Page 80 of A Baby for the Texas Cowboy
“Think on it. Take your time. I want to be upfront with you. I want us to marry. I want us to live on the ranch in the house with my brothers or a house we build for ourselves if that’s what you want. I want us to communicate our feelings, our thoughts and our goals. I want honesty and fidelity. But if you don’t want that, if you can’t come to me and promise me that and mean it, then we have nothing. We can go your route and figure out a custody arrangement.”
She stared at him like he was a stranger. He felt like he was—to her and her to him.
“I have to get to the airport. I have to be lasered-focused this week. I don’t want to talk about what happened today. I don’t want to talk until after the finals and you know what you want.”
She nodded and wrapped her arms around herself again. He hated leaving her like this. Hated it. But he had a final to win, and Tinsley had a decision to make.
Chapter Nineteen
Tinsley bounced onthe balls of her feet backstage at the AEBR finals. It was nearly time to take their seats for the final round. The long weekend had been a fun-filled celebration that had her on the edge of her seat—not just because of Anders’ rides on his way to victory but also because she was on the brink of the best decision of her life.
She was choosing hope.
She was choosing love.
She was choosing Anders.
Anders and Kane Wilder had arrived at the finals tied for first place, but as Axel explained it, it could be any bull rider’s win. She’d seen Anders ride before when she’d been working in the sponsor tent and had slipped in to watch. It had been as thrilling as it was terrifying. Anything could happen. “Eight seconds of adrenaline-fueled crazy” Cruz had called it.
And she didn’t want him to give it up until he was ready.
That was only one of the things she wanted to tell him when he finished his final ride this weekend.
Because of Anders’ status and fame and Axel’s history of being a top-tier bull rider for a couple of years, they had far more backstage access than most fans. Diego, Axel and Cruz’ adopted eight-year-old son had been in heaven meeting so many of the bull riders, eating snacks in the VIP section, and raking in the souvenirs. Tinsley wanted time alone with Anders, but she didn’t want to mess with his focus.
“I’m sure giving him a big juicy kiss won’t cause him to fall in the dirt,” August teased her as she kept looking around for Anders, hoping he’d show up before he left to get ready for his final ride.
“Show doesn’t start for another hour. You have time.” Catalina smiled at her. “Just go find him and say hi.”
“They’re probably performing secret, manly rituals,” Cruz teased. “Are they very manly?” she asked her husband.
“Very,” Axel said. “So much testosterone you’d choke.”
“I’ll find him for you, Tinsley.” Diego, Cruz and Axel’s adopted son, made as if to dash off.
Axel caught his shoulder. “Slow down, little man. Your sleuthing would defeat the purpose of Tinsley finding Anders.”
“Nooooo,” he groaned, pulled off his cowboy hat and slapped it on his knee. “She’s not going to kiss him is she?”
Everyone laughed, but Tinsley was too nervous, too excited to laugh. Maybe she would just try to catch a peek of him. She knew where they hung out doing last-minute stretches, listening to music, or getting taped up to ride. She’d helped Anders tape himself up when he’d come home from a couple of competitions. By the end of the season, even with the extended break before the finals, the bull riders were pretty beat up.
Tinsley still had her badge from the distillery, and she slung it around her neck along with her family member access pass, and went to try to catch Anders. She knew not to bring up anything serious, but they hadn’t talked privately all week or this weekend and she just wanted…she just needed to see him. To touch him. To wish him good luck on this important ride.
She didn’t care if he won. She wanted him to survive without injury.
She smiled without humor, remembering her mother berating her for not winning one of her jumping championships because her horse had stumbled. “Why do it if you aren’t going to win?” Her mother had shrugged off her injury and pain and had never attended another event. Tinsley had been twelve.
“Not you, little man or girl.” Tinsley rested her hands over her slight baby bump. “You can be the slowest runner and I’ll still come to every race.”
She heard Anders before she saw him. She paused, just soaking in the timber of his voice, and it took a moment for her to clue in on what he was saying.
“Give it back,” Anders said, good-naturedly. “You’ve had your fun.”
“Seriously, Anders Wolf. You have a list of the attributes of a perfect wife on your phone. You’re twenty-five, not Viagra time. Where is smokin’ hot in bed?” Tinsley thought it was a bull rider named Chris Stevens—it was his first year on the tour. “Where’s go down on you in your truck on your list?”
“Maybe he does need Viagra. Is that your new sponsor?” Dean Sims chimed in.
“Listen to this,” Chris read off. “Sounds like something Martha Stewart or Rachael Ray would post.”
