Page 9 of Head Over Spurs

As Maddie disappeared in one direction, Jules turned the opposite way to dip into a barn. She needed a minute to look up the ProRodeo standings and confirm for herself that she was getting worked up over nothing. The moment she found his picture on the site, she’d be able to settle her racing heartbeat.

Crossing the threshold, a sound alerted her that she was not alone. Removing her sunglasses, Jules blinked rapidly, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dimness of the space. And then once they did adjust, she blinked more rapidly to clear away the mirage of the cowboy before her.

So much for settling her racing heartbeat.

“Sundance,” she sputtered in awe.

Dropping the wooden board from under his arm, he slowly turned over his shoulder, his blue-green eyes studying her with equal intensity. She would recognize that look anywhere. She would remember it for a hundred more lifetimes.

Jules had dreamed of those eyes for a year now. Holding his gaze, she gulped as he wiped his hands on the white T-shirt clinging to his sweaty, washboard abs and strong chest and started across the barn towards her. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. All her senses locked onto the man with the dark golden hair that fell just above his broad shoulders as he drifted her way.

When he was a mere step away, her mouth parted, a soft sigh escaping her. She had always assumed that she built up his image in her head over time. That if she ever did run into him again, it would be a refreshing reality check. But that wasn’t the case at all. He was just as ruggedly handsome as she remembered, and then some.

“Jules,” he rasped as he came to a stop, the toes of his boots knocking against hers.

Her heart slammed against her sternum as he smiled down at her. But something was different now.

“Your mustache!”

A deep chuckle escaped him. “Yeah, lost a bet. I had to shave it off. Why, do you miss it?”

Tension coiled in her core at the sound of his laugh. Desperate for relief, she reached out and clutched his face. Herhands dragged along his jaw before pulling his mouth down to hers. He immediately gave in to her, twisting one fist in her hair and taking her waist with his other hand’s commanding grip.

Their tongues tangled frantically as she clutched his upper arm and pressed tight against him. He tasted like strong coffee and cinnamon, masculine yet sweet, and she wanted to indulge in every last ounce of him.

When she sucked his lip between her teeth, a low, guttural noise sounded from his throat, sending a tingle of desire shooting through her center. She dragged her mouth back, keeping hold of him and giving a small tug on his lip before releasing and smiling up at the dazed look on his face.

“We can’t do that again,” she murmured, bringing her hand down to rest on his chest.

“Why can’t?—”

“Oh, you found each other! Perfect!” Maddie’s chipper tone rang out from the entrance of the barn.

Jules took a step back, dropping her hands to her sides. “So, this is Riley?” she asked innocently.

“This is Riley,” her friend replied, coming to a stop beside them.

“I’m Riley,” he pretended to confirm, a teasing sparkle in his eye.

“And this is our new caretaker, Jules.”

“I’m really looking forward to working with you this summer,” he drawled in amusement, taking the taupe-colored cowboy hat from his head and running his fingers through his hair. Dammit, why did he have to be so attractive?

She bit her lip, waiting for Maddie to notice the tension in the air. But instead, her friend looped her arm through Jules’s and smiled back at him. “I think you two are going to get along well.”

“I think so too,” Riley agreed, his piercing stare trained on Jules.

“Okay, I’m going to show her around and get her settled, but we’ll see you for dinner.”

“Oh, but I just had something to ask him really fast?—”

“You’ll have time to talk all night. The big cook-out after branding weekend is today, so you can meet everyone and get to know your partner better.”

“Lookin’ forward to it,” he said in a deep, coarse tone. Kicking the bottom of a boot up against a support post, he lowered the hand holding his hat to rest against his thigh and watched Jules numbly follow Maddie out. She looked over her shoulder at him once more before turning the corner. A smirk graced his face, and as they made eye contact, he shot her an overwhelmingly sexy wink. These were going to be a complicated few months.

She trailed alongside Maddie, feeling like a foal on unsteady legs. She had spent countless hours honing her personal set of rules, each one established after a lesson taught at home. Visit, immerse, leave on impeccable terms. Be responsible for yourself and what you choose to do. She could go on, but this situation seemed like it should be added to the top of the list as a lesson in whatnotto do. Maybe in bold, red lettering.

Disbelief fogged her thoughts. It was like the second he was before her, any ability to form a logical notion had disappeared. She became this animal running on age old instinct. And while she typically relied on her instincts and gut-feelings, this was something else entirely. No, she shouldn’t trust her feelings with this one, she needed to establish rules to handle her attraction to Riley.

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