Page 24 of Head Over Spurs

“I’m a firm believer that once you find something that works, you hold onto it.”

Her breath hitched as his soulful eyes locked onto hers. Suddenly, she got the feeling that they weren’t talking about fries at all. “And what if you miss out on something even better by settling too soon?”

“What if you miss out on something meant for you because you’re always looking for a greener pasture?” he challenged. “I trust my instincts. They haven’t steered me wrong yet.”

“They haven’t steered you wrong when ordering dinner. Right?”

They took a step forward in unison as the line moved. “Amongst other things,” he said softly, running his fingers through his hair. Jules watched him drag them through the golden mane—the memory of running her own hand that very same way sending a tingling sensation to her fingertips. He had left his hat on the dashboard of his truck, and she soaked up the rare sight before her. She imagined him at home, in comfortable situations without his cowboy uniform. What was Riley like when he wasn’t the embodiment of The Sundance Kid?

Shaking the reckless train of thought from her head, she dropped her attention to her boots and stepped forward again. They remained silent, moving forward at a steady rate until they were next to order.

“Do I dare ask what milkshake flavor you prefer?”

“Chocolate,” she replied immediately. “Always chocolate.”

“Looks like we agree on that,” he tilted his head towards her and smiled.

The team at the unnamed burger establishment clearly knew what they were doing. In the amount of time it took them to order, pay, and slide over to the next window, their food was already up.

With a kraft box in one hand, overflowing with a generous sized burger and heaping pile of fries, and milkshake in the other, Jules followed Riley back to the truck.

“You didn’t need to pay for me,” she objected as they crossed the parking lot.

He reached the truck first, flipping down the tailgate and held out a hand to help her climb up. Taking a seat in the truckbed as well, he popped a fry in his mouth and shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to introduce you to this place.”

She opened her mouth to respond, only to have him hold up a fry for her to try as well. “Oh my god,” she moaned, looking over at him in amazement. “How are these so good?”

“Told ya,” Riley replied smugly.

She rolled her eyes, plucking another fry from her tray. It still felt easy, being here with him. She couldn’t deny that she was enjoying their dinner under the stars.

After a long slurp from her milkshake, she stole a glance at Riley, watching him recline back on an elbow as he ate. “What did I pull you from today?” she asked.

“Not much.”

“You just sit around your house dressed like that?”

His cerulean blue shirt popped against his dirty blond hair and light-colored cowboy hat. Unbuttoned to his sternum, he revealed a perfect dusting of chest hair and a chain with a black lightning bolt hanging from it. She hadn’t noticed it at the ranch this week, and it was pressing at her to understand this little detail of Riley.

“You never know when you need to rush out and rescue a damsel in distress. I had to look the part of heroic cowboy.”

“Please,” she snorted. “I would have been just fine at the Gin Mill.”

Riley laughed as he shoveled more fries in his mouth. “I believe you can hold your own, wild thing.”

“So?” she pressed. “Really, what were your plans for today?”

“I was at the Sterling Round-Up.”

“How did you do?” She deposited her now empty milkshake cup to the side and shifted to fully face him.

“They hadn’t gotten to my event,” he replied nonchalantly.

Stunned, she simply blinked back at him for a beat. Sheallowed her eyes to roam over him, looking for any signs in his body language of resentment or frustration. But resentment wasn’t Riley. Somehow, she just knew this to be true.

“So, you just… left? Why?”

“You called.”

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