Carrying the Rancher's Heir Read Free

quickly, her pride taking hold. “Just so you can get your ego through that barn door, I’d better say what I came here to say. I thought you’d care to hear this from me rather than from your brother. You’re going to see me around Worth Ranch from now on. I’m volunteering at Penny’s Song. It’s a worthy cause that I’m fully behind and I can’t wait to get started working with the children.”
    â€œYou?” Tagg silently cursed. Callie Sullivan was the last person he wanted to see on Worth land day in and day out. He couldn’t believe she’d shown up here today. He’d been thinking about that night in Reno for weeks now. Remembering how good it was with her. His blood pressure escalated the second he’d spotted her on his property. And in that instant whenthey’d touched, memories of hot sweaty mind-numbing sex had rattled his brain.
    â€œYes, me.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œI told you. I want to work with children. I’ve got a degree in psychology and I know I can be an asset at the facility. Clay thought I’d be perfect, since I’m good with horses, too.”
    Clay? He was going to have to talk to his brother. Never mind that Callie Sullivan was Hawkins Sullivan’s daughter and they’d already beat Worth Ranch out of one big cattle deal this year, Tagg didn’t need the temptation Callie posed to him.
    He resumed brushing down the mare. Clay had no clue about Tagg’s one-night stand with Callie and he wasn’t going to bring it up. If word got out, the family would try their hand at matchmaking. Lord knows, they’d tried before. But Tagg wasn’t shopping for a relationship and he’d made himself very clear. “Well, thanks for telling me.”
    â€œIt’s a pretty wonderful charity. Your brother is a good man for doing this.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œI told him to forget I’m The Hawk’s daughter while I’m on the ranch. My focus will only be on helping to get Penny’s Song off the ground.”
    â€œI’m sure he appreciates that.” He patted the mare’s rump then turned to fill a steel bucket half-full of oats. He’d ridden the horse hard while on the range.
    Before he could get the oats to the mare, Callie stepped up, bumping him slightly. He caught a whiff of her perfume—flowery but earthy, as if she’d stamped her own unique scent on it. Memories flooded back instantly. That sultry dance in the bar. Her long black hair flowing wild and free. The way her moist skin tasted when he’d kissed her.
    â€œI bet she’ll like this more.” Callie reached into her front pocket, coming up with half a dozen sugar cubes. She opened her palm to the mare. A pink tongue came out to lap up Callie’s treat. She slid her hand along the mare’s mane. “Are we friends now, girl?” Her tone was soft and soothing, as if they’d just shared something intimate. “Yeah, I think we are.” She turned to Tagg, her eyes bright. “What’s her name?”
    Tagg set the bucket down in front of the horse and moved to the wall to hang up the brush, leaving Callie and her tempting scent behind. “Russet.”
    Callie smiled wide. “That’s perfect.”
    Tagg nodded, watching Callie interact with his horse. She wore jeans and a soft cotton shirt, nothing daring, nothing that would raise a man’s temperature. Except that he knew what was underneath her clothes: soft creamy skin, hips that flared slightly and perfect breasts that when freed of constraints could bring a man to tears.
    She knew horses. Knew how to talk to them, how to treat them. That didn’t surprise him as much as please him. He leaned back against the wall watching her until Callie realized what he was doing.
    Her brows lifted, a question in her expression as she looked at him.
    â€œWhy’d you do it, Callie? We barely knew each other. Why