Page 31 of Brands

I finally stop in front of a brindle-colored Jersey. “Okay, this is BB.” Reaching past the rails and cleaning off her ID tag doesn’t even make her flinch. “She just turned three, so fits.”

Blue jots down her numbers into a dog-eared little notebook, then climbs over the fence to step around her.

She swings her head to watch, pausing in her chewing, but then ignores him as he scribbles something else down.

Around animal number four, curiosity is getting the best of me.

“Who’s the buyer?” I ask, making him pause with his hands on the bars.

“Outfit up near Spokane. I ran into the gal that owns it up at the livestock sale in Billings the other day. She said she was in the market.” He hoists himself up and over in a fluid motion.

“Oh yea? What else was she shopping for?” I can’t help it, I glare at him.

His elbows rest on the top rung and he grins at me. “Jealous? You think I’m gonna go flirting with some other woman while I could still smell your sweet little pussy on my fingers?” He laughs softly and turns away.

Meanwhile my face engulfs in flames.

But I still enjoy the view of his tight ass when he bends over.

Am I wrong to be out of shape over it?

It’s not like we’re a “thing”.

God, it sucks he turned me down. I have no idea what to do now.

Except want him. This is all new to me. I’ve never had the hots for anyone who wasn’t a movie celebrity.

“Isn’t that what guys do? Run around and fuck anything that moves?” I tilt my head innocently. “I mean, I’m not really well versed in all this. Only a damn child, remember?”

His jaw is clenched as he steps past the cow until he’s inches from me. “You’re the farthest thing from it, Lib. But you areClay’skid. So I hope you understand just how damn hard this is.”

I jut my chin the other way. “What is?” Raising one eyebrow, I’m not sure what to expect.

There’s just a part of me that wants to keep egging him on.

When he snakes his hand out and grips my wrist, tugging my arm between the bars, I’m taken by surprise.

Even more when he presses my palm against his bulging crotch. “This is,” he grunts, then releases me.

Did I just feel what I think I did?

“So don’t go acting like you’re the only one not getting what they want.” He flips me a sideways smile that shows off his dimple before climbing back to my side of the aisle.

That familiar buzz rushes through my body as he saunters casually next to me, acting like he didn’t just light me up like a damn Christmas tree.

“What about this one?” He gestures to a dark brown Guernsey cross.

“No, that’s Millie. She’s almost seven.” And one of my favorite girls.

Blue stays silent for a few moments. “You know they’re all going eventually?” he asks quietly.

A wave of nausea rolls through me.

“Not if I have anything to do with it. I’m gonna figure something out.” I don’t want to just give up.

I’m not expecting it when his arm drapes over my shoulder and he pulls me closer as we walk.

When his lips press against my temple, I don’t know what to do. “I have no doubts you’ll figure it out.”

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