“Her face was flushed and dusty, her hair was falling out of its restraints all around her face in ragged curls, and sweat trickled down in front of her ears.“You’ve never looked more beautiful,” he told her with a grin.“Keep it professional, buddy,” she said.Her tone was stern, but she grinned back. Her eyes shone at him.His heart flipped over. She looked at him like she loved him. Did she?If she did, was he going to break her heart? He was a master at that. He’d never failed yet.“I don’t know if you oughtta enter that contest in Vegas,” he blurted.Her smile vanished. “You think I’ll bolt? Or get skunked?”Mentally, he gave himself a thousand lashes with a bullwhip.“No, ma’am,” he said.“Then what?”He tried, but he couldn’t lie to her. “It’ll put you back in the game,” he said, “and then you’ll be gone.”Chase wheeled his horse and rode away before he could see her reaction. He didn’t want to know. Whatever it was, he wouldn’t have a clue what to do about it.”