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buy two or three at a time from a reputable breeder. Mares and geldings. I gentle them over time, and get them used to trail rides. But one of the mares I have now needs to be trained as a barrel racer.”
    “Really?” Rafe appeared interested. They entered the large barn, and this time there were no flashbacks. The mare she’d mentioned, named Esperanza, whinnied and nuzzled Rafe’s neck the minute Alexa led her out of her stall.
    “I think she likes you.” Alexa clipped a rope to the mare’s halter and handed the lead line to Rafe. “You want to take her into the corral? Put her through her paces?”
    “You’d trust me to do that?”
    “It’s a big, bare dirt corral. I showed you where it is. Give it a whirl. I’ll feed my saddle horses, then pop out to see how you’re getting along before I take Tano, Esperanza’s brother, into the smaller exercise pen.” She handed him a pair of sunglasses and reminded him to cover his eyes before she opened the double doors that led into the corral. “You need to protect your eyes from sunburn since you can’t tell how bright or intense the sun actually is.”
    The mare pranced out into the sunshine, forcing Rafe to jog out, too. Alexa kept Compadre from getting under his feet.
    Standing just inside the barn, she watched the pair. Rafe got off to a rocky start, stumbling around the corral, but then he managed to stabilize his footing. Smiling, she made the dog come with her as she measured oats for Tano and her own two mares and one gelding.
    When she was finished, Alexa returned to lean on the top rail of the corral to watch Rafe put Esperanza through changing gaits. She was struck by two things. First, there was a look of pure joy on his face. Second, he dug in the flat heels of his combat boots, wrapped the rope around his narrow hips and coaxed the exact gait out of the horse that barrel racers wanted.
    Alexa whistled approvingly. “Hot dang, cowboy, y’all have that little lady eating out of your hand. I haven’t been able to get her to transition like that from a walk to a trot to a canter. You’re the man.”
    Rafe directed a wide smile over his left shoulder toward her voice. It singed Alexa’s insides, and she felt the heat all the way to her toes.
    Lordy, a scowling Rafe Eaglefeather had been a sight to behold. But when he smiled, he was pure devastation. Alexa felt knocked off-kilter. Then, for no reason at all, fear moved in, welding her to the top rail. Memories of Bobby swirled. She had failed him, and herself as well. What if her infusions, herbs and needles were no more than the hocus pocus Bobby’s parents had claimed? Alexa shivered in spite of the sun.
    Compadre set his paws on the middle rail of the corral and nudged Alexa’s leg with his cold, wet nose, as if to say, look at me. You doctored me back to health.
    Jumping down, she swept him into a hug. “I promise to give your new buddy my best, boy.”
    The collie licked her face.
    But not even Compadre’s vote of confidence could alleviate her concern.



CHAPTER THREE
    “I F IT’S OKAY WITH YOU , I’d like to spend some time again tomorrow working with the mare,” Rafe said as he and Alexa walked into the house for lunch.
    “Fine with me. Like I said, Esperanza performed better to your commands.”
    “Really? Are you just saying that to pump up my ego?”
    Alexa went over to the sink to wash her hands. “Like your ego needs pumping. You’ve got a healthy supply of machismo, Rafe.”
    “Are you saying I’m full of myself?”
    Best not to reply to that, Alexa thought. “Is a cold ham-and-cheese sandwich okay with you?” she asked instead.
    “Whatever. Food is food. You seem to be trying to change the subject. I thought you doctors always laid the truth on the line.”
    Alexa dried her hands and took down two plates from the cupboard. The truth was he looked damned sexy the way he casually propped one lean hip against her kitchen counter. He hadn’t lost his military bearing,