Operation: Midnight Cowboy. Linda Castillo

back.”

      Blinking rain from her eyes, she did as she was told. In a single, graceful movement, Bo swung onto the horse and into the saddle in front of her. “Hang on to me,” he shouted.

      Rachael set her hands lightly on his sides. She got the impression of hard male flesh. Before her brain could process that, the horse bolted into a gallop. She rocked back. Off balance, she grabbed for Bo and put her arms securely around his waist.

      The horse took them into a ravine. When Rachael had crossed it an hour ago, the creek had been dry. Now, a foot of muddy water crashed over river rock and sandstone, carrying branches and small debris on a wild ride through the ravine. The horse splashed through the current without a problem.

      At the top of the ravine, Bo put the horse into a gallop. Rachael had never felt a horse move like that before. She could feel the animal’s muscles flexing beneath her, and the awesome athletic power rendered her awestruck. Even though they moved at a blinding speed, not once did she feel as if she were in danger of falling.

      In front of her Bo rode as if he were an extension of the horse. His body was like steel against hers. Rachael could feel his abdominal muscles tense and flex as he moved with the animal.

      “Why are we going so fast?” she shouted to be heard above the wind and rain.

      “See those greenish thunderheads to the north? We got hail coming.”

      From the northeastern U.S., Rachael had never seen hail as a dangerous weather phenomenon. The worst she’d ever seen was marble-sized balls of ice. “What’s the big deal about hail?”

      Bo’s laugh carried over the roar of wind. “We get softball-sized hail regularly this time of year. You get hit in the head and you won’t be getting up. I lost a couple head of livestock that way last year.”

      Rachael honestly couldn’t imagine the damage such large hail would inflict. But a glance to the north proved the storm was gathering strength. Green-black clouds billowed on the horizon like smoke from some massive fire.

      The thought of getting clobbered by a softball-sized piece of ice did not appeal in the least to Rachael. For the first time she realized she had underestimated the power of Mother Nature. It wouldn’t happen again.

      Rain slashed down like liquid knives as they rode toward the ranch. The sky lowered. Lightning flickered just to the north. The crash of thunder that followed was deafening. The horse continued to move at a breakneck speed.