Page 37 of Rough Ride

“Honestly? I feel comfortable around you,” I revealed.

“Oh?”

Once again, I took a leap and opened up to him. “I’m not comfortable around many guys, especially not cowboys who arein town for the rodeo. But I was immediately drawn to you and Eli. I didn’t realize it at first, because I was used to pushing guys like you away, but you wore me down enough. It actually felt really good to talk about Trent out loud. That’s not a subject I like to share. But it was like a weight off my shoulders. Like I’m finally healed enough to move on and talk about it without the pain being fresh.”

“I’m really glad to hear that,” Johnny said slowly. “Except for the part where you said meandEli.”

“If you want, you can pretend I didn’t mention him at all.”

“I think I’ll do that.”

He grinned at me, and I grinned back at him. We had made a lap around the rodeo camp and were back at his trailer.

“Well, then,” he said, letting go of the leash. Dusty ran into the camp and slurped water from the bowl on the ground. “This was fun.”

“Yeah, it was,” I said, glancing at my watch. It was late. But it still felt like the evening had just begun. I was having a great time with Johnny and didn’t want to walk away.

I don’t sleep with cowboys, I told myself.There’s a reason I have this rule.

Johnny was standing in front of me, hands in his pockets, looking like a model on the cover of a cowboy magazine. But he was still soreal, authentic in a way that few people were in my life. I felt like I had known him for years, even though our date had lasted less than two hours.

We were in that awkward place where the date could end and I could go home.

Or it could go in another direction.

“Can I buy you dinner next time?” he asked with a hopeful, boyish smile. “Assuming you want there to be a next time.”

I did. I wanted it very badly.

“I’d like that,” I said. “I’m free tomorrow night.”

“I don’t compete until next week. Tomorrow’s perfect.” He tipped his hat at me. “You have a good night then, Sky Eyes.” Johnny held my gaze for three heartbeats longer, then turned and walked over to Dusty. He opened the trailer door and the dog leaped inside.

Disappointment made my stomach sink. That was it? A polite goodnight? I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted, but this wasn’t it.

Johnny took one step into the trailer, and glanced at me.

Throwing aside all caution, I blurted out, “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got?”

He stepped back outside. “What do you mean?”

“I expected you to invite me inside,” I insisted. I knew I sounded petulant, but I couldn’t help it. “To offer me a night cap as a pretense for something more.”

“I’m still not ready to drink,” he said with a half-smile.

“Oh. Right. But still, that’s how you end the night? You just tip your hat and say goodnight?”

He cocked his head thoughtfully. “I had more planned for our second date.”

I took a step toward him. “Tell me. What did you have planned?”

Johnny rubbed his jaw and took a step closer. “Well, I was going to take you out to dinner, first. Somewhere nicer than hot dogs.”

“Then what?”

“Then,” he said in that perfect sexy drawl, “I was going to invite you back here for a drink. I make a mean ranch water.”

I walked forward some more, until I was just a few feet away from him. “I like ranch water. Go on.”

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