Page 33 of Come Home to the Cowboys

“Why does he do this?” she asked.

“Well, if you haven’t noticed by now, Colby is a danger junkie. Hell, he’d ride a tornado if he thought he could live to tell the tale. I think because of his past, he now seeks out danger just to show he can conquer the situation.”

As they released the gate, she turned and glanced at him.

“Here he goes,” Preston said.

For a moment, they stared in silence as Colby rode the bucking horse bouncing all over the arena, but he held on until his eight seconds were up and he managed to jump off the animal.

The horse snorted and then trotted out of the arena.

Colby walked rather stiff-legged to the gate.

“Colby King is in the lead with eight seconds,” Preston’s father called.

A few minutes later, Colby reappeared in his dress clothes and sank down gently on the bench beside them.

“You did good,” Preston said.

“Scared the crap out of me,” Kalie replied. “What do you like about this?”

He grinned at her. “For me, it’s all about taming the animal. Showing them who’s in control. Just like what I do with you.”

A blush spread across her face and Preston laughed.

“But, I will admit, it’s just not as much fun anymore,” Colby said.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. The thrill of taming the animal is just not there,” he said. He glanced at Kalie. “There are other things I’d rather tame. Nothing like a woman’s soft flesh beneath my hand.”

Preston grinned.

“What if we skipped the dancing and went home,” Colby said. “I’m not much of a dancer and there’s a beautiful woman who’s not wearing any underwear and I can’t wait to take advantage of her nakedness. If not, I’m going to take her right there in the truck.”

Kalie’s eyes widened and her breathing quickened. “Are you ready, Preston?”

“Yes, we were here for the wedding and the barbecue and the rodeo. I’m ready to take you home and fuck you senseless,” he said, rising.

A grin spread across her face. “Let’s go.”

Standing, they hurried down the steps of the bleachers and across the yard.

“Kalie Parker?”

A voice called and she turned. Preston’s mother darted across the yard to them.

“I know these guys are eager to take you home, but there’s someone I’d like you to meet,” she said, taking her by the arm. His mom led her across the yard to an older woman who sat in a chair with a walker nearby.

She led her up to the elderly lady with gray hair and black beady eyes. “Granny Jones, this is Lillian and Will’s granddaughter. Seth’s daughter.”

The older woman reached out and pulled her close. She smiled at her.

“You look like your grandmother. God rest her soul. Your father never returned to Blessing and it hurt your grandmother something fierce.”

Sitting under a tree, the older woman gazed at her with curiosity.

“No, ma’am, I didn’t even know I had grandparents until the lawyer contacted me.”

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