Page 35 of Cash

She looks at me for another beat. Then she does as I tell her, placing her palms on the tops of my shoulders. Ignoring the twist of heat in my center, I keep my eyes level with the saddle and circle her waist with my hands. I lift at the same time that she drops, pressing her weight into my torso.

I glance up to make sure she’s okay. Our eyes lock. Another twist of heat. Now that her face is inches from mine, I can see just how pretty she is. There’s a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, constellations of tiny brown dots that are a shade lighter than her eyes. Straight nose, full at the tip. And lips that are expressive and soft-looking.

I hate that I’m noticing all this shit.

I fuckinghatethat I can’t stop staring.

“Oh!” Mollie gasps, her eyes going wide as she lurches forward all at once. I lock my hands around her waist and manage to stop her fall before she takes us both out. She lands with a small thud on the ground, her hands still on my shoulders as she breathes, “My boot slipped. I’m so sorry.”

I’m out of breath, too, when I say, “Those boots aren’t doing you any favors.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t make them for riding.”

I meet eyes with her again. “You really own a boot company?”

“I really own a boot company, yes.” Her gaze flicks to her hands, and she blinks, dropping them. “My friend and I came up with the idea back in college.”

As someone who owns one business outright—Rivers Ranch Incorporated—and runs another, Lucky RanchEnterprises Incorporated, I know the kind of elbow grease that requires.

Surely, she has other people do the heavy lifting for her, though?

“What?” she asks.

I shake my head. “Nothing. Didn’t believe you were actually employed.”

Her eyes narrow to slits. “Because you thought I spent my time getting tan and going shopping?”

“And playing pickleball. Don’t forget that.”

Her lips twitch. Am I flirting with Mollie?

Why the fuck am I flirting with Mollie?

“Y’all—oh! Oh, mygoodness.”

I turn at the sound of Goody’s voice, just in time to see Maria take off at a gallop, back the way we came.

“You didn’t hold the reins?” I bite out, looking at Mollie.

She throws up her hands. “You didn’t tell me to!”

“Jesus Christ.” I take off running. “Maria! Come here, girl. Maria!”

But because the universe is apparently out to fuck me over, the mare just picks up pace as she sprints further and further away.

“I got Maria.” Goody gets back up on her horse. “Y’all stay here. I’ll be back in a jiff.”

“Goody—”

“Y’all stay, really. Don’t let a little mishap interrupt the tour.”

Before I can protest, Goody digs her heels into her horse’s sides and sets off after Maria.

I’m left stranded at the edge of a cliff with only one horse and the city girl from hell.

CHAPTER 9

Mollie