Page 14 of Hot For You

“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “I can pay my own way.”

He put his hand over hers that still held the wallet. His touch sent fire racing through her and set her heart to pounding. “I insist,” he said.

She dropped her wallet back into her purse. From the look in his eyes, it was a battle she wasn’t going to win with this cowboy. “All right. Thank you.”

When the drink arrived she was glad to have something to hold. After a few swallows of her rum and Coke, the drink seemed to steady her and make her feel less nervous around Cody. She noticed that he drank a Rolling Rock beer as he lifted it to his lips.

Laughter and shouts came from the direction of the mechanical bull and she glanced to see a cowboy riding the beast. The bull jerked hard and the cowboy went flying. People gathered around laughed and shouted as another cowboy helped up the first cowboy.

She looked at Cody. “Have you ever ridden that thing?”

He nodded. “My older cousin, Creed McBride, was a professional bull rider and retired not too long ago. When I was a kid I looked up to him and wanted to do everything he did, so he taught me to ride.” He grinned. “Doesn’t mean I’m any good, but I can hang on pretty well. Or at least I could—it’s been a while.”

“I’d like to watch you.” Carilyn smiled. “See if you’ve still got it.”

“I’ll probably end up on my a—” He corrected himself. “On my butt.”

“Sounds like fun to watch.” She gave him a wicked grin. “Come on, cowboy. You can make it eight seconds.”

He looked amused and set his empty beer bottle on the bar top. “All right. Let’s go.”

She turned to head toward the bull then felt the heat of his hand on her lower back as he guided her through the busy bar. His touch caused a pleasant warmth to course through her.

When they reached the bull, he wrote his name on a chalkboard, beneath two other names. It wasn’t long before it was his turn.

Impulsively she reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “For luck,” she said as she drew away.

His sexy grin had her sitting at the melting point again. He winked and left her standing near the railing surrounding the mechanical bull.

She set her rum and Coke on a high-top and then gripped the railing as she watched him step down into the pit and onto the straw-covered mat. He climbed up onto the bull, gripped the rope around the bull’s chest and gave a nod to the cowboy manning the controls.

Her heart started beating a little faster and she wondered if she should have goaded him into riding. These things could be dangerous, couldn’t they?

The bull started off with a wild spin and a buck but Cody managed to hang on. He held one hand up high as he held the rope with his opposite hand. The crowd cheered and some called out his name. Onlookers gave shouts of encouragement or taunted him, all in good fun.

Cody’s body jerked in time with the bull and a look of fierce concentration was on his handsome features. She glanced at the digital clock counting the seconds. Five…six…seven… Right at the seven-second mark, Cody went flying. He landed on his ass but easily rolled to his feet. Somehow his cowboy hat had managed to stay on his head.

“Close,” she said when he reached her.

He shook his head but was smiling. “Close doesn’t cut it in bull riding.”

“Getting old,” came a voice from behind her.

Cody grinned as he looked at the man who’d spoken and Carilyn looked to see a handsome cowboy joining them. Like Cody, the man was over six feet, had light brown hair, square features, but had intense blue eyes where Cody’s were brown. The man looked hardened, like someone who had witnessed a lot, and a lot of that not good.

“Reese, this is Carilyn Thompson,” Cody said as he gave a nod toward her. “Carilyn, this is my cousin, Detective Reese McBride.”

“Ms. Thompson.” Reese held out his free hand to Carilyn and she took it. A beer bottle was in his opposite hand. “My partner, Detective Petrova, took your statement at the scene.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Detective McBride.” Carilyn smiled as they released hands. “I liked your partner. She has good bedside, er rather curbside, manners.”

Reese’s expression relaxed and the corner of his mouth tipped up in a grin. “I’ll be sure and tell her that.” He looked a little more serious. “How’ve you been since the fire?”

She shrugged. “Fine, considering.”

He nodded. “Notice anything odd since the fire?”

She tipped her head to the side. “Not that I can recall. Why?”

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