Page 20 of Destry

She huffed, shifting the weight of the saddle in her arms. "I’m in a hurry."

I braced a hand against the stall door beside her, blocking her in just enough to make her look up at me.

"You look like you’re about to pass out. Take a breath, lil Rebel."

She groaned but didn’t curse me the fuck out.

"Happy now?" she muttered.

I took the saddle from her arms before she could argue.

"I need that."

"It’s not going anywhere..” I set the saddle down on a bale of hay.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t fight me. "This place is insane. I’ve been running around all day, and I swear, no one tells me anything until it’s already late."

I nodded, watching the way she finally started to relax, her body was no longer as tense.

"Welcome to the rodeo. It’s chaos, but I love this shit."

She sighed, shaking her head. "I don’t know how y’all do this every year."

"We get used to it. You will too."

“If I survive this one.”

For a second, we just stood there with the noise of the fairgrounds taking over. She was frustrated and had only been at it for a few hours but at least she wasn’t running from me.

"Congrats on the win, by the way."

I grinned. "You saw the ride?"

"No but I didn’t need to. It’s your first round. I already knew you’d win."

Her confidence in me threw me for a second, mostly because she’d admitted it.

“Damn, that actually sounded like you were impressed.”

She stepped around me. "You’re good. No need in pretending you’re not."

I should go. She reached for the saddle but I caught her wrist and pulled her right back before she could get away.

She barely had time to react before I leaned in, letting one hand grip the side of her waist and the other met the back of her neck before I kissed her.

She sucked in a small breath, but she didn’t push me away and just like last night she softened just for a second, before she caught herself and pulled back, blinking fast like she was trying to reset.

I grinned, watching her scramble to pull that shit together.

"Would you stop doing that?”

I chuckled, leaning in close again. “I would if I thought you didn’t like it but clearly you do. See you later, lil Rebel," I murmured, stepping back just enough to let her breathe.

She narrowed her eyes. "Why do I feel like you’re going to be a problem?"

"Because I am," I said easily.

Her brows pinched. "I don’t need problems?"

---