Last of the Red-Hot Cowboys Read Online Free PDF Page A

hers,” Steel said, his tone desperate and a bit mercenary. “I’d gladly throw each and every one of you to the wolves to have my woman smile at me again.”
    â€œWait a minute,” Trace said, “no one said anything about marrying anybody. Where’d you come up with that, Steel? Did Judy say something about matchmaking?”
    Steel shook his head, his face woeful. For a big, good-looking tough guy that everyone respected, Trace thought the man turned to marshmallow at the mere thought of Judy deserting his bed. It was a shame to watch the tough-guy sheriff practically grovel at a woman’s feet.
    I never will. If there’s going to be any groveling, it won’t be me doing it
.
    Declan stared at Trace. “You see what you’re doing. You’re practically tearing this town apart.”
    â€œNow, wait a minute,” Trace said, his temper starting to rise. “This is a business, not Judy’s personal toy shop. And I train men, just like I did in the military. I do not train chicks to ride pretty ponies.”
    â€œPretty ponies?” Judy sailed into the office, stealing the air out of the room, and Trace watched his three friends sit a bit straighter. Declan got up, brushed off the leather sofa, and indicated Judy should take his seat. Judy glanced for a moment at Steel, who looked hopeful that she might sit in his lap. She chose to stand, her hands on her hips, a fighting gleam in her eyes.
    â€œPretty ponies?” she repeated. “Tell you what, Trace. You spend thirty minutes training Ava, and then you repeat those words.”
    Trace stared back at Judy, not about to buckle like the other men in the room. “I’ll make a deal with you.”
    Every eye in the room fell on him.
    â€œI’m waiting to hear,” Judy said, and Steel looked even more hopeful.
    â€œI’ll suggest to my business partners that we lease you time in the arena to train your team. If my partners agree, we’ll set you up in a special area that’s just yours and your team’s.”
    Judy took one look around the room, her gaze sweeping each man’s face. She settled back on Trace. “I need one of you to take on my girls.”
    â€œCan’t do it. And you knew this before you brought them here,” Trace said. “You’re just going to have to tell your team that you brought them here under false pretenses.”
    â€œNow, look,” Steel said, but Judy held up her hand.
    â€œI’m being generous giving you first shot at my team to make a name for your training center,” Judy said.
    â€œWe already have a name,” Trace said. “The Hell’s Outlaws Training Center. We have a stellar reputation for training the very best.”
    His buddies nodded. At least on this one point, they agreed.
    Judy gave Trace an arch look. “Thanks, but no thanks.” The tall blonde sent aglance toward the sheriff as she left. Steel scrambled after his lady, a reproving look shot Trace’s way.
    â€œThat was wholly unnecessary.” Declan got to his feet. “We vote on all decisions, Trace.”
    â€œThat’s right.” Saint said, nodding. “And so far there’s been no vote.”
    â€œSo vote,” Trace said. “But I remind you that we set this business up on the premise that we don’t train women. This is a man’s place.” It was going to stay that way.
    The sound of hooves filtered inside the office, pounding in a rhythmic tattoo. Trace looked at his buddies, and they stared back at him. The training center was closed. Nobody would be working their horse at this hour.
    Trace’s heart sank. “Judy,” he said.
    The three men cruised out to the well-lighted arena. Trace recognized the pixie brunette on top of the speckled gray thoroughbred, her seat firm in the saddle. Ava guided the horse toward a barrel, rounding it smoothly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Judy and