Samantha and the Cowboy Read Online Free PDF Page B

boss.”
    She couldn’t stop the smile from blossoming across her face. She was working for him! He might not have said that, exactly, but he’d sure implied it.
    He jerked his thumb toward Matthew. “You’ll ride beside Matt.”
    Her stomach dropped to somewhere around her knees with that declaration. She didn’t want to ride beside Matt. He was too handsome, too distracting. She’d be better off riding beside some homely fellow and learning what she needed to from him.
    Matthew obviously wasn’t thrilled with the turn of events either, as his eyes widened. “Why does he have to ride with me?”
    â€œBecause you hired him, and you need to figure out what he knows and teach him what he doesn’t know.”
    That answer seemed to irritate Matthew even more.The last thing Sam wanted was to cause hardship for the one who’d helped her. “Can’t he just tell me what I need to do, and then I can be on my own?”
    Jake looked at her as though she was too ignorant to know not to question his orders. “No,” he said in a voice that vibrated with warning. “Don’t question my orders.”
    â€œYes, sir,” she replied meekly. She’d run the farm for so long that she’d almost forgotten what it felt like not to be the one in charge.
    He looked at Matt. “You can both ride drag.”
    Matthew worked his jaw from side to side before asking, “Why do we have to ride drag? ”
    â€œSo you’ll learn not to hire someone without running it by me first.” Jake turned his attention to Sam. “Cookie can store your gear in the supply wagon. Matt here will show you the ropes. I want you to stick to him closer than his shadow.”
    Not exactly where she wanted to be. She didn’t want to be that close to anyone. The key to her success rested in her keeping her distance. Still, Sam nodded her understanding of the order and her gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the outfit. “You won’t be sorry.”
    â€œYou’d better hope I’m not, otherwise you’ll be sorry as well. And Matt will be even sorrier.” He turned his horse and rode off.
    Her stomach tightened with the double warning.She certainly didn’t want to cause trouble for Matt.
    Discreetly she peered at him. He looked as though he wanted to draw his gun from his holster and shoot the trail boss. His jaw was clenched tightly and his eyes were narrow slits of anger, a stormy blue that reminded her of turbulent waters.
    She was determined to learn quickly so she could save both their positions with the outfit. “Is riding drag hard?”
    He jerked his gaze to her as though he just now remembered she was there. He draped his wrist over his saddle horn. She shifted her stance beneath his intense scrutiny. With his thumb, he shoved his hat off his brow.
    â€œIt’s not hard, but it’s miserable. You end up choking down all the dust stirred up by the cattle. Hand your stuff over to Cookie, then mount up. The sooner we get started, the sooner you’ll learn, and the sooner I can move back to point.”
    He made it sound as though riding point was better than riding drag. He was right. She did have a lot to learn. Including who everyone was.
    â€œWho’s Cookie?” she asked.
    He tilted his head toward the supply wagon. “The cook. Most outfits call their cook Cookie.”
    â€œWhy?”
    He shrugged. “They just do. Come on, now, we’re burning daylight.”
    She untied the burlap sack from around the saddle horn and cautiously approached the man who was now tying things into place at the wagon.
    â€œMy supplies,” she offered. Such as they were.
    He harrumphed, took them, and stuffed her bag in a corner in the back of the wagon.
    â€œAppreciate it,” she told him.
    He grumbled something about “wet behind the ears” before turning away. Sam returned to her horse and pulled