It was only a teenage boy, and his frightened expression made Adam remember every greenie out of boot camp getting shot at for the first time. The kid gaped at Adam before flinging himself off the ATV and starting to run. By this time, the cattle were lowing loudly, stamping their hooves, starting to move toward the kid, who wasn’t going to escape in time. Ranger went running toward the cattle, barking, and Adam followed to distract the dangerous animals. By the time they got the herd turned in another direction, the kid had hopped the fence and was long gone, leaving his ATV behind.
But it wasn’t his ATV. When Adam inspected it as he pulled it away from the fence post, he recognized it as one he’d seen in the Thalberg truck shed. The kid had either meant to steal it, or had been using it for a joyride. And from the direction the kid had been driving, he suspected the latter. After all, in such a small town, how could a kid hide an ATV?
Adam slammed his body into the fence post to straighten it as much as possible before it could be replaced. He remembered his brief look into the kid’s scared face. And suddenly he was that age again, doing stupid things because no one noticed him unless he did. His parents didn’t care what he did, and if Grandma Palmer tried to get involved, she was shut out of his life for months. The worst he’d felt as a kid had been after he’d got caught joyriding, knowing he’d disappointed her. He might have gone into juvie except for Coach McKee’s standing up for him. He’d been given a second chance.
Adam couldn’t turn the kid in. Hopefully, almost getting caught taught him a lesson. He got the ATV started, and Dusty, used to the loud engine, amiably allowed himself to be led off to the side, while Adam drove slowly. He returned the ATV, with the busy Thalbergs not even noticing.
Chapter Seven
Brooke glanced at the list Nate had given her for supplies at the feed store. It was late afternoon, and the sun was already hovering just above the mountains, about to disappear for the day. She hadn’t seen Adam yet, and running errands was giving her an excuse to get away before she did.
They were forgetting about the kiss—they’d agreed. It had been a momentary foolishness between two people who weren’t dating anybody and just felt . . . an urge. Hell, he must have gotten his kicks with women once he got out of the Marines, and now being on his own back in Valentine was surely some kind of . . . celibacy he wasn’t used to.
Josh was entering the office just as she was leaving. “I saw Adam by the truck shed,” he said. “Take him with you. He could use some more cold-weather clothes. Did you see those gloves he has?”
“He didn’t get new ones yet?” She frowned. “I told him yesterday . . .” She trailed off, shaking her head.
Nate glanced at her. “You sound like his mother.”
She put her cowboy hat on her head and struck a pose. “I don’t look like his mother.”
Nate chuckled.
And then she realized what she’d agreed to. More time with Adam when they weren’t working. When she could look at him and think sexy thoughts she had no business thinking.
She found him in the barn, rather than the truck shed, where he was unsaddling Dusty. Ranger, his new shadow, sat nearby, watching him with quiet adoration.
“So I hear you didn’t get new gloves,” she said.
Adam glanced up at her, giving Dusty a pat. The horse galloped back out to the corral to join his friends. Brooke regretted looking Adam in the eyes as she couldn’t seem to break away. They studied each other for too long, until her skin was so hot it didn’t feel like her own.
“It’s a nice day today, so my old gloves are fine,” he said. “I didn’t get around to shopping during the blizzard.”
“Then come on into town. I’m heading for the feed store. You need more gear, and you can help me carry stuff.”
He nodded. “Let me wash up.”
“Meet me at my dad’s going-to-town pickup.”
One side of his mouth curled up. “ ‘Going-to-town pickup’?”
“It’s just what it sounds like. The shiny new pickup doesn’t get used for hauling manure like the others. He treats it with care. One of these days, I’m sure it’ll be your job to wash it down.”
“I see. Amazing the jobs there are on a ranch.”
“You have no idea,” she said, giving him a cheerful smile. “If my mom’s flowers need weeding, that could be your job, too.”
“Good thing it’s winter.” He found his Stetson and set it on his head. “I’ll be back.”
She couldn’t help but watch him as he walked across the yard toward the office. His shoulders were broad beneath the heavy Carhartt jacket, but he’d removed his coveralls, so she could see his slim hips. He moved like a man confident in his body, a man who’d been well trained. She gave a little shiver.