Savage in a Stetson (Crossroads #4) - Em Petrova Page 0,44

leave her nostrils. The evening closed in around them, a bright quarter moon hanging in the sky and crickets chirping in the grasses.

They strolled down the sidewalk leading to the parking area, and then she saw their trucks parked side by side. Like they belonged that way. An old pair of friends.

She turned to him suddenly. He stopped and faced her.

“We are friends, aren’t we?” she asked.

If her question surprised him, he didn’t let on. He nodded, and then they continued to their vehicles. Before she headed to her driver’s door, he reached out and closed his hand around her elbow the same way he had back in the room.

This time she knew he’d kiss her. And she’d let him. Because while her mind couldn’t figure out what to do about the cowboy, her heart sure did.

His eyes burned through the night, and her heart gave a hitch as he leaned close and brushed the softest kiss across her lips. She kept her eyes closed, just savoring the moment and listening to the crickets.

“We’re friends. That’s most important, ain’t it, Jada?” His voice pitched low and rough.

She opened her eyes and nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“Try to remember that next time I make you mad about your sign or some other thing regarding our businesses.”

She gave him a faint smile. “You remember it too. Ya hear?” With that, she opened her truck door and got inside. Then she watched him walk to his own vehicle, noting how his smile never left his face.

Chapter Eight

Dominick settled himself in the saddle and looked out over the horse’s head. Damn, he missed this—the fresh air and sunshine. There was something to be said for owning his own business, yet another for putting in a hard day’s work with his hands.

When Cort asked if he could spare another morning to help on the Bellamy, he’d jumped at the chance to be outdoors and out of his kitchen for a day. Grandpa would tell him it was all about balance, and lately he’d learned that the hard way.

“Been a while since you’ve worked with us, man. Think you can keep up?” His friend and a Bellamy ranch hand, Theo, called out to him.

“Was just askin’ myself the same thing. This week I spent so many hours manning the smoker and spit at Savage’s Barbecue that I’m pretty sure my back’s bowed.” He reached around to grab his back in the center where it ached.

Theo chuckled and guided his horse up alongside Dom’s. “Your band night went over pretty dang well.”

He bobbed his head. “It did. The Georgia Peaches killed it, and I earned more in that one night, even after paying their fee, than I have in two weeks put together.” Unfortunately, it still wasn’t much. After he paid the employees, invoices and all the other overhead, he didn’t earn much at all.

“Good to hear. Think you’ll do it again?”

“Yup. Already booked them for next quarter, and I’m looking at an acoustic group that tours out of Nashville.”

“Crushin’ it.” Theo shot him a grin.

“I’m glad to be away from the place today. You said Sherman and Cort are at an auction?”

“Yeah. Kaoz is away too, and that really left us shorthanded. Thought since you know the place the same as I do, you’d be the best man for the job.”

Dom gazed over the field dotted with cattle and experienced that swell of peace inside his chest that very few things in life ever gave him. One was being on the back of a horse and the other was looking into Jada’s eyes.

He pondered this a while as he and Theo rode in silence. Once they reached the pasture with the herd they needed to tend to, he experienced a sharp pang knowing that he’d messed things up so bad with Jada. Hadn’t he?

Theo twitched his head toward a group of cows gathered around the waterer. “Check that waterer first and make sure it’s in working order.”

“Will do.” He trotted toward the corner of the pasture. Cows scattered, and he moved in closer. He dismounted to examine the equipment and saw water freely flowed. He swung into the saddle again.

Theo was circling the herd, checking for illness or infirmities, and Dom joined him. Then he spotted the heifer with blood flowing down the back of her leg. Sticking his fingers in his mouth, he issued a shrill whistle that brought Theo’s head up.

Dom gestured to the cow and reached for his rope to separate