Page 24 of Breaking the Cowboy's Rules

But that wasn’t likely. He wasn’t hiring her. And not really dating her. He was a rodeo cowboy, not a CEO or law partner.

“Nico Steel,” she said firmly, snapping her spine straight and distributing her weight equally on her feet.

“It suits,” he said softly after a moment. Then he cupped her cheek lightly, his palm and fingers more of a whisper on her skin. “And, Nico, rule number one. Before you get in my truck, I want you to know that anything that happens from here on out is up to you. How far this goes, how this goes, you’re in charge. You like to lead and so do I, but in the Rodeo Bride Game, I’ll be content to follow.”

He meant it. She’d questioned hundreds of people. She knew the tells of lies, the way the voice and eyes changed with a half-truth or a dodge. He was serious, and a tension she didn’t know she’d been holding rushed out of her.

“You control bulls and broncs for a living,” she said. “I can’t imagine you ceding much control to anyone all that often.”

“I don’t.” The smile he flashed would have been panty-melting if she’d been built that way. But she wasn’t, or at least she didn’t think so. This man, this cowboy was stirring up parts of her she thought didn’t exist, but if she could, she wanted to explore that. Feel something.

“But when I’m with a woman, she ultimately holds the reins physically.”

Reins. Rope. Control. Losing control. What would that even be like?

“Then I’ll need a riding lesson this week,” she said, feeling as cheeky as she did hopeful. “And a roping lesson.” Now that was just daring. Did cowboys rope? She hoped they did.

His eyes flared, and she sucked in a deep breath.

“Damn, girl.” He helped her into the truck. “I’m in trouble deep.”

She liked the idea of that—that she could be a woman who could cause a man personal trouble. She’d caused plenty of professional and legal trouble for men and women, although they had put themselves and their companies in her sights. But she’d never caused a moment of personal trouble or emotional trouble. And while she was certain Bodhi was just flirting, speaking off the cuff, she did want to be that woman. Memorable. And trouble for a man that had nothing to do with money or business.

She felt a smile tug at her lips.

Who could stop her except herself?

“And I plan to cause you more.”

“Bring it. I can take it.”

“Careful what you ask for,” she murmured. She was, after all, committed to the eight rules of improv.

“I’m a bull and bronc rider,” Bodhi said. “Careful is not in my DNA.”

*

This was thebest but strangest date ever. And Bodhi wasn’t really sure it qualified as a date. And yet… His mind raced as he set up the foam bed roll and several blankets in the back of his truck. He also included the giant plush horse that he’d won at the Panhandle Rodeo earlier in the day for Beck to give to Ashni, as a ‘mea culpa I’m stupid’ apology. Nico touched the horse’s goofy-looking face and seemed more amused by the setup than intimidated.

“You never had a night out with a cowboy before?” he teased, fairly certain her answer would be a resounding no even though she was dressed for the part. It was her innate elegance and the way she held herself, as if conscious that people were watching her carefully.

Bodhi had been to Miracle Lake many times during many seasons but always alone.

“This is my first,” Nico admitted looking out over Miracle Lake and then up at the sky. “Thank you for remedying my oversight.”

He helped her into the bed of the truck. She was graceful in her movements. Confident. She sat cross-legged, her back against the truck’s cab, and she tilted her head back.

“Bodhi,” she breathed as he hopped up next to her. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Never.” Her voice was reverent. “I didn’t know… I feel…” He waited, his eyes on her aristocratic profile, her fall of hair in the luminous glow of the night. “In perspective for the first time.”

He wasn’t sure what that meant, and yet he did. The stars always made him feel small but part of something. He poured out the Spanish coffee, added some whipped cream.

“Mmmmmmm,” Nico murmured as she licked at the top of the mound of whipped cream. “I usually don’t indulge, but tonight I can’t say no.”

“No is always an option,” Bodhi said, though he was hoping she wouldn’t. How much he wanted to spend time with her and get to know her threw Bodhi off-balance. Women were easy for him. No effort. Nothing to lose. Only fun. With Nico, he felt like he had to up his game, and even that might not be enough.

He tried to sip around the whipped cream, but some stuck on the corner of his mouth. Before he could wipe it away, Nico leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest,” she murmured. “Pretty much the taste of the gods.”

“And here’s me trying to behave.” He was embarrassed that his body went on full alert from the brush of her lips. “Then you had to tease me with the whipped cream theft,” he mused.

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