Page 2 of Head Over Spurs

“What brings you to Texas? I feel like I’d have noticed you before now if you traveled with the rodeo circuit.”

She shook her head, a smile turning up her lips. “Are you sure about that? Seems like there are a lot of things that could catch the attention of a professional bronc rider.”

“I’m sure.” There was such determination in his answer, as if she had captivated him fully.

She hesitated, feeling the air crackle, the heat between them palpable. This wasn’t just normal flirtation over drinks. It felt heavier, more important. As if he sensed it, too, the cowboy took a long pull of his drink, his mesmerizing eyes darkening as he brought his head back down to her. Right, she hadn’t really answered his question.

“I’m a photographer, specializing in all things equine. I spent the last three weeks on a guest ranch in town, getting out there and capturing their day to day for their new website. Some of them competed today and asked me to come along.”

“That sounds like an incredibly fun job. How often do you travel?”

“Often,” she laughed. “But you must understand the excitement of traveling considering your line of work.”

While they spoke, they drifted nearer, as if falling into a slow dance. With each small movement, they faced one another a bit more, the distance between them narrowing. She crossed her legs, letting the slit in her long, floral dress fall open over her thigh. His eyes tracked the movement, taking in the long, toned lines of her now exposed legs. He traced from her upper thighs, over the soft curve of her knees, and down until they disappeared into the tall shaft of her black cowgirl boots.

Her lips parted in response to the hunger that shone in hiseyes as they snapped back up to her face. “You look lovely,” he offered, his voice an octave deeper than moments ago.

Testing a theory, she brought her hand up to skim along the plunging neckline of her dress. And as she suspected, his eyes followed her movement once again. She felt as if she could blink, and Riley would make a mental note of it.

“You pull the rodeo look off well,” she replied, dropping her elbow onto the bar and leaning forward to rest her chin in her hand. He followed, settling his own elbows to his thighs and leaning in as well.

A familiar song drifted through the air, catching her attention. Excitement bubbled up within her as she recognized the opening verse. “Oh, I love this song,” she tilted her head to face the band.

“Want to dance?” he asked, closing his hand over hers.

“You dance, cowboy?”

“Tonight, I do.” He rose from his seat, keeping a hold of her hand in his. “What do you say?”

Jules shifted in his embrace, lacing their fingers together and pulling him out onto the floor. They slipped into the crowd already moving to the beat. It was a slow song, filled with heart and charged with emotion. And when he looped his arms around her and tucked her in tight to him, she wondered if maybe this was a bad idea.

With the increased contact, came increased heat. It flooded her body, causing her thoughts to swirl with desire. Each step, each time he led her from his hips, each time his prized belt buckle pressed into the sensitive skin of her abdomen, the heat surged. Jules needed more, she needed to feel him within her.

As the song made its transition to the next, an equally soulful one, his breath tickled her ear. “How am I doing?”

“You’re better at this than you led on.” Her words were wispy. Affected.

With a pleased grin, he spun her and dipped, holding her parallel to the floor. He leaned close, supporting her with a large hand splayed across her back and another cradled under her knee. “Another song, then?”

“Another song.”

Half a set list later, her chest heaved from the constant movement, heat radiating through her body. She was past the point of understanding if the feeling was related to the man, or the way they moved together. Either way, this was the most fun she’d ever had out with a guy before. If she was never going to see him again, she was determined to get the most from tonight.

She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down so she could press her lips to his jaw, just before his ear. Holding her flush against him, he tightened his grip at her hip and snapped his head around to catch her mouth with his. The moment their lips made contact, it was as if a jolt of electricity passed through her. She sighed into his mouth as it moved over hers, sucking and nipping on her bottom lip. All the while, his mustache tickled her face with sweet friction.

Her need surging, Jules made an impulsive decision. “Do you have a hotel room around here for the night, Sundance?”

2

RILEY

One year later

He’d had the dream again. The one that carried the intoxicating memory of the mysterious Jules. This time, it was the way her fiery blonde hair looked wrapped around his hand while his other hand dragged down her spine. Her bare skin had been absurdly soft, and he had gripped at her greedily as they moved together.

It had been almost exactly one year since their night together. And two weeks after that night, he had left the professional rodeo. What followed was a lengthy hospital stay, and a permanent trip home to Sterling Ridge, effectively losing the chance to find her at any future events.

But he had a feeling that Jules didn’t wish to be found. She’d made her intentions clear when she bolted from his hotel room before he woke the next morning, leaving nothing more than a lipstick kiss on the mirror like a tantalizing calling card.

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