Land of Enchantment Read Online Free PDF Page A

twinkle was in his eyes as his friends behind him sniggered at that statement.
    'I choose my own escorts,' Diana retorted with deliberate, cutting coldness.
    'You've cornered yourself a fiery little filly, Jack,' one of the other men hooted.
    It was an unpleasant situation. Diana could see the brazen cowboy reassessing his chance of success. She had learned long ago that calm indifference combined with a few well-chosen words usually put off the most persistent wolves.
    'I might have known you would be the one to waylay my girl, Evans.'
    A third voice startled both Diana and the cowboy blocking her way. A sigh of relief sounded from Diana as she recognized Lije Masters walking towards them. His arrival brought a swift end to the cowboy's desire to prolong the conversation. There was a hint of a smile about his mouth as Lije met the grateful look she gave him. The cowboy named Evans was already moving to the side.
    'The lady never said she was meeting you, Masters.' The wind was out of the cowboy's sails and Diana was glad.
    Her heart was still singing with the words, 'my girl', although she realized they were said for someone else's benefit.
    'I was wondering what kept you, Diana.' Lije Masters smiled and the smile removed all the hard remote lines in his face. Diana felt bathed in a golden glow of warmth that increased as his hand took her elbow and guided her away from the group of silent cowboys. When they were out of earshot, he looked down at her, his grey eyes twinkling with amusement. 'It is Diana, isn't it?'
    'Yes, Diana Mills.' Breathless embarrassment crept into her throat, making speaking difficult. She felt so strangely submissive when she was with him. 'I have to thank you again for rescuing me.'
    'It was my pleasure again.' The smile was no longer on his lips but had retreated to his eyes. And Diana regretted the loss. 'I was settling my horses for the night. It'll take a few more minutes. Do you mind?'
    'Not at all' Diana replied, trying hard not to feel she was superfluous.
    The buckskin and the bay were in adjoining stalls not too far from where Lije had found her. The stalls were large and roomy, but Diana stayed by the door. She had never been very comfortable around horses, mostly because she hadn't had too much to do with them. She was content to watch Lije as he picked up a curry comb and began brushing the broad back of the dappled buckskin.
    'What are the names of your horses?' Diana asked, noting the ease with which he moved around the horse.
    'This fellow,' slapping the buckskin on the side to get him to move over, 'is just plain Buck. Red, my other horse, is registered with the American Quarter Horse Association as Firebrand.'
    Diana watched while Lije picked up the horse's hoof and began cleaning it. It made her wonder if she could ever behave that naturally with a horse. That thought made her laugh silently, because where would she ever have the chance to find out?
    'Why do you have two horses?'
    The grey eyes smiled at her question, as Lije lifted the last hoof and cradled it on his knee.
    'Buck is the best all-around horse a man could have. He ropes calves, does a good job of hazing, serves as a pick-up horse if he's needed, can cut and rein as well as any, and in a pinch, you can bulldog off him. For steer wrestling, nothing can touch Red.' He set the hoof back on the floor. 'There, all done.'
    Brushing the straw from his tan dress jeans, Lije walked to the stable door where Diana was standing. His shadow loomed over her momentarily before he stepped into the outside light.
    'There's not really a lot I can show you this late.' It wasn't an apology, but the statement of a fact that they were both aware of. 'There's a little café down the street. Would you like some coffee?'
    Diana agreed. But later when they walked into the brightly lit restaurant, she wished he had chosen somewhere a little less public. Looking across the table at him, it was hard for her to believe that she had ever been