Page 9 of Destry

I didn’t answer because how the hell was I supposed to explain this? That I stood there and watched Callahan do something reckless and instead of moving on, my stomach twisted in a way I didn’t like?

For half a second, I felt something unfamiliar when I thought that bull was about to flatten him. No, I wasn’t about to entertain that.

Maya laughed. “You’re mad about something and taking it out on that horse. Want to tell me if it’s work related or man related?”

I cringed and eased up on the brushing. “It’s not work related.”

She grinned. “So it’s about Destry, then.”

I groaned. “I hate this place.”

Maya laughed. “If you hatehim, you sure picked the wrong job out here.” She nodded toward the arena. “Callahan got under your skin already?”

“No,” I lied. “I just think he’s an idiot.”

Maya hummed like she didn’t believe me. “Well, you might want to make peace with that, because if I heard right, you owe thatfine assidiot a drink.”

I gritted my teeth. “Unfortunately.”

She laughed again and patted my shoulder. “You’ll survive. Besides, could be worse. At least you get to drink for free with a fine ass cowboy while every other woman at the rodeo wishes they were in your spot.”

That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. The last thing I needed was the women connected to the men out here hating me and causing problems.

I worked in silence after that, trying to shake the irritation coiled in my chest. But no matter how much I tried to focus on my job, one thought refused to leave my head.

Destry Callahan had won, and now, I had to deal with it.

I threw myself into work, hoping it would keep my mind off Destry. It didn’t.

The fairgrounds were alive with the usual morning hustle, workers setting up, riders warming up, wranglers shifting stock, but no matter how much I tried to focus, my gaze kept drifting back to him.

Destry was in the practice pen, running drills with Jace and the other riders. The moment I caught sight of him settling onto the back of another bull, my hands stilled against the horse’s coat.

I told myself I wasn’t watching just…observing.

He moved with effortless control, quiet confidence, and raw strength. His athletic build was made for this with those broad shoulders and powerful arms flexing as he tightened his grip onthe bull rope. His white T-shirt was stretched across his chest, dirty and damp with sweat, clinging to the hard planes of muscle beneath it. His tattooed forearms tensed with veins prominent and one hand wrapped tightly in the worn leather of his glove.

His black Stetson was pulled low over his head but I could still see the trained focus in his expression when his head jerked back. He wasn’t smiling now. This was work.

The chute swung open, and the bull exploded out, twisting high and kicking back. A wild force of muscle and fury beneath him.

Destry didn’t just hold on, he moved with it, letting his body roll in perfect sync. His free hand cut through the air to balance each violent buck. His jaw stayed tight and his gaze was locked in. His entire body shifted like he was born to be there.

Eight seconds passed in a blink, and when he finally let go, he landed clean. Boots hit the dirt with knees bent just enough to absorb the impact before he straightened, completely unbothered

The wranglers moved and a few claps echoed from the fence line, but Destry hardly acknowledged them. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the top rail with his focus suddenly elsewhere.

My stomach tightened because he wasn’t looking at the next bull.

He was looking at me. I dropped my gaze fast as hell and went back to brushing the horse, but the heat creeping up my neck didn’t fade.

I felt his stare, even when I refused to look his way. I counted to ten and told myself I wouldn’t check but I lied. I checked anyway. Destry hadn’t moved.

He was still leaning against the fence, arms crossed, watching me with that damn smirk like he knew exactly what I’dbeen doing. I clenched my jaw and squared my shoulders before shifting to the next horse, making sure I didn’t look at him again.

It didn’t matter how good he looked riding that bull and it damn sure didn’t matter how frustratingly sexy he was. I had work to do and Destry Callahan wasn’t going to be a distraction.

CHAPTER

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