Page 27 of Some Cowboys Brave the Flames

She glanced up and found Daniel leaning in the bathroom doorway. His arms were folded, and he smirked at her. Charlie stuck out her tongue at him, then reached for the door and flung it shut.

He stumbled back a step to avoid it, and she heard his grunt through the door. Then he knocked. “If Wade calls the house, tell him I’m out helping Ash learn how to lasso.”

Charlie scrambled for the doorknob and pulled it open. “What? Why?”

Her brother shrugged. “He said it looked like fun when we were at the picnic. But I think he just didn’t want anyone to outdo him the next time he’s invited.”

She fiddled with the doorknob in her hand thoughtfully. “Oh.”

He turned and headed down the hallway, leaving her to her thoughts.

Memories from the picnic hit her hard. It was strange to see Ash with her family and no longer view him like an older brother. He wasn’t just Mason’s, or Liam’s, or even Daniel’s friend anymore. He was Michael Ashton—hot firefighter who any girl would give their right arm to be on a date with.

She threw back her head with another disgusted groan. He’d never see her as more than his friend’s kid sister, which is why she knew that he was toying with her. He’d gotten a kick out of teasing her when they were younger. Why would it be any different now?

Charlie wanted to get him back. She wanted to fight fire with fire.

A wicked smile crossed her face as she turned to her reflection. She’d been paying attention enough to know that she had the ability to distract him. If she turned the tables on him, teased him, pretended to flirt with him—he’d panic as he had the other day when Liam had called them back to the clearing.

The last thing he wanted was to make her brothers mad. Not one of her brothers would put up with their sister dating one of their friends—especially Ash.

With quick, nimble fingers, she braided her hair into two braids.

His words echoed in her head.You’re perfect the way you are. Never change.

Without another look in the mirror, she darted from the bathroom and into her room to grab her hat and boots. Then she headed outside.

Just like Daniel had said, he and Ash were working on lassoing. A large red replica of a bull’s head had been positioned in the center of a corral. Neither Ash nor Daniel had noticed her approach, so she climbed up on the fence and perched on the edge.

“You’re releasing too soon. You have to hold it a little longer, like this.” Daniel demonstrated with the lasso in his hand and easily roped it around the bull’s neck.

Ash nodded and swung his arm around and around. Just before he was about to release it, she said, “You want to keep your wrist loose, too.”

He stiffened at her voice. The rope slipped from his hand and landed several feet to the side of his target.

Daniel glanced back at her. “She’s not wrong.” Clearly, he hadn’t noticed the way Charlie’s voice had affected his friend.

Ash turned around and faced her, tugging the rope back into a coil in his hands. His eyes narrowed, and for a moment she thought she saw fire burning in them. But just as quickly thoseflames disappeared. He hadn’t come over since their picnic last weekend, nor had they set up their next cooking lesson. Either he was busy, or he wanted her to sweat.

Well, too bad. He wasn’t going to win this little game.

Charlie flipped her braid over her shoulder and nodded toward the bull. “Well? Aren’t you going to try again? Don’t stop on my account.”

He turned forward, and Daniel demonstrated once more.

Her eyes locked onto the spot right between his shoulders, and she prayed he could feel her stare. She wanted him as thrown off as she’d felt in his presence. It wasn’t fair that he could have such an effect on her and it not go the other way.

Once again, just before he released the lasso, she said, “Maybe if you get good enough, you can show your girlfriend how much of a cowboy you really are. Girls are suckers for cowboys.”

She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw him flinch when she spoke. Was he feeling guilty over toying with her when he had someone else? If so, she was happy to revel in his discomfort.

An eye for an eye.

He missed again. And again. And a third time before she decided to climb down from her perch.

Daniel muttered something about getting a drink and that he’d be back. Charlie smiled to herself as she headed for the barn. Maybe she’d go for a ride to get away from the ranch while Ash was around. She could only play the game so long before she started feeling guilty herself.

No one else was in the barn when she got there. Only a handful of horses were in their stalls, too. Her brothers had to spend the day rounding up the cattle to move them to a closer pasture, but one that hadn’t been used in a while.

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