Bad In Boots: Colt's Choice Read Online Free Page A

to twenty, she had to remind herself…she did ask for this. This was her chance to prove to Colt she was serious about staying.
    With a sudden burst of energy, Elise jumped out of bed and headed for the shower.

* * * * *
    As she pulled her red Audi coupe up beside his truck, Colt walked to her car in long, purposeful strides.
    “You’re late,” he commented, irritation obvious in his tone when she opened her door.
    Elise looked at her watch as she climbed out of her car and gave him a patient look.
    “I’m one minute late.”
    He turned on his heel, calling over his shoulder, “Come on. There’s a lot to do before the workday gets started. Every minute counts.”
    Elise followed him over to the stables. No one was around. Well, of course not! Who would be up at this ungodly hour?
    Colt handed her a pitchfork. “Here, put some hay in the stalls for the horses.”
    Elise gave him an incredulous look.
    His eyebrow shot up. “Not above doing a little hard work, are ya?”
    She clamped her lips shut to keep the retort that sprang to mind from escaping. Turning on her heel, she headed for the broken up bale of hay. As she shoved the pitchfork into the straw, she imagined it was Colt’s rear end. At least that brought a smile to her face.
    Thankfully, someone had at least cleaned the stalls and that wasn’t her assigned task for the day. While she shoveled hay, Colt fed and watered the horses. After an hour, she stopped and brushed her hand across her brow. The smell of the stables and the fresh hay assailed her nostrils, causing a smile to ride up her face. She forgot how much she loved the smells, well, minus the odor of manure, of course.
    “Hey, get to work, slacker,” Colt called out from over one of the stalls.
    She stuck out her tongue before she started moving hay again.
    Colt looked back down, but she thought she saw a smile before he turned his head.
    Ten minutes later, Sam walked into the stables. A surprised look crossed his face when he looked at the pitchfork in her hand.
    “Mornin’ Miss Hamilton,” he said respectfully as he turned questioning eyes to Colt.
    “Mornin’ Sam.” Colt walked over and took the pitchfork from her hands.
    He handed the tool to Sam and escorted her out of the stables. “I guess it’s time for us to get to work.”
    Elise rubbed her sore hands on her jeans. “Anything else?”
    He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “Not right now.”
    She saluted him and sauntered off toward the office.

* * * * *
    Later that day, Elise smiled to herself while she opened another file on the computer. With Mace out of town for a couple of days, she had complete access to his computer and had already made good progress on the website. Glancing at her watch, she realized it was almost lunchtime. She rolled her shoulders and decided to work a little longer to get to a good stopping point. If she worked over, she could always go see Nan in the kitchen.
    Before Mace left, he’d told her about Nan, “Not only does she fix the meals, but she helped raise us.” He’d winked at Elise on his way out saying, “Yep, Nan’s as much a fixture around the ranch as the horses.”
    After a half hour, she shut down her computer and started to pull her purse out of the drawer, ready to head out for lunch, when Colt walked into her office with an extra cowboy hat in hand.
    “Where are you going?”
    She looked up at him. “I’m going to lunch.”
    Colt reached over and put the hat on her head. “Not right now, Princess. We have a fence that needs mending. You can eat later.”
    “Now?” She gave him an exasperated look.
    Colt turned on his heel, expecting her to follow. “Now. The cattle can’t wait, Elise.”
    With a growling stomach, Elise gritted her teeth and followed him out of the office.
    He didn’t say a word as they made their way to the stables. When they got there, Colt handed her the reins to her horse.
    “This is Bess. She’ll be a good ride for you while you’re here,” he said