Cowboy Love (12 page)

"Yeah, me too."

"Let's hit the breakfast line."

The final piece of pancake found her mouth and she groaned in protest. "I love their pancakes, but we need to get saddled and ready."

Plates hit the trash barrel and aimed themselves in the direction of the trailer.

Qualifying at hand, they backed their horses into the shoot, but her thoughts drifted to Tanner. The soft timbre of his voice ricocheted in her head. The lack of conversation stretched on for several days and left a hole the size of Texas where her heart normally lay in her chest.
Does he think about our weekend together at all? What if he wished it never happened?
Uncertainty and self-doubt clouded her mind. To her, each passing day without talking to him, meant he could care less.

The clang of the gate hitting the dirt snapped her thoughts back to the task at hand. The cow shot out with Jason hot on his heels. He threw his lasso, looping the horns precisely on target. For Amy, her daydreaming threw off her timing and she missed her throw.

"Shit!" She pulled her rope in, frustration lacing her words.

Jason trotted back around to her and shouted, "What the hell was that?"

"I missed," she yelled back.

"You never miss."

"Well, I did," she grumbled, reining her horse back toward the gate.

They trotted back toward the trailer without another word.
Get your shit together, girl. You need to pull your thoughts off Tanner and back to this ride, or you'll lose the competition.

When they reached the truck, they dismounted and Jason stopped in front of her, blocking her retreat. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing. I lost my concentration. I'll be fine on the next ride."

"You had better figure out what the problem is before that," Jason demanded, his own anger evident in his voice.

"I've got something on my mind breaking my concentration. Chill out."

"Something or someone? You aren't still torn up about Miller, are you? Hell, you jumped in head first and he used you, but you need to move on."

"No, it's not Jack," she murmured as she turned away. Explaining to Jason meant opening her heart to the disappointment she harbored. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to regain her composure as tears burned behind her eyelids. When she reopened them, the next thing she focused on was Tanner walking toward her with a sexy grin and flashing that dimple in his cheek.

"Tanner," she whispered, taking a couple of tentative steps in his direction. She broke into a dead run when she realized he was real, and not her randy imagination conjuring him up out of nowhere.

Meeting halfway, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as he pulled her close. The scent of musk and male drifted to her nose and she sighed.

Jason reached interrupted several minutes later, clearing his throat. "Amy?"

Jason's question hung in the air, but she chose to ignore it for the moment. She needed to drink in everything about the man holding her close as she melted against him, resisting the urge to nibble his neck and mark him as her own. She pulled back in his arms slightly asking, "What are you doing here?"

"You said you were ridin' this weekend. I wanted to see you, so here I am."

A thrill of excitement zinged along her nerves and she smiled. "I'm glad you came."

Hearing Jason clear his throat again, she turned around and blushed. "I'm sorry. Jason, this is Tanner. He's…a friend of mine. Tanner, this is my riding partner, Jason."

The two men sized each other up and frown lines settled between Jason's eyebrows as he said, "I'm going to see when we ride again." He turned to head back toward the judging tables without another word.

She watched him leave with a frown of her own as she murmured, "Sorry, Tanner. He's usually not rude. I wonder what's wrong with him."

Tanner slipped an arm around her waist as he asked, "Don't you work together at the hospital?"

"Yeah. He's one of the radiology techs. We've been friends for a long time," she replied absently, still watching Jason's back.

* * * *

When Amy threw herself into his arms, his world righted itself. He had missed her something terrible over the last couple of weeks, but he knew she needed time. The parting in Brenham left him frustrated and angry. He knew he'd botched things as he confronted her outside of Chris' place, and he wanted to make things right.

Standing next to her with his arm around her waist, watching her friend disappear, he knew exactly what the guy's problem appeared to be. Jason thought of him as competition for Amy's affection and he didn't like it, but Tanner wasn't about to tell Amy. She thought of Jason as a friend and she would never accept the fact that her work buddy wanted more than friendship, but he knew. Jason's attraction to Amy shone bright in his eyes. The other man's eyes had narrowed into slits, daring Tanner to come after the woman they both obviously cared about.

