LITMIR.BIZ

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him. “I’ll just go up to my room.”

      He wondered what could be wrong with Claire. There wasn’t a more welcoming group than this bunch, but he got the sense that Claire was ready to bolt. Sara stood before Josh could answer. Her eyes met his for a brief second before she turned to Claire. “Did you have a good time with your friend?”

      “Sure, I guess.”

      “Come and sit next to me. We can be newbies to this group together.”

      After a little push from Josh, Claire shuffled toward Sara and sank into the empty chair next to her.

      Noah took up the conversation without a beat. “Did you hear about the last event?” he asked Josh.

      “I don’t get a lot of bull-riding news out here,” Josh said without emotion. “And that’s the way I—”

      “It was awesome, man. I rode Big Mabel and after six seconds she really let loose. I hung on like never before, legs back and chin down just like you taught me. You wouldn’t believe the high. I was in the zone like never before. You have no idea.”

      “I have an idea,” Josh grumbled as he took his seat again.

      “Five thousand dollars, dude. The biggest purse this season and it was all mine.”

      Manny leaned over and thumped Noah on the head. “Shut up, amigo.”

      “No, it’s fine.” Josh took another drink of his beer. “I want to hear everything.” He turned to Bryson. “How’s your first season going?”

      Sara rubbed her hand along Claire’s back as she kept one eye on Josh. “Are we still going shopping this weekend?” she asked quietly.

      “Sure.”

      “What’s wrong, honey?”

      “Do you think they blame me for what happened to Dad? I mean, maybe they hate me. It was my fault he—”

      “Stop,” Sara said, hoping to soothe the young girl before Josh noticed her distress. “What happened to your dad wasn’t your fault. We’ve been over this. These are his friends. I think he’d want you to enjoy tonight, not to beat yourself up.”

      “You’re right.” Claire smiled, although it looked more like a grimace.

      Sara laughed softly. “That’s a start.” She grabbed the plate of brownies April had brought out a few minutes earlier. “Let me share something I’ve learned over the years. Chocolate is often the best medicine.”

      Claire’s smile turned genuine. “I like that philosophy.”

      With Claire happily nibbling on the brownie, Sara turned her attention back to Josh. His full focus was on Bryson as he nodded at something the young bull rider said. To a casual observer he’d looked relaxed, but Sara noticed the tension that radiated from his jawline down through his shoulders. His fingers gripped the beer bottle with a white-knuckled grasp.

      It must be so difficult for him to listen to stories from a new crop of bull riders. She knew what it was like to have failure tap you on the shoulder and ask for advice in the form of a new generation of rising stars.

      Sara stood without thinking. “How about a game of charades?” Everyone at the table looked at her like she’d grown a horn. “You know, the game?” she clarified.

      Continued silence and stares. Finally Dave cleared his throat. “Cowboys don’t usually play parlor games, darlin’.”

      Of course not. Sara felt color creep into her cheeks once again. She glanced at Josh, who’d finally loosened his grip on the beer bottle. Too bad for the cowboys, she thought. If it could keep these guys distracted and give Josh a little breathing room, she’d push them into it one way or another.

      She leaned over the table toward Dave. “What’s the matter? Afraid of being beat by a girl?”

      Brandy gave a quiet snort of laughter. “I’m on Sara’s team,” she announced.

      “Women against men,” April added as she came into the room. “Perfect.”

      Josh pushed away from the table. “I don’t think—”

      Sara made squawking noises and flapped her elbows.

      Josh’s eyes widened. “Are you calling me a chicken?”

      Sara smiled broadly. “If the feathers fit.”

      “Come on, boys,” Josh ordered. “Into the family room. These ladies are begging to be trounced.”

      “Charades,” Dave mumbled, but stood without argument. “This has to be a first.”

      “Should I come, too?” Claire asked.

      “It wouldn’t be a girls’ team without you,” Sara told her, meeting Josh’s gaze for a brief second. She thought she saw gratitude and maybe a little relief before his mask snapped into place.

      “Let’s do this.” He hustled the other bull riders out of the dining room, grumbling all the way.

      * * *

      Sara didn’t make it back to her cabin until close to eleven, way past her bedtime with the early-morning hours on the ranch. She’d helped April clean up in the kitchen after Brandy and Claire had gone to bed, leaving the guys to relive old stories around the fire pit on the side patio.

      To her surprise, Ryan had seemed to find his place in the overtestosteroned group, happily sharing stories of which Hollywood starlets had what body parts surgically enhanced.

      She smiled to herself at the stories she could tell if she wanted, then jumped at a noise from the trees next to her front door.

      “Heart-attack central over here,” she squeaked as Josh stepped out of the darkness.

      “Sorry.” He didn’t look sorry. He looked big and gorgeous in his soft flannel shirt, faded jeans and boots. A light was on in her cabin, its glow illuminating the front step enough for her to see him clearly.

      Late-night stubble shadowed his jaw, defining it even more and making her wonder how that roughness would feel across her skin. She quickly pulled her mind away from that train of thought. No good could come from there.

      “Expecting someone else?” he asked.

      “Yogi Bear?” she answered, still trying to catch her breath. “Or Grizzly Adams, maybe?”

      One corner of his mouth hitched up, matching the catch in her throat. “Noah likes you.”

      “I got the impression Noah likes anyone with breasts and a pulse.”

      That drew a laugh from him. “Probably. The question is, do you like him?”

      Something in his tone of voice put her on edge. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.” She took a step toward her door but he blocked the path.

      “It is if you’re going to mix business with pleasure.”

      She eyed him for a moment then swallowed, too tired to play games or even put up a fight. “I’m not interested in Noah.”

      He watched her.

      “Or Manny. Or Bryson.”

      He continued to stare.

      She huffed out a breath. “I’m not after your friends. Why do I feel like there’s still a problem?”

      He blinked several times then mumbled, “Thank you.”

      “I’m having trouble following you.”

      “For tonight. You made Claire feel comfortable, and I have a feeling you suggested the stupid game to do the same for me.”

      “Everyone had fun playing the game,” she said, letting a little temper seep into her voice. “I was just keeping the guests entertained. I’m sure

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