Cowgirl Up (24 page)

His
eyes lifted to meet her gaze. A lopsided grin followed. “What?”

She
smiled softly. “Just enjoying the view is all.”

He
arched an eyebrow, an ability she found both amusing and endearing. “You don’t
know what you do to me when you say things like that.” The sultry quality to
his voice only whetted her desire all the more.

She
chewed her lip, then jumped into the game feet first. “Why don’t I want to know
that?”

His
blue eyes darkened with sensual heat. “Because I don’t trust those cots to
handle the workload.”

“Oh.”
Her eyes widened at his response.

He stepped
around Legacy and trailed his fingers along her jaw. “Don’t worry. I’m not
callous or tacky enough to take you at a rodeo. Kisses are one thing. Sex is
another.” Leaning in, he brushed his lips over hers, a brief caress before
delving deep when she opened.

Trinity
held her brush in one hand, resting the other on Cody’s shoulder as she
accepted his exploration, played a bit of tag with his tongue, then returned
the favor by following his example in order to get a taste of him. Apple pie.
The sweetness with a hint of cinnamon both rewarded her and compelled her for
more. She leaned into his body, enjoying the strength and motion of his chest
as her breasts rubbed the area in her effort to get close. Really close.

Cody
wrapped an arm around her middle and pressed one of his legs between hers,
allowing the top of his thigh to press against her cleft. The heady sensation
zinged through her bloodstream, stole her breath, and sparked a raging fire.

He
lifted his head and stared down at her, his face taut, jaw clenched, and eyes
flashing. Arousal radiated off him in a major way.

She
found herself enthralled with the expression, the knowledge that her kiss could
ramp up his need to such a point. “Wow.”

“Damn,
Trin.” He stepped back, removing his leg, and taking with him the delicious
pleasure of his intimate caress combined with one hell of a kiss.

She
sighed in disappointment.

He
grinned at her. “You’re a temptation all right.”

“Is
that good or bad?”

“Good.
Very good.” He glanced to the stall door and her small makeshift living room.
“Except when we’re bedding down on cots, in an open barn, where anyone could
wander up at any given moment.”

“There’s
that.” She shivered.

“Cold?”

Trinity
shook her head. The seasonal temperatures for late autumn didn’t faze her in
the least. Not when her heated body hungered for more. “No. Just…” She grappled
for an explanation. Nothing came to mind.

Cody’s
grin widened. “Ah. I see.”

She
blinked at him. Obliviously his experience far outweighed hers. No surprise
there considering his playboy past.

Legacy
rattled his feed bucket, snorted, then shifted around to bump into Cody. He
hardly budged. “I think he’s done and it’s our bedtime. Tomorrow will be
another long day.”

“That’s
a given.” She blew out a breath. The three or even four-day rodeos appeared
endless before. Ten days at the finals made them seem more like a rapidly
passing weekend.

“Two
more days.”

“And
it’s going to come down to the wire for the win.” Lacey had fallen back a few
places, but Shannon and Trinity both battled to hold the top spot. Whomever
claimed it, would become the champion. So close yet still so far away. Whatever
happened, happened.

Trinity
frowned. She’d focused so long and hard to make it to this moment, now the near
obsession had gradually slid away, being replaced by a sense of accomplishment
and a realization that perhaps life offered more than just one barrel race
after another. In the form of Cody.

“What
is it?” Cody’s voice carried concern.

She
peered up at him. “Just an odd thought, I guess.”

“What
about?”

She
read the curiosity in his face, smiled, and kissed his lips. “That win or lose
the finals, I’ve already won.”

“How
are you doing?”

Trinity
spun around to see Cody striding toward her, wearing his typical outfit of
jeans, dusty cowboy boots, and a white western shirt unbuttoned at the top to
allow for comfort. His dark hair appeared freshly combed while his blue eyes
raked her body up and down before flashing with a curious mix of want and
concern.

Her
heart skipped a beat as her stomach performed a slow somersault. While she
might not have a lot of experience with men, she easily read his expression. He
wanted to protect her, possess her, wrap her up in his arms and kiss her until
the cows came home.

By damn
if she didn’t want to let him.

