Spurs and Heels Read Free Page A

instead?”

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    Juliana smirked. “Tempting offer. Thank you for the flowers and my lunch. That was thoughtful of you.”
    “Just trying to make amends for upsetting you last night. I figure if you’re looking at me like you want to eat me for lunch, I must be forgiven. Yeah?”
    Juliana knew she could’ve just laughed and said yes, made more light conversation, and maybe flirted a little with the good-looking cowboy. For some reason, his words had the opposite effect, angering her as did his egotistical assumption. Her emotions were on the ragged edge and she took it all out on him.
    “Don’t think so highly of yourself, Mr. Peterson. I find that unattractive.” Snatching the box out of his hands, she strode away from him. Did he have to be so coarse? So egotistical? Did he really think so highly of himself? She heard his surprised exhalation of air, but he didn’t follow her as she flounced out the front door to take the damned box to her car.

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Chapter Two
    Ash grinned, enjoying the view as Miss High and Mighty Meyers sashayed away. His dick got even harder, watching those hips sway angrily. The sight of her turned him on like she was walking away naked, when in reality she was dressed in a matronly tailored blouse and a shin-length skirt and sensible heels. His dick asserted that it could have been a fricking burlap sack for all it cared.
    “Oh, I like you, cowboy. You’ve got promise.”
    He looked around and finally located the little elderly lady who owned the voice speaking to him. Damn, he didn’t realize how tiny she was. She must’ve had a stool behind the counter he’d stopped at earlier.
    “I’m sorry, ma’am?”
    “Oh, call me Evelyn. Juliana likes you. You can’t tell right now, I know. She has quite a temper to go along with her red hair. Some would call that passionate,” Evelyn said, enunciating with care as she walked up to him.
    “I keep sticking my foot in my mouth.”
    Evelyn chortled with amusement, “Yes, you do, cowboy. You have quite a way with words. But she likes you, just be patient. Her mind is on this breakup right now. She’s exhausted and oversensitive,” she said, shaking her head sympathetically.
    “Well, Miss Evelyn. I need to get back to the ranch. Would you tell her that I didn’t mean anything by what I said? Just being mouthy?”
    “I will, cowboy. Give her time. Oh! Just a little head’s up?” she said, gesturing with her little hands for him to come closer. “You 22

    might want to know she’ll be assisting Teresa on her moving day this Wednesday, packing up Teresa’s personal effects while Teresa takes care of wedding plans. Just in case you want to volunteer to help.”
    Ash smiled at her and leaned way down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “You’re a real sweetheart, Miss Evelyn. Maybe I should be courting you instead.”
    Evelyn chuckled with delight at his flirtation and confidently said,
    “Cowboy, if I was Juliana and forty years younger, I wouldn’t have walked away from your sexy, smart mouth. I’d have given as good as I got. Back in the day, I had suitors pining for miles around.”
    “I’ll bet you did, Miss Evelyn. You can call me Ash, by the way.”
    “Well, Ash, give her some time to cool off and start to feel bad about being so rude to such a handsome cowboy. She’ll come around.”
    “You reckon?”
    “A charmer like you? She’ll come around.” She shook her head slowly. “Juliana works too much.” She blew him an air kiss, waved, and walked back down the aisle.
    Grinning, Ash walked out the side door where he’d left his diesel running and made the trip back out to the ranch, feeling unsettled. He wasn’t exactly disappointed but wasn’t happy that he’d had to watch her walk away from him again.

     
    * * * *

     
    Juliana angrily threw the box in the car and shot from the parking lot in her white Camaro like a scalded-ass dog. Carrying the box up to the front steps of Lawrence’s condo, she placed it in