Reuniting with the Cowboy Read Online Free

her strays or her shelter. Some people could be so heartless.
    â€œIf that’s the case, they should find another vet instead of hassling you.” He gestured to the shepherd. “What’s he in for? Armed doggery?”
    She suppressed a grin. “Hoss is just staying with me while his family is on vacation. I didn’t have time to put him in a run yet.” The dog’s tail wagged as she snapped a leash on his collar. “Why did you really stop by?”
    â€œI brought your dish back. All washed and everything.”
    â€œYou didn’t have to do that.” She raised an eyebrow. “You walked across my rutted yard for that?”
    â€œI took it slow with my trusty stick.” He patted his cane, cleared his throat. “I also wanted to discuss...uh...to ask you for contacts on some hands. Since you do cattle vaccinations, I figured you’d know the right people.”
    Nervous? Cody Warren nervous? About asking her for ranch hand contacts? She strode over to the bulletin board.
    â€œA large ranch in the area just downsized. Lots of layoffs.” She removed a business card and pulled two stubs bearing names and numbers, then passed them to him. “The card is the ranch owner for references. The numbers are hands.” She rubbed the ache in the back of her neck.
    â€œAll your tension still lands in your neck and shoulders, huh?” Cody stuffed the contacts in his shirt pocket and limped around behind her. His warm hands grasped her shoulders, kneading her sore muscles.
    She stiffened, almost pulled away. But when she began to relax, all thought of getting away left her. She had to focus on something other than the shivers he was stirring up. “I won’t hold you to four cats. If you’ll just take three, I’ll be under limit.”
    â€œI want four. I was thinking I’d take the ones who’ve been here longest. But it would be a shame to separate the mama and her kittens, so I’ll take those three plus one of the veterans.”
    Such a sweetheart. Not many men thought that way. If he ever grew up and settled down, he’d make someone a great husband. “That would be Bruno. His past shouldn’t be a problem.”
    â€œYou know his story?” His thumbs soothed away her aches.
    What was she talking about? Oh yes, Bruno. “He killed his former neighbor’s pet rabbit and chickens. We don’t have any of either near here and he won’t be wandering far from home anymore since I neutered him.”
    â€œHear that, Hoss.” The German shepherd’s ears pricked. “You better stay on her good side.”
    â€œI need to get him in his run.” She stiffened again, pulled away and dug four collapsed cardboard carriers from under the counter. “And we better go get the cats before Mr. Humphries decides to come back.”
    And before she melted into a pool of butter at Cody’s feet.
    * * *
    Mama cat supervised her orange tom and gray female as they clambered and pounced on hay bales, while Bruno checked out the loft.
    â€œYou don’t think they’ll run away?” Cody still couldn’t muster up the courage to discuss their past, so he kept coming up with inane subject matter.
    â€œYou fed them.” She scratched the mama calico along her cheek. “So they should stay close here.”
    Cody settled on a hay bale. Would his leg ever stop aching?
    A breeze wafted through the barn, stirring strands that had strayed from her braid around her face. Absolutely beautiful. Why hadn’t some man snapped her up? Was it because of all the homeless pets she kept? Cody loved animals as much as she did, but not everyone felt the same way.
    If she’d found some critter-loving man and were living happily ever after, would it make whatever was left of his life easier or harder? “How come you never married?”
    â€œExcuse me?” She propped her hands on her hips.
    â€œJust