Learning the Ropes

by T. J. Kline

  “Feeling thirsty?”

  “Chris, I’m not in the mood for your games tonight,” David warned. “You can either take one of these or get out of the way.”

  “How many shots was that? Three?”

  Chris glanced back at Ali as she bit her thumbnail, trying not to look anxious. If he were David, he wouldn’t leave her at the table alone for long. She’d end up with one of these other cowboys trying to pick up on her. Women who looked like Ali did tonight deserved to be showered with attention. If David wasn’t going to do it, there were at least ten guys in this bar, him included, who’d be happy to fill in.

  For how long? How long would you be content with one woman?

  Chris clenched his jaw, irritated at the direction of his thoughts, and turned on David. “Look, I get that you’re pissed at your dad, but you’re on a date. Act like it and quit ignoring her. Ali doesn’t deserve this so sober up and show her a good time.” He grabbed one of the drinks from David’s fingers. “And I’m done for the night so those were a waste.” He left David standing on the dance floor and took the glass to Ali. “I’m going to play a game of pool, want to join me?”

  “I . . . uh . . .” She watched David approach. “Maybe later.” Her voice was quiet, tentative. He could understand her discomfort. What he didn’t understand was David’s stupidity.

  “Just let me know. I’ll be over there.” He pointed at the farthest pool table where a busty brunette in a tight tank top and skin-tight jeans was racking for a new game. “Giving her a few pointers on her game.”

  Alicia laughed quietly and shook her head and Chris felt the relief course through him. At least he’d made her laugh. “You never change, do you?”

  He shrugged. “Why mess with perfection?” Chris saw her glance at David heading their direction. He didn’t want to be a third wheel on their date. In reality, he wanted to whisk her away himself, but knew he’d only hurt her. Chris gave her a cocky grin.

  Chris arched a brow and gave David a pointed glance.

  Cowboy up.

  THIS DATE WAS turning into a train wreck and Alicia wasn’t sure how to stop it from crashing at the end of the track. What should have been a good time, playing pool and having a few drinks with a guy she grew up with and a guy she was starting to like a lot, had quickly turned into an angsty pity party. David hadn’t wanted to talk about his father; that was obvious when the mere mention of the man sent him ordering another round of shots. She glanced across the room where Chris sat glaring at them from the pool table and watching her like a hawk. She was ready for the night to be over. Of all the bad dates she’d had in the past, this one was easily topping the list.

  “Thank you! Oh, you’re so sweet!”

  She heard Delilah’s voice before she even caught sight of her sliding through the front doors and closed her eyes. Could this night get any worse?

  She glanced across the table at David, frowning down at the numerous shot glasses of yellow liquid, lined up in front of him, like he was divining some sort of mystic spell from within them and realized she wasn’t getting any help from him tonight. There was only one way she was going to be able to tolerate Delilah tonight—either with liquid courage or by forgetting her existence entirely; either way, it was impossible without one of the glasses David was hoarding. She reached for one, snagging a lemon wedge, and tossed it back, stuffing the citrus between her teeth, grimacing. The tequila burned her throat and she coughed, pounding a hand against her chest.

  Delilah slid next to David. “What are you doing over here, cowboy? Come join us at the winners’ table.”

  David blinked at her dumbly, as if he was having trouble focusing. With the number of empty shot glasses in front of him, Alicia was surprised he hadn’t passed out yet. He squinted at Delilah, leaning close before backing away and looking at Alicia, confusion etched on his face.

  “Buckle bunny?”

  Alicia couldn’t stop the laughter before it spilled out. She tried to cover her mouth but her reflexes seemed slower than usual. “Sometimes I wonder.”

  The words slipped from between her lips before she could stop them and she had to mentally count the number of drinks she’d had. She rarely drank more than one beer so the two empty mugs and shot of tequila, coupled with the fact that she hadn’t eaten since lunch, was hitting her hard and fast.

