Daniel helped Megan slide around him to ride double behind him. Then he turned back for the barn.
Arent we going after Halo? she asked.
Were closer to the barn. Ill come back to get her when shes had time to calm down.
All he got from Megan was a soft snort. He could feel her anger and was torn between regret and relief. She was his employee. He had no right to kiss her like he had. Instead of holding around his waist, she gripped the rim of the saddles seat and didnt say a word.
Her silence made Daniels gut knot. This was the reason he didnt mix business with pleasure. And holy hell, it had been all pleasure, the feel of Megans lips on his, her body pressed tightly to his. But when you crossed the line, you couldnt go back. The easy camaraderie theyd had before the kiss might be gone for good.
Jack, the oldest of Daniels half siblings, and his younger brother Brett stood by the barn, sunlight glinting off their dark brown hair. They draped their arms over the wooden fence rail, their brows rising when Rider turned, revealing Megan behind Daniel.
Jack frowned. Run into trouble?
A grin split Bretts face. Or creating some of your own?
Daniel glared at Brett.
As soon as they reached the barn, Megan slid off the horses rump, her cheeks bright pink. Ill go look for Halo, she said, turning toward the barn to find another horse.
Dont worry about her. Jack and Brett can saddle up and help me go after her.
Fine. Megan, her face averted, ran for the barn.
Bretts smile disappeared. What happened?
Something spooked Halo.
His younger brothers gaze followed Megan. Not the horse. Megan. What happened with Megan? He faced Daniel.
Heat suffused Daniels cheeks and spread all the way out to his ears. When the horse bolted with Megan, I pulled her off. She rode back with me. Thats all. He narrowed his eyes, willing his brothers to stop with the inquisition about Megan. What did you think happened?
Bretts mouth twisted. I dont know, but Megan just ran off like a scalded cat.
Daniel blew out a breath. The point is, Halo spooked and nearly hurt Megan.
Jacks brows drew together. Thats not like her. Halos one of our gentlest mares.
I know. All the more reason to bring her back and find out whats wrong with her. Daniel looked from Jack to Brett. Are you coming or not?
Brett spun and trotted toward the barn. Itll just take us a minute to saddle up.
Daniel dismounted and led Rider to the watering trough, watching through his peripheral vision for Megan to emerge from the barn.
By the time his brothers had captured and saddled their horses, Megan still hadnt come out of the barn. Daniel knew it had been a mistake to kiss her. Now she was too embarrassed to come out while he was still around. She was the best assistant hed had. Okay, so she was the only assistant hed had. Now that his breeding program was doing well, he needed all the help he could get.
Megan was smart, computer savvy and great with the horses. He hoped she didnt quit because of one little kiss. One completely soul-defining, world-shattering kiss.
Daniel groaned.
Got a bellyache? Brett asked, leading his bay gelding out of the barn, followed by Jack.
No, just thinking.
Jack swung up on his horse, carrying a lasso in his right hand and reining with the left. Thinking these designer horses arent the way to go after all?
No, not at all. Daniel had put a lot of thought, planning, research and sweat into the horse-breeding program, and it was just beginning to pay off. He wasnt giving up now.
I told you, Jack, Brett said. With Daniels eye for excellent breeding stock and Megans record-keeping capabilities, were finally starting to take off. It wont be long before the Lucky C becomes a household name in progressive horse-breeding programs.
Daniels chest swelled. Im determined to continue that progressive trend. Has Big J considered my proposal to purchase semen from the Kennedy Farms?
Hes thinking about it. You already know how I feel, Jack said. The Lucky C is a cattle ranch. Weve always run cattle. The horses should be secondary, for running the cattle, not breeding.
Daniel respected his older brothers ability to manage a ranch the size of the Lucky C and his love and determination to protect his family. But the man was pragmatic and often slow to change. In order to let loose of the funding to purchase the semen needed to move their program forward, Daniel would have to convince both his father and his older brother it would be worth the investment.
Come on, Jack, Brett said, nudging his horse to catch up with Jacks. Daniels already got other breeders looking at the Lucky C lines. He knows what hes doing, and it doesnt hurt to diversify our holdings.
Yeah, well, we dont even know if the Kennedys will sell to us. Jack shot a glance at Daniel. Whats the latest?
They are all about the pedigree, Daniel said. They hand-select the programs they want to contribute to.
You have some of the best horses in the country, Brett noted. Why wouldnt they want to add to your lines?
Daniel snorted. Their pedigree requirement extends to family and heritage.
So? The Coltons are full of family and heritage. You think they might not sell to us because of family? Jacks brows dipped. Ill bet the Lucky C Ranch has been in the Colton family as long if not longer than the Kennedys have owned their ranch.
Yeah, but Im the one running the horse-breeding program here. Im the main contact, Daniel reminded him.
And?
Well, Im not exactly a blue blood or a purebred.
Jack reined his horse to a stop. What the hell are you talking about?
Yeah, what are you saying? Brett reiterated. Youre just as much a Colton as the rest of us.
Im the bastard, Daniel said, his tone flat.
Thats not how we see it, Brett said.
Jack, Brett, Ryan and Greta had always treated him as one of the family, even though Daniels stepmother had resented the fact that Big J brought him to live with them when his own mother had died.
Abra hated Daniel. She hated that Big J had an affair with the nanny when Abra had been halfway around the world on another one of her trips. The woman couldnt stand to be around her own kids. They made her nervous.
Daniels mother, full-blood Cherokee, had left the Lucky C when she discovered she was pregnant with Big Js child. Shed returned to the reservation, where shed instilled in Daniel pride in his Cherokee heritage and the love of horses.
Youre as much a Colton as the rest of us, Jack said.
Brett snarled. If anyone says differently, they can take it up with all of us.
Not everyone sees things the way you, Ryan and Greta do, Daniel assured them. But his heart warmed at the conviction in his brothers tones.
When hed come to live with them at only ten years old, hed thought hed be miserable, losing the mother he loved and moving in with a father he barely knew. He figured on staying until he was old enough to leave home.
And here he was twenty years later. He no longer lived at the big house, having moved out when he finished college. Now he lived in the cozy two-bedroom cabin close to the breeding barn. It was small but enough for a bachelor and away from his stepmother.