Page 181 of Ride the Sky

Ruby sniffles, her features soft with happiness. “The best times.”

I throw an arm around my sister, hugging her tightly, stretching out one hand for Reese and Ruby, who both grip my fingers. “I can’t fucking wait.”

Agreat groaning noise comes from the earth. I stand on the back porch of the lodge and watch as the Caterpillar knocks over the last of the Airstream. It collapses in a heap of metal and rock.

That’s what my fucking heart feels like right now.

Scorched earth.

Fallon might be married to me, but it’s the rodeo that has her heart.

A brisk wind picks up. I shove my hands in my pockets. Charlie and Davis walk with the contractor as the bulldozer clears debris from the ground.

Footsteps behind me, but I don’t turn.

“So which is it?” Ford’s deep drawl lingers in the air. “Brooding or moping?”

“Moping.” I incline my head. “She okay?”

Ford sighs. “Yeah. Her cottage is secure. No flowers, no DMs, no stalkers in the night.”

I scowl. “Not funny, asshole.”

Sure, Fallon kicked me out. Sure, I’m pissed, heartbroken, all kinds of crashing out. But that doesn’t mean I’m leaving her alone, unprotected.

“You stay over there last night?” I ask.

He nods. “Parked my ride outside her house.” He chuckles. “She caught me out there when she got home last night and gave me an earful.”

I glance at him. “Last night?”

He hesitates then says, “She was out late with the girls.”

Great. Just what I want. Fallon out on the town without me.

I fight the rock in my throat. “She still plannin’ to ride?”

“Think so. The girls packed up and left this morning for the fairgrounds.” Ford arches a brow. “Sure you don’t want to go?”

“She kicked my ass out,” I grunt. “She doesn’t want me there.”

Ford claps me on the shoulder. “Couples fight, kid, it’s human nature.”

“You and Reese?”

Ford chuckles. “Woman wants to kill be on a daily basis.” His face softens. “Fallon yell at you when you argued?”

I chuckle. “All the damn time.”

“That’s a good sign,” he says. “When she’s yelling at you, she cares. When she stops, you should be worried.”

Lost in thought, I twist the ring on my left hand. She’s never stopped fighting me in her life. Hell, the harder Fallon fights, the more I love her.

Love everything about her. Her chaos, her recklessness, her ambition. It’s an addiction.

She’s an addiction. I’ll never tame her.

I know better than to try.

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