Page 16 of A Cowboy's Heart

She watched as Devin held the reins of the horse Judy was riding and instructed her on how to get on the horse. Judy seemed to be having trouble getting enough momentum to lift herself in order to swing her leg over the saddle. Devin signaled to one of the ranch hands to give Judy a leg up.

She saw Judy frown as the man linked his fingers for her to put her foot in them. Placing her foot in his hands, she reached for the saddle horn and was in the saddle in no time.

Willa moved to the horse she was riding and took the reins from the ranch hand. She smiled and shook her head when he asked if she needed help.

“Are you sure about that, Miss Foster?” Devin asked from behind her.

Spinning around, she smiled. “I’m sure, Mr. Callahan. I’ve always been able to… mount on my own.” She grinned when he groaned.

“Killing me,” he mumbled as he walked to his horse.

She couldn’t take her eyes off his ass. The man had a fine ass, and those chaps not only made his crotch look good but they also made his ass look great.

She couldn’t believe she was lusting over a cowboy. Acowboy, for God’s sake. She was the type who liked a man in a suit with a good haircut, and clean hands were a must. She angled her head to see Devin’s hands and noticed he was wearing gloves and for some reason, seeing them on his hands while wearing a T-shirt was sexy as hell.

“Ma’am?” a male voice said from beside her.

“Yes?” Willa looked over to find a ranch hand standing there.

“Gloves,” he said then handed them to her.

“Thank you.”

Smiling, she took them from him and knew she could refuse them, but she thought it was best to wear them. They kept the reins from hurting your hands if the horse pulled or if you fell off and didn’t let go, the reins could burn your hands. Pulling them on, she mounted the horse and settled in the saddle as the ranch hand adjusted the stirrups.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Devin moving his horse through the crowd then stopped by Judy. Willa frowned. She didn’t like the smile he gave Judy. It looked a little too flirty for her liking. Judy looked away from Devin to scan the crowd. When she saw Willa looking ather, she smirked. Judy was enjoying herself.

Willa cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders.

“Mr. Callahan?” she called out and watched Judy narrow her eyes at her making Willa smile in response.

Devin rode his horse over to her and stopped beside her.

“What can I do for you, Miss Foster?” He leaned forward on the saddle and rested his forearms on the horn.

She grinned. “You tell me,” she whispered.

Devin sat up and looked at her in shock. Then he narrowed his eyes and glanced back to Judy then to her again.

“No catfights,” he said sternly.

“You don’t want women fighting over you?”

“No… because I don’t give a shit about her. If you want to use those claws on someone, you can use them on me. But don’t do it just because you think some other woman wants me.”

“I don’tthinkshe wants you, Iknowshe does.”

“I know she does but you don’t, so why should that bother you?” he snapped.

She’d made him angry, and now she was irritated with herself for stooping to Judy’s level. Inhaling deeply, she looked at him.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Devin gave her a terse nod then turned to face the other riders before riding toward the barn doors. “Let’s go. Follow Chip out, single file.”

He sat by the doors and waited as all of the riders filed out.

Willa was so embarrassed.What is wrong withyou?Feeling like a fool since she’d stooped to an all new low, she didn’t want to face Devin.You’re supposed to be a mature, forty-year-old woman, and you’re acting like a teenager fighting over the high school quarterback.What the hell is wrong with you?She’d apparently spent way too much time in the sun the other day because she had never,everdone anything like that before.

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