Chris nodded and strode to where his saddle hung on its saddle rack. He looked back at Justin.
“You wanna ride out with us today?”
Justin kicked off his boots and hung his hat on the rack next to the front door of his own home. Bear came inside with him. The dog curled up on the rug near the couch, tuckered out from a day full of driving calves across the prairie and into their corrals near the bunkhouse. Those boys would be up early tomorrow morning, ready to brand.
Justin took Chris up on his offer to ride one of the mares out with him and the boys to gather up the babies. He loved working with his friend. It reminded him of the good times. But days like this were tiring, and he needed a shower and his bed.
He turned on the warm water and stepped inside the glass enclosure. The shower was his thinking place. Sometimes he’d just stare at the tile and let the water run over his back and shoulders for a while.
His thoughts wandered to Chris’s niece. Blythe.
What a pretty name.
Justin grinned, remembering the look on her face when she whipped around to slap him after he dusted off her ass with his hat. He knew it was impulsive. He’d barely met her, then invited her to come watch him shoe the horses in the barn.
What was he thinking? She had a point, wondering if he really was a creep just waiting for the right opportunity to snatch his prey.
He chuckled and tipped his head back to let the water wash the dirt from his hair. Her tight little behind asked for it, though. He grinned to himself and reached up to wipe a hand over his face. He meanttightin more ways than one. She had fire in her eyes, and he liked that.
He couldn’t deny he’d felt a bolt of connection the second he reached down to help her up from the ground. He’d never experienced that before—not with any other human in his entire life. He could still feel the vibration in his forearms. He started to ponder ways he could get closer to her, though, they all seemed to fall flat.
He scoffed to himself. That woman would rather string him up from the nearest tree than have one more conversation with him.
He made a mental note to apologize. Maybe that could help mend the questionable first impression he’d given her. In truth, he wasn’t sorry. If he could do it over, he’d still grab his hat and dust off her pockets the exact same way.
Turning around, grabbing the handle, and shutting off the water, he stepped out of the shower.
Damn.
He forgot to hang a new towel on the hook. He padded out of the bathroom, leaving wet footprints along the wooden floor to where he knew there was a soft, fluffy towel waiting for him in the dryer.
He opened the dryer door, reaching in to grab one. Wrapping it around his waist and tucking the corner into the top just above his hip bone, he walked back through the doorway and into the hall. Bear was perched right in the middle of the floor, staring at him, his head cocked to one side. He was a bloodhound,and his long ears and droopy eyes made him look even more judgmental.
“I forgot my towel. So, what?” He bent over, hands on his knees, staring his dog down like he was waiting for a rebuttal. “That’s what I thought.”
Maybe if the fine ass redhead wasn’t still running around destroying his thoughts he would’ve remembered. He still felt a little guilty now, knowing who she was. But he couldn’t help it. She wasn’t a little girl anymore, and he was no saint.
Justin threw on his long, checkered pajama bottoms. It was summer, but for whatever reason, he liked his legs to be cozy when he slept. He combatted the heat by sleeping shirtless, with just a sheet and his pillow. As he lay there staring at the ceiling, he grinned one last time before closing his eyes—Blythe’s painted on jeans, covered in dirt, flashing through his mind.
Damn, those eyes. Blythe finished washing her face and dried it with a hand towel. She leaned over the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. That morning, when she’d turned around to see him without his hat, he’d taken her breath away—a single piece of chocolate brown hair hung loose across his forehead, and he had the deepest blue irises on earth. He was undoubtedly the most delicious looking man she’d ever seen. Though, that was before she found out he was one of the cowboys who ran around on the ranch when she was a kid—and the one who saved her from that stupid steer. What had its name been? Satan, maybe? Whatever, it didn’t matter.
Get it together, Blythe. The guy practically assaulted you!
Not really, but she could still be pissed about it…and completely enamored by his stupid, gorgeous face at the same time.
At one point in their day, Addie and Evie had begged to hunt lizards out back, and Blythe had been all too happy to oblige. While they’d been outside, they could see the cowboys bringing in the calves.
“Awww…” they’d all cooed in unison.
“Hey, look!” the girls shouted. “Hi, Justin!” Addie had yelled out to the group of men.
Blythe remembered seeing the blush that came to the ten year old’s cheeks as he waved back at her. Did she have a crush on him?
“Princess!” he’d called from his horse and blew a kiss in their direction. Blythe had known the kiss wasn’t meant for her, though she couldn’t help but wonder—what if it was?As if Justin had heard her thoughts from clear across the field, he’d swiped the ball cap off his head and looked directly at her as he flipped it around and placed it backwards, making sure it was secure. Her tummy flopped at the memory.
Oh, my gosh, stop it. Just because he’s hot doesn’t mean we like him. He’s too old, anyway.
She crawled into her bed, skincare applied, and took the bottle of lavender cream from her nightstand to lotion her hands. She nestled down and relaxed, the memory of the day still replaying in her mind. She would try to be nice to him next time, try not to catch an attitude. She’d been fooled by a handsome face and a pretty smile before. Now that she was aware, she could keep her hormonal feelings in check. Maybe he really was just being nice.
