Rangers: Silver-Star Seductions: A Two-Book Box Set Read Online Free Page A

sold twice, the first time after being caught in a barn fire. He wasn’t burned but he hadn’t been very easy tempered since then.
    “Looks good,” she said and smiled at Billy. “I’ll get to work with them. Any special training they want for these guys?”
    “The whole nine yards – noise, water, fire, crowds.”
    “That’s going to take a little time.”
    “You’ve got a couple weeks to get ‘em all ready.”
    “Well then that’ll have to be long enough. Thanks Billy. I guess I’ll see you in a couple weeks.”
    “Yes, ma’am. You take care.”
    “You too.”
    Willa watched him leave then headed for her tiny office in the barn. Ronnie was checking the feed supplies when she entered. “With the new mouths to feed, I might ought to make a run into town,” he said.
    “Ok. Go ahead. I’m gonna start working with these guys.”
    “Maybe it ain’t a good idea for you to be here by yourself. The boys are in the west pasture rounding up the cattle and after Carl  ̶ ”
    “I’ll be fine. He won’t be back. At least not today. Hell, he probably won’t be conscious till dark as drunk as he was.”
    “Still…”
    “I’ll be fine, Ronnie. I have Lobo and the family – they’ll keep me company just fine.”
    “You and them dang critters,” Ronnie said and smiled. “Okay, fine. You need anything?”
    “Nope, I’m good.”
    “Okay. Maybe, I’ll take Polly and let her do her marketing.”
    “Sounds like a plan. See you later.”
    “You call if you need me, hear?”
    “I will. Thanks Ronnie.”
    Willa filed the paperwork, grabbed tack and went out to the paddock. When she opened the gate, the mare perked up her ears and watched expectantly. The Appaloosa looked in her direction as well. It was Jet who ignored her. She tossed the saddle over the fence rail along with the blanket but kept the bridle in her hand.
    “So that’s how it’s gonna be?” she asked. “Well, I guess I’ll just have to pick one of your friends to go for a ride.”
    He turned his head in her direction.
    “You wanna go, big boy?”
    The horse looked away. Willa just stood there and waited. After a few minutes, Jet turned in her direction. Willa smiled as he approached.
    She wandered slowly to the fence and he followed. She let him sniff the blanket, saddle and her until he was satisfied then showed him the bridle. He didn’t seem nervous but she spent a few minutes stroking him and talking to him anyway.
    Jet didn’t balk or shy away when she put the bridle on him. She led him out of the paddock and secured the gate. It took little time to get him saddled. Now came the real test. She grabbed the reins in her left hand and used that same hand to hold onto the saddle-horn as she inserted her left foot in the stirrup.
    Willa considered it a small victory that he didn’t move. “Good boy.” She gave his neck a rub. “Come on, let’s go.”
    Half an hour later, Willa reined Jet to a halt. They’d reached the southern edge of her property. Adjacent was Sam Newell’s place. Sam had fallen on hard times like many of the small ranchers and farmers in Calder County and rumor was that he was thinking of selling. There were also rumors of some unusual activity on his ranch, trucks coming and going at odd hours.
    Willa was normally not a nosy person, she tended to stick to her business, but she was a little curious and she was right there so she didn’t see that it would hurt just to take a look. She’d ridden Sam’s land since she was old enough to sit a horse, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. In fact, maybe she’d go check on Sam, just to make sure he and his wife, Martha, were okay.
    Jet was remarkably well-behaved, even when a long-eared jackrabbit darted out of some brush in front of him. Willa noted the sorry state of Sam’s pastures and lack of cattle in them. Obviously, Sam wasn’t buying and maybe he’d already sold off his stock.
    She crested a small rise that provided a view of the back of the