Page 51 of Rogue Cowboy
He paused and looked at her—his stare so intense and navy it looked like midnight.Her tummy flipped and her breath caught.How did he do that to her by virtue of existing?
“Because it’s true.I’ll never lie to you, Riley.You might not like what I have to say at times, but I will be unfailingly honest.”
Unfailingly.He’d never let her down.And he believed it.He sounded like a recruiting poster for something she’d never achieve.Riley tore her attention back to Cinnamon who snorted and pushed at her with her head, nearly knocking her on her behind.
“Point to you,” she murmured, fastening the cinch and checking it for fit.“I know, you’re the queen here and deserve all my attention.”
Cinnamon lowered her head for a rub.
“You’re still staring,” she said,notlooking at Cole.
“Impossible not to.”
“Cole,” she whispered, helpless to not stare back.“We can’t…”
“Confident we can.Certain we will.”Cole didn’t seem perturbed by her continued doubts, though she felt like she wanted to jump on Cinnamon and race far into the mountains and hide until she could pull herself together.He’d rejected her last night, and now it seemed like he did want her.
She scrunched her eyes shut like a kid afraid of the dark and leaned against Cinnamon.Resisting Cole was exhausting.Understanding him and her own desire more so.
“Have a little faith in me.”
“I do,” she confessed, looking at him.“It’s me who’s a hot mess.”
“Reframe.”
Ugh.
“Like it’s so easy,” she burst out.
“Didn’t say it was.”
Before she could snap back who knows what, Arlo and Petal returned with Spice, already groomed, saddled, and…were those sparkles in his mane?
“No,” Riley said flatly hitting her teacher mode immediately.
“Ahhhh, he looks so pretty.”Petal pouted.
“You’ve not practiced with sparkles in his mane.”Riley ran her fingers through the silky gray mane, relieved the sparkles came out easily in her hand.“I don’t want him to get spooked out there.”
“Told you,” Arlo said grabbing the last two sparkles and stuffing them in her pocket.
“We’re just riding in the parade at a walk,” Petal said.“And doing a few stunts.”
“Do not take the work casually,” Riley began.
“We’re ready.Our exhibition drew a big crowd yesterday, and we had no problems,” Petal said.“Today is much more chill.Standing, arabesque, backbend, jumping off and on again.Maybe a standing hippodrome if the mood strikes.”
“Absolutely not.No standing hippodrome outside of an arena and without a spotter.”Riley glared at the girls, hand on hips.“Just the moves we’ve practiced.That’s it,” Riley stated, keeping her voice firm.
That’s when she saw the smirking hint of a smile, and both girls struggling not to laugh.
“Very funny, not.”She tried to sound stern, although for the hundredth time she worried that she should ride or walk with them, but the thought of walking down Main Street, hundreds of pairs of eyes on her—it made sweat break out on the back of her neck, although last night she’d been up on a stage, dancing, and she’d been lost in the music and Cole.
“We’ve done the standing hippodrome hundreds of times at a gallop.”Arlo sounded reasonable.“We’re not talking about doing the tail drag or suicide drag.”
“Or any of the tricks that aren’t on your list for the parade,” Riley said as she reached for the reins of Spice.“Including standing hippodrome.You’re not in an arena, and I don’t want a horse spooked on a parade route with families lining the streets decked in their western best and one of you falls and the horse bolts and then what?You get hurt?A child gets hurt?Your horse is injured.That’s not entertainment.That’s traumatizing and irresponsible.”
Both Petal and Arlo looked like she’d struck them, but Riley hardened her heart.This was too critical.
