Page 31 of Cowboys Can't Kiss

Riley smiles under his mask and the bear nose shifts to the side.

“That’s so wonderful for you!”

“It is. It means I get an invitation to a big money rodeo in Big Rock. I don’t always plan for that one because it’s by invite only. Only the best go and I think after today I’ll be getting the call.”

Riley shifts and even under his polar bear mask, I know his brow dipped.

“I googled you,” he says quietly and for a moment, I don’t understand.

“My rodeo event?”

He nods. “Yeah. There are loads ofYouTubevideos with you out there. I know what steer wrestling is, I just…never paid attention.”

“And what do you think?”

My heart slams hard, hoping he likes it.

“You’re very good at it.” He clears his throat. “It’s, ah, you’re…um…”

I laugh softly. “Now who’s tongue-tied?” If he didn’t have that mask on, I’d bet his cheeks were a cute shade of pink.

“You look good. Comfortable even. Well, as comfortable as one can be, diving off a running horse like that.”

For a man who was against cowboys when we met, this feels like an enormous breakthrough for me. If Riley Benton took time outof his day to google me and my rodeo event… and liked it? I will hold that close and celebrate the breakthrough.

“Thank you for saying that. I know rodeos aren’t your thing, so that means a lot.”

Riley’s polar bear face stares back at me, and his lips part before closing again. He clears his throat. “So how come you’re all by yourself?”

Okay, he wants to change the topic and as much as I want to keep poking to find out more of what he thinks, I’ll let it rest. One day, he’ll tell me why he has barbed wire around his heart for any cowboy who gets close.

“Well, I don’t like the bar scene and we have our horses here, so I stay behind and let the others go out.” I pan my phone to the fire. “I like to sit by the fire and just be outside. Sometimes I have a book. Tonight I wanted your company.”

Riley scratches his cheek, and his mask slips. “Damn it. Give me a minute. I’m going to take this off. You can keep talking while I do.”

The phone moves as he walks and now my view appears to be the ceiling in the bathroom. Water runs and I figure I’ll just keep talking like he said.

“Jamieson—he’s a bull rider—was teasing me about staying behind. He said I must have a secret hottie. I just let Jamieson go along with it. He likes his friends happy, you know?”

“How are you going to meet someone and get over your awkwardness if you don’t go out with your friends, Jackson?”

I still can’t see Riley’s face, and that’s probably a good thing. He’s the only one I’m interested in more with, and I was never good at hiding my facial expressions.

“I told you. I don’t want to be with some guy I meet at the bar.”

Riley’s face reappears, all shiny and soft. He slicked his hair back, and his lips are shiny with a substance. Maybe lip gloss? He’s stunningly beautiful, and all I can do is stare.

Riley’s lips tilt in a small smile. “Jackson? Did you hear me?”

Shit.

“No, sorry. I was…um, you’re really fucking pretty, Riley.”

Dear lord, I sound out of breath as the words tumble out before I even register what I said.

His eyes grow wide, and for a minute, I think I’ve overstepped, maybe even shattered this tender new friendship with my limited ability to not just blurt out what I’m feeling. This is one instance in which weird animal facts would be less embarrassing.

Riley’s face softens, and there’s a longing in his voice that’s new.

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