Page 170 of The Nanny and the Beefcake
“I’m sure he does,” Raz muttered, knowing that the opposite was true as he and Beefcake followed behind, weaving through the mass of racers and burros. There was space for Libby and Plum to settle in on Dougie and Ace’s right while he plodded through to make a spot for himself on Dougie’s left—something Beefcake didn’t like one little bit. Without Plum by his side, the donkey bristled, stomping and huffing.
Nobody got between Beefcake and Plum.
“Beautiful afternoon for a race,” Doug commented. “I added amethyst crystals to Ace’s pack to harness positive energy and good luck. But I really don’t need it. Burro racing is in my blood.”
“Yep,” Libby replied politely.
Doug sized him up, then set his sights on Libby. “The offer is still open to get together after the race. I leave for Tibet the day after tomorrow, and I’d hate to not act on our connection.”
Their connection?
There was no bloody connection.
“The universe brought us to Rickety Rock. You can feel it, can’t you, Libby? The energy is calling out to us. I’d love to take you to my special vortex viewing spot.”
Special vortex viewing spot?
What a heap of bullshit.
“Let’s see how the race goes,” Libby answered.
Raz tightened his grip on Beefcake’s lead as the dueling male donkeys traded ominous brays and Plum set her sights on a pair of birds, frolicking in the air. The Jennie seemed oblivious to Ace and Beefcake’s antics as they jockeyed for her attention.
Beefcake sidestepped, giving Ace a good shove.
Nice one!
Ace, in turn, opened his giant donkey mouth, groaned in protest, then snapped at Beefcake before craning his neck and rubbing against Plum.
The wanker donkey!
Watching this ass move in on his Plum proved to be too much for Beefcake. Beefcake lunged at Ace, sinking his teeth into the donkey’s neck. Ace clinked and clattered as his array of purple crystals jostled like a beaded curtain. The beasts went back and forth, kicking up dust as the rabble-rousing animals engaged in donkey combat.
“Get your donkey under control,” Doug bit out, straining to rein in Ace.
“Your donkey could use some bloody manners. Look at him, rubbing on Plum. She’s not his. Beefcake had to defend her honor,” he hissed back.
Doug huffed. “She could be his. He’s donkey enough for her.”
Raz leaned in. “Could not. She’s Beefcake’s girl.”
“Plum is her own donkey,” Libby chided as the male burros continued to clash, biting and snapping like two backstreet brawlers.
The men pulled their donkeys apart as Maud stood on a platform with a megaphone in one hand and a bell in the other.
“Welcome to Rickety Rock’s Ass-in-Nine Pack Burro Race. Our competitors and their burros honor Colorado mining tradition by completing the nine-mile Crooked Mine Loop. There will only be one racing team crowned the winner. Runners and burros, this is it,” Maud instructed.
Raz glanced over his shoulder. There had to be thirty teams, possibly more. But Doug and Ace appeared to be his main competition.
“We finish this on the trail,” he said under his breath to Zen Dougie.
“The trail,” the man echoed.
Raz barely had a second to meet Libby’s gaze. Wide-eyed, she stared at him. This was it—the moment that would decide what happened next for them.
The universe was about to cast its verdict.
Libby would be his, or she wouldn’t.
