Capturing the Cowboy's Heart Read Free Page B

off his hat and dragged a hand back through his thick hair.  He wasn’t going to fire Burk, he was going to kill him for even putting him in this position!
    Dragging in a deep breath, he attempted to calm himself.  Then, f orcing a smile, he said, “Surely you’ve got better stories to cover than a has-been rodeo rider.  I don’t have the fame and fortune your readers thrive on.”
    “On the contrary, Mr. Tyler, you’re still news.”
    The woman was just plain stubborn.  “News or not, I’m not doing any interview.  I’ve had my fill of publicity.  Especially, the kind you reporters thrive on.”
    The news media had taken his wife’s death and turned it into a media circus with all sorts of speculations as to what had caused her to go off the road that day.  Rumor was that Karen had found out he was having an affair and was so distraught over the news she lost control of her car and went off the road.  They were wrong.  There had been no other woman.   Ever.  
    Lacy Dalton shifted her briefcase to her other hand.  “You mentioned that you’re short-handed.  How about we make a deal?”
    He raised a brow.  Had she made mental notes of everything that had been said?  Lord, he hoped not.  “What kind of deal?”
    “You let me do the story with the agreement that you can approve it before I turn it in to my boss.  In exchange I’ll work for you.”
    “You’ll what?”
    “Work for you,” she repeated with a smile.  “ While I write about your life , of course ."  She reached out to touch his arm, her beautiful whiskey colored eyes pleading as she looked up at him.  "I need this assignment, Mr. Tyler.  I’m more than willing to work for it and according to Mr. Lowry you’re shorthanded right now. "
    Pretty or not, she’s a reporter. C ade pulled away , distancing himself from her soft touch.  “Have you ever worked a ranch Ms. Dalton?”
    “Well, no...”
    “I didn’t think so.  So let me make this clear.  I don’t take on people who have no ranching experience.  And I don’t hire women. ”
    She opened her mouth again, no doubt to lay into him for being what she saw as chauvinistic, but he held up a hand to stop her protest.
    “B efore you go getting all wound up , there’s a damn good reason why I don’t hire women.  My bulls are mean.  They’re bred to be that way.  The meaner they are the harder they buck, and the more a company will pay me when they rent them for rodeos.  We men have enough trouble handling them as it is.   So give up and go home. ”
    She looked on the verge of tears. 
    Lord, he hated to see a woman cry .  Especially knowing he was the one who’d caused them to .  “ Try and understand, I don’t want anyone writing about the Flying T , or me for that matter.”  His gaze swept across his property, then back to her.  “The Flying T has turned into a shadow of what it used to be.  And so have I.”
    Ho pe flickered to life in her eyes.   “All the more reason to do this interview . ”  
    “What’s in it for you?” he asked, his gaze moving over the fitted jacket and curve-hugging skirt she wore.  “You don’t look like you need the money.  Nice clothes.  Fancy car. ”
    “I have my reasons.”
    “As do I.  You and I both know there are plenty of other ex-rodeo riders who would be glad to have you interview them.  Just not me.   And you can tell your boss I said so. ”
    All he wanted was for her to go away.  He had more than enough on his mind without her adding to it .  Or at least there were things that should have been on his mind, not some troublesome female with lips that tempted him to kiss their pout away.
    “ I hope things turn around for you, Mr. Tyler,” she said, sounding surprising ly sincere.  Then she turned and made her way down the porch steps.
    Cade watched her go, guilt dragging his mouth into a frown . 
    Suddenly, she stopped and spun around.  “If you happen to change your mind,” she said, h