Page 37 of New in Town

“If you are so concerned about Riley competing, you must struggle to last eight seconds out there. Does that carry over to other things, too?”

“Listen—”

“No, you listen. I’d feel cleaner licking the dirt off my boots than I would letting you touch me. But thanks,reallyjust so flattering. You sure know how to make a girl feel special.”

Beside her, Riley lets out a roaring laugh. Maddie isn’t paying attention though, because a few rows down, she notices Grey has returned. And he’s watching the interaction with a steely expression. He closes the distance between them swiftly, coming to a stop just behind Dane.

“Am I interrupting?” he asks coolly.

Dane startles at Grey’s voice, turning towards him and stumbling back. Riley clasps a hand on Dane’s shoulder. “Still scared of Grey after he kicked your ass all those years ago?” he asks.

Dane shakes Riley’s hand from his shoulder and retreats wordlessly to wait with the other competitors. Meanwhile, Grey gives the rope to his friend without taking his eyes off her. She bites her bottom lip, unsure what the look on his face means. He’s upset, clearly. Did he think Riley wasn’t defending her?

“I told Riley not to jump in on my behalf,” she offers quickly. He nods, more tense than before.

“I would have helped if she needed me,” Riley says with a shrug. “But uh, thanks for this. Seriously,” he adds, holding up the rope and leaving as well.

Her date, however, hasn’t taken a seat beside her again. She pats the metal and raises her eyebrows. “Are you coming back?”

“My question was genuine. If I was interrupting, feel free to go after Dane. The whole point of being here with me is so you can meet other people.”

Her mouth falls open in surprise. He hadn’t heard the conversation; he just saw her smiling at Dane. Grey isn’t mad that Riley didn’t defend her, he isjealous. She crosses her arms and narrows her gaze.

“You really think I’m the type of girl to go somewhere with one man and leave with another? Thanks, Greyson. Besides, we both know that wasn’t what we meant by wanting me to meet people.”

“I didn’t mean to say you were any of type of girl… I wasn’t—”

“Then let me tell you what was happening. He came over here to harass Riley and then crudely tried to hit on me. I wasn’t flirting, I was dealing with him. You could have asked.”

He drops down onto the bench beside her, guilt written across his face. “I’m sorry, I was jealous. And I have no right to be. But jealous or not, I was out of line.”

Maddie’s momentum deflates. She wants him to have a reason to be jealous. She wants him to feel the same attraction she is.

“Wait, crudely? What did he say to you? I’ll go make him look like a fucking bull got ahold of him.”

She sighs and places a hand on his leg, “I accept your apology. And I don’t need you to beat him up. Apparently for a second time?”

“Uh, yeah. I got in some fights growing up. Dane started the one between us, but I finished it. And I got suspended for it, not something to be proud of,” he explains, reaching for her. He pulls her against him, and she nuzzles into his shoulder, happy to be in his embrace once again.

“That sounds unfair,” she murmurs.

“It worked out that way a lot back then. I haven’t done any of that in a while, but I gladly will if he comes near you again.”

“I’d rather focus on being here with you.”

“I like the sounds of that. What about those events I was going to teach you about?”

She picks the pamphlet up from the bench. “It says this first one will be bronc riding,” she reads. With his arm around her, and his thumb moving in lazy circles on her hip, he begins walking her through the Sterling Round-Up.

* * *

Riley takes second in tie-down roping, and Maddie cheers happily for him. But she’s also happy that Dane didn’t even advance to the finals. Grey had explained that Riley used to compete in bull and bronc riding as well. In the last year, he suffered a serious injury because of a bull and dropped off the full-time circuit. Apparently, that’s when he came to work at Hayes Ranch.

Prized buckles in hand for the victors, the festivities seem to be winding down. She looks over at Grey. Being in his embrace feels so natural lately. She doesn’t even try to hide that she’s indulging in the view of his strikingly handsome profile. The corner of his mouth quirks up as he looks over at her as well.

“What happens now?” she asks.

“They end the night with fireworks,” he replies, smiling at her delighted expression.

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