Free Country Heat (King Creek Cowboys Book 1) by Cheyenne McCray Page B

approached and she steadied herself by bracing a hand on the countertop.
    “Ready to head out on that ride?” He had a slight drawl that many Arizona cowboys spoke in.
    She wanted to sigh and melt every time he spoke.
    “I’ve been looking forward to it all week.” She gestured to the sack of food and the two thermoses. “I think I have enough.”
    He got so close to her she could smell his sun-warmed flesh and the masculine scent she’d come to associate with him. His body heat warmed her even though no part of them were touching.
    The fact that he was regularly in her “personal space” made her certain he had some kind of feelings for her too, whether sexual or more. He would get close enough that all she had to do was lean forward just a bit and she could kiss him. She hadn’t, of course, but she had wanted to.
    She was pretty sure he wanted to as well. Like now.
    “Guess we should go,” he murmured before he picked up the bag with their lunch in one hand and grasped both handles of the thermoses with his other. “Let’s head on out.” He turned and strode toward the back door.
    She nodded and followed. He paused and she almost ran into him. “Do you have a hat?”
    “No.” She shook her head. “I didn’t even think about it.”
    He glanced at the hat rack. “Down at the bottom is one of my sisters’ hats. I think it’s Leeann’s. Go ahead and grab it. You can’t go out into the sun without something covering your head
    Kit bent and snagged the small straw western hat that had a leather hat band decorated with Conchos.
    He nodded as she straightened and set it on her head. “That’s better.” He gave her a quick grin. “You look cute in a hat.”
    She laughed. “So do you.”
    He chuckled and shook his head as he turned to go out the back door. “First time I’ve been called cute since I was just a kid.”
    “Ha.” She stepped through the doorway as he held the door open. “I bet all the girls called you cute in high school.”
    He snorted. “That doesn’t count.”
    They walked out into the cool morning, onto the soft ground that was a little damp from last night’s downpour.
    “I love the smell of rain.” She inhaled deeply and looked up to see a few wisps of white across the blue. “Not much in the way of clouds.”
    He eyed the sky before shaking his head. “Doesn’t look like rain.” He nodded to the barn as they neared it. “I packed waterproof ponchos in the saddlebags in case those storm clouds do come on back.”
    “A little rain won’t hurt.” She pushed her hair over her shoulder. “I haven’t been out to your barn yet.”
    “Sorry about missing our date to tour the ranch.” He reached the barn, flipped a latch, and opened the door. “Sasha came into the world earlier than expected.”
    Date. He’d called it a date again.
    She almost rolled her eyes at her silly schoolgirl thoughts.
    “Apologies definitely not needed.” She walked into the cool recesses of the barn and blinked to get used to the dimmer light. The whinny of a horse and a calf’s bawl greeted her.
    “Hold on.” Carter put his hand on her arm. “Don’t step in the cow patty.”
    Kit glanced down at a pile of fresh cow manure.
    “Not sure who missed this one,” he said. “I’ll grab a shovel.” He set the insulated bag and the thermoses on a hay bale before heading to the back of the barn.
    While she waited for him, she let her gaze drift over the stacks of baled alfalfa hay and straw; sacks of grain; as well as a wall of well-kept tack.
    The barn smelled of dirt, hay, and livestock, all familiar smells that reminded Kit of her grandparents’ much smaller barn.
    After Carter took care of the cow patty, he gestured for her to follow him. He started toward the aisle that ran down the center of the barn, between the stalls. “I’d like you to meet Little Joe.”
    Kit joined him and they came to a stop in front of one of the stalls. A huge black and white horse put his head over the