“Hal’s a good guy,” Ethan said, intently watching the older man stop and shake hands with a young cowboy. “I didn’t expect to see him here.”
She wondered if Ethan realized his arm was still around her shoulders. “Who is he?”
“Hal and his brother own Southern Saddles.” He glanced at the sponsor patch he was wearing on his sleeve, then returned his watchful gaze to Hal and the young man. “Probably checking out the new talent. Danny just joined the pro tour this year, but he’s kicking ass.”
“What does he do?”
“Bull rider.” Ethan finally lowered his arm from her shoulders but then resettled it around her waist.
“You’re not worried about being replaced, are you? Companies sponsor more than one athlete all the time.”
He shrugged. “If I miss the finals again, yeah, I’d expect they might replace me. That’s what I’d do if I were in their shoes.”
“That’s not fair,” she said, and noted his small tolerant smile. “I understand it’s just business, of course I do. But if you miss the finals, for whatever reason, yeah, it’ll totally suck, but the fact remains that out of hundreds you qualified to ride in the first place. That has to count for something.”
He just kept staring at her and smiling. “How about a kiss?”
With a laugh, Sophie leaned away from him. “People are waiting for autographs.”
“How long does a kiss take?”
She moved back in close, brushed her lips across his ear and whispered, “Depends how slow and deep you go.”
Ethan promptly released her and started laughing. “Yeah, thanks, I need to ride a nineteen-hundred-pound bull while I’m distracted by a hard-on.”
“Go sign autographs. That should cool you off.”
He kissed her right on the mouth before she could stop him. “Remember, anybody asks, you’re my girlfriend.”
“I could’ve just as easily been your cousin,” she grumbled, which she knew he’d heard as he walked back toward his waiting fans.
Ethan Styles’s girlfriend for the day, she thought, and actually caught herself stupidly twirling her hair around her finger.
How pathetic.
* * *
ANOTHER THIRTY MINUTES and the rodeo would officially start. Sophie sure hoped Ethan wouldn’t give her a hard time about getting on the road right after his event.
Damn, the man knew everyone. Rabid fans, casual fans, the volunteers from Safe Haven who’d helped organize the fund-raiser...
Sophie couldn’t keep track of all the people she’d met. But she’d taken an instant liking to Matt and his wife, Rachel. She was friendly and outgoing and treated Ethan and Sophie as though she’d known them forever.
The four of them stood near the stable, the only open area where cars weren’t parked bumper to bumper.
“If we do this again next year,” Matt said, eyeing the swelling crowd with unease, “we’re setting up a table for autographs. Off to the side, maybe near the east barn.”
“Oh, trust me, we’ll be doing this again.” Rachel scanned the list on her clipboard. “Here you go, Ethan,” she said, and passed him a number to wear.
Ethan removed the protective sheet to expose the sticky back and slapped it on the front of his shirt.
“This should’ve been a one-day event,” Matt muttered, too preoccupied with what was going on around them to keep up with the conversation. Poor guy. He did seem tense.
“I wondered about that,” Ethan said.
Matt strained to look beyond them and nodded to someone.
“My fault.” Rachel sighed. “You warned me, and I was stubborn and wanted to help, but...”
“It’s okay.” Matt caught her hand and pulled her close. Looking into her eyes, he smiled before kissing her. Someone yelled for him, but he was completely focused on his wife. “Ethan and I have to go. Call me if you need anything.” Matt gave her another quick kiss before pulling back and winking. “Everything will be just fine.”
Rachel nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Busy being a voyeur, Sophie hadn’t noticed Ethan moving closer. She felt his hand at her waist and with a start turned to him. “What?”
So much for a tender moment à la Matt and Rachel. Sophie had barked like an old harridan.
Ethan grinned. “I’m waiting for my kiss.”
She knew Rachel was watching, so Sophie leaned in to plant a peck at the corner of his mouth.
He slid his hand behind her neck, preventing a retreat. “I know you can do better,” he murmured near her ear. “Kiss me like you did last night.”
She was about to warn him not to push it, but he slipped his tongue inside her mouth and didn’t pull back until her heart almost thumped out of her chest.
“Come on, Styles,” Matt yelled. “She’s not going anywhere.”
“He’s right about that,” Sophie whispered with a gentle shove to his chest.
Ethan stared at her a moment, his smile so faint it barely qualified. “You had to ruin it.”
Her breath caught. She had no idea what he meant. Or how to respond. Somehow he seemed disappointed and it bothered her.
And dammit, that bothered her, too. Why should she care?
He glanced at Rachel, touched the brim of his hat, then turned and jogged toward Matt.
“Did you mess up his ritual?”
Sophie dragged her gaze from him and looked at Rachel. “Excuse me?”
“I know a lot of rodeo cowboys are superstitious, especially right before they ride. At least that’s what Matt told me. I wasn’t around when he was part of the tour.”
“Did you meet him after he quit?”
“No. I’ve known Matt most of my life. We both grew up here in Blackfoot Falls. Although we had a ten-year interruption.” Rachel waved an acknowledgment to someone motioning for her. “Mind walking with me?”
