Espino, Stacey - Corralling the City Girl [Ride 'em Hard 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Free Page A

mind. Her uncle Williams had been a kind, patient man. He’d taught her how to recognize poison ivy, pick berries without harming the plant, and never to walk behind his green broke horses. She hadn’t even gone to the funeral service.
    There were a pile of newspapers on the wooden porch. Jane bent down and arranged them to the side of the door. Only after she unlocked the front door and stepped into the spacious foyer did she realize that this home could be hers if everything went well. Would she sell it? Originally, it had been her first and only thought. She could use the money to buy one of the luxury lakefront condos, travel, and do sophisticated things like her boss and his clients. People would look up to her, and the money would give her a sense of security she currently lacked. She couldn’t wait until the day she could wag her resignation in Mr. Seymour’s face.
    But being back here was like entering a different world, and she actually questioned her decision to sell it. No, she was just being sentimental when she should be thinking like a wise businesswoman. This was an opportunity for profit and a better life. If she started thinking about her late uncle, her childhood memories, and the endless possibilities, she’d never succeed in her task. In less than an hour she had to head back into town to meet up with her three hired hands, and prayed they didn’t demand half their payment up front. None of this was a done deal, so she needed to focus on succeeding in the cattle run before she thought about spending the spoils.
    Her heels echoed with each step on the hardwood. She looked around the empty house, neat, but lived in. There was an old patchwork quilt tossed over the back of the sofa, and a functional fireplace. She’d always loved the smell of burning wood, and realized that scent originated from her visits to the ranch. As she continued walking down memory lane, a gruff male voice had her squealing and whirling around.
    The man was well over six feet. His plaid shirt fit snuggly around his muscled shoulders and chest, and as she looked lower, his jeans hung low on narrowed hips. Her eyes became riveted to the large silver buckle on his jeans.
    “You like my boots?”
    She quickly averted her gaze to his eyes. The bluest eyes. He had to know she wasn’t looking at his cowboy boots, but in the vicinity of his crotch. The stranger smirked at her, his face rough with stubble.
    “Do you have business here?” she asked, changing the subject. It was time to prove her value as a savvy, no-nonsense businesswoman. She stifled her urge to drink in the sight of the rustic Adonis, and focused on the here and now.
    “If you’re Jane Williams, I’m here for you.”
    Here for me? This was beginning to sound like one of her fantasies. But rather than an Armani suit and expensive cologne, he was all country, and smelled of horses and clean sweat. “How do you know my name?”
    Should she have admitted he had the right woman? He had a commanding presence, and his eyes held secrets. But she still felt relatively safe. If she could walk the downtown strip alone at night, or brave the dark parking lots after working late at the office, she could handle anything.
    “You hired me to help you run some cattle. The offer still stands, doesn’t it?”
    “Oh… I thought I was supposed to meet you in town. How did you get this address?”
    He narrowed his eyes, plucked off his cowboy hat, and dragged a heavy hand through his hair. “Everyone knows where the Williams ranch is. It’s one of the largest cattle farms in the area.”
    “Right. Can I get your name?” She began to dig through her purse for her list, thankful for the distraction.
    “Dawson Reed, ma’am.”
    She scanned her list. Dawson Reed was indeed one of her three hired cowboys, and would definitely be a distraction during the roundup. She still had to meet Chase and Bradley.
    “Okay. That’s great. I sent you all the information. Are you sure we can