Page 26 of Rough Stock
“Do I like you more than I should? Honey, I think however much I like you isn’t nearly enough. I want to like you even more. Is that okay?”
His heart skipped a couple of beats when she answered, “Yep. I hope you like me even more than you should.” A yawn followed before she said, “Night, Jens.”
“Night, Shy, my precious girl.” There in the quiet of the little bedroom, JensenStrader committed himself to the woman in his arms. She didn’t have to know, but as long as he did, it made all the difference.
Shyanna woke in the darkness and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Four forty-three and she had to pee. She slipped silently from the bed and felt around the end of the footboard until she knew she was close to the bedroom door. Opening it as quietly as possible, she tiptoed out into the hallway and felt her way down the wall until she got to the bathroom door.
When she was finished, she flushed the toilet, then washed her hands. There was some lotion on the back of the sink, so she pumped a tiny little bit out and rubbed it in, wondering if Jensen’s mother would consider that stealing. Getting on the wrong side of the family matriarch wasn’t something she wanted. As soon as it was rubbed in good, she made her way back to the door.
It opened to a face right in hers and she let out a little squeal. “Oh my god, I’m sorry!”
“Oh, honey! It’s okay! I’m sorry I startled you. I didn’t know you were in there,” Dora whispered. “I figured I was the only one who’d wake up in the night to go to the bathroom.”
“I’m so sorry. And I used a tiny little bit of your lotion. I’ll buy you more. I-I-I-I’m so sorry,” Shyanna stammered.
“Lord, no, that’s not necessary. It’s there to use! You use as much of it as you want. Make yourself at home here, Shyanna dear. When you’re here, you’re family,” Dora said and reached up to pat Shyanna’s cheek.
The younger woman was confused. Why would anyone she didn’t know care about her? It didn’t make sense. “Mrs.Strader, I appreciate it, but I don’t know why you’d want me to feel like family when I’m not family. Your family is better than mine. They’re better than me. I could never belong here. Why would you want me to feel like family?”
The smile the older woman gave her was as foreign to her as anything she’d ever seen, all soft and warm. But the words she said completely bewildered Shyanna. “Because when I see my son look at you, I see how much he loves you, so I love you too. Just please,” she added, her eyes damp, “don’t hurt him. He was hurt badly enough.”
Shyanna didn’t know what to say. “Uh, yes, ma’am,” she mumbled.
“Good. Now I’ve gotta go in here before I leave a puddle on the floor! Goodnight, honey. Sleep well,” Dora said as she turned away and closed the bathroom door behind her.
Numb and stunned, Shyanna made her way slowly back up the hallway and into the bedroom. She closed the door and felt her way around the end of the bed again until she found her spot. As soon as she slid under the covers, Jensen rolled toward her and wrapped his arms around her. There was no way shecould sleep after that conversation, so she watched Jensen sleep, looking up at him from where she lay in his embrace. Was it true? Did he really look at her with love in his eyes? She wouldn’t know. No one had ever looked at her with love in their eyes, at least not as far as she knew. But there was a gentleness in Jensen’s eyes when she caught him gazing at her, and she recognized it. Was that love? Pity? Desire?
She wasn’t sure what it was, but she knew what she hoped it was. When she saw him look at her that way, she finally felt like someone was seeing her. And that was a first.
Shyanna had been shockedwhen she woke. She’d been alone, but in minutes, Jensen had appeared, already dressed and with a beautiful fuzzy bathrobe in his hands. It was a sure bet it was Dora’s. “Come on down and eat,” he’d told her, waiting until she’d gotten up and slipped on the robe. The kitchen had smelled wonderful and the table had been covered with a spread unlike anything she’d ever seen, all prepared by a smiling, cheerful Dora while Roland, Jensen’s father, sat at the table. They’d eaten and made small talk?well,they’dall made small talk. Shyanna really hadn’t known what to say, so she’d just kept silent. Dora had questioned his attire for the day, but he’d looked down at his faded tee shirt and jeans, both knees ripped, and grinned as he said, “Mama, I’m not working. I’m on vacation, remember? If I don’t have to dress up, I’m not going to.”
But as she thought about breakfast, they were on their way to the farm, and her stomach was a nervous mess. She wasn’t sure what Jensen’s plans were, but she knew they included hergetting on a bull. “Do you want me to wait a couple of days?” she asked.
“Nope. Best to get on with it. We don’t have long. You’ll have to get moving if you want to learn anything before we run out of time,” he told her and patted her thigh as he drove. God, she was terrified of those big bulls, and yet she wanted to ride one more than anything in the world.
They pulled up to the barn to find it mostly abandoned. There were a few students working here and there inside, and the clipboard outside the horses’ stalls showed they’d been fed and walked that morning. Her first act was to take Rhubarb out to the little paddock and turn her out so she could move around. Right behind her came Jensen with Cobra, and he followed a few minutes later with Snowman.
The horses were settled in the paddock and seemed happy enough to be there. Shyanna stood, silent and pensive, until Jensen said, “Well, you ready to get on with it?”
She just shrugged. No way would she let him know how terrified she was. “I guess so. Might as well be, huh?”
“No time like the present,” he said as he started away from the railing, but he stopped and reached for her hand. It took her a few seconds before she decided to take his and let him lead her toward the barn.
“How are we going to do this?” she asked, curious about what he had in mind.
“I’m going to look at the list of bulls they’ve got here. Once I’ve looked them over, you’re going to pick a number, just like you would at a regular event. From that, I’ll decide if the bull you chose is one I want to let you ride, in case it’s?”
That statement made Shyanna furious. “What the hell do you mean, one you want toletme ride? I can ride whichever damn bull I?”
“Hold up just one damn minute before you start blasting me! What I’m saying is, there are probably a few bulls here that I wouldn’t consider suitable for somebody just getting started again. You need to ease into this, Shy, not go balls to the wall straight out of the gate and ruin your chances of being able to do this. Good god, girl, you go at everything like gangbusters, don’tcha?” he said with a grin.
“I don’t need to be coddled,” she snarled.
Jensen put his hands on his hips and glared at her. “I’m not coddling you. I would neverdreamof coddling you. You’re not one to be coddled. I get that. What Iamdoing is trying to make you successful instead of setting you back and having to start all over again. Let’s just look at this rationally, shall we? When little kids start out, they put them on the miniature bulls and just lead them around the ring. That’s how they get their start, and there’s no shame in that for them. They’re inexperienced, so it’s okay. Same here. You need to start somewhere, but getting hurt right out of the gate isn’t going to do you any good, so let’s take it slow, okay? I’m not treating you like a girlfriend. I’m talking to you like I would any of my students.” By the time he finished his speech, Shyanna could tell he wasn’t talking down to her?he was genuinely concerned about her safety.
She sighed loudly. Sure, she’d give in, and what he said made perfect sense, but she didn’t have to let him know she agreed with him. “Okay. Fine,” she said, pretending to huff. “Look over the list and let me know when I can pick.”
“Good. Be right back.” She watched his incredible ass as he walked away, those worn, form-hugging jeans showing it off in a spectacular way. Every time she looked at him, a weird, fluttery feeling hit the center of her chest. What the hell was that about?
