Page 4 of Rough Ride

Johnny flashed a perfect white smile. “Saw your friend at one of the other bars. She waved and told me where you were.”

Ugh. I was going to give Liz an earful later.

“Listen, Johnny…” I said.

He raised his palms. “I get it. You don’t date rodeo guys.”

I gave a start. “That’s… yeah. That’s what I was going to say.”

“We come into town in a rush, perform at the rodeo, then leave town in the blink of an eye,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to date me either. Or, worse: one of the other cowboys here.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “Then why did you seek me out at this bar, deep in the honky tonk?”

Johnny gestured at the tap. “Because I’d like a Cold Fort Worth Beer. The one from Cowtown Brewery.”

I grabbed a glass and began pouring. “There are thirty bars in this building. Why’d you come to this one?”

“Because,” he said with an easy smile, “I prefer your company to the other bartenders. There’s something about you. You’ve got a soothing spirit that calms my soul.”

Chuckling, I placed the beer in front of him. “I’ll admit, I’ve never heard that line before.”

“Not a line. Just the truth.” He raised his beer glass. “If you don’t want to tell me your name, I’ll keep calling you Sky Eyes.”

I grabbed a clean glass and began cleaning it with a rag, just to give myself something to do. “I’m Sophie.”

“Sophie.” He said the word slowly, like he was tasting it. “The pleasure’s mine, Sophie. Now, I’m going to leave you be. You look like a busy woman.”

He twisted around on the bar stool and leaned his elbows back on the bar, while gazing out over the dance floor where a few patrons were two-stepping.

Huh. I guess he was serious about not bothering me. That was a first.

A few other patrons came to the bar. I made them drinks, but my gaze kept slipping over to Johnny at the side. He was leaving me in peace. It was nice.

But part of mewantedhim to flirt.

“Where in Colorado are you from, Johnny Armstrong?” I finally asked.

He twisted to look over his shoulder. “Little ranch outside Trinidad. Barely in Colorado at all.”

“My aunt lives in Denver. I’ve driven through that area a lot.”

“Not much to see,” he said.

I laughed and nodded. “Not much to see. Once you’re past the Rockies, everything looks flat and boring.”

“I like flat and boring,” Johnny said.

Across the bar, someone laughed. The voice belonged to a man who was making a beeline for my bar. I recognized him once he drew close.

“Looks like I’m late to the party,” said the man Johnny had been arguing with earlier.

“Elijah,” I said, feeling frisky. “Johnny was just telling me he was going to buy your first drink.”

Elijah leaned forward on the bar and gave me a goofy smile. “First of all, I told you to call me Eli.” He elbowed Johnny. “And second, I know you’re lying. This sumbitch would never buy me a drink.”

“Guilty as charged,” Johnny said in that easy drawl.

Eli slapped his palm down on the bar. “I’ll take a whiskey, please. Something local. With ice.” He jerked his thumb toward the other cowboy. “Is Johnny doing his hard-to-get schtick?”

---