Roping A Cowboy (Blazing Eagle Ranch Book 2) Page 2

  Walking around to the other side of the truck, Joy paused.

  Wade was standing on the opposite side of her pump, getting gas.

  What the hell?

  Seeing him twice in one day was enough. She ignored the butterflies that always seemed to appear in her stomach when she was near him.

  When his gaze landed on hers, his lips spread into that sexy grin of his.

  “You know you didn’t have to follow me, right?” he teased.

  She shrugged. “I needed gas. How was I to know you would be at this gas station?” The town now had three fuel stations, and, of course, she had to pick the one he would be at.

  He left his truck and stepped over to her. She was taken aback by his size, those steel-gray eyes, and dark, curly hair.

  As much as she tried to deny it, she was attracted to him.

  There was no way in hell she was letting him know that, though.

  “Here, I’ll pump your gas for you.” He grabbed the nozzle and turned to her truck.

  “I can do it.” She brushed his hand away from the gas lid. “I’ve been pumping gas since I was fourteen.”

  When he only stared at her, she tried not to fidget under his gaze.

  “Why do you have to fight me at every turn? Why can’t I just be a gentleman and pump gas for a pretty little lady?”

  Her heart raced. Wade thought she was pretty? She pushed down the excitement and folded her arms.

  Stepping aside, she allowed him to insert the nozzle.

  “Is that how you catch them?” Joy asked. She couldn’t help it. She had a smart mouth, and most times, it ran before she could stop it.

  “Who?” He focused on her with his eyebrows raised.

  “Women. Do they fall for the knight in shining armor complex you got going?” She pushed her hair over her shoulder and waited for his answer.

  The Brooks’ brothers had a way with women, as all of them were heart-stoppers. Women old and young took notice of a Brooks man when he entered a room.

  Wade’s deep chuckle caused a shiver to glide down her spine. His gaze roamed her body, and she fought to keep from moving. She’d dressed in a soft tee, jeans, and boots. Being a rancher’s daughter, she wasn’t the most feminine girl around.

  Though, she did have one vice.

  Sexy lingerie.

  It was her little secret, and not even her mother knew about it.

  Wade moved closer to her, resting against her truck. With his size, he invaded her space, but she was too stubborn to take a step back. His scent filled her nostrils, and she had to keep herself from leaning in closer to sniff him.

  How dare he smell so damn good.

  She had to lock her knees because they grew weak. That crooked grin of Wade’s was back.

  He knew what he was doing.

  Lord help her.

  When he ran his hand through his thick mop of curls, she might have whimpered a little.

  Wade Brooks had just turned on his charm, and she was falling for it.

  She now understood why all the women went crazy over him.

  “Now, see here, Joy.” His voice dropped a few decibels and became husky, that drawl of his increasing. “When I have my sights on a woman, she never falls. Some begging, maybe, but she never falls. I’d catch her.”

  Joy paused, letting his words register.

  She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop her lips from spreading into a small smile. Wade’s smile widened.

  “That is so corny.” She snuck a peek at the total on the pump. “I’ll go pay for my gas. Thanks for pumping it. At least a Brooks is good for something.” She walked away to go inside the gas station.

  His comment of “some begging” took her breath away.

  What exactly would she have to beg for?

  Joy parked in the gravel near the main house and laughed. Stepping out of the vehicle, she was bombarded by her favorite, four-legged fur babies. Lacy, Minnie, and Duke were mutts she’d adopted at the pound who’d turned out to be great ranching dogs.

  They loved working with the sheep. The spacious, open land, and being able to roam free on a ranch was great for the dogs. They all earned their keep.

  The Fox Run Ranch was smaller than their neighbors at the Blazing Eagle Ranch, but Joy was proud of their stead. It was named as such because of the problem with foxes. They always snuck onto the property to steal chickens and livestock.

  Her grandfather had named it so after watching the foxes that ran through the wild. When they’d purchased the land, it had been abandoned due to the dry climate. So, to give it a fresh start, Macon Whitaker renamed the property.