“I’m
fine.” She smiled warmly and stepped into his widespread arms for a hug. “I
should be asking how you’re doing. Sleeping on a cot isn’t the Ritz after all.”
Stepping back, she peered up at him, enjoying the moment of amusement, which
relaxed his features and turned his lips up at the corner.

“You’ll
have to do worse than banish me to a cot in order to chase me off.”

Warmth
flowed over her. “Well, you can always sleep with Legacy…”

His
grin widened. “Trying to do me in?”

“Nah.”

“Uh-huh.”
He shook his head, his focus flicking to Legacy who stood in the back of his
stall half dozing in the early evening chill of fall. “While he might halfway
tolerate me when you’re around, I don’t doubt if I tried to snuggle with him at
night, he’d decide I resembled a rattler and stomp the shit out of me.”

“I
suppose there is that possibility.” She tilted her head and blew out a breath.
Last night had been precious and wonderful. Too good. Now, she didn’t know
whether to go with the flow or brace herself for disappointment. Cody had been
her hero in more ways than one, but with only one more race to go, they would
part ways. Maybe forever.

No!

Her
mind protested the difficult reality. Her heart echoed the sentiment. For the
first time, she wanted to lose herself in the arms of a man, to forget the
trials and tribulations, to simply enjoy. Not just any man, though. Only Cody
would do.

Yet,
she couldn’t bring herself to follow him back to his RV for a night of decadent
bliss. One-night stands would never be her thing. Nor would dropping her pants
in the barn and climbing aboard Cody for a quickie. While those ideas might
work for other girls, she wanted more. So much more.

The
question became what did Cody want?

“You’re
looking serious all of a sudden.” He traced his knuckles over her cheek. “What
are you thinking?”

Oh, nothing. Just wondering if
you might take me home with you soon and decide to keep me for a while.

She
mentally shoved the thought aside and focused on the present by leaning into
his gentle touch. “Just a bit antsy, I guess. The title is in no way cinched up
for me. Heck, knocking over a single barrel could spell the end of my chances
to take the average. As it is, I have to place in the top two or three to even
have a chance.”

Cody
lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t play poker, Trin. You’d lose big time.”

She
grinned impishly. “What kind of poker are you suggesting?” Flirting had never
been her strong suit, yet with Cody, she couldn’t seem to resist. Teasing words
simply slipped out before she could check them.

His
eyes sparked. Leaning in, he brushed his lips over hers. A brief caress so
quick and light, she wasn’t quite sure their bodies actually touched. “That
would be telling, honey. But, I’ll say this. Anytime you want to take up the
game, give me a call. I’m all in.”

Hope
flared. “I just might take you up on that offer.”

A slow,
sexy grin gradually covered his face, making him all the more handsome and
appealing to her. She might have had a crush on him as a fourteen-year-old, but
those feelings paled considerably in comparison to right now. He pinned her
gaze, then lazily lowered his head, found her lips, and plied them with expert
precision.

She
returned the affection with enthusiasm, careful to keep the caress light as
passion leaped to the fore.

The
ringing of a phone broke them apart.

Cody
grumbled, jerked the phone out of its holder on his belt, and answered. “Yeah?
Okay. Be right there.” He punched a button and returned the item. “I’ve got to
go.”

She
nodded. Considering the large number of high priced animals hanging out in Las
Vegas for the big event, the vet staff was sure to keep busy. “No rest for the
wicked.”

He
winked and chuckled. “Oh, honey, you have no idea.”

She had
no words in return.

He
chuckled and pressed a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. “I’ll be back when I
get a break. If not before your run tonight, then after.”

“Okay.”
She couldn’t wait.

With one
more glance, he turned around, long strides carrying him down the aisle and out
of the barn.

Trinity
blew out a breath, watching him until he disappeared from sight. Always before
she couldn’t wait to saddle up and run for a few seconds of fame. Tonight, she
eagerly anticipated afterward, when Cody returned.