  Delilah glared at Alicia. “I’m not the one trying to sleep my way to the Finals.” She stood with her fruity drink and pouted at David. “When you get tired of sitting at the losers’ table, I’ll be over there waiting for some big, strong guy to ask me to dance.” She spun on the heel of her boot to storm away but immediately ran into Chris who came up behind her.

  “Hey,” she screeched as her drink toppled backward and spilled down her mountainous cleavage. “Chris Thomas, it’s no wonder you lost today. You’re such a klutz!” She flung the liquid from her hands toward the floor as David and Alicia laughed hysterically. “Oh!”

  Delilah stormed away and Alicia covered her mouth with a hand, trying to hold back her laughter. Chris unbuttoned his dripping Western shirt.

  “Apology accepted, Delilah,” he yelled after her.

  He draped his shirt over the back of the chair and plucked his t-shirt from his skin with his fingers, not paying attention to the liquid staining the front. Alicia tried to ignore the way the wet cotton material clung to his chest, hugging his waist and revealing just a shadow of the six pack below. She felt her smile falter as her chest constricted and she fought to breathe normally. She inhaled deeply, prepared to thank him for chasing Delilah away, when he turned his hot gaze on her. She couldn’t remember him ever looking at her the way he was now and her muddled brain was having difficulty reconciling the desire she saw in his eyes with the guy she’d grown up with. The cowboy in front of her was all male, muscled flesh and raw sexuality. She clearly saw why girls fought over him like the last piece of chocolate on earth.

  “Great,” Chris complained. “Now I smell like coconut.”

  Longing hit her hard, grabbing her by the throat and making it impossible to breathe. She looked over at David, frowning into his shot glasses and then back at Chris, shooting her a flirty grin. As much as she missed her friendship with Chris, she realized it was becoming more difficult to be just friends.

  “I’ve gotta get out of here.” She brushed past Chris and ran past the pool tables, ignoring the snide comments she heard from Delilah and her friends.

  Let everyone think she was drunk and going to throw up. She just might, but not because of the alcohol. She couldn’t feel this way for Chris. No girl in her right mind would want a guy with his reputation for more than a one-night stand and, as wonderful as that one night might be, Alicia wasn’t willing to throw away years of friendship for a moment of passion. She bent over, bracing her hands on her knees, gasping for air. She had to get control of her raging emotions before either of them came out looking for her. She doubted David could even walk at this point, but if Chris came out she wasn’t sure she could keep her hands off him.

  Chapter Six

  * * *

  “WHAT IN THE hell are you doing?” Chris grabbed David by the front of his shirt, pulling him from the tall stool. “You are screwing this up.”

  “Get your hands off me.” David batted at Chris’s hands, knocking himself backward into the chair. “Like you care. You think I don’t see the way you look at her? If you wanted her so badly, why did you even bother setting us up?”

  Chris clenched his jaw, refusing to let David know how close to the mark his suspicions were hitting. His friend wasn’t wrong but Chris wasn’t willing to give up his friendship with either of them in exchange for his desires. Any more than he would let David talk about her right now in his drunken state. He eyed the front door, hoping to see Ali come back inside so he wouldn’t have to go after her. Watching her run out upset and letting her go had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done. He recognized the longing in her eyes and, knowing that she return
ed his desire, even for a moment, made him want to forget everything else around them, including his friendship with David.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about?”

  David took a long swig of the beer in front of him and waved his hand at Chris. “Sure I don’t. I’ve seen those looks you keep giving her, that kiss at the dance. At first I thought you were just flirting, the way you do with every other woman, but this is different.” He shook his head at Chris, laughing at him. “Don’t you think if she wanted to sleep with you she would’ve done it by now?”

  “Ali is just a good friend, which is more than I can say about you right now. You’re drunk.”

  David snorted and drained the last of his mug. “Yes I am, and I’m about to get completely shitty. Why not? I’m nothing but a disappointment anyway.”

  “When are you going to quit listening to your old man?” Chris slipped the empty glass from David’s hand. “Stop letting what he wants control your actions. Do what you want for a change.”

