Page 31 of Head Over Spurs

He shook his head. “No, she had to do something in town.”

“You got any plans for the rest of today? We can hit Wrangler’s, grab wings and some beers.”

“Looks like you already got started on the drinks,” he said, raising an eyebrow at the can in Cooper’s hand.

“It’s past noon,” his friend shrugged.

“Actually, I was thinking that it would be a good day to do some muddin’. You in?”

“Hell yeah, brother,” Coop grinned, throwing back the remainder of his beer before crushing the can and followinghim outside. They took off towards the storage barn where a row of keys belonging to the four-wheelers hung beside the door. Each snagging a key, they picked out their vehicles and roared the engines to life.

Before peeling out, Riley shed his collared shirt, opting for the tee beneath for the ride. Tossing it onto one of the vacant ATVs beside him, he revved the engine and followed his friend into the afternoon sun. With how much rain they got in the last week, they’d have plenty of options to tear it up.

“Are we climbing or hitting the river?”

“River,” Riley decided, flipping around and racing down the dirt road until he reached the end of the compound. Once past the main house, he whipped off the drive into the field, Cooper flying up beside him.

“I’ll take this side of the river, you got the other. Last one to the edge of the basin buys the beers,” his friend called.

Through here, it was shallow enough for him to cross, and Coop waited for Riley to get to the other side. The second he was pointed west again, they took off.

Charging ahead, he maneuvered the riverbank with skill, aiming for the mud more often than not. Half the fun was the challenge of not getting stuck, he knew Coop was doing the same across the way. He grinned, spurred on by the rush of the breeze and spray of mud pelting him.

Reaching a point where the river curved and the bank rose up, he increased his speed and turned into it, using the bank as a ramp and launching himself into the air. Rising into a standing position, he used his legs to cushion the force of the landing as he splashed back down. Admittedly, the move was reckless. But that was part of the fun, wasn’t it?

He was so enthralled; he didn’t notice Maddie’s white Jeep leaving the ranch. He skidded to a halt at the basin’s edge,turning to see Cooper coming to a stop only second behind him.

Wiping at the mud hanging from his eyebrow, the younger cowboy asked, “Double or nothing? First one back to the compound gets the rounds at our next two nights out.”

A relaxed laugh rumbled in his chest. “Double or nothing,” he agreed.

He took off once again, confident he’d win a second time. And he would have, if his attention hadn’t been raddled by the return of the white Jeep, this time with a black Mustang in tow.

Riley hesitated, and it was only when Cooper raced by him that he picked the pace back up. He caught up enough to yell to his friend. “Finish is at your cottage this time!”

Cooper threw up a hang loose hand sign in confirmation. With his focus elsewhere, Riley hit a rut, getting himself stuck for just a minute. But it was enough that he blew his chance at a win.

Two cottages sat off the side of the compound from the main house. Raised up on their own little hill, one belonged to Cooper, and the other Grey and Maddie. A large turnaround drive connected the homes with a lip off the edge that led down to the river. It was the perfect natural ramp to get one last jump in before landing on the drive, which is exactly what the cowboys did before making sliding stops.

“Hi, boys,” Maddie greeted them cheerily as she jumped down out of the Jeep.

Grey sat on the porch in a rocking chair, his cattle dog, Pippa, watching them curiously from her spot at his feet. “Riley’s buying next round, then?” he guessed correctly. There had been plenty of times Grey sailed by them, leaving them in his dust on ATVs.

The only person who hadn’t addressed them was Jules, wholeaned back against the grille guard at the front of her friend’s Jeep and crossed her legs at her ankles. In denim cutoffs, her legs went on for miles, and he wanted nothing more than to have those legs straddling him once again.

Remaining silent, she was watching Riley with a burning intensity that sparked a primal need in his chest. He rubbed the heel of his hand against his sternum, as if attempting to ease the pressure there. Without breaking eye contact with her, he replied to his team lead. “Yeah, I’ve actually got the next two, if you want to join.”

“I’ve made plans with the ladies tonight,” Grey responded neutrally.

He wasn’t surprised, Grey tended to avoid the crowded bar. It was a horridly kept secret that Riley learned early on.

“We’ll pour one out for you,” Cooper offered. In a swift motion, Riley jutted his elbow out to connect with Cooper’s ribs. “Ouch. No, I mean, I’m sure you’ll have a good time tonight. Having a girl is great.” He turned to Riley and raised his eyebrows, as if to ask for approval of his corrected response.

With a small nod, Riley dropped his attention to the mud caking his jeans and his soaked through T-shirt that clung to him like a second skin. He always kept a change of clothes in the truck, and a quick rinse in an outdoor wash stall would take care of the mess covering his skin and hair.

“I’m going to go clean up.” He flicked both hands over his torso. “But have fun,” he offered genuinely, looking at all three of them. His attention settled on Jules last, lingering.

She offered only a small smile in return, the intensity of her gaze still smoldering him.

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