Page 37 of A Cowboy's Heart

How in the hell had he gotten so involved with a guest? He never did that, and there had been many beautiful women who had come through here. A lot ofyoungerwomen, but not one of them had his dick hard like she did.

Looking in the mirror again, he saw her looking at him. He watched as her sexy lips rose in a smile and his dick rose with them. Glancing away from her, he shook his head. She knew what she was doing, and he couldn’t stop himself from looking at her again. A full-fledged grin lifted her lips making him chuckle and drew Rocky’s gaze. Devin shook his head again but kept his eyes off the mirror. He’d make sure he got her back for this.

****

Willa smiled as she opened the truck door and stepped out after Devin had backed the truck into the barn. It always amazed her how people did that with a trailer on the back. He must have done it a lot because he backed it straight in—the first time. She saw Jaxon striding toward the trailer then he unhooked the gate and entered itto bring the horse out. She loved horses but sometimes they were unpredictable, and she always had a fear of one of them stepping on her foot. It seemed that neither Devin nor Jaxon ever thought about it. They looked so natural around the horses.

Jaxon smiled at her as he led Gypsy out. Devin pulled the truck out of the barn where he stopped it then climbed out of the cab, entered the barn and walked toward her. His eyes never left hers as he got closer. Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she tried not to groan as she looked at him. When he was close to her, one corner of his sexy mouth rose then he walked on past. She sighed with relief knowing she had almost grabbed him and kissed him. He smelled so good, and he was just so sexy.

“When can we start with her, Dev?” Rocky asked him.

Devin spun around. “Monday. It’s too late today, and we’re off on Sundays.”

“That will work. I want to attend at the dance tonight. Do you think it will cause a problem?”

“No. Everyone already knows you’re here and you’ve given out autographs. Some might ask you to dance though.” Devin smiled at him and chuckled.

“That’s okay. I love to dance. Willa does too.”

Devin looked at her. “Good to know.”

He gave them both a nod and moved to help Jaxon with the horse.

Willa sucked in a breath then blew it out. Should she go to the dance? What if he asked her to dance? Was he allowed to dance with theguests? She snorted. He could do whatever he wanted, he was an owner. Without looking at any of them, she left the barn to head for her cabin. That Jacuzzi was calling her name, and she wanted a nice long soak. It was late afternoon already, and she was a little sore from the cattle drive and sleeping on the ground even though she’d had a sleeping bag.

Smiling, she thought of riding alongside the cattle to get them to another pasture. Devin had looked so hot with his handkerchief covering his lower face. He had looked like a real western cowboy.That’s because he is one, Willa!Oh yes, he was definitely a cowboy.

Damn. If someone had told her she would ever get horny over a cowboy, she would have laughed her head off. There was no way she’d ever thought a cowboy was hot. At least, she hadn’t until she arrived at Bur Oak Guest ranch and stepped from the limo to see Devin Callahan staring at her. Her knees had just about buckled simply looking at that tall, cool drink of water.

Picking up her pace, she headed for her cabin. The sun beat down on her shoulders, and even the top of her head was hot. Sweat beaded on her upper lip, the nape of her neck, and rolled down her temples. Heat waves rose off the ground in the distance, and she couldn’t get to her cabin fast enough. Once inside, the air conditioning felt wonderful. It was so hot out. Stifling heat, but it had felt so good in the mountains. She’d love to go up there again but just with Devin. She couldn’t stop thinking of them having sex in the woods then she laughed remembering how thepine needles had stuck to her, but she hadn’t cared at the time. But then she had rebuffed him yet again. What was she doing?

After entering the bathroom, she turned the water on in the tub then stripped and piled her hair up on her head. Stepping into the water, she groaned as she pushed the button for the jets and leaned her head back as the water soothed her sore muscles. Yes, she would go to the dance tonight, and she really did hope Devin asked her to dance so she could be in his arms again. A tear slipped down her cheek as she thought of leaving him, but she couldn’t stay. He might think he’d never leave her but nine years was a significant difference and when she was fifty, he’d still be a young man. Why would he want a woman that age when he could have a much younger, more beautiful woman? A woman whose body hadn’t started going south?

“Willa, you are going to drive yourself insane if you don’t get away from that man,” she said aloud. “It’s only sex for him. Oh, sure, he thinks it could be more, but it can’t. Not ever. I won’t go through that again.”

She stayed in the tub until the water began to cool then she pulled the plug, stood, and reached for a towel to dry off. It would be smarter to just stay in tonight and not go to the dance. It was safer that way. Stepping from the tub, she continued to dry off then walked into the bedroom and pulled on her lounge pants and a tank top.

Willa decided she wasnotgoing out tonight. Decision made, she entered the living room andturned on the TV then picked up her cellphone, and called Rocky to tell him to go without her. Once that was done, she lay back on the couch and looked for a movie.

****

Devin stood in the shower and let the water glide down over him. It was just what he needed because he was sweaty and hot. Reaching for the shampoo, he squirted some into his palm and washed his hair as he wondered if Willa would go to the dance. He hoped so because he’d love to dance with her. Both he and Jaxon had to be there and for the last one of each month, his family, friends from town, and some friends from Clifton, and Hartland showed up to enjoy it too.

After rinsing the shampoo from his hair, he shut the water off and reached for a towel. After rubbing his head with the towel, he dried off, dropped the towel into the hamper, and then entered his bedroom. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. He had a few hours before the dance began but he usually showed up in the barn two hours before, so he could help set up tables. Jaxon did the same thing. They might be the owners, but they chipped in and contributed to the work around the place. Never being ones to just stand back and watch, they enjoyed helping the ranch hands and staff, even though he knew it had to bother Jaxon at times. He’d see him rubbing his hip, but he’d keep on working. Nothing was going to get Jaxon down.

Walking back into the bathroom, he stood at the mirror and swiped the steam away with his hand then picked up the shaving cream andspurted a blob of it in his hand. After applying it to his face and neck, he shaved away the whiskers that had grown over the past few days, wiped the remaining shaving cream off with a towel, and splashed aftershave on before heading for the kitchen to get a beer. He’d eat at the dance. They always had a hell of a buffet there. Every year the guests would gush about how excellent everything was, and announce they’d definitely be back. Several of them returned each year, and he was always happy to see them again.

At seven o’clock, Devin left his home and walked to the barn to help out. When he entered, he saw Jaxon was already there setting up tables. Josie followed him, tossing a cloth over each one. Rosita, who ran housekeeping, also took care of the cooking so she stood behind the long buffet setting up the plates and utensils. He walked over to her and smiled.

“Looks like you went all out again.”

“I love cooking, and this is so much fun every week. It won’t be long before we’ll be closed for the winter.” Rosita’s smile slipped.

“Yes, but you know how quickly it comes back around to March. Then you’ll be in your element again—cracking the whip on housekeeping and cooking all day.”

Rosita laughed and waved her hand at him. “Oh, shush, Mr. Callahan.”

“Rosita, you’ve been here five years, don’t you think it’s time you called me Devin?”

---