Read Online Spurs and Heels by Heather Rainier - Free Book Online

ticks on a hound,” she said with a chuckle as he carefully gathered her hand in his.
    “Oh, they were harmless enough. They’re all friends who are competing in the Miss Tarkett County Fair Queen competition.
    They’re out looking for sponsors for the contest. They figured I was a rancher.”
    “Oh, uh-huh?” she quipped, “And they wanted you to ‘sponsor’
    one of them?” She giggled good-naturedly. “Looked like two or three of them wanted to ‘sponsor’ you .”
    “Now, now, Miss Juliana, I only have eyes for a certain lovely redhead. I told them they should go see Grace over at Harper’s about getting the ranch to sponsor one of them.”
    “That’s actually a great idea.”
    “Part of the money they raise goes to charity.”
    “That was some sincere fundraising work they were doing just now, ogling your fine cowboy tush.”
    Ash smiled and laughed. “Were they checking out my ass?”
    Juliana guffawed. “Of course they were. You couldn’t hear them sighing and giggling as you walked away? If any of them had spoons, they’d be eating you right now.”
    He drew her closer to him and whispered, “Do you think I have a fine cowboy tush?” with a bit of a growl added in, which turned her insides to mush.
    “Um—absolutely,” she replied, going for straight honesty, feeling her cheeks blush all the way to her red roots.
    “Really?” He sounded genuinely surprised. He even blushed a little above his muttonchops.
    “Yep, totally bitable.” She giggled when he growled again as he held the side door open for her. “What were you saying to those girls when you pointed to me?”
    “Oh, that? I was telling them…that I was here to pick up my pretty lady friend,” he said after a little hesitation.

    61
    “Oh?” He opened the door of the truck and helped her onto the seat. After he climbed in, he turned to her.
    “Bitable?”
    She snickered. “Oh, yeah. It’s very nice.”
    “Ouch,” he said as he started the truck.
    “Mmmm, yummy.”
    “Not to change the, uh—subject. But I was hoping to have supper with you tonight, if you have the energy, that is. Would you like to go back to your house and see about that bandage on your back first?”
    “Yes, if you don’t mind, Ash. I’ve been worried about it getting infected since I got it wet this morning.”
    They returned to her house, and after removing her top and wrapping up in a towel, Juliana allowed him to peel back the dressing and take a look.
    “Darlin’, it looks fine, not inflamed or puffy around the stitches like it would be if it was getting infected. Those lacerations looked pretty deep last night. I’m not surprised that it hurts like hell. But all things considered, it looks like it’s healing fine.” He put a fresh dressing on it while she sat on the bed.
    “Oh, shoot!” Juliana groaned and pointed to her closet door where a long, red dress hung on a hanger. “I was going to wear that to the wedding Saturday.”
    “Now you can’t?”
    “It’s a backless halter dress. The bandage will show.”
    “Look at it this way, if you wear the dress, you won’t have anything pressing on the stitches.” He went over to inspect the dress and whistled softly as he lifted it from the door. It had an empire waist with a plunging V-necked halter. His fingertip slid down the neckline.
    “I hope you wear it anyway, darlin’. You would look gorgeous.”
    His emphasis on the last word sent a thrill through her body that centered in her damp cunt. The fact that she was clad in only a towel added to her sense of vulnerability.

    62

    She smiled at him, feeling like she might just do that. “You think so?”
    “You would be beautiful in it,” he replied, looking back at her.
    She had a feeling he might have said more but thought better of it.
    “Wear it for me?”
    “I’ll try and find flesh-colored bandages tomorrow. It will look funny if I wear it with white tape and a gauze dressing. The bandage is so big. You don’t think