  David stood, pushing Chris out of his way. “Easy for you to say. Your dad worships the ground you walk on. Your old man doesn’t expect miracles from you.”

  Chris grabbed David’s arm as he tried to push past, spinning him back to face him. “You and your dad need to realize we can’t win every time. I get it. I screwed up today. We lost.”

  “This isn’t about you, Chris.” David shoved him backward, forgetting Chris was bigger and heavier than he was until David stumbled backward. “The world doesn’t always revolve around you.” He stormed toward the back door as Chris chased after him.

  “Where are you going? You can’t just leave Ali here.” He held up the keys, jingling them in front of David. “Besides, I drove remember.”

  David glared at him, looking ready to take a swing, and Chris wondered what Colt said to him to drive him to this point. He’d never seen David get this drunk or act this antagonistic. They’d had arguments and fights over the past few years—friends who lived in the close quarters rodeo required always did—but never like this.

  “Look, go sit down. I’ll get Ali, we’ll take her home, and then you can sleep this off.” Chris eyed the front door. He was getting worried Ali since he hadn’t seen her return yet.

  David glanced at the group of girls at the table closest to them. Chris saw Dallas and Delilah watching them intently, taking in every word they said. This wasn’t the time or place for them to have an argument. He didn’t want either woman to have any ammunition against Ali.

  David moved closer to their side. “You girls want to drive a cowboy home and have some fun?”

  Chris’s eyes narrowed. Did David have any clue what he was saying? If Ali found out about this, he’d would lose any chance with her. “Come on, David, I’ll drive you home.”

  “You don’t get it, Chris. I’ve had about all the help from you I can stand for one day.” David slid into one of the chairs at the table and slipped his arm around Dallas. “You should probably go find Alicia,” David slurred as Delilah giggled, pressing her breasts against his arm.

  Chris wasn’t sure what to do and was torn between both of his friends. He wanted to go find Ali and make sure she was okay but David would become even more suspicious if he did. If he stayed with David, convincing him to leave these two harpies, Ali could end up God knows where.

  It didn’t take a brain surgeon to make a decision. David had put himself in this position. Sure, Chris had caused them to fall out of contention for the money today, but that wasn’t what caused this downward spiral . This was Colt’s doing and David allowed his father to do this to him. Ali didn’t ask for this drama tonight. Chris had pushed her to come, convincing her when she’d declined. He owed her.

  David might be drunk, might not even remember this tomorrow, but the consequences weren’t going to disappear with his hangover tomorrow. Chris could forgive his cutting comments, chalking it up to the liquor, but Alicia might not be so charitable, especially if she saw him with his arm around Delilah, nuzzling her neck. He had to get her out of here before she saw David since he didn’t seem inclined to leave bar now. Chris might be second-guessing setting Ali up with David right now but he didn’t want to see her hurt.

  “You know, David,” Chris said, shaking his head, “sometimes you can be a real jackass.”

  “HEY, YOU OKAY?”

  Alicia looked up in time to see Chris walking toward her and hung her head. Why couldn’t it have been David? Anyone but Chris? She cursed the way the sight of him sent her heart galloping ahead the way Beast did in the home stretch of a race. Why did he have to look so good in nothing but his jeans and a t-shirt? His blue eyes were filled with concern and she knew she had to answer him. He was just trying to be a friend and here she was, fantasizing what it would be like to have him kiss her again, even if it was right here in the parking lot of the Ole Corner.

  You’re an idiot.

  “I’m fine. I just needed some fresh air,” she lied. Alicia shrugged but her fingers gripped the edge of the pickup tailgate. She was embarrassed by her reaction to him in the bar but she didn’t want him to know that was why she’d run out. He couldn’t know how she felt because she was sure she’d mistaken about what she thought she saw in his eyes. “I guess I can’t hold my liquor like I used to.”

  “Light weight.” He stood in front of her and bumped her knee with the side of his fist, giving her a wink. “You want me to take you home?”

