Appaloosa Blues (Sisters of Spirit #8) Read Online Free PDF Page A

entirely. Sweat trailed narrow streaks on his dust-covered face and his troubled eyes held the tiredness of long hours. A dark stubble covered his squared chin, emphasizing the tight line of his mouth.
    "What on earth...?" His gaze roved over her, piercing as an eagle's as he examined her dirt-torn condition. "What happened to you?" His deep voice sharpened in concern. He must have spotted the scratches under the dirt.
    Without warning, he swung her up into his arms and carried her outside into the last of the light, sending her heart skittering in alarm. "Let's get you to the house. Couldn't you even wait a day to get into trouble?"
    "I didn't plan this." Even in her distraught state Jo noticed the ease with which he held her and the broad, muscular depth of his shoulders and arms, the work-hardened build of a man who was no longer a boy. "Put me down." She shoved hard against his chest.
    "Nothing doing." He looked around the barnyard, the iron bands of his arms effectively limiting her struggles to get away. "Stop squirming," he demanded. "Where's Paca?
    "In the wire."
    "Huh?"
    "I was chasing the bulls. Yours...ours were fighting in the fence between the pastures. Paca's caught in the wire. I don't know how long she'll stand—"
    "She didn't panic?" he demanded to know.
    "No. But I couldn't get her loose. She must think I've deserted her by—"
    "Where at?" he cut in sharply, giving her a small shake as if to quicken the flow of information.
    "At the corner. Where our pastures join."
    "I know the spot—you always use that gate."
    What he said was true. She always headed for the lookout spot in his pasture area at sunset time, if she happened to be anywhere near.
    Adam stopped abruptly, dropped her to her feet, and plucked the cutters out of her hand. "Stay here. I'll pick you up on the way back."
    He sprinted towards the barn, his long legs covering the ground in a fraction of the time she would have taken.
    Jo shoved back her bangs and watched as Adam disappeared inside to reappear almost immediately and enter the corral. In spite of Gramps' dire warnings about how vindictive Adam had become, Jo had known subconsciously that he would help. He might not think much of her or her family, but he wasn't the type to let an animal suffer.
    A moment later he galloped out, bareback, astride a rangy bay gelding, a strong man astride a powerful horse. Still cantering as he drew abreast of Jo, he reached down and clasped her left forearm, pulling her into a flying mount behind him. She had mounted horses this way before, in relay races, but did not expect the force with which Adam drew her up—and almost flew off the other side.
    Righting herself, she slipped her fingers under his thin leather belt and hung on tightly, avoiding the wire cutters jammed into his back pocket. She sat back far enough to give Adam some room while enabling herself to move with him.
    The bay surged forward in long leaping strides over the rugged terrain, responding to the urging of its master for greater speed. They charged uphill, rocks flying, dodging low branches that were barely discernible in the dim light.
    The reverse trip was made on the fly. Adam wasn't slowing down for anything. Jo realized she would have to stay alert or walk. He shifted away from each branch early enough for her to also duck clear, but just barely, not making any concessions for her.
    A rush of adrenaline swept through Jo. She loved to ride fast, but usually good sense and lack of an emergency kept her from doing so—one false step could break a horse’s leg.
    Adam was a superb rider with an intimate knowledge of the mountainside, riding fast but not recklessly, avoiding the extra push that would send them out of control. He took all the short cuts available to try to reach Paca, yet she felt safe behind him.
    For the first time in her life she felt totally in tune with Adam. They were doing this together, riding to the rescue. If only Paca wasn't in such danger. Her concern