Page 65 of Rogue Cowboy
“Wish me luck,” she told her reflection as she added her new necklace.
But tonight felt epic.
She turned away from the mirror—she’d been selfish taking so long.Cole would probably want to shower before the dinner.He’d been helping Boone and Rohan with the Telford-Wilder bulls at the chute, but he’d been done for some time now.Normally she never would have missed the bull riding end to the rodeo prelims, but she wanted to have enough time to get herself ready.She felt woefully out of practice.
He opened the door, and there stood Cole—black jeans, black boots, black western shirt with black satin piping and mother-of-pearl buttons.His hair was wet and slicked back, and he held his hat in his hand.
“Wow,” they said simultaneously, and Riley laughed at how shy and awkward she felt.
“We both cleaned up,” she said, making light of her effort.
“You had far more success,” he said and reached out his hand to take hers.
She walked down the trailer step, and Cole drew her hand to his lips, kissed each knuckle and then teased the pad of her thumb with his tongue.
“Gorgeous, Riley,” he said.The depth of sincerity made her feel breathless.“I am the luckiest man in all of the western states.”
She laughed.“Slight exaggeration.Maybe just Montana.”
“No, Montana may be the Big Sky country, but you, Riley, are so much bigger than that.”
She cupped his cheeks and let herself look her fill.She heard the opening band warming up and for a second she played with the idea of saying ‘to heck with it,’ and dragging him into her trailer.But her family would be waiting and soon there would be questions she wasn’t sure how she’d answer.
“Ready to be on full display?”
“Pretty confident I’ve been on trial every day.”
“We can always take the Fifth,” she said flippantly.
He caught her hand as she turned to join the throngs walking toward Crawford Park where a luminous glow romantically lit up the night.
“I want to tell them, Riley.”
“Tell who what?”she asked, her hazy desire shot straight to alarm.
“Your family.About us.”
She didn’t like that idea.Not at all, though she knew she wasn’t being fair.It wasn’t like Cole should be a dirty secret.
“After the rodeo,” she stalled, hoping he wouldn’t push.It was after all her story, and if tonight went as well as last night, maybe he’d agree with her that the past could stay in the past.“Everyone has a lot on their mind.This rodeo’s important, and after the Ballantyne Bash Sunday night, we can talk about the future.”
“I’d like that, Riley.A future with you.”
She nodded, not daring to meet his eyes, afraid that she’d tear up because even in her darkest days when a future had seemed impossible to meet, she’d wanted him to be a part of it.
“Me too.”She choked out the truth.
*
Cole had beento more than his share of rodeos in his life.He hadn’t competed like his cousins—football and track had been more his sports, though he’d enjoyed working the ranch, especially riding, training and caring for the horses.
He’d always felt a little like he’d been standing on the outside looking in—the orphan.His grandparents, aunts and uncles had known everyone.They’d always included him, and he knew his otherness was more the fault of his perception than anything his family had done.
But at Copper Mountain Rodeo, he’d felt like he’d found a rhythm he’d not been expecting.His friendship with Rohan had renewed, though he was still aware he was lying by omission, and that didn’t sit right at all.And when Rohan found out the truth, he imagined there’d be more fists flying—he’d let him get one hit.
Cole had enjoyed working with the livestock—the bulls, the broncs.Rohan and Boone had included him as if he’d always been a part of their team, and talking business with Kane Wilder and his brother Luke had yielded enough promise that he felt he wasn’t letting his family down, even though his primary reason for volunteering for the Montana and Wyoming run had been to rekindle his relationship with Riley.
And while he didn’t typically socialize, preferring to remain by himself, he knew Riley would need it.And seeing her shine, a secret smile curving her lips and a cowgirl sexy swagger to her hips, going public was worth any awkwardness he would initially feel.
