Page 37 of Spur of the Moment
“My pleasure.” She typed something on her computer, then handed another room key over. Lettie grabbed it before I had the chance, spinning on the heel of her boot and walking toward the exit of the hotel instead of in the direction of our room. Granted, we had no reason to go up to our room yet. I offered my best apology smile to the woman behind the counter and took off after Lettie.
She was halfway to the truck by the time I caught up to her, Rouge panting beside my leg as the afternoon heat beat down on us.
“My dad send you the address yet?” she asked.
“Yep. Looks like it’s about thirty minutes away.”
“Great,” she clipped as we approached the truck. I opened the back door for Rouge to jump in as she pulled the passenger door handle.
“Are you mad about the room? I can sleep in the truck if it’sthat big of a deal.”
She faced me. “No.”
“No about the room, or no to the truck?”
“No to both. It’s fine. It’s just one night. What’s the harm in sleeping next to each other?”
I arched an eyebrow. Lettie wasn’t ignorant. A lot could happen in one night.
But I’d be a gentleman, keep my hands off of her. I could do that for one night.
Right?
20
Bailey
Iparked the truck and trailer behind the large metal shop where the pens were set up on the property.
“It looks like a normal ranch,” Lettie observed as she took in our surroundings.
Killing the engine, I asked, “What were you expecting?”
“Not this.”
Unhooking my seat belt, I got out of the truck, leaving Rouge in the back seat. Lettie met me by the hood, crossing her arms as she surveyed the area. Her gray tank top hugged her curves, and my eyes landed on her breasts being put on display by the position.
“You here for Travis?” a voice interrupted. Clearing my throat, I turned my attention to the ordinary looking guy. I guess when you think of someone who runs a kill pen business,you think of some old, ugly brute. This guy was anything but that. Hell, if I didn’t know better, I’d think he worked in some office out in Missoula.
The smirk on his lips told me he definitely saw where I was looking seconds before.
“Yep. Here for the bay bronc,” I said.
He nodded, gesturing for us to follow him. Lettie walked ahead of me and my eyes fell to the Kimes Ranch logo etched onto the back pockets of her jeans. I was a goner for everything Lettie Bronson. I couldn’t keep my damn eyes off her. It was like I needed to make up for all the lost time. Or my brain was trying to ingrain her image in my head in case she took off again.
She may say she was staying for good, but there would always be that little part of me that feared she wouldn’t be here when the sun rose.
He led us to the pen at the end of the row, the horse standing in the corner with his head hung low, his tail swishing to bat away a fly.
“Every so often we get a retired rodeo star in here. Hate to see it,” the man said as he leaned his forearms on the fence. “Glad you guys are getting him out of here.”
Lettie’s face was pure confusion and disbelief, but she kept her comments to herself as she turned to the horse.
He held his hand out to me, and I shook it with a firm grip. “Austin.”
“I’m Bailey. This is Lettie.” I gestured to Lettie after dropping his hand.
He nodded at the two of us. “Nice to meet you both.”
