Espino, Stacey - Midlife Ménage [Ride 'em Hard 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Online Free PDF Page A

was a flurry of feathers as they fought to get all the chickens back in their pen. Mrs. McCay put him to shame, roughly grabbing the chickens, sometimes two at a time.
    After rounding them up for nearly twenty minutes they were both laughing out loud, falling over each other, and giddy from the chaos of it all. When they’d finally popped the last chicken into the pen, she knelt down and went to work twisting the metal fastenings together with a pair of pliers. He collapsed beside her on the dry grass, clean sweat coating his body. The heat these days was intense—add any form of exercise and it was brutal.
    “Thanks for your help,” she said, slightly breathless. The woman looked gorgeous in her natural, dishevelled state. Her hair had slipped from its fastening, and her cheeks were slightly flushed, lips swollen.
    “I’d much rather round up cattle on horseback any day of the week,” he joked. Jackson twisted to his side, tilting his Stetson back to get a better look at the beauty sitting beside him.
    “It shouldn’t happen again. I’ve secured the pen good and proper this time.”
    “If it meant chasing them with you, I wouldn’t mind.” He studied her reactions, the way she swallowed hard, her body tensing. She clearly wasn’t used to men or compliments. How long did she plan to play a married woman to a dead man?
    She chuckled, dismissing his comment. “I expect you’re pretty popular with the young girls.”
    “I ain’t interested in girls. What I need is a woman.”
    Her lips parted, but no words came out.
    “I was talking to Kylie the other night.” He waited to see if she’d clue in without needing to say he knew her secret outright.
    “Oh?”
    “You don’t have to be afraid of me, darlin’. I’d never steal from you, never try to hurt you. Not all men are bad.”
    She fidgeted with her hair, pulling it around to one side of her neck and twirling in into a rope. “I’m not scared of you,” she said, barely above a whisper.
    “I have a high respect for single mothers. My own mother raised me alone for a large portion of my life, and I know it ain’t easy. What you’ve done should be commended.”
    Recognition widened her eyes for a moment. “Kylie had no right to be saying anything to you.” She started to stand up, brushing off her jeans with both hands. “Lying isn’t something I do regular, but a woman can never be too safe living alone in these parts. I have children to think about.”
    “I’m not judging you.” He rose up, not wanting to separate on a bad note. “And your children look grown to me.” Jackson followed her as she walked away from him. When they reached the barn, he spun her around, trapping her between his arms against the wooden boards.
    “What are you—”
    “You wouldn’t have to be afraid if you had a man to look after you.” He leaned over, breathing in against her neckline. She was the essence of a woman, equal parts of strength and fragility.
    She planted her palms on his chest, testing the muscles briefly before pushing him away. “Please mind your manners. I advertised for a boarder, not a husband.”
    He let her go now, but there was no way she could deny the chemistry between them. If only she’d take the leap, take a gamble on a new relationship.

Chapter Three

    It had been three weeks since Wade saw Wendy at the feedstore. She’d dismissed him as usual, but he knew there was more to the woman than met the eye. The rain she’d spoken of had never come. Horror stories ran rampant through the gossip lines. Farmers losing whole crops, going bankrupt, deserting their land. There was even talk of a cowboy committing suicide. Every new bit of news he’d hear made him think of Wendy McCay and her wheat farm. She didn’t have the same technology he had, and ran the whole operation herself. It was unreal the things that woman could do. But she was too hotheaded to accept help, and still living in the past, refusing to really live her