Page 8 of Headstrong Cowboy
The woman looked up and smiled wide.Even with quite a few feet between them, her happiness reached out to him, the force of it hitting him direct in the chest.The rider was the woman he’d run into at the chocolate shop.She hadn’t left Marietta.His heart rate kicked up a notch, and he nudged Midnight to get a bit closer.
“Thanks, but I think it’s all Ranger.He’s amazing.How come someone hasn’t snatched him up and isn’t on the circuit with him?”Joy radiated in her husky voice, sending slivers of desire coursing through him.
Ryder had the same thought, but not about the horse.He was thinking, why wasn’t this woman on the circuit?She needed to be.He may not watch the event, but even he could tell she would be a top competitor.
“I’ve never seen him give the times he’s been giving you.I think he likes you.”
In the blink of an eye, the rider’s demeanor changed.Gone was the happy woman who’d just done an amazing run, and in her place was a woman who looked as if someone had stolen her dessert from her.
What had caused such a rapid change?
And why was he wanting to rush over to her and comfort her?Tell her that if she wanted to ride forever, she could.How was he feeling things for a woman he didn’t know?
“I like him too,” she said, as she patted the horse’s long neck.“He’s fantastic.”
“Do you want to give Stella a run?”
Midnight chose that moment to let out a loud neigh, and both Riley and the woman turned to where he stood a few feet from them.
“Oh, hey, Ryder.How was your ride?”Riley walked over to him, giving him a big smile.
“Good.”He may have been addressing Riley, but he wasn’t looking at her.He was watching the woman.The way her eyes widened in surprise gave him hope that perhaps she’d been thinking about him, like he’d been thinking about her.“You ride well.Do you compete much?”He slid off Midnight, keeping a firm grip on the reins, and walked over to the fence of the practice arena.
“Thanks, and no, I haven’t competed for a long time.”
“Doesn’t show, and Riley’s right.Even though I don’t know the time, what I saw you do is right up there with some of the best.”He held out his hand toward her.“Ryder Chamberlain.Good to meet you.”
He held his breath to see what she would do.After all, she was still sitting on her horse and he was standing on the ground.A bolt of pleasure shot through him when she gave him a smile and slid off her horse, and like him, kept hold of Ranger’s reins.The moment her palm slid against his, warmth seared his soul and the tingling from their first contact two days ago flared to life, and if possible, was more intense.
“Chrissy Bloom.Nice to meet you, Ryder Chamberlain.”The husky tone of her voice did weird things to him, and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it.
This strong of a reaction to a woman he’d only encountered at the briefest of moments wasn’t something he was used to.He’d felt a certain amount of attraction when he’d met women in the past.He hadn’t been a monk during his time on the circuit, but never had his body yearned to hold a woman close within seconds of meeting her, like he wanted to do with Chrissy.
A throat clearing had the fog surrounding them both disappearing, and he became aware that he still gripped Chrissy’s hand.It didn’t look like she was too upset about it, but he didn’t want to make assumptions.
He loosened his fingers and dragged them across her palm before he dropped his arm to the side.All the while, he kept his gazed fixed on her and didn’t miss the way she breathed deep at what he’d done.
“So, do you want to ride Stella?”asked Riley, watching the both of them, her eyebrow quirked in interest.Ryder kept his face as neutral as possible, so as not to give away that what he really wanted to do was take hold of Chrissy’s hand again.
He really needed to get this weird reaction to the woman in front of him under control.Nothing good would come of it.If she was just passing through town for the rodeo, then anything developing between them was moot.
“Umm, I think so.”
Midnight nudged Ryder’s shoulder, and out of habit, he stroked his horse’s neck.“I need to brush down Midnight and let you get back to your practice.See you around, Chrissy Bloom.”
He nodded to Riley and then walked away, but he didn’t miss Riley’sGirl, what was that about?exclamation to Chrissy.He didn’t hear her response, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
*
Ryder arrived backat the Graff, looking for nothing more than a hot shower and to order room service.While he’d been brushing Midnight down, his thigh had started to ache, and by the time he was done, his muscles were screaming and he limped to his truck, grateful that he didn’t see Riley or Chrissy on his journey.The last thing he wanted to do was explain his injury, although he suspected Riley was aware of what had happened to him, considering her family ranch supplied some of the bucking broncs currently being used on the circuit.
He leaned against his closed door and rubbed his thigh.Maybe he shouldn’t have ridden for as long as he had, but if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have seen—and met—Chrissy.
Once again his thoughts circled back to her, even though he spent the drive from the Telford ranch to the hotel convincing himself that his reaction was over the top and didn’t mean anything.It couldn’t mean anything.He had too many other things happening at the moment that needed his full concentration to even consider letting a woman into his life.
Sighing, he pushed away from the door and headed for the bathroom.He turned the water on and began to undress.He placed his phone on the counter as it vibrated to life.He swiped it up quickly when he saw Lucinda’s name.
“Ryder Chamberlain,” he answered and turned the water off.He didn’t know how long the call would take and didn’t want to waste it.
