Page 59 of All Night with the Cowboy
He didn’t reply, because he was fairly sure that if anyone’s heart was going to be broken, it’d probably be his.
“I’m going out for a walk and then I have to do stretches,” he said, changing the subject and offering his sister a smile. “I might head down to the bulls and then make my way up past your horses if you want to come?”
Mia frowned but she didn’t mention Lauren again. “I’m good, thanks. I’m exhausted from working two horses this morning. Catch you later.”
He watched her go and wondered why he didn’t just get everything off his chest and be honest with her. Trouble was, he didn’t know what honest was—he had so many feelings, so many possibilities, circling through his mind, he wouldn’t have even known where to start.
One more weekend, that’s all he needed with her. One more night, one more night of being intimate with her, to see her on his home soil and prove to himself that it was just sex and memories. Then he’d focus on his next ride. He’d already missed the season kickoff and he wasn’t about to sit out the year’s second major, so once the weekend was over, he was going to train and train and focus on his first big performance. If he had to ride that damn bull again that had thrown him, then he needed to be ready, mentally and physically. Thunder Cat would not take him down a second time.
He headed for the door, pulled his boots on, and strode across the grass. Screw going for a walk. There was a mechanical bull sitting in the shed with his name on it, and he was damn well going to take it for a trial run to show himself he was rearing and ready to jointhe circuit again. That was his problem—too much thinking time and not enough work. Maybe once he was focused again instead of so goddamn idle, he wouldn’t think about Lauren ever again.
***
Lauren’s knees were knocking when she stepped out of her car and looked up at the imposing Ford residence. She’d spent a lot of time on the ranch when she’d dated Tanner, and he’d snuck her into his bedroom a few times, but mostly they’d liked being outside together. He’d taught her how to horseback ride and she’d surprised herself by how much she’d enjoyed it all—there had been something so peaceful about being on the ranch and seeing Tanner on the property he’d grown up on. Around the other kids at school he’d always been the daring one, always trying to outdo the other guys or make people laugh. And he’d always been the one knocking back shots when the other boys were drinking beer, the one with a cigarette hanging out the corner of his mouth, the kid with the roaring motorcycle and the fast car who liked to show off.
But as much fun as that Tanner was, it had been Tanner the rancher that she’d truly loved.
She pushed the memories aside and walked up to the front door, knocking and then waiting. When no one answered she raised her hand again, but a warm voice from behind stopped her.
“Hey.”
Lauren spun around slowly and exhaled as she set eyes upon Tanner. “Hey yourself,” she said, sounding a whole lot more together than she felt inside as she looked him up and down.
“Thanks for doing a house visit,” he said. “You have an overnight bag I can carry in for you?”
“Well, my patient won’t be carrying it in for me,” she joked.
“You want to go for a ride?” Tanner asked.
She almost choked on her own tongue. A ride? “I…”
“Dammit, I meant a horseback ride. I, shit. Sorry.”
Lauren laughed. “If these jeans and sneakers are okay, then sure thing. I’d love to.”
It wasn’t that she’d have said no to the other kind of ride, she’d be lying if she didn’t admit to thinking about the fun they’d had every moment of every day when her mind started to wander. But horseback riding was a whole lot safer.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, walking back down the steps and falling into step beside him. She looked at the way he was walking, impressed with his movements and the fact it was almost impossible to detect a limp now.
“I’m getting there. By the end of the day I really start to feel it, especially in my leg, but it’s my grip that I’m worried about the most.” He made a face. “I think you were right about having to go easy on my wrist.”
She was pleased he was taking his injury more seriously. “I think I’ll show you how to strap it correctly before you compete. It’ll give you more strength there, but I still think you need to be careful about riding at all if you think it’s too weak on any given day.”
“I hear you loud and clear, doc, and I’m not arguing. Not anymore.”
She stopped walking. “Sorry, are you a new patient? I thought you were Tanner Ford?”
He laughed. “Haha, very funny. Maybe I’ve realized these past couple of weeks that I’m not invincible.”
Lauren smiled as she walked alongside him, itching to brush her fingers against his as their hands swung dangerously close. Was she really just here on business or was it something more? Because right now, she couldn’t tell.
She admired the ranch as they walked—the big oak trees, the immaculate grounds, the perfectly stained wooden fences and the pretty horses grazing on the other side.
“Are these yours?” she asked.
“Nope, they’re Mia’s. Some of her horses are turned out having a nice break while she’s pregnant,” he replied. “That’s her house over there. You can just see the roofline past the stables.”
She took a good look as they walked—the spot where Mia’s house was had just been a field back when she used to visit the ranch. It didn’t take long for them to reach the yards where the ranch horses were kept—same as they’d always been. Most things about River Ranch hadn’t changed at all. There were two horses already tied up and she guessed Tanner had been the one to secure them and start getting them ready for their ride, presuming she’d say yes.