"So what are your plans?" Amy snuggled up to his side, wrapping her arm around his waist. Her warmth sent images of naked bodies zipping through his mind.

"I thought I'd spend the weekend with you, here at the rodeo or at your house."

"You aren't playing at the bar?" The twinkle in the blue depths of her gaze delighted him.

"No. I switched with the other guy so he's playin' both nights this weekend, and I'll do both nights next weekend."

"We might be staying overnight here, though. If we win today then we don't have to stay."

"That's fine with me."

Sure he knew the thoughts running through her mind as color splashed across her cheeks, he bent his head and whispered in her ear, "You're blushin'."

She tried to hide her face against his shoulder, just as Jason returned.

"We ride again at two."

The almost purple hue to his rival's face made Tanner grin.
Boy, the guy is angry.
Tanner almost laughed as he asked Amy, "Are you hungry?"

"Not really. We just ate about two hours ago, but if you want to get something, I'll go with you. Jason, you can come, too, if you want."

"No, thanks. I'd rather not."

"I'll be right back. I want to check out something on the roster. Do you want to stay here? It will only take a minute."

"Sure. I'll be right here keepin' Jason company." The doubtful expression on her face as she walked away goaded Tanner into irritating the other man. His presence alone provoked a confrontation.

"You want to tell me what's going on between you two?"

"No, but I will anyway, just because you need to be made aware. We're friends, but I have every intention of becomin' more to her. What's it to you?"

"Don't hurt her. If you do, I'll be there to pick up the pieces. Trust me, I won't give them back." Jason's warning sent apprehension down Tanner's spine as he watched the other man's eyes narrow into slits.

"I have no intention of makin' her unhappy, so you'll have no reason to pick up the pieces." Tanner let his gaze rake over Jason, sizing him up as he wondered about the relationship between Amy and her so called friend.

"I've been through enough relationships with her and seen way too many assholes break her heart. You're going to be just another tear she sheds in the long run."

"Don't count your chickens. I'm in this for the long haul."

He could see Amy walking back toward them as the strained conversation came to an end.

"Shall we go?" Her questioning gaze moved between him and Jason as if she could feel the tension in the air.

"Yeah. My truck is parked over there. We can take it and get somethin' in town."

"Are you sure you don't want to come along, Jason?"

"No, I'm good. You go on. I'll watch the horses."

"Okay. We'll be back in a bit. It shouldn't take long."

As they headed toward his truck, she asked, "What were you two talking about? You both looked like two dogs ready for a fight."

"Me? What about me?"

"How close are you and Jason?"

"We're friends, nothing more. Why?"

"Just curious. He acted pretty possessive, that's all."

"He's been a friend for some time. I guess he's a little protective of me. He's been through a lot of relationships as my backup and sounding board."

"Maybe that's it. He wants to protect you."
My ass! He wants you for himself.
They reached the truck and he opened the passenger door for her.

"Did he say something to you?"

"Not really. Where do you want to eat?" He wanted to avoid getting into a big discussion with her about the relationship between her and Jason at this point in time. Soon, though, he would find out what was really existed there, if anything, before he revealed his own feelings toward the woman next to him.

* * * *

Amy and Tanner took a seat in the stand to watch the competition after returning, and she smiled as he laced his fingers with hers. The intimacy of his touch closed the hole in her chest and sent her hopes soaring into the clouds.
Maybe this will work out after all.

Her attention returned to the arena as she sighed wistfully. Almost all of the other teams qualified without difficulty and she knew she and Jason had their work cut out for them. Hopefully, since her pre-occupation with the handsome cowboy next to her had been taken care of, her concentration would return. Making stupid mistakes like the one earlier went completely against her competitive nature.

When their turn came, she and Jason backed their horses into the shoot as Tanner watched from the fence. He gave her a sexy smile and a wink just as the cow shot out of the gate.

Jason nailed the horns with perfection with Amy only tenths of a second behind him, looping the hooves without missing a beat. The crowd went wild when the time flashed on the board. Tanner cheered from his place at the rail.