  Fox Run was perfect.

  “How’re y’all doing?” Joy rubbed their heads, laughing at how excited they were acting. There was nothing better than coming home and being greeted by her own little cheering squad. Her dogs were like her children. Duke jumped up onto his hind legs so he could reach her. She laughed, giving him a hug. “Are you hungry?”

  They yipped and barked as they jumped and danced around her legs.

  “Okay!” Joy cried out. She pushed them away so she could walk without tripping and falling. “Let’s go get something to eat.”

  The dogs took off toward the barn as if the gates of Hell had opened. They paused halfway and turned to check that she was behind them.

  Minnie barked as if to tell Joy to hurry.

  “I’m coming.”

  She walked into the barn behind the dogs, who were leading the way. The crazy mutts ran over to where their bowls were kept and picked them up in their mouths.

  She couldn’t help but laugh at their antics.

  She hurried over and took care of them, ensuring their bowls were full and their water was fresh. Once they were settled in, she headed down the aisle until she came to her faithful mare, Jazzy.

  Jazzy stuck her head out of the stall toward Joy and snorted in greeting.

  “How are you?” Rubbing Jazzy’s muzzle, she giggled when the horse butted her with her massive head. “How about me and you go for a quick ride?”

  Jazzy backed away and pranced as if to answer.

  “I thought you’d say that,” Joy murmured.

  She needed something else to occupy her mind. Riding Jazzy would be just the thing to distract her from Wade Brooks and all his sexiness.

  After getting Jazzy prepped, Joy led her mare out of the barn. Jazzy let out a snort and glanced at Joy.

  “Hell yeah, I’m ready,” Joy snickered. Hefting herself up into the saddle, she grabbed the reins and turned Jazzy in the direction she wanted. The horse trotted along until they arrived behind the barn. “Yaw!”

  Jazzy took off.

  Her hooves dug into the ground and ate up the distance. Jazzy must have been a mind reader, sensing Joy desired the wind in her hair, and to feel the power of her magnificent beast underneath her.

  Joy grinned as they tore up the dirt path, one they had traveled many times. They rounded the bend and came out into a beautiful area. Jazzy slowed to a trot.

  “Whoa,” Joy commanded.

  Jazzy followed Joy’s orders and halted. Dismounting, she took the reins in her hand and walked with her mare alongside her.

  “It is such a beautiful day.”

  Jazzy snorted, as if to agree. Joy glanced at her and laughed. If someone caught her talking to her horse, they would lock her up for sure.

  They came to a section where Joy loved to sit and gaze upon her family’s land near a large oak tree. She released Jazzy to allow her to graze while she took a seat by the tree’s base.

  Breathing in deep, Joy relaxed and kicked off her shoes. It was one of her favorite spots to come when she wanted to get away from everyone.

  She dug her feet in the grass and stared off at the land her family had worked for years. There would be no thoughts of chores, work, or sexy cowboys named Wade Brooks.

  3

  “Have you been practicing?” Wade laughed, watching Tyler trot around the corral on his horse, Rocky.
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  Tyler beamed as he guided Rocky over to Wade.

  Wade rested his forearms on the fence, pride filling him with how well his nephew was taking to the ranch. Tyler loved living there, and had flourished. When Wade had first met the kid, he was unaware they were related, but something at the back of his mind told him the kid was familiar to him. At that moment, he couldn’t put his finger on it, but when Wade saw Tyler and Parker in the same room, it clicked.

  Tyler was a smaller version of Wade’s older brother.

  The kid had wiggled his way into Wade and Carson’s hearts. He was one of the fellas, and hung out as much as he could with his uncles and Father.

  He was pure Brooks. He had a love for the land, the horses, and the open sky.

  If only their father had been so accepting of Tyler’s mother ten years ago, their lives would have been so different.

  Wade knew his father could be one mean son of a bitch, but the manipulation the old man went through so that Parker wouldn’t end up with Maddy was a new low.

