Page 86 of Cowboy Devil's Embrace

“The rodeo?” I blinked and looked at Max.

“Shiii—I mean, darn,” Max growled. “Is that today?”

“Yeah, Boss. I was coming to get you before I was attacked by a crazy person,” Dante grumbled.

“Crap. Sugarplum, you wanna go to a rodeo and see me get my butt kicked?” Max asked me, grinning from ear to ear.

“Heck no, I don’t want to marry a loser. You better at least try to win something,” I teased.

“I’ll do my best.”

“Good, and if you lose, I’ll be there to nurse you back to health,” I said, tipping my head back so he can kiss me.

“Hey, I’m not crazy. I just didn’t know if my friend was okay,” Avery said to Dante in the background, obviously defending her behavior.

“YOU hit me with a bat!” Dante growled.

“Well, YOU kept coming at me!”

Oh, this was going to be interesting.

“Avery, you wanna come with us in Max’s truck?” I asked, smiling.

“I’d love that, but I have my car. Oh, and ugh, Penny, aren’t you forgetting something?” she asked, raising one eyebrow.

“What?” I replied, pausing in my steps.

Avery just stared at me.

“Clothes, Auntie Penny!” Rosalie giggled, and I felt my face burning with embarrassment.

Max just grinned and kissed my head. I mean, I wasn’t naked. I had on a robe, but I couldn’t go out in one.

“Go put something on, Sugarplum. I’ll wait.”

“I’ll be quick,” I replied and raced off to get dressed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO-MAX

“Would you believe me if I told you I’ve never even seen a rodeo, much less been entered to compete in one?” I asked Emmet who was tugging on a pair of thick work gloves.

“Figured that, Boss. That’s why you’re doing the bareback riding contest, and I am riding the bull,” he said with a wink.

Honestly, I didn’t even know why I bothered. If Grandmother Leeds took my fortune away, I supposed I’d just have to start from the bottom.

But this was about more than money. This was about proving to myself I could finish something.

I spotted Penelope in the stands sitting beside Avery and little Rosalie, and my heart started thudding harder. My inner Devil growled softly.

One of the side effects of being mated was I felt much more in sync with my darker side. My inner beast no longer wanted to tear me apart and take over. All thoughts were of her now. Of us.

And wasn’t that amazing?

The smell of hay and fur, of sweat and blood, was all around me, but it did nothing to tempt me, monster that I was. Oh no. I just wanted to compete in this thing. To make Penelope as proud of me as I was of her.

I hadn’t done much with my life. Squandered my fortune, played the field, and been a basically useless human being,er, Jersey Devil.

Hell, I supposed Grandmother was right.

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