“Not at all. If you have something for me to do, put me to work.”
“I probably will,” Rachel said, grinning at first, and then she glanced back toward the guys and sighed. “Poor Matt. I don’t know how he puts up with me. I had no idea this thing would be such a headache. He’s right. One day would’ve been enough, but everyone in town got so excited about the business the rodeo was bringing and I just figured, why not add a day?”
“You want to help your community. That’s nice.” Sophie smiled, starting to feel better. She liked Rachel and really hoped there was a way to help. “I have a feeling Matt isn’t too upset with you.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll think of some way for me to make it up to him,” she said, her green eyes sparkling even as she blushed.
“How long have you guys been married?”
“Almost eight months.”
“Wow. Not that long. You mentioned a ten-year interruption?”
“Matt’s four years older and he left town at nineteen. I had a stupid crush on him and was completely convinced my life was over. Oh, but please don’t tell anyone. God forbid the other half of the town should find out.” Rachel rolled her eyes, making Sophie laugh. “A few years later I went off to college. After graduate school I came home—it was only supposed to be for the summer.” She shrugged. “I stayed to help with my family’s ranch and never left again.”
They reached the frazzled woman who’d waved for Rachel. How to handle the collected entry tickets was briefly discussed and then Rachel and Sophie headed for the concessions.
“What do you do here at the Lone Wolf?”
“Not much. Most of the hired men have been here forever, so they take care of the cattle. Matt’s more interested in raising rodeo stock. The horses and bulls they’re using today are his. In fact, that’s why he built that monstrosity,” she said, glancing at the building that housed the arena. “He wanted
a year-round place for demonstrations and such.”
“Is he riding today?”
“Oh, God no. I’d be a nervous wreck.” Rachel pressed her lips together. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have—”
“No, it’s fine.” Sophie shrugged. “Frankly I’m not a fan. But I try not to say much.”
“Yes.” They exchanged looks of mutual understanding, and then Rachel said, “Okay, I want to hear all about you and Ethan.”
“It’s not what you think.” Sophie saw they were approaching the hot dog booth and hoped a mini crisis would distract Rachel. Nothing big or awful. Just a little something—
“Oh? How long have you two been together?”
“We’re not, really. When he calls me his girlfriend, it’s not like— We knew each other in high school.” Sophie was a horrible liar. “And honestly we hadn’t been in touch for years until...well, recently.”
“Huh. How weird. Kind of like Matt and me.”
Sophie sniffed the chilly air. “I think the hot dogs might be burning.”
“Oh, great.” Rachel glanced over her shoulder. “We’ll talk later. At the barbecue.” She was already backing toward the booth. “There won’t be too many people staying.”
“Barbecue?”
“Yes, at the house. Ethan said you two could make it. Didn’t he tell you?”
A woman passing out programs intercepted Rachel. Sophie thought about reiterating her offer to help, but she figured she’d mostly be in the way. She also was anxious to go inside and find a seat, though not thrilled about having to sit through so many other events before it was Ethan’s turn.
Dammit, she was nervous for him.
Bull riding was dangerous enough without Ethan’s eerie penchant for having one thing or another go wrong just before the finals. So how could he not be distracted? Which only upped the chances of something bad happening.
Sophie felt her stomach knot. A stiff breeze coming off the mountains made her shiver. The Lone Wolf was a beautiful spread carved into the foothills. Thousands of pines made up for the barren trees. Up this far north and at this altitude, the leaves had fallen weeks ago.
She looked up at the overcast sky and wondered if snow was expected.
Her Jeep was okay in snow. Though she had yet to put it to a real test, since the county where she lived kept the roads plowed. Out here, driving could get tricky. They could take Ethan’s truck and get to Wyoming in time, but not if he insisted on being pigheaded.
A barbecue?
Right.
Under different circumstances it might’ve been fun, Sophie thought as she finally entered the new arena. The place was huge and, according to some people in line, had only been completed last week. There were rows of bleachers on two sides, wooden picnic benches and folding chairs directly across. Metal pens and chutes for the animals finished the makeshift rectangular arena. The floor was a combination of concrete and dirt, and whiffs of sweat and manure had already taken Sophie by surprise. She tried not to inhale too deeply. No wonder the food concessions had been set up outside.
She studied the ticket Rachel had given her earlier. Her seat was supposed to be close to the action. She sure hoped it wasn’t in the row of folding chairs. Yes, there was a steel barrier separating spectators from the bucking animals. And yes, she was confident Matt knew what he was doing. But no way in hell was Sophie going to sit that close.
Volunteers from Safe Haven, identified by orange vests, were running around, answering questions, directing people to seats and, in general, looking harried.
Wow, there were a lot of people. Families with kids dressed as little cowboys were just too adorable. Herds of teenage boys crowded the barricaded pens, dividing their attention between the horses and the lists of names printed on the white poster boards hanging on the wall. An older gentleman climbed a metal ladder and, with a fat felt-tipped marker, added another name. Mayhem.
Horse or bull? Sophie wondered. Then decided she didn’t want to know.
