Rodeo Queen (12 page)

“Sydney, honey,” she suggested sweetly, “why don’t you head out and get those horses ready and I’ll send Derek on his way in a sec.”

Sydney mouthed a “thank you” as she slipped out the back door, leaving Derek and Mike, and giving her time to gather her wits after the war zone that had been her first breakfast on the ranch.

Chapter Eight

S
COTT WAS HEADED
back to the ranch after a trip into town for some medicinal supplies for the stock. Mike had insisted he needed them immediately, although Scott had his suspicions it was to get him off the ranch and away from Derek and Sydney for a while after this morning’s scene at breakfast. He wasn’t sure what had prompted him to break down the bathroom door—although seeing Sydney’s shock was almost worth the trouble—and then to nearly come to blows with his brother. He hadn’t been that mad at him since they were teenage boys.

Of course, he had to admit that Sydney had them both acting like teenage boys again. He knew that Derek had always been a flirt, even if he wasn’t interested in a girl; it was just his personality. He was the charming one and Scott was the quiet one. To hear him flirting with Sydney, however, had brought something to the surface that he hadn’t felt since Liz. It was more than just jealousy, although the thought of Sydney with Derek was certainly enough to make him want to punch a wall. The scene he’d caused in the barn last night wasn’t like him. He couldn’t explain why he’d been so angry that she hadn’t told Derek that there might be something beginning to develop between them. But this was more than his ego being worried to lose a woman to someone else. It was about an underlying suspicion that every word between them, every shared touch, every kiss, had been some sort of act. It had all been a lie he hadn’t seen through—again.

Just like with Liz, he feared that Sydney was playing him for a fool. He wanted to believe that the past week was real, that the passion he’d felt was more than just desire. But he couldn’t risk what little pride he’d managed to salvage out of the situation with Liz on a fairy-tale notion of love that might or might not prove real. Even if he had convinced himself just a few days ago that Sydney was nothing like Liz. Even if it felt completely illogical, he wouldn’t chance having that wall he’d built chipped away, and being betrayed again. It was all enough to give him a headache. He pressed a button on the truck’s radio, blaring AC/DC through the speakers, hoping to drown out the part of his brain trying to convince him that pushing Sydney away was a mistake.

By the time he’d returned and passed the supplies off to Clay, it was nearing lunch. He was starving and knew he should settle for a quiet meal in the house with Silvie, Jen, and Clay, but before he could talk himself out of it, he headed to the barn to saddle Noble, his black-and-white paint. He headed toward the creek in the east pasture, knowing his brother would pick that secluded spot for a romantic tryst, as he had so many times before. It was where they both had taken dates all through high school, but while Scott had grown up quickly, Derek still seemed to be a boy in a man’s body.

Scott reached the creek to find it deserted. He loosened Noble’s reins, letting him graze on the surrounding grass, and leaned back on a tree to wait in case they showed. He cursed his own jealousy, especially when there were animals that needed vaccines, fences always in need of repair, and stock to check on, but he couldn’t shake the need to be close to Sydney, even if it was only to prove she was a gold digger.

D
EREK LED THE
way and Valentino flipped his head, pulling at the reins, wanting to run. Sydney reined him in as they headed toward the creek Derek had told her about. She’d already checked out the stock she’d be working with and had to admit that Mike and Scott had a great eye for horses. The animals were well kept, healthy, and seemed intelligent. The two of them had enjoyed a fun afternoon of chatting about horses, rodeos, and their childhoods. She was grateful for the light conversation that didn’t hold any indication of romance, and her earlier headache from breakfast had long since disappeared. Of course, the fact that Scott had disappeared immediately following the scene in the kitchen had helped immensely.

“Whoa.” Derek drew his gelding to a quick halt.

Sydney followed suit, unsure of what had him pulling up short. “What is it?” she asked as she followed his suddenly somber gaze toward a stand of trees. She spotted the unmistakable black-and-white paint grazing in the trees.

“Scott,” Derek muttered.

Wonderful, she thought. There goes the rest of the afternoon. Didn’t he have anything better to do than to torment her? Derek glanced over at her and she tried to hide her frustration, but she knew she’d never been good at hiding her feelings from anyone. Her mother had always said that her eyes gave her away.

