Thursday 30 April 2015

Thursday, April 30, 2015 -

The Cowboy Has Her Back

by Leigh Smith
Published: Feb 27, 2015
Words: 35,067
Category: western, romance
Orientation: M/F
Click HERE for further details and purchase options.
OPENING EXTRACT
Chapter One

A snake spooked Mickey Chandler's horse, Bella, and she took off at breakneck speed leaving Mickey holding on for dear life. Just when she thought she was getting control, a tree branch grazed across her arm causing her to lose her grip on one of the reins. How am I ever going to get control? Really frightened now, she closed her eyes, pretending this was all a dream. Unfortunately, it wasn't, all she could do was hold on tight, hope to hell Bella would eventually tire and that she would still be in the saddle when she did.

Hank Caldwell was mending fences along the road when a horse and rider flew by him. He didn't pay much attention at first, but something caught his eye, and he realized it was the horse's rein trailing on the ground, leaving the rider in peril. Running to his truck and starting after them, he wished he was on horseback instead of in the truck because he wasn't sure how he was going to rescue the rider. He only hoped he could help before the rider fell or the horse's hooves got tangled in the trailing reins. As he neared them and then drove ahead, he jumped out of the truck and stood by the side yelling at her to jump into his arms. He could see and understood the fear on her face, but it was her only chance. She couldn't bring herself to do it and they streaked past him. Running back to the truck and getting ahead of them again, he stopped and stood on the side, and waited so he could try again. Mickey was so scared, afraid of falling and being trampled, afraid of dropping to the ground, but her fear of staying on the horse was greater. This time she jumped, and he caught her. She was trembling, and he was glad because maybe she wouldn't feel him trembling too. He'd been afraid he wouldn't be able to grab and hang on to her, and that she would fall and get hurt, but he had prevailed.

"Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay."

She was still in his arms, and he put her down and hugged her to him. He ran his hand down her spine, and continued that slow comforting glide. She focused on his hands and the strength in his arms. He kept rubbing her back whilst in a soft voice he crooned into her ear that she was safe and the ordeal was over, and finally felt her stop shaking.

"Better?"

"I think so. I was so scared."

"I bet you were, I was scared for you."

"Where did you come from? I didn't see anybody."

"I'm not surprised - you were going so fast. I was back down there aways, mending fences when you whipped by. At first I didn't pay attention, but then I saw the left rein dragging on the ground. It's a wonder it didn't get tangled in the horse's leg. What the hell happened?"