Page 18 of Breaking the Cowboy's Rules

“Can we do that?”

“This?” Bodhi teased, spinning her out and reeling her back before she realized what had happened. “There’s the smile,” he said softly.

Nico was so shocked, she let go of his hand and touched her mouth. How many times had she been told to smile growing up? Or in school, on a date?

“I’m having fun,” she admitted.

His eyebrows quirked a little, and she smoothed out her features. She didn’t want him to think she was strange. Smiling should not be a noteworthy event.

“And I’m thinking it might be your turn to lead.”

He effortlessly switched positions with her, not missing a beat. He was easy to follow. Confident. Smooth. She found herself wishing that his legs would brush hers each time he stepped forward, but he kept his body slightly angled off-center to hers so that there was no risk of her feet getting trammeled or him bringing her in tight to his pelvis.

She liked that he was just a little taller than her. Men hated it when she looked down on them physically in her heels. So she’d started buying spikier ones to keep men off-balance.

“You’re a good dancer,” she noted.

“My partner has a strong sense of rhythm.”

That shouldn’t have sounded as sexy as it did. The wordrhythmnever made her think of silky sheets, candles, sighs, and skin on skin, but the decisive way his heels hit the battered wood floor with each step and his body, perfectly aligned, glided forward made her feel like this man definitely knew what he was doing. And not just with dancing. A little thrill ran through her. What would that even be like?

The question hung in her mind. Usually, she would shut that curious side of herself down. But not tonight.

“Are you in town for the rodeo?”

“Yes, but also no. My granddad has a ranch north of town. When I’m on a tour break, I almost always come to Marietta to help him out. So do my two cousins.”

Tour. Was he a musician?

“Pro rodeo,” he answered as if he’d read her mind.

How? She was definitely not an open book. A thrill ran through her. Excitement or fear? Danger. She felt physically safe. But she wasn’t sure what he would do next. And then there was the mystery of this ‘game,’ he’d mentioned. She was more than a little curious about what that entailed.

And spending more time with this man?

She didn’t need improv rules to know her answer to that was a full-throated yes.

She was comfortable with the steps now, not thinking about them, and the turns and half turns and returning to be tucked near his side or facing him now felt natural.

If she had her phone, she could google. What events were in the rodeo? Something with ropes. Did women ask him to tie them up? The idea was cliché, but the image was excitingly vivid. Bulls? Horses?

“What are the events you most enjoy?”

“Winning.”

“Me too.”

“And the dancing at the sponsor bar after.”

“You look like you get a lot of practice on and off the floor.”

“Can’t say I don’t indulge a time or two.”

“Exponentially.”

He laughed. “I won’t lie about that.”

“What would you lie about?”

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