Free Bad News Cowboy by Maisey Yates Page A

the no column. But...what would it be like to kiss Jack? To feel his lips, warm and firm, and that stubble, all rough and...
    â€œMaybe I’m the one who’s wrong,” he said. “Did you want to leave with him?”
    Jack’s question pulled her out of her fantasy. And she was relieved. “No.” She was certain about that.
    â€œSo obviously, shoving your... Doing the... That isn’t what you want to be doing.”
    Jack tongue-tied was almost funny enough to make the conversation less horrifying. Almost. “And you’re an expert?”
    â€œMore than you. Look, what is it you want? The way you were acting is definitely going to work for one thing. But if your end goal is a date, you might want to approach it in another way.”
    â€œIf I want a date?” she asked, blinking slowly, not exactly sure how they wound up in this conversation.
    â€œYes, a date. And not like...an invitation to go down on a guy in his truck.”
    Her face burned. “It’s not my fault he said that stuff.”
    â€œI know,” he said. “I’m not blaming you. But you know...if you set a trap for a horny dillweed, that’s all you’ll catch. And there’s a lot of those in the circuit. If you intend to go pro, you’re going to be exposed to a lot of it.”
    She let out an incredulous sound. “Are you...are you actually offering to help me hook up?”
    â€œNo. I’m not offering to help with that. But obviously, you could use a little bit of help figuring out how to deal with this kind of thing. Teaching you how to use...different bait.”
    â€œInstead of horny-dillweed bait?”
    â€œYes,” he said. “I can help you.”
    â€œI’m twenty-three,” she said.
    â€œI know. And you’re fast and strong and smart. You’re the best damn barrel racer around, whatever you think about yourself. You’re ready to go pro and take the circuit by storm. You’re a hard worker and a good sister.”
    â€œSo what exactly are you...offering?”
    â€œIf you’re going to flirt, you should flirt with me.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    J ACK WASN ’ T QUITE SURE what devil was possessing him at the moment. The same devil that had possessed him when he crossed the room and intervened in Kate’s interaction with Chad. Something hot and reckless, which he was used to but not in connection with his best friends’ little sister.
    You’re just looking out for her.
    True. It might not be God’s work, but it was Eli and Connor’s work. He was helping.
    Leading her not into temptation, and away from idiots who only wanted to get into her pants.
    â€œChad didn’t hit you, did he, Jack?” Kate asked, her tone suddenly filled with concern.
    â€œNo. Why?”
    â€œBecause you’re talking like someone who has a head injury.”
    â€œLesson one,” he said, his tone firm. “Don’t insult the guy you want to hook up with.”
    Kate took a step back, her expression hidden from him by the dim evening light. “I don’t want to hook up with you.”
    â€œObviously.” He felt like a moron for phrasing it that way. Things had gotten weird in the past hour and this wasn’t helping. “I didn’t mean that. I only meant that I can teach you how to talk to men.”
    â€œI was raised by men,” Kate said, holding her hands wide. “I know how to talk to men. I know about horses, sports and even some of the finer points of tractor mechanics. I even like to compare scars.”
    Jack’s throat clamped down hard on itself at the image of Kate shuffling clothing around to show off the various scars she no doubt had on her body.
    Want to compare scars, baby?
    Yeah, that might actually work as a pickup line. The other stuff, not so much.
    â€œYou know how to talk like a man, Kate. That’s different than knowing how to talk to men. And it’s also