She rode next to the fence and Tanner almost swept her off her horse as he grabbed her, placing a passionate kiss on her mouth before letting her go. Stunned for a second, it took a moment for her to kick her horse and move toward the gate. Tanner met her on the other side and as she reached the trailer and dismounted, he swept her up in his arms, twirling her around in a circle, before placing her back on her feet.

"Awesome!" His excitement evident in his voice as he continued, "I didn't realize how good you really are!"

"Thanks, but we've done better."

"You're kiddin', right?"

"No. Actually that time was only our third best. We've shaved two seconds off that time." She turned to Jason as Tanner released her from his possessive hold. "When's our next ride?"

"In about thirty minutes."

"I want to go watch the last two qualifiers. Care to join me?"

"Of course. This should be interestin'. I wouldn't miss this, for the world," Tanner replied.

"I'll be back in a bit, Jason." She let her horse loose in their makeshift corral, before closing the gate behind them.

"No problem," he grumbled and Amy looked at him a bit confused. Shrugging, she walked away with Tanner by her side.

The pair sat on the fence watching the next two teams make their run. Both pairs put up pretty good times, but not as well as Amy and Jason's. Each qualifying time came up short by at least a second.

"Now the hard part." She hopped down from the rail as he landed beside her.

"What do you mean?" Tanner slipped his arm around her waist, resting his hand possessively on her hip as they walked back toward the trailer.

"If we nail this next ride, we win. If we don't, we are back tomorrow in the loser's bracket."

"Ah, well, I have confidence in you. I think that you'll do great, maybe even do better than your best time."

"I hope so," she murmured, watching his lips, wishing he would just kiss her and get it over with. The kiss after their last ride wasn't nearly enough. She wanted one of those curl-your-toes, all tongues, hot, mesmerizing and almost make you come in your panties, kisses. Her frustrated exhale did nothing to ease the hum of need between her legs.

Amy retrieved her mare, and walked her out next to the truck so she could check her straps.
The last thing that I need is a loose strap.

"Go get 'em, baby." That sexy smile graced his lips, making her sigh in sexual frustration.

Jason and Amy got into position while the first team rode and Tanner positioned himself back on the fence rail to watch. She did her best to ignore him, even as he winked and smiled. Her stomach flipped over and the friction of her panties against her clit did nothing to ease her discomfort.
Concentrate, need to think
—
no daydreaming. Horse, cow, rope
—she caught Tanner's seductive grin again—
damn!

Finally, she managed to ignore him for a moment and focus. Anticipation burned in her gut and sweat beaded on the back of her neck, rolling down her spine as the sun beat down on their heads. She pulled her cowboy hat down low on her brow and squinted, watching the first team's time, whistling softly through her teeth.

The first team put up an awesome time. They needed to beat them by at least a whole second to stay ahead and that wasn't going to be easy.

Jason and Amy rode into the arena, backing their horses into the shoot, as the crowd grew silent. A pin drop in the dirt would have been loud as all eyes turned, anticipating, and waiting for the cow to move. As the gate dropped and the animal charged out, Jason took off with Amy right on his heels, watching him nail the horns. Within a split second, Amy threw her rope, easily looping the rear hoofs as her horse did what she had been taught, stopping on her haunches and pulling the rope tight.

The silence stretched on for what seemed like a lifetime as everyone waited for the time to be posted on the board. A roar went up as the numbers appeared. They had beaten the first team's time by two seconds.

Tanner came off the fence with a whoop and a holler, pumping his fist in the air in triumph and Amy laughed. She met Jason in the middle of the arena, giving him a high-five before they turned to head out the gate.

Once they reached the trailer, Tanner stood waiting. She dismounted and laughed as he swept her up in his arms, hugging her tight. The inferno blazing in his eyes as he let her slide down his body scorched her with heat. His gaze settled on her lips seconds before he took them with his own in a softly possessive kiss. A moan escaped on a sigh as she opened for him and his tongue slipped between her lips. Pulling her mouth from his reluctantly, she opened her eyes and smiled, stepping back from his embrace.