Page 27

Maybe that would be fine. Her time in Deer Creek had an expiration date, as did Jax’s, so if what they felt brewing was inevitable, why not give in with no strings attached?

A shout in the distance broke through her thoughts, and her smile evaporated.

So much for a peaceful morning. The shouts kept up, ricocheting off the canyon walls in a cacophony of chaos and her frown deepened. The swallows took off in search of safer air space, not that she blamed them.

“What the heck,” she muttered, stalking off in the direction of the Marshall Ranch.

What she saw as she rounded the dirt road that bordered the two neighboring ranches spiked the hair on her arms.

A gasp escaped her throat. Jax was in the arena they used to break horses sitting atop a pissed-off mare. Breaking a mare was part of ranching sure, but the Marshalls had people for that.

Except he wasn’t in his ranching uniform—chambray and well-worn jeans. No, he was in full rodeo getup she recognized.

Henley gear. Of course. It was from the old professional line, which begged the question of where he’d gotten ahold of it since it went for thousands of dollars among purists.

Was he sponsored by them at one point? She shivered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Jax rode bareback, whooping and hollering as the mare bucked and tried for all its might to toss him off. Panic trickled through Jill’s veins, freezing them one by one. The scene was all too familiar. Her fear was the same as it had always been. One slip and it could end Jax’s career—or life.

Only his face, painted with concentration and exhilaration, was different. It actually looked … it looked like he was enjoying himself. Her blouse felt tight around her neck. She slid her fingers between the fabric and her skin, surprised to find the latter clammy and warm.

“Please get off that horse, Liam,” she whispered to herself. “I mean, Jax. Please get off that horse, Jax.” Why did anyone ride horses like this? The danger wasn’t a secret. Her ex was permanently wheelchair bound because he couldn’t say no to the thrill.

Why do you care how he spends his time?

She didn’t, not really. Yet, her breaths were shallow and sporadic, arguing otherwise.

“Get down from there right now!” she shouted, the terror rising in her chest.

Jax glanced over and smiled, his white teeth in stark comparison to his dirt-smudged cheeks. For a split second, she was knocked breathless by how handsome the man was. Reckless, yes. But handsome all the same.

However, at the same time, his concentration broke, and he tumbled off the horse, landing with an ear-splitting thud in the dirt. She sprinted over to him, ducking between the fence slats, worry and alarm urging her forward.

The mare, content now that the body trying to subdue her was gone, meandered over to the side of the corral and nibbled on dry grass.

“Jax!” Jill yelled. His eyes were shut, and his body splayed. She knew better than to move him, but she brushed the long blond waves from his forehead. “Jax, talk to me. Are you okay?”

His eyes shot open at the same time a smile erupted on his face.

“That was fantastic. I almost had her, till you came in and threw me off my game. Always knew it would be a woman that did me in.”

“Wha—you’re okay?” She exhaled a breath that had been trapped by dread in her lungs.

“Of course, I am, Henley. It’s not my first rodeo.” He had the audacity to wink, like any of this was the least bit funny.

She slapped him on the shoulder and stood, brushing the dust off her barely worn jeans.

“Ouch,” he whined. “Be careful—I just fell five feet off a half-ton beast.” His smile stayed glued in place.

“You could’ve been hurt or worse. Besides, we’re supposed to be meeting”—she glanced at her watch—“five minutes ago. Where the hell is the responsible partner I was promised?”

Jax opened his mouth as if he wanted to refute her perfectly earned ire, but a voice behind them silenced them both.

“She’s right,” Bennett said, hopping over the wood fence of the corral. His deep voice commanded respect. Jill was pleased to see Jax’s smile replaced with a contrite frown. “This isn’t your job, and in fact, I explicitly told you to leave the mare for Manny. Like it or not, you’re management and for Maggie’s company for now. That means showing up to meetings on time, being the responsible face of both companies, and leaving others’ jobs for them to do.”

To Jill, Jax said, “I didn’t know you were back yet.” His eyes looked sad, but she couldn’t say why. In his defense, she hadn’t alerted him to her return, but they’d agreed on a time, and she’d stuck to it. Jax turned his attention back to his brother. “I do all that day in and day out, Bennett. You know I’m good for it. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun.”

“A little fun?” Bennett asked. His tone turned to ice. “You’re fine to do that on your own time, but not when I’m paying you to help Maggie and me during what is a challenging time at best.”