Carrying the Rancher's Heir by Charlene Sands Page A

doing here?” Callie asked.
    â€œHey, Tagg.” Jed looked confused, darting them both glances.
    â€œI came to ride Tux,” he said to Callie, giving her a recriminating look.
    But that didn’t stop her heart from fluttering like a trapped butterfly. Just one look at him standing there, despite his sullen expression, and she was toast. He was handsome times ten. The whole cowboy getup wasn’t outdated on a man like Tagg. He wore his chaps well.
    â€œHow long have you been here?” she asked, wondering if he’d overheard their conversation.
    â€œJust got here.”
    She thought that was a lie. Tagg looked too comfortable against that tree to have just walked up.
    â€œLooks like Jed beat me to the ride.”
    â€œHell,” Jed said, “at least I can beat you at something. You wiped me out last night.”
    â€œWiped you out?” Callie shot them both a glance.
    â€œAt poker. Remember, when I bumped into you? I was on my way to meet up with Tagg and the boys for a card game.”
    â€œYou bumped into her?” Tagg asked, his gaze focused on Jed.
    Jed nodded halfheartedly. “Well, not like that. I was driving down the road and she passed me in her bright red convertible. She was barreling down the highway at eighty miles an hour.”
    â€œI was not,” she defended herself.
    â€œYou were,” Jed said with a big grin. “Lead foot, my mama used to say. And then all of a sudden she stopped the car by the side of the road.”
    â€œI would’ve never seen that downed calf if I was going that fast, Jed,” Callie pointed out. She turned to Tagg. “It looked like the calf got tangled up in some broken fencing. Jed stopped his truck and helped me get her on her feet. She turned out to be all right.”
    Jed shrugged. “Callie’s got a soft spot for animals.”
    Tagg didn’t seem pleased with either of them. Callie recalled what he’d said when she’d first spotted him.
    She’s not available.
    Not that she wasn’t glad to see him. He’d interrupted herhaving to refuse Jed’s offer for a date, but her curiosity got the better of her. “Why am I not available?”
    Tagg moved away from the tree and approached her. He stopped when he got close enough for her to see the quicksilver surrounding his blue eyes, the ticking of his jaw. Ignoring Jed, he peered at her. She swallowed and met his gaze. “Because we have an appointment to look at some horses on Saturday.”
    â€œAh, well, that’s okay,” Jed said, with his good nature. “It won’t take all day.”
    Tagg slanted Jed a quick look, then focused back on Callie. “In Las Vegas.”

Four
    C allie’s mouth dropped open. She stared at Tagg. “In Las Vegas?” She shook her head, trying to understand. Endless possibilities entered her mind. “Why there?”
    â€œI have a friend who’s offering us the pick of his string for the charity. They’re thoroughbreds and mustangs that have served him well but are a bit older, like Sunflower here.” Tagg stroked the horse gently. “All we have to do is choose the ones we want and arrange transportation. He’s giving us a dozen horses.”
    Callie immediately thought of how the children would benefit. She pictured a dozen children riding the mares with smiling faces. “That’s fantastic. Are you sure you need me to go?”
    Tagg glanced at Jed, then redirected his gaze back to her. “Clay wants you in on this.”
    What about him? Did he want her in on this? The idea of spending alone time with Tagg appealed to her on so manylevels. But was his disgruntled mood because Clay had insisted Tagg take her along? Or was it something else?
    â€œWe’ve got plans to discuss, Jed,” Tagg said. “Suppose you could see to the horses? I’ll walk Callie back to her car.”
    â€œSure,” Jed said, looking at Callie.