stepped toward the rear of the store.
“No work. You won’t have time for it,” he said, grinning when
she frowned. Busted. “You’re under orders to not bring any work
home, either.”
“Was that ‘ Mizz Evelyn’s’ idea, too?”
“Yup,” he said with a chuckle. Miss Evelyn had already ratted her
out. “Whatever it takes.”
She sighed and then grimaced, gingerly reaching back to her
shoulder.
“Does it hurt?” he asked sympathetically.
“Yeah, I’m ready for another pain reliever. It twinges sharply
every so often. I’ll go take one and be right out.”
* * * *
58
Heather Rainier
Juliana retrieved her purse and her lightweight jacket from the
hook behind her office door. She stopped at the fountain and took a
pain pill then went in search of him.
The sound of giggling was her first indicator of his approximate
location. Left unattended, he was like a magnet to steel. She didn’t see
him until she turned the corner as the giggling got louder. Sure
enough, five designer-denim-clad, silver-belt-buckle-wearing, low-cut
top, cowboy hat and boot-wearing blonde-haired bimbos were all over
him like a duck on a June bug.
Spurs and Heels
59
Chapter Six
Slowly advancing, Juliana eyed how the girls were dressed. Only
one of them had an indecently low-cut top. The others were attired
nicely, just all-out Western. That was something Ash wouldn’t see her
in. She owned two pairs of jeans but no other Western wear, besides
an old pair of cowboy boots. Most of what she owned was clothes for
work, and Western wear didn’t fit into the mix. Not that she was
opposed to owning any, it just wasn’t her style.
She looked at him then, the quintessential cowboy, from his hat to
his boots. It was a small wonder that the young women had zeroed in
on him. But what did he see in her? A city girl through and through.
Okay, so maybe not big city like Dallas or San Antonio, but she
certainly was no cowgirl. When he turned those piercing, turquoise-
blue eyes on her, what did he see?
She noticed he was talking to the group of girls, his eyes
twinkling, a big grin on his face. They giggled and laughed, having
eyes only for him as he scanned the store. He made eye contact with
her, and she saw a new light come into his eyes, and it made her
insides quiver a little. He grinned down at the girls and pointed at her,
said something that made them sigh and giggle, then he nodded at
them and walked away.
She ignored the gaggle of giggling buckle bunnies, none of whom
could have been over eighteen as they openly watched him walk
away, ogling his assets. Shoot, if the young ones were like this in
town, she wondered what it would be like if he was to participate in
one of the area rodeos.
60
Heather Rainier
“I leave you alone for one minute, and the women are swarming
over you like ticks on a hound,” she said with a chuckle as he
carefully gathered her hand in his.
“Oh, they were harmless enough. They’re all friends who are
competing in the Miss Tarkett County Fair Queen competition.
They’re out looking for sponsors for the contest. They figured I was a
rancher.”
“Oh, uh-huh?” she quipped, “And they wanted you to ‘sponsor’
one of them?” She giggled good-naturedly. “Looked like two or three
of them wanted to ‘sponsor’ you.”
“Now, now, Miss Juliana, I only have eyes for a certain lovely
redhead. I told them they should go see Grace over at Harper’s about
getting the ranch to sponsor one of them.”
“That’s actually a great idea.”
“Part of the money they raise goes to charity.”
“That was some sincere fundraising work they were doing just
now, ogling your fine cowboy tush.”
Ash smiled and laughed. “Were they checking out my ass?”
Juliana guffawed. “Of course they were. You couldn’t hear them
sighing and giggling as you walked away? If any of them had spoons,
they’d be eating you right now.”
He drew her closer to him and whispered, “Do you think I have a
fine cowboy tush?” with a bit of a growl added in, which turned her
insides to mush.
“Um—absolutely,” she replied, going for straight honesty, feeling
her cheeks blush all the way to her red roots.
“Really?” He sounded genuinely surprised. He even blushed a
little above his muttonchops.
“Yep, totally bitable.” She giggled when he growled again as he
held the side door open for her. “What were you saying to those girls
when you pointed to me?”