Zane

Willa
I’m twenty-five years old and still carting around my v-card. Until being in the right place at the right time gives me an out in the form of my big brother’s best friend, Zane Calhoun. The rough and tumble older man has plenty of experience. Now if I can just figure out a way to capture his undivided attention long enough for him to relieve me of this tiny little thing.

Zane
I’ve never thought of Willa Meyers as anything but my best friend’s little sister. But then she saves me from hours of shoveling manure when she bids on me at a charity auction. How was I to know she had an ulterior motive? One that changes everything for both of us in the course of a single night.

Meet the Calhoun quadruplets… four rugged Texas cowboys who love hard and aren’t afraid to claim the women who are meant to be theirs. The Claimed by a Cowboy series can be read as standalones. Each book features a happily-ever-after with no cheating and no cliffhangers.

I pinched my cheeks to give them some color and stepped out of the shadows of the horse barn on the county fairgrounds. Someone was coming, and I’d been waiting for a certain ranch hand to pass through for almost an hour.

“Hey, Willa.” Zane Calhoun tipped his hat in my direction.

The thrill of anticipation left my lungs on a huffy exhale. “Oh, hi, Zane.”

“Wow, you sure know how to make a guy feel good.” His lips kicked up into a full-blown smile. The kind that made my heart thump all crazy in my chest.

Zane was out of my league. He was also my older brother’s best friend which made him completely off limits.

“Sorry, I thought you were someone else.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

He stopped at the stall of one of Calhoun Ranch’s mares and grabbed a brush from a bucket. “Here, why don’t you make yourself useful while you tell me all about the guy you’ve got your eye on. I figured I’d help get this gal ready for her upcoming performance.”

“Fine.” I took the brush and stepped around to the other side of the gorgeous quarter horse. As I ran my hand over her side, I breathed in the sweet, calming smell of hay, horses, and whatever delicious bath gel Zane had used that morning.

“Who’s the lucky guy?” Zane worked a brush over the other side of the mare. “And does your brother know about this?”

I wasn’t about to spill my heart to Zane. “I’m pretty sure the guy doesn’t think he’s very lucky. And no, I haven’t said a word about him to Preston.”

“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” Zane moved to the front of the stall to slip the mare an apple. “And any guy would be lucky to catch your attention.”

I wished I could believe him. “You’re only saying that to be nice.”

“Come on, now. I’d never be nice to you just because I felt like I had to.” The man had the nerve to give me a wink.

I fought the smile trying to work its way free. Zane had that effect on people. And not just people… women. Even knowing him all my life hadn’t rendered me immune to his charms. “Yes, you would. You’re the worst of them all.”

“Ouch,”—he faked a wound to his chest— “that pains me, Willa.” But the grin on his face said otherwise.

“What are you doing back here, anyway? I figured you’d be trying to get one of your fans to go to the top of the Ferris wheel with you.”

“I’m hiding out from Tassy. She’s trying to talk me into donating some volunteer hours for the auction to benefit the 4-H group she’s working with.”

“You should do it.” I smoothed the brush over the mare’s back. “You’d probably raise the most money. I bet a bunch of those bunnies who always hop around behind you would be willing to pay big bucks for the kind of volunteering you’d be willing to do.”

Zane grinned. “Hell, Willa, you’re probably right. When you put it like that, I guess I ought to do my part for charity.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I was surprised they didn’t pop out of my head and bounce over the hay-strewn ground. “Right. For charity.”

“Hey, if I have to be part of the auction, the least you can do is come and watch.” He held out his hand for the brush. I gave it to him and he tossed it back in the bucket.

“Fine.” It didn’t seem like I was going to get a chance to put my own plans for the evening into motion. So, I followed him out of the stall and waited while he latched the gate.

“Ready?” Zane asked.

Footsteps sounded from the other side of the barn. I glanced over to find the man I’d been waiting for. “I’ll catch up to you in a minute.”

“Willa.” Zane’s voice came out like a low warning. “Watch yourself around him. He’s not the kind of guy who deserves the attention of a woman like you.”

“Go on, get out of here before you embarrass me.” I pushed on Zane’s arms, trying to spin him around and headed in the opposite direction. “I can take care of myself.”

“Be careful.”

“Go.” I hissed at him through my teeth. Then turned my attention toward Clint. We’d been flirty with each other for the past couple of weeks and I’d been waiting for a chance to get him alone, hoping he might be inclined to ask me out on a date. If Zane would hurry up and get the heck out of here, I might have a chance.