Page 8 of A Cowboy Of Her Own

Damn!He sprang from the bed and quickly pulled his jeans on and ran from his room, down the hall, tugging up the zipper as he did, hoping he didn’t catch something between the teeth. He ranthrough the kitchen, out the door, jumped down over the porch steps, and rushed toward the barn. He saw Roy come running out of it with the same urgency.

“What the hell was that?” Roark yelled.

“I think it was your guest,” Roy yelled back then skidded to a stop to look around. “There she is.” He pointed toward one of the corrals so both men ran that way.

“Priscilla, do not move,” Roark called out to her as he came to a stop when he saw a rattlesnake very close to her feet.

“I’m too scared to move.” Her voice shook when she spoke in not much more than a whisper. He knew she had to be terrified.

“Good. Stay still. Roy, get me the rifle.” Roark walked to the corral and climbed the rails, then jumped down and slowly walked to within a few of feet of her.

“You’re not going to kill it, are you?”

Roark stopped and stared at her with disbelief. “What do you want me to do with it? Take it inside for a pet?”

“No, but I hate to see anything killed. It’s not his fault I’m terrified of him.”

“Son of a bitch,” Roark muttered. Damn, he knew she was going to be trouble. “Get the rake, Roy.”

“Boss—”

“Just get me the rake. Please.” Roark hung his head and saw he was barefoot. Hell, he didn’t even have a shirt on. She was damn lucky that he’d taken the time to pull his jeans on. He raised his head when Roy tossed him the rake from over the rails. Roark narrowed his eyes at his manager. “Pussy.”

Roy grinned. “I hate snakes and you damn well know it. It’s all yours, boss.”

“I could make you do it.” Roark picked up the rake and walked to where the snake had slithered to the shade beside the barn. He glanced at Priscilla. “Are you all right? He didn’t strike, did he?”

“No. I think I scared him as much as he scared me. Please get him away or I’m going to pee my pants.”

Roark chuckled. “Can’t have that.”

He stepped around her, scooped the snake up onto the rake, and then tossed him over the fence. He heard Priscilla let a breath out and he turned in time to see her knees buckling. He caught her just before she fell to the dirt.

“She didn’t get bit, did she?” Roy asked in a concerned voice.

“She said she didn’t. Could you open the gate, please?” Roark carried Priscilla to the gate and waited while Roy opened it for him. “Too much excitement, I suppose.”

“City slicker,” Roy mumbled.

Roark chuckled. “This coming from the man who screams like a banshee when he sees a snake.”

“I’ll be in the barn,” Roy grumbled as he walked away.

“That’s what I thought.” Roark carried Priscilla across the yard and up the steps into the house. She began to stir as he carried her to the living room where he laid her on the sofa then stood back.

****

Priscilla stared up at Roark and her mouth went suddenly dry. He stood there looking down at herwith nothing on but low-slung faded jeans. His chest was magnificent. Hard pecs and a six-pack stomach that she wanted to run her tongue down. A thin line of dark hair ran down from his belly button only to disappear into his jeans that were zipped, but not snapped. Her eyes followed the line down and lingered on his crotch. Well, she most certainly had the answer to her question. The chaps hadn’t been what had emphasized his sex. It was all him.Dayum!The man had one hell of a body. Down his legs, her eyes continued their perusal until she came upon his bare feet and then traveled back up only to linger on his fly again.

Oh, man! He had that sexy V too…that delicious V that pointed to the prize between the thighs.

She snorted then slowly tore her gaze from there to look up to where she met his eyes. When she saw him raise an eyebrow, she cursed her fair skin because she was positive he saw the blush staining her cheeks. She cleared her throat.

“Did I faint?”

“Yep.”

“I’ve never fainted in my life,” she murmured.

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