The Bull Rider's Manager Read Online Free PDF Page A

Hunter. “You must be the sponsor Barb’s been so excited about. You’re in the cattle business right?”
    “Dairy.” Hunter shook Jesse’s hand. Then looked at Barb. “We missed you at the airport yesterday.”
    “What can I say, I’m bad at making connections.” He sat on the couch, flipping the towel over his shoulder. “Cool, coffee.” Jesse took a big swig, then looked up at Hunter and Barb. “Was this someone’s?” He held the cup up to Barb, then Hunter.
    “No, I was just leaving.” Hunter took a step to the doorway.
    “I’ll be downstairs in a few minutes.” Barb followed him to the doorway.
    “I forgot — I won’t be able to meet you. I’m heading to the airport. They need me back in Boise.” Hunter refused to meet Barb’s gaze.
    “On a Saturday?” Barb crossed her arms. The guy was bailing on her. Just because he’d found Jesse in her room. Okay, so it sounded bad when she thought it too. She reached out to touch Hunter’s arm. “Look, just give me a second to clear this up. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.”
    Hunter laughed, the sound hollow. “There’s no chance of that, Barb. I’ll just have my attorney call and get this cleaned up.”
    Barb froze. She watched Hunter walk out the door, slamming it just a little too loud.
    “Jeez, he’s in a bad mood. What’d you do to him last night? Say no?” Jesse was leaned up on the couch, one arm draped along the back.
    Barb focused on the shut door and blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall. Hunter Martin was just a potential sponsor. Nothing more, nothing less.
    Then why did she feel like part of her heart had just walked out the door with him?
    She took a deep breath and turned on Jesse. “What are you doing in my hotel room? In my shower?”
    Jesse shrugged. “By the time I got in this morning, they’d let my room go for last night. I told them we were together and the bellboy let me in. We tried to call, but boy, you sleep hard. Have a little mojo juice last night?”
    “Tequila.” Barb sank into the couch and took the cup from Jesse, finishing her coffee.
    “With that Hunter guy,” Jesse prodded.
    Barb nodded but the movement made her head feel like it was going to split open. She curled her legs up underneath her. “We went to dinner, then the limo was late, so we had a few shots.”
    “Unreliable limo driver. I haven’t used that ploy in a long time.” Jesse took the cup Hunter had left and poured more coffee in both their cups.
    “Ploy? You think it was a trick to get me drunk?” Barb grimaced.
    “Did you wear that black dress of yours? With the do-me heels?”
    When Barb nodded, Jesse laughed. “Of course it was a ploy. Barbie, I love you like a sister but when you wear that outfit, even I want to sleep with you.”
    Barb kicked her foot at him but Jesse was too fast and grabbed her ankle. “Don’t take your frustrations out on me. So since he wasn’t in the room when I showed up, I guess you came to your senses and said no?”
    Barb thought about last night. She remembered sitting in the bar, laughing. She remembered kissing Hunter — hot, passionate kisses. She remembered stripping her clothes off and falling onto the bed, and then she remembered Hunter gently covering her up with the sheet and kissing her on the forehead. “He tucked me in and then said he’d be back with coffee in the morning.”
    “So you didn’t sleep with him.” Jesse rubbed her foot.
    “No, I think I married him. But now that he found you in my shower, he probably thinks I slept with you instead.”
    Jesse seemed to ponder that thought. “Could be true.” He leaned around her to check his hair in the mirror. “Wait? You married him?”
    “You have to tell him we didn’t sleep together.” Barb pulled her foot out of Jesse’s hand, wincing at the too quick movement.
    “I don’t kiss and tell.” Jesse got serious for a second. “Are you joking with me? Did you really marry the guy?”
    “I think