Page 36 of Steal My Heart (Prosperity Ranch 2)

“We need to leave,” Evie whispered to her horse.

Molly didn’t reply.

Carson lifted a hand and scrubbed his fingers through his hair, then he leaned down and tossed something forward. Beyond him, yellow flames leapt up.

Oh, he was burning garden mulch.

He took a couple of steps away and folded his arms as he watched the burning heap.

He was engrossed, and Evie could turn around and leave without being noticed. She was about to do just that when the back door to the house opened, and Mr. Hunt stepped out.

“Breakfast is ready,” he hollered. “What in the Sam are you doing, son?”

“Burning some dead plants. I’ll be there when this is out,” Carson told his grandad.

“Hello, Evie,” Mr. Hunt said, his gaze finding her across the property. Then he ducked into the house, the door shutting after him.

Oh, no.It was absolutely too late to sneak away.

Sure enough, Carson turned around, shielding his eyes against the rising sun.

Evie jerked the reins, and Molly took a couple of steps backward. Evie really wanted to turn and gallop away, but that would look like she was in the wrong or something, and although she was technically trespassing, it wasn’t like she wasn’t welcome, right?

“Hey,” Carson said.

“Hey.”

His smile started slow, then grew. Evie was definitely blushing. That smile, combined with what he was wearing—or not wearing to be more exact—definitely had her heating up all over. She was doing it again. Forming a crush on an unattainable guy. If there was anyone who was unattainable, it was Carson Hunt. He was a small-town guy who’d be settling in Prosper of all places.

And . . . Carson was walking toward her. The sun gleamed off his hair and shoulders and torso and abs and forearms and biceps and . . .

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Although, she was basically frozen in place.

Carson stopped near the horse. “Hi, pretty lady.”

It took her a second to realize he was talking to the horse.

“What’s her name?” he asked.

“Molly.”

Carson looked up at her, and this close, she could see the lighter brown in his eyes. “Want to come in for breakfast? Grandad’s been hard at work on the stove this morning.”

“Uh, I already ate,” she said. Did she sound breathless? “Thanks, though. I should get going. My mom needs help, and I didn’t mean to ride out this far.”

Carson didn’t look like he believed her for one minute, but he stepped away from the horse.

Evie dragged her gaze away from the perfection that was his body and urged Molly to turn around. The horse obeyed, and soon, Evie was pushing her into a gallop because she really needed the wind to cool off her face. She thought she heard Carson chuckle, but she didn’t look back to find out.

When Evie neared the barn of her family ranch, she climbed off Molly and led her to the water trough. “What do you think about Carson?” she asked her horse.

The horse continued to drink, oblivious to Evie’s spinning thoughts. Carson had to know he had an effect on her. It wasn’t like he’d known she was coming over—thus, he was shirtless—but when he saw her, he could have just waved instead of walking to meet her. And that smile of his . . . Evie sighed.

“Everything okay?” Lane’s voice cut into her unbidden thoughts.

She turned with a start to see her brother heading out of the barn. “Oh, you’re back. That’s great.”

---