Love & Rodeo (11 page)

“
May I?”

“
It’d be an honor.”

Kallie smiled and mounted the horse. She adjusted the reins and kicked him lightly into a walk. She got a feel for the horse and the saddle before she kicked him into a trot. She trotted large circles and worked down to a small circle. She trotted him back to a large circle and then pushed him into a canter. They cantered a large circle and worked into a smaller circle. She slowed him to a walk as she moved back to a large circle.

“
Have you introduced him to the pattern yet?” Kallie asked.

“
A couple of times. We’re just looking for a way to get him around the barrel right now.”

“
Do you mind if I try?”

“
Go ahead. Shouldn’t hurt anything.”

Kallie trotted a circle and then trotted to the first barrel. She dropped her outside rein and pulled the inside to her pocket while applying pressure at the horse’s girth. He turned right around it. She straightened him out and did the same at the second and third barrel. She patted his neck as they trotted back. She circled him again, this time cantering. She cantered the pattern with perfection. The last time she pushed the horse asking him for more. They galloped through the pattern, kicking up dirt all around the arena. When they came to a stop Kallie hugged the horse’s neck.

“
That a boy!” she told him and his ear flickered.

John, Emma, and Levi all walked over.

“
We’ve been working with him for days, trying to figure out a technique with him.”

Kallie smiled. “Just drop your outside rein and bring the inside to your pocket while applying pressure with your inside leg. He responds really well to pressure.”

“
I’ll be damned,” John said.

“
It doesn’t work on all horses, but if horses respond to pressure, it usually does,” Kallie told him.

“
Nice. So are you busy the rest of the week?” John joked.

Levi and Kallie laughed.

“
I’m serious. I could use your help. I’ve got a couple of problem yearlings.”

Kallie looked at Levi and shrugged her shoulders. “All right.”

John took the reins and he and Emma went to put the horse away.

“
You’ve done the impossible,” Levi told her as he hugged her.

“
What do you mean?”

“
You’ve impressed my Daddy.”

Kallie laughed and they headed toward the house.

Kallie left Levi downstairs with his parents, while she went up the steps. She reached the top of the stairs. To the right was clearly Emma and Jenna’s room. The room to the left was smaller and definitely a male’s. She walked through the door and set her bag down. Looking around the room, there were trophies on the walls and pictures of Levi at rodeos. There were even a few of him when he was young and riding sheep. One thing consistent throughout all of the pictures, was either Travis or his family beside him. She smiled to herself wondering if Levi knew how lucky he was.

She moved to a desk in the corner with a bulletin board. There were pictures of him and his dates at proms and homecomings—a different girl in each of them—he was so handsome.

About that time, she felt two arms encircle her waist. “Are you snooping around my room?”

“
I wouldn’t call it snooping. Just getting to know a younger you.”

“
Oh, I was a ladies man.”

She laughed. “I see that.”

“
That is, until I met you.”

Her breath caught and she turned to look at him. He kissed her long and deep until she was weak in the knees. She gently pushed him away as she remembered where she was.

“
I need to get ready,” she said before lifting her bag and hurrying away from him.

Chapter Twelve

Kallie took a hot shower and dressed herself in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt for the fair. When she walked downstairs Joan was in the kitchen cleaning up. She looked at Kallie.

“
That won’t do.”

“
What do you mean?”

A short girl with long blonde hair walked into the kitchen. “You can’t wear that. I’m Jenna by the way.”

“
Hi, Jenna. I’m Kallie.”

“
I figured. Come on. Let’s find you something else.”

Kallie followed Jenna up the stairs to her and Emma’s room and opened the closet. She watched as Jenna fingered through her clothes. She pulled out a white cotton spaghetti strap dress.

Kallie shook her head. “I don’t wear dresses.”

“
Come on. You want to look nice. The fair is a big thing around here.”

Kallie eyed the dress and smiled. “Fine.” She took the dress and walked into the Jack and Jill bathroom. She changed quickly and gathered her clothes. She walked back out to see Jenna sitting on her bed. She covered her mouth as she looked at her.

“
I told you that I don’t look good in dresses.”

“
What! You look gorgeous! With your tan and dark hair, wow, you own that dress.”

Kallie turned to look at herself. She didn’t recognize the woman standing in the mirror. “Whoa.”

“
I told you,” Jenna said as she stood behind her.

Kallie took her clothes to Mark’s old room, and went back down to the kitchen where the Cavanaugh family waited.

“
Much better!” Joan told her and Levi turned around.

His eyes met hers. She watched as they moved down her body and then back up. John bumped his son.

“
Say something, son.”

She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed hard.

“
You look. Wow.”

Kallie smiled as she felt her cheeks warm.

“
All right, let’s get going,” Joan said as she ushered them all out the door.

They piled into the truck, and then drove to the fair. Kallie enjoyed listening to them chat back and forth like a normal family. She really missed doing that with her family. When they got there, Emma went straight to the stable while Jenna disappeared to be with friends.

“
I’m gonna take your Mama over to the craft barn. We’ll see you over at Emma’s show?”

“
Yeah,” Levi told his father and Kallie waved to them.

