Cowgirl Up Read Free Page A

the strapping, good looking steer wrestler. Not surprising
since every other girl appeared to feel the same way. Only she steadfastly
refused to act on her whims whereas others jumped in with both feet. Of course,
she’d been fourteen at the time so way too young for his attentions. That
didn’t stop her from daydreaming.
    “I did.
Still help out around the ranch, but spend most of my time on the road treating
large animals in my practice.” His focus shifted back to Legacy. “Just be
careful with that one, Trin. He’s the last horse I want to have to work on.”
    “You’re
the vet here?” Lacey asked.
    “One of
a handful, yeah. I signed up to be at all the events for the circuit this
year.” He smiled at Lacey wide enough to show a hint of straight white teeth.
“My luck, they’d assign me to that stud and laugh as he kicked the shit out of
me. All part of being the new guy on the block.”
    “No
worries. Legacy’s an angel.”
    Cody
snorted.
    “With
women,” Trinity added with a wry grin.
    “Like
that helps me. A bit short in the estrogen department lately if you haven’t
noticed.” Cody shook his head. “Lacey’s been around for a while, but I haven’t
seen you, Trinity. When did you come back?”
    She met
his gaze steadily. “This year.” For the life of her she really disliked this
topic of conversation which inevitably led to the question about her mother.
    “Miss
the sport?” He tilted his head and met her eyes as if trying to read between
the lines.
    She
didn’t give him the chance as she gestured toward Legacy. “Finally got a horse
to get me back.”
    “We’re
lucky to have her,” Lacey chimed in. “She reminds the rest of us about the good
old days.”
    Trinity
rolled her eyes. Like I’m that much older
than Lacey and the other younger riders. At twenty-five, she was hardly
ready to be put out to pasture.
    “Yeah,
those were the good times.” The corners of Cody’s lips hitched up but the smile
didn’t reach his eyes.
    “Yeah,
they were,” Trinity answered on a somewhat sad note. If only she could go back.
    His
cell phone rang. Plucking it from his belt, he answered the call, listened for
a moment, then held up his hand. “Got to go, ladies. See you around.” He spun
on his heel and strode out of the improvised barn.
    “Holy
crap. Did you see that ass?” Lacey whispered, still watching where Cody
disappeared out into the sunlight.
    “Unfortunately.”
Trinity sighed. She’d always been a sucker for a man with a great rump covered
in Wrangler jeans. Cody possessed one of the finest. She drew in a breath and
committed the sight to memory. Because that’s all it would ever be.
     

     
    Cody
couldn’t shake the image of Trinity out of his head as he strode back toward
the arena. She was a gawky girl the last time he’d seen her, just entering the
high school circuit. Damn if she hadn’t grown up, filled out, and turned out
pretty. More than that. Beautiful and downright sexy.
    Long,
dishwater blonde hair framed an oval face with big blue eyes, the window to her
soul where he could easily lose himself. From what he could tell in her sitting
position, jeans covered a nice curve to her hips while the western shirt,
though loose, hinted at modest, yet perky breasts. The top of her head might
tickle his chin, but good things came in small packages. Trinity did.
    Odd, he
hadn’t thought much about her before, when as a freshman in high school, she
attended a handful of the same events as he. He noticed her, saw a child, and
turned his attention elsewhere. In truth, he’d spoken perhaps a dozen sentences
to her in the past, a fact he now regretted.
    Now, it
seems fate deemed him worthy of another chance.
    He’d
been surprised to see her back in competition after such a long absence. He
thought she’d exchanged her boots for chasing men, and had long since gotten
married and popped out a couple of kids like most of the girls who barrel raced
as kids. Not that he put them