Page 31 of Knot Her Cowboys
Dakota departed for the campfire and Cash slipped away to his bedroom to change while I pulled on a fresh set of undergarments, jean shorts, and a black tank top. Not exactly club wear, but the best I could do at the moment. Cash stepped into the hall, wearing jeans that hugged his ass and a T-shirt that clung to every muscle, with a matching black cowboy hat on his head, his blond curls sticking out beneath it.
Goddamn.
He looked good enough to eat.
Not that I had any business sampling that particular meal.
“Come on, honey bun.” Cash beamed at me, ushering me down the hall. “Time to dance your problems into the dirt.”
The little boutique boot shop wasn’t far, maybe fifteen minutes to the nearest town, thoughtownwas certainly a generous title for it. I wasn’t sure it even qualified as a village. A handful of them were scattered around this area, and we all went to the same high school in the middle of nowhere.
Courtney was pressed up against the glass door when we arrived, a mega-watt smile on her face as she waved. She bolted into the street to greet us. “Oh my god, Rileeeey. I haven’t seen you in fucking forever.”
Her squeal of excitement probably woke every dog and coyote in a ten-mile radius.
I laughed. “Good to see you too, Court.”
“Come in, come in!” She dragged me through the door, and Rob gave me a wave where he stood by the register. “What are you looking for?”
“Just something cute and comfy. I put my boots to bed when I moved to New York so I’m a little bit lacking.”
She pushed me over to a section of pastel boots. “Thoughts? Or do you want to go traditional?”
“Something brighter?”
Courtney squeaked and spun me around. My eyes instantly locked on a pair of hot pink boots. They weren’t traditional in the slightest, but they looked sturdy even with their hint of sparkle. After getting my size, she pulled a pair down and I slipped them onto my feet. I’d wanted pink boots ever since I was little, but could never afford them.
“Those are so fucking cute.”
“I’ll take them. Find me something more practical too.”
Courtney pulled me around to another section lined with far more beige options, and I picked out a sturdy pair of brownboots I wouldn’t mind getting dusty and scuffed up while I was scampering around the ranch until I figured out what the fuck to do with my life.
“So what’s the deal?” she whispered. “Are you and Cash together now? What about Cooper?”
“We’re not together. I’m just in town for a bit. I was supposed to be moving to Germany, but some things fell through so I’m figuring out next steps.”
“Damn, girl. When you commit to getting out of a small town, youreallycommit. I’m so glad you’re back, though, even if it’s just for a while.”
“Good to see you home, Riley,” Rob said as Courtney pulled me over and he rang me up.
“Good tobehome,” I replied with a smile.
Courtney added some thick socks to the counter. “These are fancy hiking socks, double layered so the fabric will rub on itself instead of your skin while you’re breaking in the boots.”
“I had no idea we’d come so far in sock technology,” I said with a laugh. “I’ll take a few less blisters.”
Before I could pass Rob my card to pay, Cash whipped his out. “Boots on me.”
“Cash, you don’t have to do that. I can buy my own boots.”
He shook his head, eyeballing Rob until he took the payment. I traded my sneakers for the socks and pink boots and bagged up the rest, giving both Courtney and Rob a hug before Cash and I departed.
The one bar in town had a line out the door, but the night air wasn’t too chilly. We took our spot among everyone else ready to dance the night away and I snuggled up against Cash, stealing his warmth.
“Do they play stuff I’ll actually know?”
“It’s a pretty good mix of ages. You’ll probably know most things, but they’ll play new stuff for the youngins.”
