Once Upon a Cowboy Read Online Free PDF Page A

stick a saddle on her back and climb aboard. Catching the reins, she led Petunia over to where Gabby sat with the saddle. He tossed her a pad and blanket.
    Okay. A pad and blanket. They undoubtedly went under the saddle so the horse wouldn't suffer from saddle sores. Made sense. She could do this. But which came first? Pad or blanket? She struggled to recall and drew a total blank. No problem. When all else failed, use logic and reason. Then guess.
    She stepped in front of the horse, stroking the soft tan muzzle. Petunia ducked her head and Cami took the opportunity to whisper into the huge horsey ear. "Time for you and me to reach a little understanding. I need to look good and I'd appreciate your help with that. I've already struck out on my first cowboy skill. I'd be real sorry, if not downright annoyed, if I struck out on this one, too. So what do you say we girls stick together and make a small—though profitable—bargain? Say a lump of sugar in exchange for fifteen minutes' good behavior?"
    Petunia snorted, grabbed a mouthful of silver shirt fringe and chowed down. Cami scuffled with the horse and came away with a bit less fringe than when she'd started. "That's a yes, right?" she asked. Petunia grabbed for more fringe and Cami darted toward the horse's midsection. "Well, if that's a yes I'd hate to think how you'd tell me no. But I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I guess."
    "That horse ain't gonna saddle itself, no matter how long you stand there and jaw with it," Gabby informed her.
    She gave a decisive nod. "Gotcha. More saddle, less jaw."
    Trusting to dumb luck, a quality that rarely let her down, she placed the pad first and the blanket second, across the horse's back. Great. She scratched her head. Not great. There seemed to be a whole heck of a lot more blanket than horse. This couldn't be right. The deep creases in the thick cotton caught her attention and inspiration struck. She folded the blanket and eyed the results. That looked much better. She returned for the saddle.
    "Allow me," Gabby said. He straddled the rail, grabbed the saddle horn, and passed her the saddle.
    "Too kind," she said. She grasped hold of it, staggered beneath the unexpected weight, and measured her sixty-seven inches in the dirt.
    Gabby chuckled. "Heavy sucker, ain't it?"
    "I hadn't noticed," she claimed, struggling to get the saddle off her chest.
    Holt leaned against the fence, his arms folded across the top rail. His shoulders quivered in a most suspicious manner. "Need help?"
    "Oh, no. I'm doing just fine. Thanks."
    She managed to get her legs beneath her and stand. All that starch in her jeans helped. Approaching the horse, she gave a tremendous heave. The saddle whacked onto Petunia's back, stirrups and straps flying. The horse snorted, kicking at the stirrups. Cami planted her hands on her hips, quite pleased with herself, until she noticed that the saddle horn pointed south, when it should have pointed north.
    She sneaked a glance at Holt. Had he noticed? His shoulders quivered again, which probably meant he'd noticed. Dang. She turned back to the horse.
    A few twists and turns and grunts had the saddle where it belonged. Now for the hard part—getting it connected. Crouching, she peered beneath Petunia's belly at the two woven straps dangling from the far side of the saddle. Large brass rings decorated the ends.
    Connected to the back strap ring she noticed a beltlike contraption. Finally. Something familiar. Something that should be easy and straightforward. She darted under the horse and grabbed the back strap.
    "Ahem."
    Cami glanced at Holt. "Ahem?"
    He nodded. "Ahem."
    "Gotcha."
    She let go of the one strap and grabbed the other, gently easing it beneath Petunia's belly. Now to figure where the darn thing connected. Striving not to appear as green as she happened to be, she poked and prodded. How many cowboy movies had she watched over the years? More than she could count. How did they saddle horses in