Page 29
Colton hummed, turning away and beckoning me with a crook of his finger. “Then come with me.”
He led me into a nearby stall, his commanding presence filling the space.
“This barn,” he began, standing next to a striking horse, “isn’t the only one we have. This space is primarily geared for the horses—”
“Hold up.” I held up a hand. “I need to get set up first.”
Colton’s brow furrowed in confusion. I realized I hadn’t fully explained that today wasn’t just about learning—it was about filming. People ate up day-in-the-life content, and adding Colton’s ruggedly handsome cowboy persona to the mix? Viral gold. Plus, who wouldn’t see a man like that and think, “I’d love to be under him,” or even, “I’d want to be him?” Tawnie had a point.
I reached into my oversized purse, pulling out a compact tripod. His expression shifted from confusion to something darker—annoyance maybe by the way his jaw set, like he was holding back a comment.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Making you real,” I quipped, setting up the tripod at the right angle. The frame captured him perfectly—all brooding cowboy charm, standing next to a majestic horse. “I told you, we are putting you online. Giving Stone Ranch a face. People’s perception is very important in the wake of any PR crisis. You’re lucky it hasn’t gone that far yet. Right now, we are getting ahead of it.” I pressed record and waved him back into action. The internet has yet to find out what happened at Stone Ranch but all it took was one video, one post by the woman and everything could go up in flames.
“You were saying?”
Colton let out a low huff, the sound brimming with irritation. “I don’t remember. You rudely interrupted me.”
Rolling my eyes, I leaned casually against the stall wall. “You were talking about how this barn is primarily for horses. What else can a guest expect to find on Stone Ranch?”
“Cows, chickens… One location even does goat yoga,” he said flatly.
I snorted, clamping a hand over my mouth to stifle the laugh. Colton’s lips twitched, showing the faintest hint of amusement. It was so brief and subtle that most people would’ve missed it.
“Good to know,” I replied, my voice steady even as my heart thudded from catching that rare glimpse of his barely there smile.
Colton patted the rear of the horse with a firm, affectionate tap. I followed the motion, my brain traitorously wondering what it’d feel like if that hand was on me. Maybe with a little less care, though—a bit rougher.
“So,” I said quickly, forcing my focus back, “what are we showing the people today?”
Colton’s gaze flicked to me. “How to tack up a horse for riding. Basic, but essential if you’re working on one of my ranches.”
He moved toward the saddle draped over the wooden beam, lifting it with ease. The way his muscles flexed with the movement, shirt taut against his chest was…distracting, to say the least.
“While you’re doing that,” I said, determined to keep my voice steady, “could you tell us a little about this horse?”
Colton glanced at the camera, his tone shifting to something smoother, more polished. “This is Thunder. He’s an Appaloosa. We use them because they’re even-tempered and easy to train. They’re less reactive than other breeds, which makes them ideal for our guests.”
The way he spoke, with such authority and care, caught me off guard. It wasn’t just the words—it was the depth of knowledge behind them.
“Where did your love for ranch life start?” I asked, wanting to dig deeper as a professional courtesy, of course.
Though, I had to admit I was intrigued. Who was the man underneath the rugged persona?
Colton slapped the saddle onto the raw-edge wooden table, the heavy thud startling me.
“I worked on ranches all my life. From the moment I was able to, I got a job at a local ranch, and a lot of what I know was self-taught.”
His hands began to work with the saddle. I was mesmerized, lost in the way he’d jumped into motion like it was a sixth sense.
“Whoa, slow down there,” I laughed. “Tell us what you’re doing.”
He didn’t even glance my way as he launched into an explanation, his tone gruff and to the point. He held up a leather contraption, its strange design making my brain go to…places it absolutely should not because I didn’t need to think about that right now.
It looks like it belongs in some kind of red room.
Colton glanced up at me through hooded eyes, his gaze sharp and unreadable. The air seemed to thicken, and I swear a bolt of electricity shot through my entire body.
