Handsome Wrangler (Handsome Devils #6) - Lori Wilde Page 0,1

are the best!” With another whoop, Caitlin slammed the ball onto the ground and was all set to launch into a victory dance when she caught sight of Rafe standing toe to toe with Brent, reading him the riot act.

“That doesn’t look good,” Logan muttered. “If they don’t break it up, I’ll have to arrest them.” He trotted off toward the fighting men.

With a sigh, Caitlin followed. Since Rafe was the elementary school principal, and Brent was an upstanding citizen of Honey, they knew better than to let their argument get out of hand.

But as Caitlin drew closer, she realized Rafe really was furious with Brent. Her big brother hated losing, so she wasn’t surprised he’d gone ballistic.

Apparently, Logan’s idea of breaking up the fight was standing on the sidelines and laughing. Resigned, Caitlin took things into her own hands. Rushing over, she stepped between her brother and Brent, the top of her head barely reaching each man’s chin.

“Hey, you guys. Enough with the testosterone.” She shoved on Rafe’s chest, moving him only a few inches. “You don’t want to get arrested, do you?”

“He tackled me. I had you. I was all set to get you, and he ruined it,” Rafe hollered. “Dang it all, Brent, we’re on the same team.”

“You were going to ram her, you idiot,” Brent said loudly. “This is flag football. Do you have any idea how big you are? How little she is?” He glanced down at Caitlin, his handsome face tense.

Caitlin met his gaze, but after a few seconds, looked away. Yikes, the man was good-looking with a capital G.

“I’m not exactly little,” she pointed out. “I’m almost five eight.”

“Yeah. She’s almost five eight.” Rafe patted the top of her head. “For a girl, she’s a giant. An Amazon.”

Caitlin frowned at her older brother. “I am not a giant, you nitwit.”

“But you’re not a shrimp, like Brent’s marking you out to be,” Rafe said. He gave her a bear hug, and she forced herself not to wince when his grip became a little too enthusiastic. “She’s a tough girl who can take it.”

Brent muttered a curse. “First, she’s not a girl. Tomorrow she’s twenty-six.” He glanced again at Caitlin, and something in his look made her pulse kick up like a rowdy bronc. Before she could think about the sensation, Brent turned away and continued to talk to Rafe.

“Second, she may be five eight, but she’s no match for any of us.” Brent moved closer to her brother. “What are you, Rafe? Six four? Six five? And you outweigh her by about a hundred pounds.”

Logan moved forward to join the other men, and a loud argument broke out, with each man discussing Caitlin’s qualifications to continue participating in these friendly football games. Leigh’s husband, Jared, had wandered over to sit next to his wife. The two of them seemed to be really enjoying the show.

Not that Caitlin could blame them. Her brothers were acting like children, and it didn’t take long for her to snap. With a groan, she once again pushed against Rafe’s huge chest, wanting out of this display of masculine idiocy. When the men finally moved back a few feet, she clenched her fists.

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” she said with enough force to make all three men fall silent. “I’m not a child.”

Rafe and Logan had the good sense to look shamefaced, but that didn’t stop them from continuing the argument. She spun to confront Brent, but his direct look sucked some of the fury from her.

Funny how much he’d changed during the five years he’d been on the rodeo circuit. For starters, he was much better-looking than she remembered. He also had matured, something Caitlin figured her brothers should try.

Yep, Brent had changed. In the old days, he’d treated her like a buddy, a pal, the same way he’d treated her since he’d moved in next door to her family twenty years ago. But now, looking at him, she knew he was different. Just as she was different, she supposed.

She realized suddenly that she didn’t really know this man anymore. Maybe that was part of his appeal. She’d noticed the difference in their relationship when he’d first shown up today.

He was no longer just good old Brent. Right now, attraction was zapping and zinging around them like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Almost against her will, Caitlin’s gaze skimmed down Brent’s broad chest, the muscles well defined under his faded Texas A&M T-shirt. Caitlin’s pulse picked