Page 33 of What I Should Have Known

“You’re back!” I said, excitement racing through my veins hot like a steak straight off a grill.

“I missed you,” she replied, pulling away. Pushing some hair over her shoulder, she leaned up against the rail and brushed some dirt from her teal, satin tank top. “By the way, wasn’t that horse the one who broke that cowboy’s femur last year?” She tossed a thumb out to the arena.

Glancing away from her hazel eyes, I scanned the grounds. Inching my brows together, I searched for Bernie amongst the cowboys surrounding the chutes. Scoured the crowd for that set of green eyes and broad shoulders, yet he’d somehow disappeared within a few seconds.

“Uh, yeah,” I replied in a daze.

“And did you see that he was wearing tennis shoes? With spurs duct taped to them?” Her eyes widened as she snorted with a giggle.

“Yes, I saw that too,” I sheepishly muttered.

“Well, I’ve never seen anything quite like that. Must be those shoes or something that gave that cowboy luck, otherwise he would’ve been carried away in an ambulance,” Emma answered.

“Shit, no one’s ever had such little faith in me before,” Bernie replied, his voice booming with a chuckle behind me.

Spinning around, I locked sights with the very man who had some dirt smudged on his cheek. A single brow of his raised as his eyes twinkled with humor. Whatever strange dark aura that had surrounded him moments ago, was completely gone, and I couldn’t help but smile.

It took every ounce of self-control not to race toward him.

“You!” Emma gasped behind me. Her hand plunked on my shoulder and shoved me to the side. Raising a finger, she pointed at Bernie and snarled, “You owe Kat a fucking apology, and right now, you senseless asshole.”

Bernie stopped walking, tipped his head back, and smirked. “So, you must be Emma.”

“That’s all you have to say?” She shoved her hands on her hips as I bit back a giggle.

“Kit Kat, come rein in your friend, please.” Bernie glanced around Emma and narrowed his eyes.

“Kit Kat? Who’s Kit Kat?” Emma shrieked and spun around. “Is he talking about you?” Her brows raised.

I nodded. “You’ve missed quite a bit.”

“Clearly, since he’s already given you a nick—” Her mouth fell open as her hands slid away from her hips. The frustration fled from her figure, loosening into excitement.

My heart jumped to my throat as my cheeks burned bright red. A look crossed Emma’s face as if she’d just won the lottery, which only confused me. I kneaded my hands in front of me as she waltzed up to me and whispered in my ear, “He’s given you a nickname.”

“Yes?” I questioned, tipping my head. There was something about the tone of her voice I wasn’t ready to admit had my stomach churning with heat. And desire.

Emma clicked her tongue and exhaled. “You and I are going to have some girl time later,” she muttered and whipped back around. “Bernie is it?”

He nodded once as she extended her hand and marched directly up to him. Standing maybe an inch shorter than he was, she offered him a polite smile. Bernie wrapped his palm around hers, giving it a firm shake and drawing my attention. My breath quickened as I traced the veins running like rivers across the back of his hand and up his arm.

Fingers that had only so briefly brushed against my chin released Emma’s hand, rushing my core warm with a pull to have him touch me again. How foolish I’d been to step out of his hold before.

Unable to pry my thoughts away from the shackle he had on them, time became inconsequential, flowing like the endless sky as slowly, my gaze drifted up his body, across his hard-set jawline to meet his mossy-colored eyes.

There was something more rugged and handsome about him than I’d noticed before. Something that cried out at me to throw my arms around his neck, and toss all caution to the wind like a wave against the shoreline.

But I needed to decide if the pain that would inevitably come from this man was worth it. There was no doubt, he’d just proven he was a wild soul. Not one to set roots down anywhere.

But were roots what I wanted?

“That was pretty impressive,” I finally said.

The swirls in his eyes twinkled beneath the stars as a gentle smile softened his face. He opened his mouth, ready to speak.

“And absolutely reckless.” Someone else shouted first. Bernie pulled his lips together, knotting his jaw as I sighed.

His mom.

---