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aren’t my problem.” Kylie wasn’t returning Coulter’s friendliness, which Aaron appreciated.
    “I didn’t know anyone’d moved in here. I’ve used this watering hole ever since I came out here in sixty-one.”
    “The year the war started.” Kylie’s tone went from unfriendly to downright cold. “I hear Texas in your voice, Mr. Coulter. What were you doing running for the West while the rest of the South, including your home state, was fighting?”
    “That wasn’t my war,” Coulter growled. “War is for fools, and I had no interest in fighting side by side with fools.”
    Aaron glanced at Kylie, who looked at him. They stood side by side.
    Kylie looked away from him to the milling herd, which was starting to spread out from the water and graze around the edges of the clearing. One of the longhorns chose that moment to swing its ten-foot spread of horns too close to the south porch. The steer snapped off another length of railing, as if it were a twig.
    “Your cattle seem to be past their thirst. Get out of here, and if you come here again—unless you’re as much a coward about your ranching as you were about the war and you turn to back-shooting—you can expect me to meet you with my rifle blazing. And unlike a coward, I promise I’ll look you right in the eye when I shoot you out of the saddle.” Kylie had just said words that would make a man go for his gun if another man had said them.
    Coulter’s gray eyes flashed with fury. Aaron’s hand tightened on the Sharps.
    That expression passed, which said a lot about Coulter’s control. He was a man with a temper, but he didn’t let it run him. Instead of rage, Coulter gave Kylie an admiring look. “Doubt it’ll come to a gunfight between us, pretty lady. I’ve got other ways of ruling my range.” He gave her a smile. “In fact, maybe it’s time I took a wife.”
    Without waiting for a response, which was just as well because Kylie’s mouth gaped open in shock, Coulter grabbed his pommel and leapt into his saddle with a movement so smooth, Aaron felt a spark of envy.
    “Head ’em out, men. We’ll drive ’em to the stream on east of here.”
    As if they saw their chance to do damage slipping away, two calves butted heads and staggered into the porch and smashed what was left of Kylie’s railing.
    He looked back at Kylie and tugged the brim of his hat in farewell. “This ain’t over, Miss Kylie.”
    The cattle bawled and churned up the dirt as Coulter and his men wrangled them into motion. Soon they were gone—men, horses, and cows pushed out of Kylie’s yard.
    Nothing left but a cloud of dust and utter destruction.

5
    K ylie stood frozen, grim-faced as she watched Coulter’s men wrangle the unwilling cows out of her yard. If her Sharps had been full of birdshot instead of bullets, she might’ve filled Coulter’s backside.
    They were a while getting the animals to clear. When the last rider’s horse vanished into the forest, Kylie’s knees gave out.
    Aaron caught her or she’d’ve slid straight to the ground. He swung her up in his arms—the man had touched her more than any other man in her life—and toted her like so much baggage to the rocking chair. One was knocked over; the other had managed not to get hit by a cranky cow and stood ready for her. Expecting him to put her on the chair, Kylie was surprised when Aaron sat himself down and held her in his lap.
    “Well, this is as improper as can be.” She said it, but her hands were trembling, and her insides were twisted up. She made no move to put an end to the situation.
    “Just rest a minute.” Aaron held her tight as if to restrain her, though she wasn’t trying to escape. “We can go back to being proper when your heart stops slamming.”
    A dry chuckle drew her attention away from her upset.
    “What about any of this mess is funny?” She didn’t have the strength or even the desire to push herself to her feet. Instead, she rested her head on his chest.
    “I’m