Montana Sky

around to the word and its meaning. “I fainted? That’s ridiculous!”
    “Went down real graceful too.” She’d toppled like a tree, he remembered, but didn’t think she’d appreciate the analogy. “Didn’t hurt your head, did you?”
    “My head?” Still dazed, she lifted a hand to it. “I don’t think so. I . . .” And then she remembered. “Oh, God, that cow. What they were doing to that cow. What are you grinning at?”
    “I’m imagining what it was like for you to see a bull turned into a steer for the first time. Guess you don’t see much of that in Beverly Hills.”
    “We keep all our cattle in the guest house.”
    He nodded appreciatively. “There now, you’re coming around.”
    She was, indeed. Enough to realize she was being cradled against his chest like a baby. “Why are you carrying me?”
    “Well, it didn’t seem neighborly to drag you by the hair. Your color’s coming back.”
    “Haven’t you put her down yet?” Willa demanded as she strode back into the room holding a glass of water.
    “I like it this way. She smells pretty.”
    The exaggerated drawl made Willa chuckle and shake her head. “Stop playing with her, Nate, and dump her. I’ve got work to do.”
    “Can’t I keep her, Will? I don’t have me a female out on the ranch. Gets lonely.”
    “You two are a riot.” Striving to restore some dignity, Tess swiped the hair out of her eyes. “Put me down, you idiot beanpole.”
    “Yes’m.” From a considerable height, he dropped her onto the leather couch. She bounced once, scowled, and pushed herself up.
    “Drink this.” With little sympathy, Willa thrust the glass of water into Tess’s hand. “And stay away from the corrals.”
    “You can be sure I will.” Furious with herself, and the fact that she was still shaky, Tess drank. “What you were doing out there was revolting, barbaric, and cruel. If mutilating a helpless animal isn’t illegal, it should be.” She set her teeth when Nate beamed at her. “And stop grinning at me, you fool. I don’t imagine you’d appreciate having your balls snipped off with pruning shears.”
    He felt them draw up, cleared his throat. “No, ma’am, I can’t say I would.”
    “We don’t castrate the men around here till we’re through with them,” Willa said dryly. “Look, Hollywood, weaning and castration are part of ranch life. Just what do you think would happen if we left every cow with his works? We’d have bulls humping everything.”
    “Cattle orgies every night,” Nate put in, then backed off at the searing looks delivered by both women.
    “I don’t have time to explain the facts of life to you,” Willa continued. “Just get over it and stay away from the corral for the next couple of days. Bess’ll find work for you inside the house.”
    “Oh, joy.”
    “I don’t see what else you’re good for. You can’t even gather eggs without breaking the lot of them.” When Tess hissed at her, she turned to Nate. “You wanted to talk to me?”
    “Yeah, I did.” He hadn’t expected quite so much entertainment. “First, I wanted to see if you were all right. I heard about the trouble you’ve been having.”
    “I’m all right enough.” Willa took the glass of water out of Tess’s hand and drank the rest of it down herself. “There doesn’t seem to be a lot I can do about it. The men are a little spooked, and they’re keeping their eyes out.” She set the empty glass down, pushed her hat back. “You haven’t heard about this sort of thing happening to anyone else?”
    “No.” And it worried him. “I don’t know what I can do to help, but if there is anything, just ask.”
    “I appreciate it.” Willa took his hand and squeezed it, a gesture that caused Tess to purse her lips thoughtfully. “Were you able to deal with that other business we talked about?”
    Her will, he thought, naming Adam as beneficiary. And the papers transferring his house, the horses, and half of her interest in Mercy to him at the end of the year. “Yeah, I’ll have a draft to you on all of it by the end of the week.”
    “Thanks.” She released his hand, adjusted her hat. “You can talk to her if you’ve got time to waste on it.” She sentTess a wicked smile. “I’ve got cows to castrate.”
    As Willa strode out, Tess folded her arms and tried to settle her temper. “I could learn to hate her. It wouldn’t take any effort at all.”
    “You just don’t know her.”
    “I know she’s cold, rude,