Page 9 of Cowboy Friend Zone for Christmas

She blinked in surprise at him. “Um, so…last night I read about the risk of fracturing the bone that the bionics in your arm are connected to. There’s also the risk of muscle inflammation, infections, chronic skin irritation, and the list goes on and on and on. It’s worse with contact sports.” She shuddered. “Pretty sure bronc riding counts as that.”

“No doubt.” He’d been informed about all the risks up front, though, and had been counseled in detail on how to avoid such risks. “That’s why I’m so careful, babe.” The endearment slipped out. He hadn’t meant to call her that.

She looked surprised, but otherwise didn’t acknowledge his slip up. Leaning closer to him, she continued in a pleading voice, “I honestly hadn’t considered any of those things while cheering you back into the world of bronc riding. I just wanted you to believe in yourself again. To stop grieving over everything you’d lost. To embrace your new life. And you have.” She gave him a wobbly smile. “As your friend, I’m so crazy proud of you that my heart could just about explode.”

He smirked down at her. “That sounds messy.”

She gave his bionic hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m being serious.”

“I can tell.” He sobered. “Just wish you’d come to all your fussy new conclusions about me before I signed up for my next bronc riding competition.”

Her face grew pale. “You didn’t,” she breathed.

“I did.” His voice was wry. “I was on a waiting list for a local event happening this Friday, and just got the call a few minutes ago. Wanted you to be the first to hear about it since you’ve been my biggest cheerleader every step of the way.”

“I still am,” she assured in a shaky voice. “For real, Nash. I’m not giving up on you. That’s not what this is about.”

“I get it.” He winked at her. “You’re just worried, which means you care about me.”

“Of course I care about you!” Her eyes grew round. “And I’m not getting cold feet or trying to change the rules on you in the middle of the game. If I hadn’t read that article…” She paused and swallowed hard. “But I did, and I’m never going to be able to unread it.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Nash, but I’m going to have to ask you to not compete. I’ll beg if necessary.” Her voice grew so strained that he was afraid she was about to break down altogether.

He glanced up as one of the grooms entered the arena outside the ring. Dropping Noelle’s hand and angling his head at Cookie, he silently beckoned the guy to return the young horse to her stall.

Only after the groom led the filly away did he nudge Noelle toward the gate. “Let’s take this conversation to my office, shall we?”

She nodded mutely. As they walked in silence down the long hallway, she looked so forlorn that he almost reached for her hand again. The fact that she considered him to be a good friend and nothing more held him back.

Yeah, he wanted more with her — so much more — but not at the expense of losing what they already had between them.

CHAPTER 3: CHAMPION’S RETURN

The moment they stepped inside his office, Nash shut the door and leaned back against it. Nearly every corner of the room was evidence of how much Noelle was constantly making his life better. She was forever bringing him gifts — everything from homemade cookies to the quirky cactus paperweight resting on the pile of payroll checks he’d printed out this morning.

Yeah, she was a bit of a klutz, but she was also really skilled at striking up conversations with everyone around her, even perfect strangers. During her first encounter with one of the old-timers on the rodeo circuit, she’d walked away with a signed aerial photo of one of the oldest rodeo grounds in the state. Last month, she’d had it custom framed as a birthday gift to him. It was now hanging on the wall behind his desk.

“One last competition,” he wheedled, dragging his attention from the amazing photo to meet her gaze again. “That’s all I’m asking for.” He knew it wasn’t realistic to expect to be able to return to his old life full time.

Noelle rested her hands on her hips, looking defiant. “Why do it at all?”

“To prove that I can. That I’m all the way back.” He silently begged her to understand.

“I already know you can do it,” she protested. “I’ve never doubted it.”

Her words were humbling. “I can’t tell you how much it means to hear you say that.” She’d said it before, but it never got old hearing it, especially since he knew she really meant it.

“You don’t have anything to prove, Nash. You’ve already done it dozens of times in the practice ring out back.” She sounded so stressed that he longed to take her in his arms. However, she wasn’t his to hold like that. Not yet, anyway.

“Blame it on my pride, then.” He glanced away from her. “Maybe I’d like to prove it to all the friends I left behind on the rodeo circuit. I also wouldn’t mind proving it to all the kids with disabilities out there. To help convince them that they, too, can do anything they set their minds to.”

“That’s not pride,” Noelle murmured. “That’s downright noble. I just wish you’d find another way to be noble.” She shuddered. “Call it delayed PTSD or whatever you want, but I was in that medical helicopter with you, Nash, and I’m still not over what I had to see that day.”

“You were only there as a hitchhiker,” he teased.

“Maybe.” She lowered her hands to her sides and balled them into fists. “But what I witnessed is seared into my memory forever. I’ll never forget the broken, bloody version of you. And it’s something I never, ever, ever want to see again!”

Oka-a-ay. He wasn’t entirely sure what to think of her words. Life was full of risks, all kinds of things outside of their control. He sincerely hoped if he was ever injured again that she’d be there for him like she had been the first time.

He studied her expression, trying to understand what was going on inside her beautiful head. She was a mystery for sure. One that was currently giving him emotional whiplash.

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