Forever Jake. Barbara Dunlop

teeth.

      On the opposite side of the corral, the three strangers noted her approach and smiled happily at her. They behaved as if they hadn’t a care in the world. Gasping for breath, she stopped at the raw wood fence of the corral.

      To her surprise, the horse didn’t attack. Quite the contrary, it nuzzled Jake’s shirt pocket until he produced something that the horse promptly ate.

      Robin rocked back on her heels. She had obviously missed something here. She was the only one who seemed even remotely upset. And that included the horse.

      The audience burst into spontaneous applause. Jake turned toward them, removed his hat, and gave a deep bow. That sure didn’t seem like the action of a man who’d just defied death. He pushed his dark, wavy hair back off his forehead before replacing the hat.

      Robin glanced from side to side, wishing she could slink back over the property line. Rodeo Jake had just been entertaining the crowd.

      The youngest and tallest of the three spectators made his way around the corral toward Robin. He stopped in front of her and offered his hand. “Derek Sullivan. I’m a friend of Jake’s.”

      “Robin Medford.” She accepted the neatly dressed man’s handshake. Nothing to do but brazen it out. Maybe they’d all assume she’d come over to watch the show.

      He looked to be about her own age, but he definitely hadn’t grown up in Forever.

      “Nice horse,” she said, nodding toward the animal, pretending she had a clue what she was talking about. Jake started across the corral toward them, his worn cowboy boots sinking in the soft dirt with each step.

      “Dynamo’s as good as they come.”

      If that was the case, Robin sure didn’t want to see a bad horse. “Is this what he does for entertainment?”

      “Dynamo?”

      “Jake.”

      Derek grinned. “Only as a favor to me.”

      Derek wanted Jake to get tossed off a wild bucking horse? Some friend. She glanced at the older couple. They had wandered over to admire a mare and foal.

      “Hey, Robin.” Jake nodded, eyes narrowing quizzically as he came to a stop and placed one booted foot on the bottom rail. He probably wondered what she was doing here, since she’d made such a point of not engaging him in conversation last night. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

      She wondered what the heck she was doing here, too. Her memories of their teenage encounter were so fresh and vivid, she actually felt embarrassed looking him in the eye. And she felt attracted. As attracted as she’d been fifteen years ago.

      “Hi,” she returned, swallowing to combat the breathy sound of her voice. Dust didn’t usually turn her on. Neither did sweat, faded jeans or well-worn cowboy boots.

      Jake cocked his head sideways, his expression becoming almost hesitant. “So, what did you think of the ride?”

      Frightening. Insane. Gorgeous. Sexy. “The horse seemed a bit…frisky.”

      Both men chuckled.

      “We like ’em that way,” Derek offered.

      “To each his own.” Robin wished her pulse rate would return to normal.

      “You do know what I do for a living, right?” asked Jake.

      “Not exactly.” She forced herself to concentrate on the lone cloud developing above the mountain peak. She knew he raised horses, but hadn’t given much thought to what he did with them in Forever. Tourist trail riding, she supposed. With really healthy tourists.

      “I raise rodeo horses.”

      “Rodeo horses? In Forever?” Her gaze zipped from the cloud to his face.

      “Right here in Forever,” he said.

      “Thanks for the demo, buddy.” Derek clapped Jake on the shoulder, releasing a small cloud of dust. Tiny particles clung to Jake’s face, accenting his beard stubble and highlighting the interesting lines crinkling the corners of his charcoal-blue eyes.

      “See you later tonight. Nice to meet you, Robin.” Derek headed over to collect the older couple.

      Jake waved his friend off with a nod.

      He ducked between the fence rails, then straightened and leaned back, crossing his boots at the ankles. His familiar eyes caressed her, sending the pulse in her throat into overdrive. “So, Robin, what can I do for you?”

      Several answers immediately blossomed in her mind. None of which she could voice.