.

“The point is, Kennedy can’t hold an accident of birth against you. You’re a good man. You’re good with horses and have a great eye for quality. If he could only see that, he’d sell to you with no further questions asked.”

“Well, that’s just it. He’ll get the chance. I meet with him face-to-face in exactly one and a half weeks.”

“What?” Once again Megan sat forward. “When? Where? I’d love to be a fly on the wall at that meeting.”

He wished Megan could be at his side. She’d be a great asset because of her knowledge of horse breeding from the Triple Diamond and her pedigree from an impressive family tree with a long line of Talbots raising only the best Talbots and horses. Kennedy would fall in love with Megan’s charm and capabilities just like he had.

She assured him, “Kennedy will see what a great program we have started here at the Lucky C.” Her lips twisted. “I mean, the program you’ve started.”

“I couldn’t have even tempted the man without your help putting the data together to send to him. Why don’t you come with me?” Then he remembered Megan was leaving the Lucky C to go home to California.

Megan sighed. “Unless I’m willing to let my horses be sold, I can’t. I’m headed to California in the next week.”

“Damn. I wish you didn’t have to go.” Daniel leaned forward and checked on Halo, racking his brain for a solution to both their problems. The horse lifted her head and stared at him with her big brown eyes as if to say she wished he could fix her problem, as well.

“You’ll do fine,” Megan said, leaning back against the wall. “The most important thing right now is to get Halo back on her feet.”

“You’re right.” Daniel settled back against the wall beside Megan.

She closed her eyes, stifling a yawn behind her hand. “I don’t know about you, but I didn’t sleep worth a darn last night. My dad’s threat and my ride on a sick horse weren’t conducive to pleasant dreams.” She yawned again and laughed. “Sorry. I’m supposed to stay awake all night with Halo. I won’t be of much use if I fall asleep.”

“Come here.” Daniel slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “Lean on me. I’ll stay awake and let you know if there’s any sign of change.”

Megan snuggled up against him. “I thought you didn’t mix business with pleasure?”

“You said it yourself. You quit.” What could it hurt to hold her? It might give him a chance to come up with a plan to rescue her horses from being sold off, or find a way to impress Marshall Kennedy with his family when he wasn’t even part of the official Colton line.