Read Online Adrienne deWolfe - [Wild Texas Nights 03] by Texas Wildcat - Free Book Online Page A

made it personal!"
    Nick clucked, flapping his elbows like chicken wings, and snickers circled the room.
    "Personal or not, I don't take advantage of women," Zack ground out.
    "Seems like you're the only one worried about losing the advantage, Zack," she said, torn between shame and excitement. She knew her behavior was inexcusable, but damn. There was no denying she had Zack's attention now. "I'm a woman. So what? I've never asked you to treat me differently."
    He looked to his brothers for help. Wes shrugged, looking hard-pressed to hide his amusement. Cord cleared his throat.
    "It seems to me if the girl wants to compete that badly, she should have the right," the elder Rawlins said.
    "I'm with Cord," Hank drawled. "You sheepmen are just plain crybabies, coming up with one excuse after the other to keep her off your team. Bailey can shoot. She can ride. Hell, she can probably do it as well as any of you old mossy horns. Tell you what, Zack. If you're that worried about pitting your skills against a woman's, we'll see she gets a handicap."
    Color flooded Zack's face, and his eyes narrowed till they looked like agate spikes. To Bailey's surprise, he ignored Hank's taunt. Instead, he looked at her— really looked at her—his gaze raking her from head to toe. Angry and insolent, audacious and daring, his gaze burned into her hidden self, striking sparks from places she hadn't even realized she possessed. She felt naked and hot—hot enough to melt. A fine dampness misted on her upper lip, and her palms turned moist. She tried to ignore the speeding of her pulse as the full power of his masculinity bored into her feminine core. When his eyes at last rose to hers, smoldering with a challenge she'd never before met, her knees went a little weak.
    It was the most exhilarating sensation she'd ever known.
    "All right, McShane." His smile was swift, dark, and potently male. "You want to take me on? Then give me your best shot."
    * * *
    Days later, Zack still wasn't sure how he managed to officiate over the rest of that meeting. His thoughts had spun in an uproar, whirling dizzily among disbelief, outrage, and wounded pride. He simply could not conceive why competing in the rodeo was so important to Bailey that she'd throw away five hundred dollars, risk her most reliable source of water, and court utter humiliation at his hands. She couldn't possibly hope to outdo him, so why hadn't McTavish spoken up, warning her against her foolhardiness? Hadn't the man been listening when she'd made her challenge?
    If Zack had been in the Scot's shoes, he would have thrown the little wildcat over his shoulder and carried her out the door before she could wreak any more havoc. Bailey had gone too far this time, and Zack was tired of being her cavalry. She'd deliberately set out to make him a laughingstock, just like she had when she'd snatched the old Sherridan property out from under his nose. Now, thanks to her, the gossips were having a field day at his expense.
    What was worse, in the five days since the meeting, some wiseacre had started a rumor linking his name romantically with Bailey's—much to Amaryllis's indignation. Now Amaryllis was badgering him about churches. Anyone with eyes should be able to see that he and Bailey mixed about as well as kerosene and dynamite, but telling Amaryllis that was no more useful than barking at the moon.
    In fact, he was growing damned weary of Amaryllis and her weddingbell chasing. If the girl had half a brain, she would realize no man in his right mind would marry a woman who'd publicly goad him to a showdown. Bailey was marching him to war, not the altar.
    He just wished he didn't relish the thought of their impending battle so much.
    Zack wasn't the only one avoiding the gossips at all costs. A couple of days after the meeting, Bailey had made the mistake of visiting Arbuckle's General Store, and she'd left with both ears ringing. Folks there had cornered her to tell her flat out she ought to be