Page 134 of Never Left You

“So, my suggestion is get your ass down there and be there when he’s done.”

I shook my head. “I want to watch from here.”

“You’ll go crazy.” She sang ’crazy’ almost to say, ‘trust me.’

Shaking my head harder, I looked at Kyla. Last year I was down with Stet, trying to calm a different kind of nerve as he got ready to hold on for dear life. This year I was forcing myself to stay seated and enjoy the show—but my mind and body weren’t having it. I turned my attention back to Cash and Rhett, Cash patting his shoulder briefly before turning back to my son. He said something to him, Stet nodded enthusiastically, and then Cash kissed the top of Stet’s helmet and left them there.

I watched as the white cowboy hat moved through the crowd, getting a glimpse of his chaps as he pulled on his gloves, making his way to the chutes. This rodeo was his return to saddle bronc, and he was probably just as nervous as I was. He had trained hard for this in between training his clients, his own physical therapy sessions, and acupuncture appointments, not to mention becoming the man of the main house. His life changed in more ways than one, and tonight he told me it was his way of putting everything that had happened behind him. Even though he’d been with us for months, this night was the start of his new life.

“I don’t plan on going big. No more huge rodeos, but I’ll ride when I want to, and watch when I want to,” he had told me this morning over breakfast. “I may be ‘coming back’ but I still want my life here.”

He kissed me then, slow and deep. A promise to give me the life we both wanted.

I swallowed, closing my eyes to remind myself to take in the moment. I’d support him, and we’d watch the fireworks together. I didn’t need to be down there like Kyla said; I needed to watch him shine from here.

“Mutton. Bustin’.” My twin’s voice radiating through the arena forced me to open my eyes. “Those kids gave it their all. Looks like first place goes to—”

“Excuse me, I need to talk to my girl.” I heard Cash’s voice right next to me, causing me to jolt to the side, almost smacking him in the face.

“You should be down there.” I leaned back into Kyla, pointing at the chutes, shock in my voice, but the excitement that gleamed in his eyes distracted me.

“Nah, I have time. Your brother has to do the Anthem, the prayer and then the flag girls. Come here.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me from my seat, giving me a wink as we left the stands.

I gave Kyla a look, not really wanting to be saved from my boyfriend, but not wanting him to be late for his ride. “Cash, you need to be getting ready.”

In one motion he swung our arms, pinning me to the back of the metal seats.

“I’m not ready until I kiss you.”

I looked at him, his eyes heavy as he searched me. His white hat perched on his head, a thin sheen of sweat already on his tawny skin, a dark blue button up shirt, covered by his vest. His Wrangler jeans that hugged him in all the right areas, and hisnew chaps he had made specifically for tonight. White leather, with gold and blue accents, blue fringe hanging off the sides. But the best part, a blue A and an S sat on his left leg, right above where I knew his scar sat. An A for Abi…an S for Stetson. My heart melted just looking at it. This man was glorious. And he was mine. And right now, he needed a kiss.

I leaned in, closing the distance between us with a kiss. He drank me in, his hands gripping my waist as his tongue explored. We had kissed so many times since finding each other, and each one was different. No kiss was the same, and we loved to find new ways to make each other weak.

“Now I’m ready,” he murmured, kissing the tip of my nose.

“You’re supposed to kiss meafteryou ride.” I said breathlessly, the feel of his lips was still on mine, my eyes still closed, hoping he would take it as a sign to kiss me again.

“Nah, that’s Rhett’s thing.” He chuckled. “What have I been doing before every training session, before every ride I do?

I blushed at the memories, “A kiss.”

“For luck.” He smiled, kissing me again. “That’s more important than a celebratory kiss.”

The roar of the crowd brought me back to life. In the time we had been here, Wyatt had led the Anthem, introduced the sponsors and said a starting prayer. Now, it was time for the saddle bronc riders. I caught Cash’s eye. Damn, that was a hell of a kiss.

“You need to get out there.”

“I do.”

“Go, eight seconds.”

Giving me one final kiss, he nodded. “Eight seconds.” Then he was gone, running off to the chutes.

With heat in my blood, I returned to my seat, finding it occupied by my son, holding a small trophy. My heart swelled as I pulled him closer to me.

“I was worried you were going to miss Cash.”

“Never.” I tapped the brim of his hat. “Second place. Not bad, little man.”

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