Page 16 of A Cowboy Takes A Chance

Jaxon spun around. “Of course. We never tell a guest they can’t go.”

“Oh.” She’d been hoping he’d been happy to have her go, but it seems he’d be just as satisfied with anyone going.

She was startled when he walked to her and stopped in front of her. He put his finger under her chin and raised it up, so she had to look into his beautiful silver eyes.

“Oh?” he murmured.

“I was hoping you were happy I was going. Not just any guest,” she said softly.

“Of course, I’m happy you’re going. I just don’t want to be,” he muttered.

“Then, maybe I shouldn’t go.”

Jaxon stared into her eyes. “Up to you.”

“You’re a hard man to read, Jaxon Callahan. One minute you’re kissing me, and the next, you’re pushing me away.” Clenching her fists, she narrowed her eyes as she glared at him.

Jaxon removed his hat, raked his fingers through his hair, and then resettled the hat. “Look, Presley, I shouldn’t have kissed you, I admit that, but I’m also telling you I am not interested in any type of relationship…for several reasons.”

“Because of your wife?” At his nod, she continued. “She’s gone, Jaxon. She’s been gone. Don’t you think she’d want you to go on?”

“What she wanted and what I want are two different things. Now, either get on the horse or leave the barn. I have a trail ride to lead.” He led the horse from the barn and raised an eyebrow at her when she followed him then stared at him.

She took a deep breath and mounted the horse. “I’ll remember that.”

“Make sure you do.” He moved away from her and vaulted into the saddle of his horse. “Let’s go. Single file.”

Presley held back to stay at the end of the line. She noticed Bett was up front. The woman was not particularly good at beingsubtle. She definitely had no problem letting Jaxon know she was interested in him. Some women loved letting a man know she wanted him. Presley knew she was fighting an uphill climb. He didn’t want her or any woman in his life. His wife was all he cared about, and it didn’t matter that she was gone. He showed no interest in being with Presley. Except when he’d kissed her and last night when she asked him if he wanted to come into her cabin. She could swear he’d stepped forward, and she’d been hoping he’d kiss her again, but he stopped himself and left. Men. Who knew how their minds worked?

Jaxon led them down a trail that led to a creek. Presley reined her horse to a stop and watched as Bett told him she needed help getting down. Presley saw him frown and she couldn’t stop the laughter from erupting. When he leaned back from Bett’s horse and narrowed his eyes at her, she raised her eyebrows then dismounted and walked to the creek. Looking up, she saw a blue, cloudless sky. It was a beautiful day. The sun was high, and it was getting hotter. Today was going to be the day she would hit the pool. She looked toward the front to see Bett standing close to Jaxon and smiling up at him. Presley watched as Bett ran her hand up Jaxon’s forearm. Presley wanted to do that. The thick hair on a man’s forearms was sexy to her. Asshe stood by the creek to let her horse drink, she couldn’t keep her eye off Bett and Jaxon.

Presley saw Bett’s fingers walking through the hair on his arm again, and she wanted to cut them off.Painfully. She liked a man with hair and wasn’t into the manscaping that a lot of men did nowadays. She preferred a natural man. Jaxon didn’t have hair on his chest though, but that was fine since he did have that fantastic happy trail and he had a great chest. His pecs were so solid, and she wanted to touch him. Everywhere. Every single inch of him. She really needed to stop this. When she heard Bett laugh, she gritted her teeth so hard she could feel a muscle twitch in her jaw.

“Are you doing all right?” Jaxon said from beside her.

Presley looked past him to see who Bett was laughing with if it wasn’t him and she saw her flirting with Rodney now. She glanced up at Jaxon.

“Yes, I’m fine. I see you’ve been replaced by Rodney.”

“She doesn’t seem to take no for an answer very well. I told her I wasn’t interested, and she told me I would be.”

Presley stared up at him. “Maybe, you should just tell her like you told me.”

“Maybe, I should.” Jaxon inhaled and spun on his heel. “We need to head back now.”

“What are you doing when we get back?”

“I have some work to do in the office. You?”

“I think I’ll go for a swim.” How they could snap at each other one minute and have a civil conversation in the next was beyond her. The man was a puzzle. A puzzle she’d like to solve, but he wouldn’t let her close enough. Taking a deep breath, she stared after him.

Jaxon faced the group. “Mount up.”

****

Jaxon led the riders back to the barn. Since the trail ride had only been an hour, it gave everyone the rest of the day to do other things. See the town, walk around the ranch, hike, play tennis, or swim. He mentally groaned thinking of Presley in a swimsuit. His damn dick was straining against his fly like some horny kid seeing a naked woman for the first time.Fuck!He was a grown ass man, and he should be able to control his thoughts. He snorted. Not when it came to Presley, and it pissed him off to no end. A woman was the last thing he wanted in his life. Unless it was for sex.Well, maybe you should have sex with Presley and get her out of your damn head. She wasn’t stickingaround, so why not just go for it.He watched as everyone dismounted, and the ranch hands came forward to begin removing the tack from their horses. Glancing at Bett, he saw her looking at him.Wait for it.

“Jaxon, could you help me?” she asked him.

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