Braxton's Run: Cattle, Whiskey and Women

Chapter Fifteen

"Shit, we got some runaways." Brady said two days later as he and Laura rode several feet apart beside the herd. Laura looked to her left and saw the two cows that had wandered away and were quickly distancing themselves from the herd.

"I'll get them." she said.

"You sure?" Brady asked.

"Yes I'm sure. I'm getting the hang of this thing now." she replied with a smile and then she tugged the reins and headed after the cows. She had learned a lot over the last two days and was fitting in better with everyone. She didn't think that anyone suspected that she wasn't just one of the guys… She was doing good with everyone, except Braxton. She caught him staring at her quite often throughout the days and he would scowl and glare when he caught her looking back. She couldn't help but watch him. Out here Braxton was clearly in his element.

He was confident and sure of himself. He moved with a grace and a purpose that Laura couldn't help but find herself attracted to. She knew that she was going to have to tell him soon who she really was but she was still so afraid that he would send her home. She was having too much fun and learning too much about her own capabilities to go home now. She was still sore and her body hurt in places that she hadn't known existed but it was a good kind of hurt. The kind of hurt that came from working hard.

And she was definitely working hard lately. She knew that Braxton was putting more work on her than anyone else and she was pulling more than her fair share of work. Brady had offered to stand up for her and say something but she had told him not to. She was bound and determined to prove that a woman could make it out here just fine and that Braxton's fears had been unfounded.

She came around the two cows and whistled loudly several times to get them turned back in the right direction. She clapped her hands to speed them up and then looked around at the beautiful scenery. She had seen a lot of beautiful places while traveling with her father but that had been from train and stage coach windows…. There was something different about seeing them from the saddle of your own horse.

She wasn't paying much attention to where her horse was stepping. She knew she was heading back toward the herd because of the noise. She was enjoying the breeze on her face but wishing she could have a warm bath and clean clothes when suddenly her horse let out a terrified whinny and reared back.

Laura barely managed to stay in the saddle and as soon as the mare was back on all four hooves she took off running in the opposite direction of the herd. Laura couldn't even get enough breath into her lungs to scream as she was bounced around like a rag doll and fought to stay on the horses back. She wasn't sure what had spooked the horse but she was in a terrified panic and nothing Laura did was stopping her.

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Braxton saw the gray mare spook and then take off with that damn boy clinging to its back. Braxton's gut twisted with a fear he couldn't explain. He shouldn't care what happened to that boy who had his emotions and mind all twisted and confused, but he did. There was something about that boy and Braxton couldn't just sit by and let him get hurt.

He kicked his horse in the sides and took off toward the mare, passing Brady who was on his way to help the boy as well, as Braxton's gelding reached his fastest stride.

"Braxton!" Brady yelled and Braxton looked over his shoulder.

"What?" he hollered back.

"That's not my cousin from Montana up there! That's Laura!" Braxton was too far away from Brady by now to hear his words and he wasn't about to turn back or slow down. Whatever Brady had to say it could wait until after Braxton made sure the boy was safe. He wasn't about to lose a man on this drive.