“Okay, I’m not the biggest fan of my brother, but I’ve gotta ask. What’s going on with the two of you?”

Sydney opened her mouth, ready to tell Derek a condensed version of what had happened at the rodeo grounds, but changed her mind as she saw the mix of hope tinged with reservation. If the argument with Scott last night had proven anything, it was that she’d been nothing more than a fun distraction until he’d become bored with her. She felt like a mouse being toyed with by a very irritating tomcat.

“I think it bothers him that I took this job. He didn’t want me to,” she confessed.

“I think it’s more than that.” Derek tapped his horse’s sides and they began walking toward the creek. “He likes to be the boss, have things his way with no surprises. I think you challenge that control and he’s not sure how to handle it. You push him out of his comfort zone.”

An image of Scott trying to make breakfast popped into her mind. He’d definitely been out of his area of expertise there. A smile found its way to her lips. “I guess I do.”

Her smile faded as quickly as it appeared when she saw Scott seated by the trees, one knee bent, head back against the tree, his straw hat settled on his knee. She was struck by the raw sexuality he possessed and her pulse quickened, butterflies suddenly appearing in her stomach. She could say he didn’t affect her, but she’d be lying.

“Hey guys,” he greeted as they rode up, not even glancing their way. “What are you guys doing all the way over here?” He stood up, placed his cowboy hat back on his head, and brushed the dirt and grass from his jeans.

Derek stopped his horse and dismounted, reaching for the lunch packed in a small saddle bag. “Just giving Sydney the tour.”

Sydney noticed that Derek’s jovial mood had disappeared as soon as he’d noticed Scott’s horse. She dismounted and tied Valentino to a nearby shrub, away from the geldings. She reached out for the sandwich and water bottle Derek held out to her.

“Thanks,” she said as she sat on the grass at the edge of the water. “Derek thought we’d have lunch here before heading back to start the paperwork.”

“Makes sense,” Scott agreed. “Make-out Creek has always been a pretty spot.”

She caught the deliberate look he shot at Derek. What Scott didn’t count on was that Derek had already told her the antics he and Scott had always pulled at the creek. He’d spun the tales, with embellishment she was certain, of dates, drinks, and parties that the creek had hosted. “From what Derek said, this spot has a pretty colorful past.”

Scott raised a brow and nodded toward Derek. “For some of us more than others, right?”

“What do you want, Scott? I’m sure you didn’t ride all the way out here in the middle of your busy day just to have a picnic by the creek.” Derek narrowed his eyes, his gaze dark and brooding. Sydney only hoped they wouldn’t come to blows out here with Mike nowhere in sight to diffuse the situation as he had earlier.

“Clay needs help rounding up some of the stock for vaccines.”

“And you couldn’t do that?” Derek shot Scott an ominous glare, answered only by Scott’s raised brow and clenching jaw. Derek crumpled up the bag from his lunch and made his way back to his gelding. “Guess we’ll have to cut our tour short.”

Sydney was frustrated that Scott had intruded on the first relaxing moments she’d had since arriving. She wasn’t about to let whatever objection he had about her presence destroy the friendship she’d created with Derek so far. “I’ll head back with you.” She put her garbage into her own saddle bag.

“We will all head back,” Scott clarified. “Tell Clay we’ll be right there. Sydney, I’d like to talk with you for a second so hang back.”

Derek rolled his eyes before mounting his gelding. “Sounds like a direct order from the boss, Sydney. I’ll meet you at the chutes in just a few minutes.” He glared at Scott. “And if you’re not there, I’ll be sure to come looking for you.”

Sydney watched Derek ride away and tightened Valentino’s cinch. “Well? What could possibly be so important that you want to be anywhere near me?”

Scott chuckled as he inched toward Valentino’s side. “Trust me, I just saved you the bumbling advances of a boy.”

“What makes you think I wouldn’t have returned them?” Sydney instantly regretted the words as they fell from her lips. They only gave him more fuel to accuse her of being a tease, but she’d wanted to wipe the smug smile from his face.

Her plan worked too well as his grin disappeared and his eyes narrowed. “If you’re just looking to pass the time, I’m sure I can satisfy far more than Derek.”

