Free Last of the Red-Hot Cowboys by Tina Leonard Page B

said. “It’s a night of beer drinking and maybe some poolplaying at Redfeathers. That’s all you’re going to have to do, which is what you do on most of your evenings anyway, isn’t it?”
    He moved his dark brown cowboy hat back on his head, eying Harper. “Why are you so quiet? Don’t you want to pipe in?”
    â€œNo, thank you,” Harper said stiffly. “I’m not walking the plank on this excursion.”
    Trace’s gaze landed on Ava again. “Why are you involved? Are you Judy’s head busybody?”
    Ava shrugged. “I guess I am.”
    He scoffed. “I’ve met three-year-olds more serious about riding than you ladies.”
    â€œAre you going to get on with the lesson or gripe all day?” Ava demanded. “I haven’t seen any indication you even know how to teach riding, much less seen an outline of your plan of how you think our team can achieve Mayor Judy’s goals.”
    He stared at her. “Fair enough. Let’s get these horses around some barrels.”
    They did exactly as he asked without further blowback. Trace sighed, watching Ava’s fanny move up and down as she worked her horse out. She had a sweet, sweet motion; a lot of long hours had gone into her training, and it showed in her movements and the way she treated her horse—not to mention the hot, tight curves of her ass.
    Trace had a bad feeling that the hard-on he’d been wearing for the past week wasn’t going away anytime soon.

Chapter Six
    Ava heard a knock on her bungalow door that night as she was getting ready to meet the team for dinner, and somehow she knew who it was. She put down her hairbrush, put a light pink gloss on her lips, and went to the door.
    Trace stood outside, just as she’d hoped. “Hi.”
    He looked at the powder-blue dress, which floated above her knees, and the tan-and-brown cowboy boots she wore with it. His gaze met hers. “Going out?”
    â€œIs it any of your business?” Ava asked.
    â€œActually, no. Got a second?”
    She wasn’t about to let him in. He was her wildest temptation, and she planned to treat him like Eve’s apple—no biting. “Not really. I’ve got to meet the team for dinner.” He perked up. “Redfeathers?”
    â€œNot tonight, no. Judy’s cooking for us around her pool.”
    He grunted. “You’re in for a treat.”
    â€œI hope so.”
    â€œHave you taken a good look at Steel? Does he look like he isn’t being taken care of?” He looked wistful. “I wish Judy had invited me to that meal, instead of the one tomorrow night.”
    â€œThe date-night dinner.”
    â€œThe dumbest-thing-I-ever-heard-of dinner. Why does Cameron want to go out with Jake?”
    â€œI didn’t ask. It’s not my problem.”
    He shook his head. “It’s our problem, all of us. It makes things complicated, and I hate complications. Let’s ditch them and go fishing.”
    She looked at Trace. “Is that your answer for everything? Going fishing?”
    â€œIs there a better answer?”
    He looked long and sexy hovering in her doorway, and Ava was so tempted to take up fishing. Anything to be alone with him. “I wouldn’t know. I didn’t have a lot oftime for fishing.” Or anything except training, and working part-time through high school, then community college, then working full-time.
    â€œAnyway,” Trace said, “what I came to tell you is that I wasn’t in the best mood today.”
    â€œSo?” She frowned. “I’m not paying you to be in a good mood or a bad mood. I simply want your expertise. What your mood is doesn’t concern me.”
    He took that in. “Good.”
    â€œIf you had to apologize to me every time you’re a bit of a toad, wouldn’t you be on my porch every night?”
    A reluctant smile tugged at his lips. “Not