  When the shit hit the fan, and Parker had confronted their father about his involvement in Maddy leaving, Jonah’s heart couldn’t stand it.

  The old man fell down and had a heart attack. He came close to dying, but Heaven, nor Hell, was ready for the ornery rancher, and sent him back.

  After an extended hospital stay, he was discharged to a rehab facility to get stronger. Wade and his brothers arranged for a nurse to come stay with Jonah so they could concentrate on the ranch.

  It was the best idea any of them could have come up with.

  Now that Jonah was back at home, things on the ranch were tense. Maddy and Jonah hadn’t spoken one word to each other that Wade was aware of, and he didn’t blame her.

  One look at Tyler, it was obvious he was a Brooks. No blood test was warranted. Jonah had no choice but to accept his grandson. The one thing the elder Brooks stood by was their family.

  A Brooks man always took care of his family.

  “I’ve been working with Rashad after my chores,” Tyler announced. He sat atop his horse as if he’d been doing it his entire life. Rocky and the kid had hit it off from the moment Parker introduced them. Parker had done a great job of picking out a horse for his son. Rocky was calm and patient with Tyler.

  “I can tell. You’re doing great. With your non-dominant hand, you want to keep the rope to have a little more slack.” Wade demonstrated the technique. He and his brothers had been roping calves since they were Tyler’s age. “You’ll swing your arm like this, so that way, you’ll be able to control it before it leaves your hand.”

  Tyler paid close attention to Wade’s instructions. He was a quick learner. He had Parker’s love for the land, but he definitely had Maddy’s smarts.

  “Got it.” Tyler turned Rocky and took off around the perimeter of the fence. His form was close to impeccable as he swirled the rope, making perfect circles in the air. The young cattle, scared, took off, scrambling to get away. Tyler’s focus was narrowed in on the cow. His aim was accurate, and the top landed around the small cow’s neck.

  “Attaboy!” Wade clapped, cheering on his nephew. Pride filled him. Spending time with Tyler had Wade thinking that maybe his father was right about one thing.

  It was time for him to settle down.

  But like Parker, he would rather do it his way.

  Their father always went on about how they needed to find daughters of prominent families, but that wasn’t how he wanted to go about it.

  Wade wanted to find that special woman to spend the rest of his life with. Not a business merger between ranches.

  He wanted someone who was beautiful, intelligent, sexy, and understood the ranching life. It wasn’t glamorous, but hard work. Any woman who captured his attention would need to be a spitfire and be able to handle whatever he threw at her.

  Not someone who would only be interested in his wealth.

  A connection was necessary.

  An image of a sassy sheep rancher came to mind, and Wade paused. That woman had a mouth on her, and whenever Wade was around her, he didn’t know if he wanted to put her over his knee or kiss her.

  His phone chirped from his back pocket. He pulled it out, seeing a message from Maddy.

  Send Tyler home, please.

  Wade shook his head. “Tyler, your mom said it’s time for you to come home.”

  “Aw, come on.” The kid’s shoulders slumped. He glanced over at Wade with a pleading look. “Can you ask her for more time?”

  “You’re not getting me in trouble.” Wade laughed as he motioned Tyler toward the barn. “These calves ain’t going nowhere. You take Rocky back to the barn and get him brushed down, watered, and fed.”

  “Yes, Uncle Wade.” The kid’s lip practically dragged on the ground. He dismounted from Rocky and grabbed the reins. “Let’s go, Rocky.”

  Wade sent off a quick text that he’d delivered the message and was having Tyler put Rocky up.

  He slid his phone back in his pocket and hopped over the fence so he could get the calves back to their mommas. Once the calves had been moved, Wade headed toward his truck.

  He wanted to check in on his father and the new nurse, Eliana.

  Since Jonah had arrived back at the ranch, they had gone through four nurses. The poor women couldn’t handle the gruff, ornery old man.

  Eliana was the fifth, and so far, she was the only one who had lasted. She was a pretty, yet older woman who wouldn’t take any crap from the sixty-year-old rancher.

