Free Just Shoot Me (Cowboy Way, #1) by Becky McGraw Page B

Grandma gets mad at me for chasing them. She’s really gonna be mad at you,” Jeremy informed and his
laughter mixed with feminine giggles.
    Shock broke the sensual dream world Dean had
been caught in and he moaned, as he eased Tina back to her feet,
and took a step back. She stumbled and put a hand on his arm to
steady herself. His eyes flew to the stall adjacent to Blaze’s
stall then back to his son. “Were you eavesdropping?” he asked
sharply.
    Jeremy cast his eyes down at the toes of his
boots. “No, sir, we were just playing a game of marbles in there
and heard ya’ll talking.”
    The little blonde girl beside Jeremy folded
her arms over her chest, and her eyes took on a look very similar
to her aunt when she was pissed. “Aunt T, why were you kissing him?
He’s mean to Jeremy!”
    Tina groaned and slapped a hand to her
forehead, then cast him a mischievous sideways glance at him. “He’s
not mean, sweetie. He’s just frustrated from having to choke the
chickens. Me, I just prefer a nice sharp knife to take care of
them.”
    A cold chill passed through Dean’s body, and
he slid his hand up between her shoulder blades to grab a hank of
Tina’s silky black hair and jerk.
    She squealed then laughed. Both kids said,
“Ewwww.” Tina’s laughter mixed with Jeremy and Laney’s. The joyful
sound danced around inside of Dean’s skull, and carried a happy
feeling through his body. At that moment, the last thing he wanted
to do was work, either on a photo shoot or ranch chores. What he
wanted to do was get this woman alone and kiss her
again.
    “ Do you ride?” Dean asked when
Tina’s laughter subsided.
    “ As in horses?” she replied and her
eyes shot to Blaze.
    “ Unless you want me to saddle up a
chicken for you?” he teased and Tina’s eyes widened. “That could
definitely be arranged.” Dean winked at her then threw his head
back and laughed like he hadn’t laughed in three years
now.
    It felt damned good.
    Still smiling, because he couldn’t seem to
flatten out the curve, he said, “Jeremy you and Laney go up to the
house and hang out with Grandma until we get back. I think she made
brownies.” Jeremy looked a little surprised, but then whooped and
grabbed Laney’s hand to drag her toward the barn door.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    Tina watched as Dean positioned the huge black
horse at the rail and fear squeezed her heart. Large animals
weren’t her thing. She was so small they scared the crap out of
her.
    “ I don’t think this is a good
idea,” she said, taking a step back, then another. “We, ah, need to
get some work done.” Tina took another step back, then improvised,
“It’s supposed to rain tomorrow, so we need to get what we can done
today.”
    The weather had been good, would probably be
good tomorrow too. She had no idea if it would rain or not, but it
seemed as good an excuse as any. It was the best she could come up
with on the spot to get out of riding, without admitting her fear
to this cowboy who had probably ridden since he could
walk.
    Dean turned toward her. “Have you found a
place where you want to take photos?”
    Tina huffed out a breath. She and Hope had
only been out as far as they could walk. Tina didn’t ride, and Hope
couldn’t because she was pregnant. The golf cart would’ve been much
too bumpy for Hope too, according to her overprotective husband.
Tina found some places on the ranch that might work, but none that
excited her. “Not really. We couldn’t get everywhere. I thought
we’d do some test shots and see what we get.”
    “ Well, we’ll be working then. Tell
your crew we’re going to scout locations. I know the perfect
place,” Dean told her with excitement in his tone, as he gave her
the second smile she’d seen on his face since she met him. It was
fleeting and disappeared, but she had seen it. And liked it. When
he smiled, Dean Dixon looked younger, softer around the mouth. And
a helluva lot more handsome, if that was possible.
    He and his