Page 25 of Head Over Spurs

Two simple words. Paired together in any other situation, and they would have been meaningless. Inconsequential. But in this moment, they drifted out into the evening air and set the night on fire. Stars exploded in her heart as their gazes remained fixed on one another.

When her mouth fell open and no words came out, Riley offered a gentle smile. He reached over to wrap his hand around her forearm, dragging his thumb back and forth on the soft underside of her arm.

“And it’s just that simple?” she asked, her eyes glued to where they were connected, her focus tracking the movement of his thumb.

“Coming when you call? Sure.”

She wrestled down the urge to ask him why. To understand the way her heart slammed against her rib cage with his touch. But she would come to regret that eventually at the ranch. It was important to maintain her professional reputation, because if the jobs stopped, she’d have to return home.

“Thank you, for helping me today,” she offered softly, allowing the conversation to drop before she said anything reckless. With a gentle squeeze of her arm in response, he withdrew his hand once again and locked it with his other behind his head. Staring up at the night sky, his profile appeared relaxed. In fact, Riley seemed to operate in a constant state of ease.

“Can I ask you something else?” The words slipped from her mouth as the glint from his lightning bolt charm caught her eye.

“Fire away.”

“What does the lightning bolt mean?”

He dropped a hand to the charm and lifted it up between two fingers. “This was a gift from Paisley after I had my little bronc riding injury. She told me it would be a good luck charm, keep me safe out there competing.”

Two questions fought to escape her mouth first. Jealousy won out. “Who is Paisley?”

A wicked grin split across his face as he tracked the guardedness in her question. Turning back to face Jules, he replied, “The only other woman who’s call I’ll always answer.”

Heat roiled under her skin. This is why she had rules, she couldn’t expect to be special when she didn’t stay in one place long enough to form that connection.

“Juliette,” he started, reaching out and giving her a nudge. “Paisley is my six-year-old niece.” As her jaw loosened, his eyes tracked the movement with amusement. He was enjoying her reaction.

But this was yet another sign that pointed towards him being a good guy. “It’s cute that you wear it for her,” she admitted. “And it looks good. You should wear it all the time, not just when you’re competing.”

“Oh yeah? You think I look good?”

“I saiditlooks good. Calm down, Sundance.”

She turned to rest against the side of the truck bed. Curling her legs up to her chest, she gently asked the other question on her mind. “Is everything okay? Since the injury?” It felt invasive poking around in his life like this. But she reminded herself that he was the one that mentioned the injury first.

“I’m… fine,” he offered. It sounded forced, lacking the laid-back confidence that she was growing accustomed to with him. She pursed her lips, picking at the fringe of her jacket. It wasn’t her place to worry about him, she shouldn’t question his response or press further.

“But, uh, your car,” he stumbled over the change of subject. “I got a message while we were out at the sanctuary, it’s back at the garage inthe ridge. Safe and sound. They’ll look at it first thing tomorrow.”

“And this garage is good? They can handle a vintage car like this?”

He caught the worry in her tone and arched an eyebrow. “They can, it’s in good hands. How long have you had it?”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she replied, “My grandpa built it for me. For my sixteenth birthday. He died six years later.”

“Sounds like he was a talented guy. What was his name?”

“Nick, and he was the very best. Talented, funny, kind. He was the type of guy that brought out the best in everyone around him.”

“I’ll make sure this piece of him is returned to you in pristine condition,” he assured her softly.

Thank you,” she said, meeting his gaze and allowing that familiar ripple of warmth to pass between them. “For everything. Thank you for today. I know this isn’t really sticking to our professional agreement.” She motioned towards the burger joint.

“Why not?”

“I don’t think coworkers typically spend a day together and end it with dinner under the stars like this.”

“Maybe not. But friends do, and there’s no harm in being friends, is there?”

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