Justice Reborn (Cowboy Justice Association Book 8) by Olivia Jaymes

She didn’t know many people in town, at least not enough to spend any time with them. Add in that there wasn’t much to do on a Sunday and it left her with a long, boring day ahead. The only bright spot was that she might get a nap. Sleep had been in short supply lately.
    Pushing her plate away she patted her stomach, feeling pleasantly full. “So what do you have planned today then? What do people do around here for fun?”
    Evan snorted and shook his head. “I have no idea what people around here do. The closest movie theatre or mall is a thirty-five minute drive and most of the businesses here in town are closed on Sunday. If I was a betting man, I’d say most of them stay home and watch television.”
    “You don’t own a television.”
    “Which means I have to find something else to do,” he agreed. “How about you do it with me?”
    A frisson of electricity ran down her spine at the suggestion in his words, but of course he didn’t mean the dirty thoughts that were running through her mind.
    “Do…it? I’m scared to ask what that means.”
    He leaned across the table and waggled his eyebrows. She liked this sexy, teasing side. “Do you trust me?”
    Yes. Surprisingly…yes.
    “No.”
    The corners of his lips turn up a little more. “Smart girl. I’m up to no good today.”
    If he only knew what Josie had been doing before she came to town.
    “I’m getting the feeling you have an activity already in mind. Sharing is caring.”
    “How do you feel about horses?”
    “I think they’re big, and they probably smell but I can’t be sure.”
    Evan threw down some cash on the check and she tried to add some of her own but he simply gave her a disgusted look and slid it back to her. He obviously felt sorry for her as he never let her pay for anything.
    “Have you ever ridden one?”
    “Does a merry-go-round count?”
    It was his turn to roll his eyes. “I would say no. That is not sufficient training for riding an actual living, breathing animal with a mind of its own. This could be a problem.”
    Josie had more than one of those and horseback riding wasn’t even in the top five.
    *   *   *   *
    Josie groaned as she dismounted from the dapple-gray horse. “I can’t feel my ass.”
    Evan laughed as he tied the reins to a small branch and then rewarded each horse with a piece of apple from his palm. “It might be a good thing, although it looks like you’re not completely numb.”
    Gingerly she took a few steps, her legs bowed and her back bent awkwardly. Pain shot straight from her lower back down to her ankles and she winced, rubbing her hips and hoping for some relief. All she’d done was sit on the horse. No canter. No gallop. Just sat. It was pathetic and downright sad. This was why she didn’t exercise or “work out” or whatever it was called. Sofa surfing was her favorite sport while watching a Netflix marathon.
    “Sadly, no. Shit, I am out of shape. How did I let you talk me into this anyway? You’re devious and cruel.”
    Evan spread a large blanket on the ground under a large oak tree and began to pull out the lunch the diner had packed for them. “I’ve been called much worse. How about I help you sit down and we’ll have some lunch. Then maybe an ibuprofen.”
    “I’ll take nothing less than morphine,” Josie giggled, not wanting to let her discomfort ruin what had been a lovely day. Since she’d told Evan that her goal was to see America he’d obliged and taken her around some out-of-the-way spots around Cypress Corner. “And I will need your help. My knees don’t seem to want to bend any farther than this.”
    Hovering over the blanket in sort of a half-squat position, she allowed Evan to wrap his arm around her waist, his hand anchored on her ribs. She couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled up when she thought of how ridiculous she must look at the moment. It was so funny she couldn’t even be bothered to be embarrassed. If she had a phone she would have