Page 121 of Fool for You
Me
You’re mine, too. Maybe it’s time I start chasing you?
The blue line above the text began to creep across the screen. Hook bounced his feet, jolting my body from side to side.
“Okay, okay—it’s us.” I locked the screen, praying the message was delivered, and slipped my phone back into the bag.
The second rider flew past me, her time being shouted at a sixteen point eight.
Okay…I took a deep breath.He’ll see it. I’ll get to him. I got this in the bag.
“Quinn Compton from Bozeman, Montana, has been one to watch this year, and tonight she’s riding Hook—”
I blocked out the announcer’s voice and kicked Hook into full speed heading left, watching as that first barrel got closer and closer. Hook knew what to do, and without my guidance, he turned.
“That’s it,” I muttered, rounding it and gaining more speed for that second barrel. Clean turn, not too loose, not too tight. “One more.” I breathed.
Hook took over, his speed matching that of a jet plane as he galloped, rounding the barrel and flying back to the gate. My sense of hearing came flooding back once I heard the crowd scream, and I could swear I heard Cash louder than anyone, just like he promised. I loosened my shoulders and let out a loud laugh, not even caring what my time was.I just rode in the NFR. I couldn’t care less if I rode the next nine rounds—I did this. Me.And then, all I wanted was to be in his arms. All I had to do was get Hook in the corral—he’d be fine there to cool down—then find him. I’d chase him.
My time came flying over the speakers, followed by another cheer, but Hook was already in the corral, and I was already dismounting, my boots moving on their own towards the man I so desperately wanted to see.
But they didn’t have to move me far because, of course, there he was—shoulders moving up and down as he caught his breath, his hat skewed to the side, his phone in his hand while his other was curled into a fist at his side, those perfect baby blues hyper-focused on me.
“You heard your time, right?” he asked, still catching his breath, his hand holding his phone pointing towards the ceiling.
I shook my head. “My mind is a bit preoccupied at the moment.”
“Eleven point two.”
“I really don’t care about that.” I walked to him, my heart beginning to race.
“I’m pretty sure you just broke an all-time record, and they’re still screaming about it—the girl after you hasn’t even gone yet. You just blew everything out of the water with that time.”
I shrugged a single shoulder. “I had somewhere I needed to be.” I was inches away from him. I could see the tint to his cheeks from running, the specks of blue that floated in his eyes.
“Where’s that?”
I grinned. “You know where. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
He inhaled, closing the last inch between us. “I’m so sorry, Quinn—”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I cut him off. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t listen to you, and I should have told you days ago, weeks ago…months ago…that I’m sorry. That I miss you. You said I’m your everything…”
“Everything,” he parroted in a soft flutter.
“I never fell out of love. I never got over you. I want you to always chase me. I want you every minute of every day. I love you. I love you…” My hands found the nape of his neck, pulling him to me, and our lips finally—finally—met.
How I didn’t kiss this man for the past couple of months was beyond me; everything was in this kiss. Every word, every thought, every emotion we could possibly hold was right here between us.
He broke the kiss at the same time as he raised his hand to remove my hat, then removed his own, dropping them with a thump on the ground. I pressed my forehead to his, humming and breathing him in.
“You have no idea how much I love you,” he said, so only I could hear. “I never want to make you feel that way again. I want you to know just how perfect you are; please, let me try to be everything for you.”
“Wyatt,” I breathed as I pulled away from him. “You already are.”
His shoulders dropped as relief flooded through him, his eyes swelling with tears that were beginning to form.
I pinched my brow, my lips twisting into a tiny grin. “Don’t go all soft on me now, Hartwell.” Lifting my thumb, I swiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
