back in laughter. The richness of her laughter had his groin tightening, and he cursed himself for the instant response.
Just because they’d slept together didn’t mean anything, he kept telling himself. He knew they were just using each other. There had been attraction. Instant attraction. A hell of a lot of attraction. He shook his head clear and tied the reins on a low branch so the horse could graze and cool off.
He started walking towards the group and overheard Nikki talking about one of her cases. She hadn’t talked to him much about what she did as a PI. To be honest, he hadn’t even really thought about it since his mind had been consumed with keeping them safe up until then.
Even now, he knew he couldn’t drop his guard. Even though he felt completely safe on his cousins’ property, he knew that at any minute, they could be swarmed by members of the drug cartel trying to kill them.
But as he watched Nikki laughing with his cousin, he couldn’t stop thinking about being with her again.
Her dark hair lay across her shoulders in two long braids. The hat on her head was a little too big, but the rest of the clothes she was wearing fit perfectly. She looked very good in worn riding jeans and a button-up collared shirt. Actually, she looked just as sexy in this outfit as she had in the skimpy red number she’d worn the other night at the club.
She was sitting on a long log with her ankles crossed and there was a speck of dust on her chin; she looked like she belonged there. Gone was the fragile princess, replaced by a sturdy cowgirl and, for some reason, that only turned him on more. When he stepped into the circle, their eyes met and he felt the full impact of the attraction. Her lips parted and her breath hitched when she saw the raw desire he was feeling for her.
Her words fell away from her lips for a moment. Then she licked those pink lips of hers, looked down at her hands, and finished her sentence. Everyone sitting around had seen the exchange and had noticed the attraction. He couldn’t help but smile as he sat down.
Chase cleared his throat and handed him a bottled water, a sandwich, and a bag of chips.
“Did you get the strays okay?”
He nodded and took a swig of the water. “One of the little guys got stuck in some mud. Took a while for me to rope him.” He shook his head.
“You’re out of practice.” Lauren smiled. “You’ll get the hang of it again. If I remember correctly”—her smile turned a little wicked—“you were better at roping than Reece.”
He chuckled. It was an old argument. “I bet I could still beat him.”
“Well,” Chase chimed in, “I’m not too sure about that. “Your brother does run his own busting business now. He’s pretty successful with it too.”
He smiled. Reece had told him all about his new venture and how he’d taken up busting and bronc riding after their father had died. Hearing the story had caused him a great deal of pain, knowing that his brother had suffered financially because of their old man.
But he was happy that Reece had finally found something and someone to love. His eyes caught Nikki’s across the small space, and he watched her tongue dart out and lick that luscious bottom lip of hers.
He finished his sandwich and chips. He was still starving, but food wasn’t what he wanted now.
“Well…” Lauren got up and dusted her jeans and picked up the bag of trash they’d created. “We’d better let you men get back to it. These cows won’t drive themselves home.” She smiled and hugged her husband.
“Are you going to ride back with us?” Chase asked, pulling her close.
She smiled and looked over at Nikki. “What do you say? Are you up for cattle driving?”
Nikki looked at Ryan and when he continued to look at her, she nodded her head slowly.
“Sure, I’ve never been on a cattle drive before.”
“I’m sure my cousin can show you the ropes,” Lauren said, taking her husband’s hand and following the
Just because they’d slept together didn’t mean anything, he kept telling himself. He knew they were just using each other. There had been attraction. Instant attraction. A hell of a lot of attraction. He shook his head clear and tied the reins on a low branch so the horse could graze and cool off.
He started walking towards the group and overheard Nikki talking about one of her cases. She hadn’t talked to him much about what she did as a PI. To be honest, he hadn’t even really thought about it since his mind had been consumed with keeping them safe up until then.
Even now, he knew he couldn’t drop his guard. Even though he felt completely safe on his cousins’ property, he knew that at any minute, they could be swarmed by members of the drug cartel trying to kill them.
But as he watched Nikki laughing with his cousin, he couldn’t stop thinking about being with her again.
Her dark hair lay across her shoulders in two long braids. The hat on her head was a little too big, but the rest of the clothes she was wearing fit perfectly. She looked very good in worn riding jeans and a button-up collared shirt. Actually, she looked just as sexy in this outfit as she had in the skimpy red number she’d worn the other night at the club.
She was sitting on a long log with her ankles crossed and there was a speck of dust on her chin; she looked like she belonged there. Gone was the fragile princess, replaced by a sturdy cowgirl and, for some reason, that only turned him on more. When he stepped into the circle, their eyes met and he felt the full impact of the attraction. Her lips parted and her breath hitched when she saw the raw desire he was feeling for her.
Her words fell away from her lips for a moment. Then she licked those pink lips of hers, looked down at her hands, and finished her sentence. Everyone sitting around had seen the exchange and had noticed the attraction. He couldn’t help but smile as he sat down.
Chase cleared his throat and handed him a bottled water, a sandwich, and a bag of chips.
“Did you get the strays okay?”
He nodded and took a swig of the water. “One of the little guys got stuck in some mud. Took a while for me to rope him.” He shook his head.
“You’re out of practice.” Lauren smiled. “You’ll get the hang of it again. If I remember correctly”—her smile turned a little wicked—“you were better at roping than Reece.”
He chuckled. It was an old argument. “I bet I could still beat him.”
“Well,” Chase chimed in, “I’m not too sure about that. “Your brother does run his own busting business now. He’s pretty successful with it too.”
He smiled. Reece had told him all about his new venture and how he’d taken up busting and bronc riding after their father had died. Hearing the story had caused him a great deal of pain, knowing that his brother had suffered financially because of their old man.
But he was happy that Reece had finally found something and someone to love. His eyes caught Nikki’s across the small space, and he watched her tongue dart out and lick that luscious bottom lip of hers.
He finished his sandwich and chips. He was still starving, but food wasn’t what he wanted now.
“Well…” Lauren got up and dusted her jeans and picked up the bag of trash they’d created. “We’d better let you men get back to it. These cows won’t drive themselves home.” She smiled and hugged her husband.
“Are you going to ride back with us?” Chase asked, pulling her close.
She smiled and looked over at Nikki. “What do you say? Are you up for cattle driving?”
Nikki looked at Ryan and when he continued to look at her, she nodded her head slowly.
“Sure, I’ve never been on a cattle drive before.”
“I’m sure my cousin can show you the ropes,” Lauren said, taking her husband’s hand and following the
Similar Books
