Free Twins for the Bull Rider by April Arrington Page A

arms.
    â€œIt’s okay,” she said. “Why don’t you help Kayden with the wheelbarrow?”
    He complied, taking slow, tired steps out of the stall to join Kayden.
    Cissy cringed, dragging the toe of her shoe through the shavings on the floor. She had worked them hard the past couple of weeks. Maybe too hard. But she couldn’t afford to pay anyone to watch them and, though they offered, she didn’t want to take advantage of any of the Slade men’s good nature. She didn’t do charity.
    â€œOkay. Here.” Kayden rounded the corner and plopped the wheelbarrow down with a rocky thump. “Can me and Jayden go do something now? I bet Mr. Dominic would let us paddleboat again.”
    â€œNo. You’re not to interrupt the men during the workday. You know that.”
    He kicked the ground and slumped. “Well, can we at least take a break?”
    â€œAll right.” Shavings sprayed as they took off. “But stay in the barn,” she shouted at their backs.
    â€œOkay, Aunt Cissy,” Jayden whooped back.
    Kayden, as anticipated, did not offer any promises.
    Cissy waited until she heard their footsteps stop. The slap of the rope against the barn floor started up and their sporadic laughter chimed out. Relaxing, she turned back to her task.
    Scoop, shake low and then tip out into the wheelbarrow. Repeat. Over and over. She plunged back into the job, sweat streaming down her nape and tickling her spine. She followed the barn manager’s directions to the letter and angled each toss of the shavings so the smaller balls of manure would roll out separately.
    Scoop, shake, tip, repeat. Again. And again. And again. Then move to the next stall.
    A tired laugh burst out on her next exhale. Who would’ve thought she’d become such an expert on manure? She shrugged her shoulders with the last heave of the shovel. Who cared? As long as it brought in money. Her small pile had grown over the past few days, but she needed more. Every job counted.
    â€œYou making an art out of this or what?” Dominic’s broad shoulders filled the entrance to the stall. His sexy rumble and come-hither stare commanded the small space.
    Cissy’s belly warmed. His T-shirt, snug as ever, clung to every bulge of muscle in his upper body. His long, thick legs were encased in denim and the ever-present buckle and boots just added to his appeal. He was the coolest, most intoxicating drink of water she’d seen in years.
    And here she was. Sweaty, dirtied up and reeking of manure.
    She lifted her chin. It didn’t matter. There was no room for him in her life. Job, money and a new home. That was all she would think about.
    â€œSomeone has to do it,” she returned. “It may as well be me.”
    His brown eyes skimmed down the length of her. “Yeah, but you could take a break once in a while. Let one of the hands help you out. You look just about dead on your feet.”
    Her lip curled. “Gee, thanks. What a charmer you are.”
    Dominic smiled, white teeth catching his lower lip, dimples popping. “I do my best, baby.”
    Sexy devil.
    Dominic reached out, snagging the wheelbarrow with his large hand and rolling it closer to her. “Seriously, you need to take a day off. You’ve been working from sunup to sundown for two weeks straight.”
    â€œYeah, well.” She dumped the last wet clump of waste into the wheelbarrow. “I need the money.”
    â€œAll you have to do is ask, you know? It’s okay to ask for help every now and then.”
    She was sure her expression reflected her disdain.
    Sighing, he shook his head. “Well, it’s nice to see you took Pop up on his offer to watch the boys. That’s something at least.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” She froze, tilting her head and straining to hear the slap of the rope again. “They weren’t out there?”
    â€œOut where?”
    â€œOut in the