The tender passion she’d heard in his voice as he’d comforted her after her nightmare seemed like it came from a different person entirely. She felt the shiver of desire trickle down her spine at the mere memory of that night. But there was no gentleness in his eyes now.

She slid her foot into the stirrup and mounted the stallion. “Don’t you think you should be saving your energy for reuniting with your ex?”

Scott arched a brow and gave her a lopsided grin. “Don’t worry, princess. I have energy to spare.”

She hated that just the thought of him holding her could still cause the rush of heat through her veins. Sydney glared at him before turning her horse back toward the house. “You’re an arrogant ass.”

He swung himself into his saddle. “So I’ve been told,” he answered as he spurred his paint, leaving her to catch up to him.

S
YDNEY AWOKE
F
RIDAY
morning to a knock on her bedroom door. She stretched her arms above her head and curled her toes as she heard Derek’s voice call again.

“Sydney! Come on, sleepyhead. You’ve got horses to break today.”

She opened her eyes to the shaft of light through the curtains and was shocked that she’d slept so long. She glanced over at the clock. Eight-thirty? She could just imagine the snide comments Scott would make if she wasn’t down to the corral soon.

“I’ll be down in just a second,” she called.

“I’ll meet you at the corral,” Derek informed her.

Sydney threw back the covers and pulled on her terrycloth robe. She could hear voices in the kitchen below and realized that everyone else had already started their day. She hurried to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face before brushing her teeth quickly. She glanced in the mirror and decided she didn’t have time for makeup today, then rushed back to her bedroom. She pulled on an old t-shirt and jeans and ran a brush through her chestnut curls. She glanced at the unmade bed and prayed Silvie would forgive her for not making it today, then closed the bedroom door behind her.

She didn’t see anyone in the kitchen as she passed through on her way out the door, and she made it to the corral just in time to see Derek leading a young bay filly into the round pen.

He smiled as she approached and held the long training reins out for her. “She’s all ready for you.”

“What’s she like?” she asked, running her hands over the filly’s rump, cooing to her in soothing tones.

“This one’s pretty rank,” Derek warned. “There’s been some talk of putting her into the bucking string if we can’t get her broke.” Sydney arched a brow at him. “I’ll hold her for you to get on.” Derek smiled. “And catch you when you come off.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” She tugged the cinch, watching the filly’s reaction. Her ears twitched back and forth at the sound of their voices.

“Nothing personal, but she’s thrown our best hands.”

“We’ll see.” Sydney walked around the filly while Derek continued to hold the reins. She wasn’t ready to mount the filly for the first time yet. Sydney wanted the horse to be used to her voice and touch, to relax and realize that she wasn’t a threat. She patted the horse’s neck, talking to her in soft, nonsensical phrases while rubbing her shoulders and tugging on the saddle.

“Sydney?” Derek’s tone told her he wanted her attention. She met his gaze. “This filly threw Scott last week before they left for the rodeo.”

Sydney rubbed her hand on the filly’s forehead, causing her to drop her head, obviously enjoying the attention. A smile lifted the corners of Sydney’s lips as she whispered to the filly. “Aren’t you the smartest girl ever?”

Derek tried to stifle his laughter as Sydney took the reins and crossed them over the filly’s thick black mane. “I’ll ride her,” she said confidently. “Go ahead and wait outside the corral.”

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Derek asked.

Sydney tuned out everything around her but the bay filly. She stroked her neck calmly then waited as the filly raised her nose to Sydney’s face, curious about her. The filly’s ears twitched as Sydney gently blew on the horse’s muzzle. The filly nickered softly before flipping up her top lip and nudging Sydney’s shoulder. Sydney turned her back to the filly, walking away a few steps but keeping her eyes always looking over her shoulder for any signs of aggression from the young horse.

The filly slowly walked behind Sydney, pressing her head against Sydney’s back for attention. Sydney was always quick to reward her curiosity. Sydney ignored the cowboys that had begun to wander toward the corral, eager to see the filly toss yet another body to the ground. She refused to let her ego crowd out her common sense and gave the filly plenty of time to grow accustomed to her touch, both on her body and on the saddle, all the while holding a one-sided conversation with the animal.