Page 42 of The Cowboy's Christmas Baby
He kissed her forehead. “It’s okay to have panic attacks. They won’t last forever, you know. But if they’re out of control you should see someone. Athletes see sport psychologists all the time. It’s nothing to feel stupid about.”
“When did you last see a sport psychologist?”
“What… me? Never. Do I seem stupid to you?” Her body laugh over that shook him, too, and he held her tight so he could enjoy it. “Kidding. I went to see one right before I quit the sport. I talked through my reasons for getting out. It helped me confirm that I’d made the right decision so I could look back on my career with no regrets.”
Her laughter subsided. “I don’t want to see a sport psychologist.”
“Then don’t. You can talk it through with me, if you like. It’s your choice. I didn’t go see a psychologist after my accident either. The bull was being a bull and I was careless. Simple as that.”
Tate, back on track now that she’d blown off some steam, discovered something new to be bothered about. Of course.
Disappointment brewed in her eyes. “I missed your ride.”
“I noticed.” Because he’d wanted her there, damn it. He really liked it when she admired him.
“I had a chance to seeMiles Deckerride live and Imissedit.”
“It was spectacular, too. I was amazing,” he said, rubbing it in.
“I doubt it. Prince Charming has a seventy-two buck-off percent. If you couldn’t stick that ride, I’d be embarrassed for you.”
He edged a few steps closer toward falling in love. She might admire him, but she was realistic about it. She was lovely and complex, and he never knew which way she’d twist. At the end of the day, if there was one ride he intended to stick, winning Tate over was it.
“Oh, and by the way,” he said. “Here’s a quick heads-up. There might be a story circulating that you’re my baby mama.”
“I want a raise,” Tate said.
Chapter Fifteen
Tate
Morning frost, notyet chased off by the sun, slicked the railing and steps when Tate answered a knock on the trailer door.
Helen’s bright, personable,let’s-be-friendssmile rivaled her son’s. “I hope you don’t mind my stopping by so early.”
“Of course not. Come in,” Tate said, even though she’d been cleaning the bathroom and wasn’t at a personal best.
“Your tree is lovely.” Helen politely focused on the highlights of the home rather than any shortcomings she observed. While the trailer was neat and tidy enough, calling it shabby was kind.
“Thank you.”
Tate wondered what had brought on this visit. Helen seemed nice enough on the surface but remained somewhat distant with her. Understandable, really. Iris was likely the only girl in Miles’s life his family felt safe becoming attached to.
Helen talked about the rodeo’s success while Tate put on coffee. “It’s a shame you missed Miles’s ride,” she concluded, enforcing Tate’s suspicion she was fishing for something.
“I’m sorry I missed it, too,” Tate said. “Like I said, I’ve been a huge fan of his for years.”
“He seems to be a big fan of yours as well.”
Tate wasn’t adept at sorting out subtext, but even she had a good idea of where this conversation was headed. “We haven’t known each other long enough for him to be serious about me, if that’s what you mean.”
“I see… How serious are you about him?”
Reading that subtext didn’t take a whole lot of skill.Serious enough to sleep with him, wouldn’t you say?Miles might have gotten his looks from his dad but the steely focus that kept him on the back of a bull came from his five-feet-tall mom. Tate began to sympathize with how he’d felt about the condom discussion.
“I feel the same way he does, in that. It’s too soon to tell.”
“Good,” his mother said. “Because he’s got this stubborn idea he wants to stay in Grand for Christmas, and I worried you might be the reason behind it. His father and I think he should bring Iris home so the family can meet her. I’d like the chance to spoil my new granddaughter a little.”
