When It's Right(38)

She held up her bandaged hand to show Blake that what he was asking wasn’t an easy task. “I’ll give it a shot.”

Blake would bet she’d do anything to help Boots feel better. He’d do the same for her if she let him.





Chapter 13



It took some coaxing, but she finally got Boots to follow her into the stall after he inhaled his pile of hay and oats. She closed the outside gate and gave him another rub down his nose before she let herself out the stall door to the stables. She expected Blake to meet her and jumped when another man appeared.

“Hey there. I’m Ken. Damn.” He reached for her face, but she backed away from his calloused hand. He smiled, but it didn’t ease her mind. He took a step closer. She took two back. “No need to run away. You really got yourself banged up, didn’t you? Look at that shiner.”

“Where’s Blake?” Gillian’s heart pounded so hard against her chest that her ribs ached with every beat. Taller than her, he outweighed her by a good fifty pounds. Lean and wiry, dirty blonde hair, and a day’s worth of golden beard shadowed his jaw. Cute, but not as handsome as Blake, with his corded muscles and ruggedly gorgeous face.

When did I start comparing all men to one?

Ken eyed her up and down, obviously liking what he saw, despite her injuries. She’d seen him staring at her when she’d been in the pasture with Boots. Ken seemed okay, but right now she wanted to be left alone. She didn’t want to explain her injuries or how she got them.

“He’s out with your little brother. If you need something, I’m happy to help.”

Too close, he’d subtly closed the distance between them as she’d backed away. “Back off. Give a girl room to breathe.” She tried to keep her tone casual and still get her point across. He didn’t back off, just gave her another gentle smile. It didn’t help dissipate the fear rising to her throat, warranted or not. He still didn’t move out of her way, keeping her trapped with her back to the stall door.

“That’s not what I call giving her space,” Blake said from behind Ken.

Relieved to see him, Gillian breathed easier.

“Get away from her. Now.” Blake didn’t hide the steel in his words.

“Don’t get all hot, Blake. I was just saying hi and getting a better look at her battered face. Looks like you were in some kind of fight.”

Gillian flinched, despite her best effort to not show Ken he’d gotten things right.

Ken remained between Blake and Gillian, setting Blake’s blood to boiling. Backed up to the stall door, Gillian remained wide-­eyed and watchful, her whole body tensed for fight or flight.

Didn’t she know she was safe now? Blake would never let anything happen to her.

“Back off, Ken,” Blake warned again.

“What happened to you? Car accident or something?”

“Yeah. I hit a car,” she said sarcastically. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to find Justin.”

Her vague answer amused Blake. She had hit the car, literally. Still, Ken barely gave Gillian enough room to brush past him. She never took her eyes off Ken, who clearly took Gillian’s sharp gaze to mean she was interested. He gave her an appreciative grin as his eyes swept down her body without even the hint of subtlety.

Ken made his point. No way he gave up chasing after Gillian, especially when beautiful women like her were few and far between in these parts. Ken and some of the other guys drove up to some of the bars near the college campus in Bozeman to hit on coeds. Too old to be doing that, Blake always declined. He hoped Ken had another trip planned soon so he’d find someone else.

Gillian was off limits.

“I’ll meet you outside, Gillian. Justin’s there with your grandparents. He’s having a blast. We’re going into town soon.”

She made a point to take a wide arc around Blake and Ken as she moved toward the stable doors. She kept her body slightly turned toward them to keep them in her peripheral vision while she made her way down the long aisle, her hands clasped, her fingers linked tight together. Nervous or scared? Blake wasn’t sure which, or if it was both.

Ken rattled her. Damn.

“Gillian. Pretty name for a pretty girl.”

“Don’t forget Bud’s warning from this morning. She’s off limits. I told you to give her space. What do you do? You back her into a door.”

“I just wanted to get a good look at her. The car accident banged her up, but damn, she’s beautiful. The bruises just make her look more innocent.” Ken didn’t take his eyes off Gillian until she disappeared out the door. He put a hand to his chest over his heart, like it pained him to see Gillian go.