To Protect His Own. Brenda Mott

were obviously way out of his league, and now that he really thought about it, so was she. He had no business pretending he could afford a horse from such a highbrow ranch. But he hadn’t wanted to disappoint Hallie, and he figured the outing would do her good. If nothing else, she’d have a fun afternoon looking at all the horses, and then he would suggest they shop somewhere else.

      Maybe Caitlin would point him in the direction of a horse breeder more within his budget. He grimaced, the thought just as sour in his mind as he knew the words would taste in his mouth. It wasn’t that he was trying to keep up with the Joneses. It was more a matter of wishing it was within his power to give Hallie whatever she wanted. He didn’t want to spoil her. He just wanted to shower her with love and anything that would make her happy.

      “Daddy, look!” In her excitement, Hallie called him by the term of endearment she’d claimed to have outgrown some time ago. “Look at all the colts!” She pointed out the window at the mares and foals, grazing in a postcard-perfect expanse of green grass behind white fencing. Some of the foals played and bucked. Others nursed or nibbled grass alongside the mares, fuzzy tails flicking.

      The sight brought back memories of his palomino mare, Goldie, and the buckskin colt she’d had the summer he was thirteen. He’d had to sell it when he and his mother moved to Denver.

      Alex stopped in front of the set of wrought iron, electronic gates. He pressed the security buzzer and spoke to Caitlin through the speaker, then pulled his truck through the gates as they whirred open. Hallie was out of the pickup before it had even come to a complete stop.

      Caitlin greeted them from the front porch. “Hi. Are you ready to look at some horses, Hallie?”

      “You bet! Your foals are so cute.”

      “Thanks. We can take a closer look at them, too, if you want.”

      “All right.” Hallie dogged Caitlin’s heels as she made her way toward the paddocks, leaning heavily on her cane.

      Suddenly, it occurred to Alex that maybe she was more exhausted from her physical therapy than she wanted to admit. But then, he supposed she would’ve had Dillon show them around if that were so.

      She led them on a mini tour of the ranch, driving them in a golf cart. “This is about the only motorized thing I’ve been behind the wheel of lately,” she said. “But I suppose it’s a start.” After petting the foals, they went with her to the main barn. “Want to meet Red Fire and Black Knight?” she asked.

      “Sure.” Hallie nodded, her ponytail bobbing.

      Alex was in awe of the entire setup. Everywhere he looked were signs of immense wealth. Stable hands, exercise riders…high-dollar equipment of every sort imaginable, including a trio of electronic hot walkers outside the barn. He followed Hallie and Caitlin into the spacious barn. On either side of the aisle were rows of stalls with adjoining paddocks. Caitlin led them to one near the center of the building. Inside stood a huge black horse, probably a good sixteen and a half hands high, Alex guessed.

      “This is Black Knight,” Caitlin said. “He’s eight.” She stroked the gelding’s neck as he leaned over the stall door.

      The big horse lowered his muzzle toward Hallie as she tentatively stepped closer and ran her fingertips over the star on his forehead. “He’s huge!”

      Caitlin chuckled. “Yes, he is—sixteen-point-three hands.” She moved to the next stall and spoke to the chestnut inside.

      While this one wasn’t nearly as big as Black Knight, he was still a good size—about fifteen and a half hands. Alex definitely had something smaller in mind for Hallie.

      “And this is Red Fire,” Caitlin said, her affection for the horse obvious in her voice. She cradled his head in her hands as he nuzzled her. “I’ve had him since he was four. He was my first speed-event horse outside of the Welsh ponies I rode early on. He’s seventeen…still in his prime.”

      Hallie stroked the chestnut’s nose. “You’re a pretty boy, aren’t you?” she cooed.

      “Actually, horses can reach their thirties,” Caitlin said, “given the right care and a little luck.”

      “I know, I’ve been reading a lot,” Hallie said.

      “That’s a good thing. Knowledge is power.” She grinned, and Alex’s heart raced.

      God, she was beautiful. “So, how old were you when you got Red Fire?” he asked, hoping the question sounded casual, as though he were wondering if she’d been near Hallie’s age.

      “Not much younger than Hallie,” she said. Her impish grin told him she was on to him. “I was ten, and I’ve had him for almost fourteen years. So that would make me twenty-four.” She widened her eyes at him. “Not the child you thought I was.”

      He felt his face heat. “You are compared to my decrepit thirty.”

      She laughed. “Hardly.”

      Then she turned to Hallie as though realizing she was flirting with him in front of his daughter. No. It was more than that. Her entire attitude and body posture suddenly changed, as though she’d become abruptly aware of…what?

      “So where are the horses that are for sale?” Hallie asked.

      “We’ve got some in the barn, some out on pasture,” Caitlin said. She hesitated, and Alex frowned. Maybe she was finally realizing her horses were out of his price range. The thought irritated him.

      “You can show us the horses,” he said. “I might not have enough to buy something for six figures, but I am capable of paying for a quality animal for my daughter.” He hoped. Lord, what if he’d just put his foot in his mouth but good? If she called his bluff…

      He kept his poker face in place. To his annoyance, Caitlin seemed amused.

      “I wasn’t implying anything to the contrary,” she said. “I was thinking that Red Fire is just standing here going to waste. I mean, he gets exercised regularly, but he’s happiest performing in the arena, aren’t you, boy?” She cupped the gelding’s jaw between her hands and planted a kiss on his muzzle.

      Alex shivered. Her hands looked so soft. She had slim, delicate fingers and creamy skin, and somehow his mind was on something else, not horses.

      “You mean you’d sell him?” Hallie asked eagerly.

      “No, I couldn’t part with him,” Caitlin said. “But I could loan him to you.”

      “Really?” Hallie’s eyes were round with anticipation.

      “If it’s all right with your dad.”

      “Whoa, hold on.” Alex held up his hand, glancing at the horse. “He’s awfully big.”

      “Dad, he’s perfect.” Hallie bobbed up and down, waving her arms.

      He hadn’t seen her this enthusiastic, this happy in ages. He wavered.

      “He’s fifteen-two,” Caitlin said. “Smaller than any other horse on this ranch.”

      “I’m familiar with how to measure a horse,” Alex said, feeling like a fool for not realizing the Kramers would only have big horses. He was used to quarter horses, which averaged about fifteen hands.

      “Sorry.” She smirked.

      “And fifteen-two is tall,” he went on.

      Caitlin shrugged. “I guess I’m used to sixteen-plus jumpers.”

      “He’s perfect, Dad,” Hallie repeated, eyes sparkling. She reached once more to stroke the chestnut’s blaze. “And he’s already trained for barrel racing.”

      “Size is not the point anyway,” Caitlin said. “Red Fire is gentle and trustworthy. Bombproof. Child-proof.” She shrugged. “He’d never purposely do anything to hurt his rider.”

      “I was thinking more