Hold You In My Arms (Stevens book 9)

Chapter 3

When Henry had arrived at the ranch two weeks earlier, the Bluebonnets had just started blooming, and now they were a patchwork of blue that covered the hills surrounding the ranch. It was as if some had laid a carpet of cobalt over the ground. Bluebonnet season also meant the beginning of branding season, which meant that it would be a busy week.

Usually, the family would come to celebrate her grandparents' anniversary, a tradition that continued even though they had both passed on and help with the branding, but this year they were being held up in New York by a lawsuit. Fiona was vague on the details, but she did understand that it meant there was no extra help this year.

This was the first year that Fiona would be on her own, and it was a lonely business, but despite the fact, Henry and Fiona had taken to having a cup of coffee together every morning.

During the coffee sessions, they discussed the different aspects of ranch life, and sometimes Roger joined them, sometimes not. On the occasions when it was just Fiona and Henry, he had taken the time to give her a few pointers on how to best talk to and lead the men. Some of the information had been useful, but some of it would never work coming from her.

Either way, it was nice to have a moment to spend with someone away from the barn. Fiona hadn't realized how cut off from everyone she was or how lonely that made her. Her parents had retired the previous winter and handed the ranch over to Fiona. Now they were traveling the world and enjoying every minute, and as much as Fiona wanted to beg them to come home, she couldn't do it. They deserved their retirement.

Since branding started the following day, Fiona had wandered into the barn and climbed into the small loft area where they kept the branding irons and a few other tools of the trade. Branding was her least favorite thing to do on the ranch, but she understood the necessity of it. Luckily, they had moved the business away from cattle and more toward horses, so their cattle population was not what it used to be, which meant branding took less than a week, depending on how many calves had been born.

Fiona had moved to the edge of the loft with the surprisingly heavy irons when she noticed Henry working below. He was leading a horse into her stall then began brushing out her coat. He hadn't seen Fiona above him, so she took a minute to admire the view and his strong hands as they soothed the horse.

A moment later, one of the men they called Tiny approached the stall where Henry was working. Tiny wasn't called Tiny because he was small. In fact, he was the opposite. He towered above everyone, and he always made Fiona a little nervous, which was why she did her best to avoid him.

Henry greeted him in a friendly manner, but Tiny looked as if he was itching for a fight.

"Is something wrong, Barry?" Henry asked. Fiona guessed that Tiny's real name was Barry. It said a lot about Henry that he had taken the time to learn his real name.

"It's Tiny," Tiny insisted.

"If you insist, Tiny," Henry nodded, his grin fading. "What can I do for you?" Henry kept his movements calm as he finished with the horse and backed out of her stall, closing the stall door behind him.

"I don't like the way you're taking up with Miss Stevens," Tiny growled.

Fiona felt herself freeze at the comment. Why should Tiny mind who she spent time with?

"I'm not sure what you mean, Tiny. I haven't taken up with anyone." Henry reached into his back pocket and pulled out a bandana that he used to wipe his hands.

Fiona's heart rate had increased, she felt like there was going to be a fight, and she didn't like fights. She knew as a Navy SEAL Henry was more than capable of handling himself, but she should step in and stop it. It is what the boss was supposed to do.