Page 85 of My Cowboy Trouble
"Maybe you're being overly cautious, as usual."He turns back to Kenzie, that charming smile in full force. "What do you say? Want to find out what you're really made of?"
I can see her wavering, caught between curiosity and caution. "I don't know... Trent's right, I'm still learning."
"The best way to learn is to push yourself,” Gavin says, his grin turning wicked. “Besides, where's the fun in playing it safe all the time?"
"There's no fun in breaking your neck either," I snap.
"Come on, boss. Live a little. When's the last time you did something just because it felt good?"
Yesterday. In the tack room. With your woman.
The thought hits me like a lightning bolt, and I have to grip my reins tighter. Because she's not my woman. I made sure of that when I walked away.
"What do you say, Kenzie?" Gavin continues, extending his hand to her. "Trust me?"
She looks between us, and I can see the moment she makes her decision. The moment she chooses adventure over safety. Chooses Gavin over me.
"Okay," she says, taking his hand. "But if I die, I'm haunting all of you."
I need to stop him. This is crazy. And dangerous. "Gavin, we have work to do?—"
But the asshole cuts me off. "Deal," he says, helping her slide from her horse onto Whiskey behind him. "Hold on tight."
She wraps her arms around his waist, and something primitive and possessive roars to life in my chest. "Gavin, if you get her hurt?—"
"I won't," he says, but his eyes are sparkling with mischief. "She's in good hands."
And then they're off, Whiskey's hooves thundering against the ground as Gavin lets him run. I watch them disappear across the pasture, Kenzie's laughter carrying on the wind, and feel my heart stop.
By the time I catch up to them, they're both breathless and exhilarated. Kenzie's face is flushed with adrenaline, her hair wild from the wind, and she's looking at Gavin like he just gave her the moon.
"That was incredible," she gasps as Gavin brings Whiskey to a stop. "I've never felt anything like that."
"Fun doesn't matter if you break your neck," I say, dismounting with more force than necessary. The jealousy is eating me alive, making me say things I shouldn't say, feel things I have no right to feel.
"But I didn't break my neck," Kenzie points out, still catching her breath. "I'm fine. Better than fine."
"This time," I snap. "What about next time? What happens when Gavin's not around to catch you if you fall?"
"Maybe I won't fall," she says, and there's something in her voice. A challenge. "Maybe I'm stronger than you think."
Gavin dismounts and helps her down, his hands lingering on her waist longer than necessary. "She'stougher than she looks, boss. Maybe it's time you started treating her like it."
"Safety comes first," I say through gritted teeth. "Always."
"Safety's boring," Gavin counters, and now he's got that look in his eyes. The one that means he's about to push every button I have just to see what happens. "Right, cowgirl?"
She laughs, and the sound goes straight through me like a knife. "You're both right. Safety's important, but so is living. And that was definitely living."
"There's plenty more where that came from," Gavin says, his hand still on her waist. "I could teach you things that would make your head spin."
"You'll teach her nothing," I snap, the jealousy finally boiling over. "She's not your responsibility."
Shit. This is not going to end well.
"Whose responsibility is she, then?" Gavin's eyes glitter with challenge, and I realize he's been building to this moment. Testing me. Seeing how far he can push before I crack. "Yours?"
The question hangs in the air between us like a loaded gun. Because that's exactly what this is about, isn't it? Whose responsibility she is. Who gets to touch her, teach her, protect her. Who gets tohaveher.