  His hand rested over her knee and she felt the heat soaking through her jeans, into her skin and traveling up her leg, pooling at her core. Her breath caught and she bit her lip, glancing at the front of the small bar just to avoid his gaze. The sounds of country music and laughter floated across the parking lot and she tried to think about something, anything but the way his thumb rubbed the inside of her knee, sending need sizzling up her thigh and making her heart thud painfully against her ribs.

  She wondered why David hadn’t come out with Chris. “Don’t you need to get David?”

  “David wants to stay a bit longer. I think he’s trying to drown himself tonight.” Chris gave her a reassuring smile when she looked at him, surprised at his nonchalance. “Jeff will keep an eye out for him and drop him off at my parents’ place after closing up. I already made sure.”

  “You’re not really as irresponsible as people say you are.”

  “Is that what people are saying?” He moved to the side of her and leaned his hip against the tailgate. He moved his hand from her leg and she missed his heat. “Or what you think?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve heard a few things, I guess.” She laughed quietly, thinking back to their antics before graduating. “And I remember what you were like in high school and when we rodeoed together.”

  Chris joined her laughter. “Yeah, I guess after that incident racing trucks through Mr. Wolworth’s strawberry patch, my reputation isn’t totally undeserved.”

  She leaned backward on her hands, tipping her head toward the night sky. “Oh, goodness, I’d forgotten about that! He was so mad.”

  “His reaction didn’t hold a candle to what Mom had in store for me. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He shook his head. “I had to pull weeds for him for years to make up for that. Mom made sure of it.”

  The door of the bar opened and music spilled out again as several patrons stumbled into the parking lot. Chris looked up nervously and moved away from the back of the truck, pulling the keys from his pocket. “We should probably get going.”

  She wondered at his sudden hurry to leave but slid from the tailgate as Chris moved to hold the truck door open for her. She paused. “You’re sure David will be okay?”

  Chris nodded and shut the door as she buckled herself into the seat, making his way around the truck to the driver’s side. The light inside illuminated the frown on his face as he looked toward the front of the bar. “He’s a big boy. Jake’ll make sure he gets home.”

  Alicia looked back at the bar in time to see Delilah exit as
someone inside held the door open for her. At least she wouldn’t have to deal with that witch until the next rodeo.

  “HANG TIGHT FOR one second.”

  Chris parked the truck and ran into the gas station. He wasn’t about to let David’s troubles with his father ruin what should’ve been a fun night out. He might not have placed but Alicia pulled second place overall, which was no easy feat. They needed to celebrate the accomplishment, even if it wasn’t exactly what she’d hoped for, and he was going to make sure she did. He’d promised her a good time and, so far, he hadn’t delivered. The clerk behind the counter watched him as he headed for the cooler in the back wondering what Alicia might like best. He hadn’t paid much attention to what women drank but he remembered their escapades in high school had usually been birthed from cans of Coke and Jack Daniels pilfered from his parents’ liquor cabinet.

  He grabbed a cold six-pack of soda from the refrigerator with a smile. High school had been a frustrating time for him, trying to balance rodeo with schoolwork and girls. Even then, he’d known exactly what he wanted to do and just lacked the patience to see it to fruition, which caused him to get into more than his fair share of trouble. His sister had been the straight-laced one in their family, always worried about how Chris’s wild side might get her into trouble. Rodeo queens were supposed to be models of society, like pageant princesses, but that hadn’t stopped her from going along to “protect him” and be his personal Jiminy Cricket, a sound voice of reason. Alicia, on the other hand, had been right by his side, whether racing trucks in a muddy strawberry patch or stealing the rival football team’s mascot. Almost every great memory he had as a teen included Alicia. The three of them had been inseparable until Sydney went to work for Findley Brothers. Without her there as a buffer between them, it was too easy to let himself feel something for Ali so he pulled away, knowing there was no room in his life right then for anything other than rodeo. In the past two years, he’d spent every weekend becoming the best roper but, now, with her here, he felt something missing. He’d missed Ali.