Page 90 of The Wildest Ride

“What more, indeed. And you. Do you go out?”

AJ’s grin stretched further. “Of course. I go out all the time.”

“’Cause you don’t have a real job?”

“I had a real job, once. The pay sucked.”

Lil snorted. “And what was that?”

“I was an EMT.”

Her mouth dropped open.

Dryly, he said, “Rather than take offense, I’ll just write that face off as country girl rudeness.”

Lil closed her mouth, but still managed to convey complete shock. “When did you have time for that?”

“Right after high school. Only way my mom would sign off on me going pro instead of going to college.”

“Technically, you didn’t need her permission. You were eighteen.”

He laughed, “My mom’s abadass,though, remember? My going into pro rodeo didn’t fit with the gentleman scholar image she had for me.”

“But that would have never worked for you. Your dad did that.”

Her words slipped through his shields like small fish through a loose net, and he wondered if she saw through him as clearly as he through her.

He nodded. “He did.”

Lil gave a little sigh. “But she’s still a college professor, so what can you expect?”

“Exactly. EMT training was as good a compromise as I was going to get, so I took the deal.”

“She suggested it?”

“She did.” He looked into her eyes and grinned. “Looking back, I’m sure she chose emergency response because she wanted to scare me away from rodeo.”

Lil’s answering grin brought a light to her gray eyes. “Didn’t work.”

“It certainly did not. But it got me through those lean early years as a pro—before the prize money really started flowing in. And it turns out emergency training comes in handy at the rodeo.”

“I can imagine,” she laughed. Gesturing to the pasture around them, she added, “And on the range, too.”

He tipped his hat to her in agreement. “And on the range.” Using her segue as a way to check in, he asked, “How’re you feeling after the fall, by the way?” He was worried about the possibility of concussion.

“Good.”

“Good. You should take it easy after the challenge. A hot bath would be best, but a shower in the RV will have to do.”

“Bossy.”

“I’m a professional.”

“Are you? Don’t you have to keep up some kind of license for that?”

He raised an eyebrow. “And what if I do?”

Once again, she looked shocked. “Do you?”

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