Of course the buckle bunnies had turned out in considerable numbers. The women stood close to the chutes, mostly in pairs, and some of them were really gorgeous. Sophie wished she’d put a bit more effort into her makeup.
When her phone rang, she saw it was Lola and quickly picked up. “Sorry. I meant to call you earlier.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yes.” Sophie pressed a finger to her free ear to buffer the noise and walked as far away from the crowd as possible.
“Sounds like you’re at the rodeo,” Lola said.
“I am, but it hasn’t started yet. And unfortunately Ethan rides last.”
“A lot of people show up?”
“I’m guessing over four hundred.”
“Whoa. He’ll get mobbed when it’s over.”
“I know. He’s already been overrun with kids wanting autographs.” She saw Rachel walk in, and the first thing that popped into Sophie’s mind was the barbecue. “Oh, did I mention it might snow?”
Lola responded with silence. And then, “Is that pertinent?”
“No. Not at all.” Sophie gritted her teeth.
“So what’s the plan?”
Luckily an announcement that the rodeo would begin in three minutes bounced off the walls at an ear-shattering volume. The crowd responded proportionately.
“Lola? It’s crazy in here. I can’t hear you very well. I’ll have to call you later.”
The noise level was settling down and Sophie could’ve finished their conversation. Instead she disconnected and turned off her phone.
8
AFTER SITTING THROUGH three hours of calf roping, team calf roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding and having to listen to the pair next to her, Sophie figured her penance for blowing off Lola was paid in full.
The two middle-aged men had opinions about every damn thing in the whole universe. They certainly were entitled to express themselves. Sophie didn’t have to listen. Now, the tobacco chewing? That was getting to her.
She was mentally rehearsing what she could politely say to get them to keep their tobacco juice to themselves when the announcer mentioned Ethan’s name. She straightened and concentrated on what the commentator was saying. His slight twang wasn’t always easy to understand.
“Think he’ll wear a helmet?”
“Shh.” Sophie scowled at the bearded man next to her. Then she processed what he’d said. “Who?”
The man gave her a long look, then nodded toward the area behind the chutes. “Ethan Styles.”
Sophie panned the faces of three cowboys. “I don’t see him.”
“He’s not riding yet. Danny Young is up next. Then Cody Clark. Weren’t you listening?”
Sophie sucked it up and just smiled. Okay, now she remembered. There were supposed to be three bull riders today.
Danny Young was announced and she leaned forward, watching him secure a protective blue helmet, then lower himself onto the back of a bull already bucking to get out of the chute.
So far all the other cowboys had worn Stetsons or another brand of cowboy hat. But then their events weren’t as dangerous as bull riding. She couldn’t recall seeing a helmet in Ethan’s truck. She knew not all bull riders liked wearing a helmet...
After wrapping a short bull rope around his left hand, the rider gave the nod. The chute gate swung open and the black bull charged out bucking and whirling and twisting. Dirt flew from the animal’s hooves. With his free hand held up high, the rider clung to the rope with his other gloved hand. The crowd shouted and cheered.
A buzzer sounded and more cheering as the crowd leaped to their feet. The rider pulled the rope free and bailed to the right, landing on his feet while two cowboys distracted the bull. As the announcer sang his praises, Danny Young jogged to safety and then pulled off the h
elmet and grinned at the crowd.
“I bet the kid makes it to the finals next year,” the bearded man said. “He finished the season ranked forty-ninth. Damn good for this being only his second tour.”
“I’d sure like to see how he does on a fiercer bucker,” said his friend with the weathered face.
Sophie turned and stared at him. “Are you saying that bull wasn’t scary as hell?”
The other guy laughed and leaned back. “Hey, Lenny, she’s talking to you.”
“What?”
Sophie sighed. “That bull looked pretty intimidating to me.”
“Is this your first rodeo, honey?” Lenny asked, his craggy features softened by a kind smile.
“No, but...” She breathed in deeply and glanced toward the chute. She wished she could see Ethan. Wearing a helmet. “Bull riding is nerve-racking.”
“Then you might want to sit out the last ride.”
“The last— You mean Ethan Styles,” she said, a sickening wave of dread swelling inside her. “Why?”
“Matt Gunderson’s new to the stock contracting business. But he’s raising some good rodeo bulls. I heard Twister is one mean son of a—” Lenny gave her a sheepish grin, then shifted his gaze to the arena.
She realized the next rider—Cody something or other—was being announced, so she kept quiet and let the two men enjoy the event. Although how they could voluntarily watch a bloodthirsty bull try to pulverize someone, she’d never comprehend.
Yes, she understood some rodeo basics. For instance, the bulls were scored on their performance, just as the riders were. The scores were then combined for a potential of one hundred points. So clearly the more difficult the bull was to ride, the more points the rider received overall. But points didn’t matter here. Ethan had told her so last night. Matt was supposed to be his friend. So why give Ethan a son of a bitch to ride?
No, it hadn’t been Matt who’d made that call. It had been Ethan. She’d bet anything he’d insisted on riding the toughest bull. Stupid, reckless idiot.
This Kiss (Made In Montana Book 12) Page 8
