Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (Hot Cowboy Nights, #3)(68)

Haley didn’t stir. For several minutes he just watched her. The sight of her filled his chest. She was snoring softly. He chuckled. He’d have to torment her about that. She’d hate knowing she snored. Then again, he’d probably have to record it before she’d ever believe him. He stood and stretched. Eager to get out of the clothes he’d slept in, he headed for the shower.

*

Haley awoke to a soft knock on the door. Her body was still one big ache from head to toe, but the dizziness and the throbbing in her head were gone. The bathroom door was closed and the shower was running, so she padded barefoot across the cabin to answer.

She opened it to find Krista standing there.

“You?” Reid’s sister glared. “What are you doing here? Are those my sweats?”

“Yeah,” Haley replied, suddenly embarrassed. “Reid borrowed them for me. I thought you knew. My clothes got shredded in the grizzly attack yesterday.”

“You got attacked by a grizzly? Oh my God! I’m so sorry.” She was suddenly contrite. “I didn’t know anything about it. I stayed at Tonya’s last night and just got home.”

Haley stepped back from the door. “I guess you’re looking for Reid?”

“Yeah. I was getting worried when I didn’t see him this morning. Now I know why,” she added dryly.

“Nothing happened between us, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“It’s none of my business anyway, right? Please tell my brother I need to see him right away.”

“Is something wrong?” Haley asked.

“As a matter of fact, yes. Another one of your precious wolves attacked one of my colts.”

“It wasn’t a wolf that killed Buckshot, Krista. We found his remains. All the evidence indicates a grizzly. It’s how I nearly got mauled.”

Krista planted her hands on her hip. “Well it was a wolf that got my horse. And I have proof. Half his tail is eaten off.”

“Then it wasn’t an intended kill,” Haley said. “The pack must be training their young to hunt.”

“Well, they aren’t going to practice on any more of my horses! I’m telling you right now, Dr. Cooper, if I see a wolf anywhere near my stock, I’m shooting it.”

“Please, Krista,” Haley pleaded. “Let me help with this situation. It’s my job.”

“How?” Krista demanded. “What are you going to do about it?”

“I’ll start by checking my logs to see if it’s a pack we’re monitoring. If so, we should be able to find the troublemaker and remove it. If not, we’ll have to trap and collar them one by one until we determine which wolf is the culprit.”

“And in the meantime, they’re all free to wreak havoc on our stock? We have a business to run here, Dr. Cooper. We don’t need our horses traumatized by predators that you people refuse to control.”

“What’s the trouble?” Reid asked.

Haley spun to find him standing behind her shirtless and toweling his hair. The vision made her mouth go dry.

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong,” Krista said. “We’ve got a damned wolf problem, and I’ve got a colt with a missing tail to prove it.”

“Then we’re fortunate that Haley’s here to help us deal with it,” Reid replied evenly.

Krista’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe you just said that! All she wants to do is put freaking collars on them.”

“It’s the first step, Krista,” Reid said. “They’re still a protected species. We can’t just kill them indiscriminately.”

“Indiscriminately?” Krista repeated eyes blazing. “They’re hunting wolves legally across two state lines, and we can’t even shoot the ones that are harassing us in Wyoming?”

“Not yet,” Reid said.

“And that’s exactly why I’m here,” Haley interjected. “Before they’ll turn over management to the state, U.S. Wildlife Service needs to know the people of Wyoming will responsibly manage and not exterminate the wolves. I’m here to provide that evidence. If you shoot any of them without proper authorization, you’re only hurting your own cause.”

“She’s right, Krista,” Reid said. “It’s a pain in the ass, but we need to go through the proper channels.”

“Is that what you did with the griz, Reid?” she shot back. “Did you whip out your phone and call the feds to ask permission before pulling the trigger on that bear? Or do the same rules not apply to Dr. Cooper?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Krista,” Reid said. “Her life was endangered.”

“I don’t want to hear it, Reid. I can’t believe my brother, the U.S. Marine, has become such a traitor.” She threw her hands in the air and spun away on her booted heels.

Reid stood behind Haley, his hands resting on her shoulders. Although he hadn’t made any answering retort, she’d felt him stiffen at his sister’s parting shot.

“You see?” Haley said softly. “She hates me. Your whole family is going to after this, aren’t they?”

“Don’t let her get to you. She’ll come around…eventually. They all will.”

“No. They won’t,” she insisted. “Why should they? It’s time to face reality, Reid. I care about you. I truly do, but I care enough not to come between you and the people you love.”