  She came to the ranch about five times a week to check up on Pops. She ensured his medications were right, and even cooked for him.

  That was probably what snagged Jonah.

  Jonah was a Brooks, and they all had a weakness for pretty women who could cook. Wade’s mother had been a fantastic one.

  God rest her soul.

  Grace Brooks had been one strong woman to put up with Jonah. She’d raised three boys while being the wife of a rancher. She’d passed away from lung cancer when Wade was in the eleventh grade.

  Ain’t life a bitch.

  She’d never picked up a single cigarette in her life, but that was what took her from this world.

  Once inside his truck, Wade guided it toward the main house. He drove along the winding road that led to the house he was raised in. It was mid-summer, and it was a beautiful day to roll with the windows down. The wind blew into the truck, and it felt good.

  The Blazing Eagle was one of the largest ranches in the county. They had more head of cattle than anyone around. Wade was proud of their homestead. They owned thirteen thousand acres and were all able to have their own houses on the property.

  The love for Blazing Eagle was something Wade couldn’t explain. Gazing out on the rolling hills, bright-green grass, and bright-blue sky calmed him.

  This was home.

  None of the Brooks’ siblings could tolerate living with their father. When they’d gotten the chance, they’d built their own homes on the family land. Wade and his brothers had beautiful, sprawling homes, and were only a few minutes’ drive from each other.

  As long as Wade had breath in his body, he’d live on this land. It was purchased by his great-great-great-grandfather, and had been passed down through the generations. When his father decided to turn over full operations of the ranch, Wade and his brothers would be splitting ownership evenly.

  Wade arrived at the main house and parked. Eliana’s car was in front of the garage.

  Wade got out of his truck and headed toward the stairs.

  “Hey, Pop. How’s it going?” Wade asked.

  Jonah had lost some weight. He had always been a tall, stocky man. When Wade was a kid, his father appeared larger than life. Now, after an extended hospitalization and rehab stay, he was a shell of his former self. Hopefully, now that he was home, he’d put back on the weight he’d lost. Eliana’s cooking was amazing, and she made sure Jonah always ate.

  A physical therapist came out to the house a couple times a week
to work with Jonah on strength building.

  Between therapy and Eliana’s food, Wade was sure Jonah would be back to his usual self soon.

  “Bored out of my damn mind,” Jonah grunted. He sat in the rocking chair, staring out onto the property. “I’m ready to get back up on my horse.”

  “Not sure if it’s time yet.” Wade bit back a chuckle and leaned against the pillar. He shook his head and knew he would feel the same.

  “It’s been too long. A man needs to feel his faithful steed underneath him and travel the land he owns.” Jonah sat still, his gaze shifting toward the yard.

  “We’ve been taking care of everything.”

  Jonah looked at him and snorted. “That’s not what I said. I’m sure you boys are taking care of the ranch, but I need to see it for myself. My blood, sweat, and tears are on this ranch, and I need to see it, walk it, and breathe it in. This is my life.”

  The door opened, and Eliana walked out onto the porch. She took a seat next to his father, who glanced at her before returning his gaze to their surroundings.

  Wade didn’t miss the way his father’s eyes softened slightly when he took in Eliana’s smile.

  He held back a smirk.

  His father was smitten.

  “What are you out here complaining about, Jonah?” she asked.

  “I’m going out on my horse today. Y’all can’t stop me,” Jonah replied gruffly.

  “Are not. You’re not ready yet,” Eliana quipped.

  “I can take you out in one of the four wheelers. We’ll drive out as far as you want,” Wade offered. It would do the old man some good to feel the wind in his face and breathe in the fresh air. Wade could understand his father’s request. He also loved just looking out at what his ancestors had built from the ground up.

  “That’s not the same,” Jonah snapped. He turned his gray eyes on Wade and glared at him.

  When Wade was a kid, that one look would have him scrambling to do whatever his father commanded. Now, it did little for Wade. He was a grown man who could handle what his father threw at him. He had inherited Jonah’s stubbornness, and didn’t back down from him.