Devils on Horseback: Nate Read Free

and back to the ranch. She didn’t trust herself. Mr. Marchand was like a box of chocolates she wanted to savor, bite by bite, but if he was in business with O’Shea, she’d do well to keep her mouth to herself.
    * * * * *
    Nate watched the young woman leave the store and with great effort resisted the urge to chase after her. Holy hell, just the sight of her had affected him like nothing he’d ever felt before. She wasn’t classically beautiful, or even clean for that matter, but there was something…elemental about her that made his dick stand at attention and his balls heavy with need. Her intelligence and wit were obvious, and as sharp as that tongue of hers.
    “Who was that?” he asked the older man.
    “Elisa Taggert. ’Twas her granddaddy, Jed Grayton, who started this town from a patch of dirt in the middle of nowhere. He brought the first head of cattle out here and set up his ranch.”
    Elisa. The name fit her Irish beauty perfectly. The pert freckled nose, the deep blue eyes that practically shot sparks at him, and those lips. Hell, he was going to dream about those pink lips for the rest of his life. They were plump and pouty by nature—the kind that made him want to nibble and lick for hours. He shifted in his trousers, hoping Marvin didn’t notice the erection currently pulsing between his legs. Damn that little hellion.
    “O’Shea said you could set up that advertisement?”
    Nate shook his head to clear it. The fiery woman in the trousers had not only confused his body, she’d confused his mind. He’d even forgotten he was hungry.
    “Yes, he did. Would it be acceptable to hang it in the window?”
    Marvin shrugged. “’S all right, I suppose. Where should I send folks if they ask about you?”
    “Just outside town near the clearing with the small stream. Do you know it?”
    Marvin nodded. “Yep, sure do. Let’s get your paper hung up then.”
    Within moments, the D.H. Enterprises advertisement that Nate had painstakingly made five copies of was hung. He only hoped that business would come along sooner than later. His stomach picked that particular moment to remind him how empty it was. After the cramp passed, he turned to shake Marvin’s hand.
    “Do you need any supplies out there, Mr. Marchand? Any friend of O’Shea’s…”
    Nate wanted to say no, but dammit to hell, he was so fucking hungry. Buying on credit was not a good idea, but he figured he could work it off, if necessary.
    “Actually, we do, Marvin.” He rattled off a list of supplies that included coffee, something he’d probably sell his right foot for, and staples to make five men reasonable meals for two weeks. Just like that, he had the supplies and was out the door.
    Nate glanced at the advertisement and smiled. Grayton was going to be the turning point for D. H. Enterprises. He could feel it in his bones, bones that would soon be fed well for the first time in months.

Chapter Two
    Elisa jumped on her Arabian, Midnight, and rode out of town like her hair was on fire. The deep thunder of the horse’s hooves echoed through her body, soothing her. She’d always struggled with her temper, her impatience. This time she was impatient with herself.
    The wind whistled past her ears as the late spring warmth coated her face.
    For some unknown reason the stranger, Nate, had affected her like no other. That alone made her angry. The fact that he considered himself available to work for O’Shea made it worse.
    Her mother’s gentleness had always helped during Elisa’s spells of fury. With her mother gone the last year, Elisa struggled almost daily with her inner devils. At the moment, they were jumping up and down on her back cackling madly.
    Damn idiot. Life wasn’t complicated enough, now she had to go and get herself twisted up over a stranger. A man. Elisa’s contact with men had been limited to cowboys and her family. Of course, her father and brother didn’t count. Cowboys treated her like one of them. She’d