Christina Rhoads

Wild Horse, Wild Heart Christina Rhoads

"Elsie?" the dust settled, and she took a deep breath, gathering her anger around her. Carefully, trying not to let her limp show, she turned toward the now famous natural horsemanship trainer. The Lakota cowboy, Corbin Darkhorse, and the very first man she had ever loved, stood watching her. He was even more handsome than she remembered: dark hair, dark eyes, with long-fingered hands weathered by the sun and wind. She swallowed a mouthful of dirty words and wondered why he had to be here, on this day, as she picked up her mustang for the competition. Forgiveness had never been one of Elsie Rosewood's strengths, and Corbin could see she hadn't changed over the last ten years. In fact, she looked as wild, angry and stubborn as the mustang pacing in the corral behind her. His mind filled abruptly with the old image of Elsie's face bloodied, as a previous wild horse threw her to the ground and trampled her limp body. Ten years was a long time to run, and Corbin knew if he ever wanted to have peace, and the trust of the only woman he'd ever loved, then he would have to prove how much he had changed. The only thing standing in the way of a once- in-a-lifetime love is a Mustang Training Competition, $100,000, and a past neither forgotten nor forgiven.