Last of the Red-Hot Cowboys Read Online Free PDF

Steel watching, too, and Trace knew he was caught in a setup. The bait dangled in front of him, too attractive to resist. He watched Ava round a barrel, holding her horse in a smooth circle, her mount experienced. She flew past him, her face determined beneath her helmet.
    â€œDamn,” Declan said.
    â€œThat is some set of cheeks,” Saint said. “I wish I’d seen her first.”
    Trace grunted. “I wish you had, too.”
    He went to hide inside his office, where it was safer than outside watching the sexiest temptation he’d ever seen on the back of a horse—or just about anywhere.
    It was destined to be another sleepless night.

Chapter Three
    â€œDid it work?” Judy asked Steel. She’d watched Trace, Saint, and Declan carefully, tempting them with Ava’s riding skills. They just had to see the potential of her team.
    â€œI can’t tell,” Steel said. “Trace took off like he’d been stung by a hornet. Could mean anything. He isn’t an easy man to read.”
    â€œTell me about it,” Judy said under her breath. She waved Ava to start cooling down her mount.
    â€œGive him time to get used to the idea.” Steel gave her a sympathetic squeeze. “You know Trace doesn’t make snap decisions.”
    â€œHe has to. I’m running out of time.” The truth was, she’d promised these girls a team. She didn’t want them to figure out she didn’t quite have the setup she’d promised, and then look for help somewhere else. “I’m going to have to go to the Horsemen. The girls can train, and we’ll have a team, and it’s Trace’s own fault he’s passing on a great thing. My girls took a big chance coming here to help me start this team.”
    â€œYeah.” Steel looked thoughtful as Ava went to put her horse away. “Tell me again why you’re doing this?”
    She couldn’t tell him everything. He’d protest. Steel understood the basic mechanics of the situation: She needed the Outlaws to train her girls, because quite simply there were no other men she’d trust to train her team. Bull-riding was dangerous enough; you couldn’t be sloppy about it. And if some matchmaking happened, too, Trace deserved that as well. Steel was trying to help her lure him into it, because if Trace fell in love, the other men would, too. But nobody could force Trace to agree to train her team, and without him she had nothing. She respected that—when it didn’t make her mad.
    â€œOh, fiddle. I’m going to grab the Belles and head off.” She leaned up to kiss Steel goodbye. “Thank you for trying to help me. You’re a wonderful man.”
    â€œI know,” Steel said, brightening. “We could move Saturday night up to tonight, if you want.” He ran a hand down her arm, sending tingles over her. “I’m good with any night that ends in y.”
    She smiled. “Saturdays have always worked for us. Be a shame to mess up a good thing. You say you want me more often, but men say one thing and mean another. That’s what Hattie Hanover says, and she’s one of the smartest women I know. Even you listen to my good friend when you want to hear common sense. And she makes a mean redeye gravy.”
    She went off to find Ava. Cameron and Harper were in the stall with her, helping Ava groom her horse for the night. “Nice riding.”
    Ava looked up. “Did Trace bite?”
    â€œNot yet,” Judy said, and her team looked dispirited.
    She couldn’t bear to let them down. They’d all come from such faraway places—they each had their own private goals and reasons for taking the risk of joining a brand-new team. “It’s all right,” Judy said. “There’s always another way to take a shot. I’ll work it out.”
    * * *
    â€œHell, no,” Trace said reflexively, knowing without looking that Declan and