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Jesse pointed to a stoop-shouldered ate of a rusted-out International pickup “Ask Frank He keeps tabs on all the stock handlers”

“Thanks”

She skirted the rigging bags and saddles, avoiding the gigantic potholes in the makeshift road

When she reached the pickup, the old Indianinto his left eye “Help ya, miss?”

Miss Right She hadn’t been called that in a coon’s age “Yeah I’ Crow”

“You ain’t the only one Last I heard he was at the first aid station”

Gemma’s stomach pitched “Was he hurt?”

“Don’t rightly know”

“Thanks”

He nodded

She paused to let the two fealia Once she reached the tiny roo as the first aid station, the only person inside was a bored looking EMT

“Has Cash Big Crow been in here?”

The man lifted one pierced brow “You’re the second person to ask me that No one’s been in here for a coupla hours Been a yawner today” He refocused on the girlie azine on the exam table

Damn Where could Cash be? Hopefully he hadn’t left

Ge clear of the motor home, which housed the rodeo headquarters She’d been in and out of that rig several tiive her a shot as a rough stock contractor

As er had a foothold in the Western way of life, it siradually been shut out of supplying stock for nearly every rodeo on the circuit She was beyond frustrated with the “old boy” system but she was too stubborn to quit

In the meantime, her ranch needed attention and she couldn’t concentrate on expanding her rodeo stock operation until she fixed the problems that paid the bills

A bank of gray clouds floated overhead, covering the sun, sending dark shadows skittering across the chalky vanilla-colored dirt She glanced at the paddock across fro on the white metal corrals

Her heart slammed She hadn’t seen hih she’d ainst his broad shoulders, the rest of his coal black hair relers showcased his tight ass The toes of his boots pointed out, as he was a little bowlegged She knew his face was a little worn, but handsome When she ithin twenty yards an anticipatory smile bloomed

The s woht into Cash’s outstretched ar a feht

Gee Cash set down the hot chickie and squeezed her curvy body tightly against his While she talked a blue streak, he tipped her head back, tenderly s brown hair

Geled in remembrance of when Cash had touched her that way

Reverently Confidently Sweetly

She could’ve had that Could’ve had hi at the Indian princess like she’d hung the moon and the stars

There was no fool like an old fool Geust of wind ripped off the young woman’s straw hat and blew it directly toward her

Cash gave chase until he caught the hat ten feet froaze started at the scuffed toes of Gemma’s dirty ropers and traveled up her body to lock on her eyes He blinked “Gemma? Is that really you?”