Page 35 of The Cowboy's Country Charm

He could imagine her on the ranch, riding Sheba, relaxing. He’d like to make her relax even more.

“We have businesses donating auction items. A stay at a vacation cabin. Tickets to the rodeo. A boat rental. A spa massage. Fishing gear. A hunting jacket. Things like that. You buy tickets and then put your tickets in the box in front of the item you want. If your ticket gets pulled, you get the item. You can put in as many tickets as you want. The money from ticket sales is part of the fundraising. So we figured an extra ten tickets at the end of the maze was a good bonus and would add some fun to the night.”

Holding Misty’s reins, he sat down on the nearest bale. He patted the straw, for her to sit next to him. It might be the nearest he’d ever get to her.

She obliged, tugging Sheba to follow her.

Her thigh touched his thigh, and he felt warmth spread through him, steaming every part of his body. Every part.

“You know people are going to be fancied up for this shindig. And hay is dusty, as you saw.”

“So definitely straw then.”

He nodded.

“And your sister will be able to supply enough?”

“Depends on how big the maze is.”

“We have the whole event space, with room dividers for six rooms. The floor is cement, so no problem there, and the space has two overhead doors, so we can unload the bales. We figured that the equivalent of two rooms would be used for the maze and the other four rooms will be opened up to create the area for tables, dance floor, bar, and the stage for the jail. So I’m guessing between one hundred and thirty and one hundred and fifty, considering we are stacking them three bales high.”

He cocked his head. “If you’re going in a straight line, maybe. But you’ll need more if you’re making some dead-end alleys. At least two hundred.”

“Do you think your sister can spare that many?” Her brows furrowed as she brushed strands of hair from her cheek. She had nice cheekbones. Prominent but not harsh.

“If you give them back so she can sell them for barn bedding.”

Her tongue wet her lips. Very kissable lips.

“That shouldn’t be a problem. We might lose a few to a beer spilled here and there, but I doubt it would be many, if at all.”

He braced his free hand on the firm straw. “No big deal then.”

She took a deep breath, raising and lowering her chest in the process as she let out a relaxing sigh. She had a nice body. Very nice. Hard not to notice.

“This maze idea might be a little out there for a gala, but we’re trying to be different.” She twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “You know, to show that we will give you that affair to remember.”

He leaned toward her. She looked him in the eye.

She was so earnest. And caring. And just plain delectable.

She leaned toward him.

He cupped her chin.

She didn’t move.

Not one to miss an opportunity, he brushed his lips across her sweet ones.

Her tongue wet her lips again, and he felt a push in his abdomen.

He held her chin and swirled his lips over hers, tasting, pressing, pushing. Desire pulsed inside him like a demolition jackhammer, breaking his restraint.

***

As his lips ravaged hers, a spark ignited deep in her belly, warming her insides like hot flowing lava and causing beads of perspiration to dot her body under the sizzling sun. She closed her eyes and let the delicious heat swamp her as she wrapped her hands around his neck, reins and all.

His hot hands slid down her shoulders and then pressed against her back, as if marking her, as he moved her closer to his body.

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