The Iron Horseman Read Online Free PDF

tightening of the reins, but the sudden
change caused Apollo to rear.
    Within
seconds, she found herself flying backward. She closed her eyes until she
landed fully on her hind end. Thump.
    Ouch.
    She
opened one eye and then the other. Levi raced toward her, all playfulness
erased from his handsome features. She’d been lucky she hadn’t killed herself.
    “You
were lucky you didn’t kill yourself,” Levi breathed her thoughts as he reached
down and scooped her up from the ground.
    A
smile played with Cadence’s mouth.
    “Are
you all right?” he asked quietly, his brows crumpled together and his face
stoic.
    Cadence
was strangely touched by his concern, then she remembered why it had happened
in the first place.
    “You
ride with the circus or something? I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” Heat
flooded her cheeks and she wanted to crawl into a hole. “I mean…” What could
she say? “You can, um, put me down now, Mr. Redbourne. I am not hurt. Well, my
pride maybe, but I am fine.”
    Levi
laughed as he set her back on her feet. “It was just a little trick I learned
from my cousin, Lucas.”
    “Is
he as addlepated as you evidently are?”
    “I’m
not sure anyone is, really. Well, maybe one person.”
    “Oh,
yeah? And who might that be?”
    “That,”
a resonant voice from behind them boomed, “would be me.”
    Cadence
turned around to find an exact replica of Levi Redbourne approaching from the
direction of the hotel along with another man equal in height and stature, but
with a shade lighter hair.
    “Tag,”
Levi breathed out with a grin. Without looking back at her, he made the
distance between him and his double in a few short strides and they embraced.
    Curious.

Chapter
Three
     

 
 
    Levi
shouldn’t have dismissed the idea of his brother being in town so readily. He’d
just chalked it up to wishful thinking. But, folks had been acting strange
toward him all morning. The firm grip his brother had on him felt wonderful. It
had been way too long. When Tag released him, he pulled Cole into a tight hug.
It was so good to see them both.
    “Hey,
baby brother,” he said to Cole, “I’m surprised they could pull you away from
that stallion long enough to get you out this direction.”
    “He’s
done,” Cole beamed. “It didn’t take long. I rode him here.”
    Levi
hadn’t seen him in the livery.
    “He’s
out running the pasture behind the stables.”
    Levi
couldn’t help the grin that broke across his face. He pulled Cole in again for
another hug and lifted him off the ground. He couldn’t have been more proud.
    “You’re
a natural.”
    “You
can put me down now,” Cole said through short gasps for air. “I want to meet
your lady friend.”
    Cadence . He’d nearly
forgotten. How was that even possible?
    Levi
realized the scene he was making. Three Redbourne-grown men already gained
enough attention, they didn’t need anymore.
    “And
who, might I ask, is that lovely woman you had all wrapped up in your arms over
there, Levi?” Tag motioned with his chin toward Cadence, but didn’t wait for an
answer. He walked over to where the young beauty was still brushing the dirt
from her backside as she led Apollo toward the stables.
    Levi’s
neck grew warm.
    Where
are your manners? he could hear his mother saying and quickly pushed the devilish thoughts from
his head.
    Keep
it in check, Redbourne.
    He
caught up to Tag.
    “This
is little Cadie Walker,” Levi said as they approached the livery door. “My
friend Eamon’s daughter. You remember? The railroad Pinkerton I brought home
for a visit last summer?”
    Miss
Walker flashed him a look full of daggers.
    “You’re
Cadie?” Cole extended his hand to hers and pulled it up to his lips. Levi
rolled his eyes. It was odd to see his baby brother, now a man, trying to
impress a girl. Besides, Cole was all show. He hadn’t even been home to meet
Eamon. He’d been in Silver Falls, Colorado visiting his best friend.
    “My
name is Cadence