They walked through the crowd and immediately Levi pulled her toward the food booth.

“
You have to try this corn.”

Of course Levi was thinking about food. They had been traveling with one another for almost two months now. In every city they stopped in, Levi made sure they tried the local cuisine. They walked to the corn booth and ordered a corn on the cob. He handed Kallie an ear covered in butter.

“
This can’t be good for your heart,” Kallie joked as she took a bite.

It was pure goodness in her mouth. She ate until the ear was gone. She looked at Levi who was laughing. Looking at his mouth covered in butter, she began to laugh too.

“
Your mouth!” they each told one another at the same time.

Levi leaned in and kissed her. She grabbed some napkins and wiped his face. Taking a few, he wiped her mouth gently before putting his lips to hers once more. He kissed her gently and everything else faded away. There were hundreds of people around them, but all she could see and feel was Levi. Pulling away, she looked at those blue Cavanaugh eyes. In that moment, amongst all of those people, she knew with all certainty that she was in love with him. Completely and totally in love with him. His lips touched hers again and her whole body hummed.

“
Levi?” she heard someone say.

He pulled away and immediately her lips missed his. They clung to one another, trying to shake the moment before turning to a blonde-headed girl, standing there amongst a group of women.

“
Levi Cavanaugh! I heard you were in town for the rodeo in Tulsa.”

Kallie watched as the blonde hugged Levi and immediately jealousy settled in the pit of her stomach.

“
Hey, Sarah. How’ve you been?”

“
Good. I got engaged to Jared this past spring.”

“
Congratulations! That’s great,” Levi said as he put his arm around Kallie. “This is Kallie Davis. My girlfriend from the circuit.”

Kallie looked up at him. They hadn’t talked to one another about titles before. A little stunned, she focused her attention on Sarah and shook her hand.

“
It’s nice to…” Kallie started, but before she could get the line out Sarah had already turned back to Levi.

“
The whole town has been watching you. I bet your Daddy’s real proud.”

Kallie watched as Sarah placed a hand on Levi’s arm.

No she didn’t.

This woman had nerve.

“
He is.”

Kallie wrapped her arm around his, clearly staking her claim while staring down the blonde.

“
Well, I’ll let you all enjoy your night. Levi, tell your Mama I said hi.”

Levi smiled at her and waved as Sarah retreated.

“
Who was that?”

“
Oh Sarah? She’s an ex-girlfriend from high school.”

“
She’s awfully pretty,” Kallie noted.

“
Is somebody jealous?”

“
What do I have to be jealous of when you just called me your girlfriend.”

“
You noticed that, huh?”

“
Yep. I kind of liked it.”

He looked down at her and kissed her lips before they started through the crowd. They walked around to each animal barn and looked at the animals. Kallie had to stop and pet almost every one of them.

“
Do you have to pet them all?” Levi asked.

“
I don’t want the other ones to get jealous.”

Levi laughed and pulled her to him. “If you pet them the way you pet me, I might get jealous,” he whispered in her ear.

She gasped and slapped him playfully. “We’re going to be late to see Emma,” she told him.

“
Okay.”

They stopped and got an ice-cream cone to share and found Levi’s parents in the stands. Levi and Kallie settled into one another and ate their ice-cream cone. Kallie went to give him a bite and pushed it in his face.

“
Oops.” Kallie laughed.

He shook his head and pulled her in. He kissed her lightly and then she wiped his face off. He just looked at her.

“
What?” Kallie asked him.

He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You’re beautiful.”

Her breath caught and the butterflies in her stomach danced.

“
Levi your sister is up next,” John told them.

Kallie sat up and watched a rider run the pattern, knocking the third barrel over, adding five seconds to her time. Next was Emma and she was riding a beautiful palomino mare. Kallie watched on as she circled the mare and took off toward the first barrel. She came at it a little wide but made it around.

“
Go on!” Kallie yelled

“
You got it!” Levi yelled beside her.

She turned the second barrel and headed toward the third. Turning that barrel perfectly, she raced home.

“
Hurry. Hurry!” Kallie yelled beside Levi as she jumped up and down.

“
17.495. That’s the time you’re chasing, ladies,” the announcer boomed.

Kallie looked at Levi and he lifted her as they cheered. He sat her down and she watched his parents hug and kiss one another, so proud of their daughter. Her heart ached a little. Her parents used to do that too.

“
Let’s go see her!” Levi told Kallie.

He pulled her down the stands and they started for the warm-up arena. When Emma saw Kallie she was beaming.

“
Well done!” Kallie told her.

“
Did you see that, Levi? Did you see us flying?”

Levi laughed. “When did you get to be so good?” Levi asked.

“
Daddy’s been working with me all summer.”

“
Well, it’s paid off. Maybe I should take some lessons from your Daddy,” Kallie joked.

Emma ended up winning her class and getting a huge ribbon and bragging rights until next years fair. They all agreed to meet at the truck at eleven, and went their separate ways. Levi pulled Kallie toward the rides and together they rode the Ferris wheel.

“
I can’t believe you got me up here,” Kallie whispered nervously. She looked down and immediately regretted her decision as her stomach flipped.