The
last few of nights he’d stayed with her, making her feel special, protected,
and cared for. Addictive, definitely. They’d moved their cots together, giving
them a semblance of cuddling through the night, with a couple of hard, metal
bars maintaining a few inches of distance between them. She’d tried to nudge
closer, but the ungiving edge dug into her side each and every time. They’d
made due with his long arms crossing the distance to drape over her body. Not
quite what they had at her apartment, but far better than sleeping across the
aisle from one another. She still fell asleep in his arms, felt his breath on
her neck, and soaked up his body heat, which helped keep the night chill at
bay.

Sleeping
with him like this only lent more ammunition to her daydreams—to wake up, open
her eyes and see the love shining in his along with a bright smile of
satisfaction first thing in the early morning.

“How’s
our boy tonight?”

The
familiar woman’s voice drew Trinity from her daydream. “Madeleine! I didn’t
know you were coming.”

The
silver-haired woman chuckled. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“I hope
I don’t let you down.” Trinity hugged the woman who made all this
possible.

“You
won’t.” Madeleine stepped back and held Trinity at arm’s length. “You get
prettier every time I see you.”

Trinity
blushed. She never knew how to handle such compliments.

“I can
still see you standing there with your mother demanding a breeding to Victory.
Smart. Strong. And a young lady who knew what she wanted.”

Trinity
tilted her head. To this day, she never knew the reason Madeleine gave in to
her outlandish request. “You never told me why you agreed to the breeding.”

A proud
smile cropped up on Madeleine’s face. “Because I saw some part of me inside
you, dear. I, too, was raised pretty poor. Had to work my way through life
until I married Richard. By then, I knew how to fight and struggle, how to plan
and dream.” She brushed her hand over Trinity’s cheek before dropping her
hands. “I saw determination and a young lady with guts, morals, and fortitude.”
She drew in a breath. “If I ever had a daughter, I’d like to think she would
have turned out just like you.”

The
words touched Trinity’s heart. Madeleine had proven to be as caring as she was
tough. Too bad she hadn’t been granted children. She would have made a great
mother. Just like Trinity’s own had been.

Madeleine
twisted around and stepped up to the stall door. “And there’s our baby.”

Legacy
saw her and walked over, immediately snuffing her hand in search of a treat.

She
laughed, dug a peppermint from her pocket and let him take the candy. “It
shocks me each time I see him how much he resembles his father.”

“The spitting
image,” Trinity answered, seeing little in the big stallion that she could
attribute to Star, including his crankiness.

Madeleine
spared her a glance, then turned back to the animal. “You were right you know.
There’s something very special about this guy.”

Trinity
smiled. “Don’t let him hear you say that. His ego’s big enough already.”

They
shared a laugh.

“Gonna
spill the beans about the guy chatting you up? He’s a prime specimen if I ever
saw one.”

Heat
blasted across Trinity’s face. “That’s Cody. He’s one of the rodeo vets
contracted for the circuit. His father’s a stock contractor too.”

“That
tells me little to nothing, girl. He’s handsome as sin and his eyes hardly left
you.
That
says something. He must be
the one you mentioned back at the farm.”

“Yeah.
That’s him.”

“I see
you’re giving him a chance. So, how’s that panning out?”

“We’re…taking
one step at a time.”

Madeleine
appraised her, then nodded.

“Think
my outfit is too flashy?” Trinity glanced down at her black shirt and jeans.
Nothing fancy in the least.

“Quit
circling the bush already. He’s smitten, that’s a fact. So, why haven’t you
jumped on his bandwagon and gone for a ride?” Madeleine pinned her with her
gaze.

Trinity
sighed. “Because there’s nothing to jump on. He’s friendly, checks on me now
and again at the competitions. That’s about it.”

“Uh-huh.”
Madeleine tapped her lips. “A guy like that is worth taking a chance on.”

She’s not telling me anything I
don’t know already.
Still, Cody remained out of her league, just like when they were kids, and she
knew it. “I’m not about to fall for a quick smile and even quicker…you know.
Consequences happen and they change your life forever for the worse.”

For the
longest time, Madeleine stood there quietly before finally patting Trinity on
the forearm. “First of all, that man’s looking for more than a good time
otherwise he’d have given up weeks ago. Secondly, he’s a man with promise. So,
don’t throw away the chance until you know what you’ve got.” Her lips softened
into a smile as she gazed off in remembrance. “He looks at you like Richard used to look at me. Like the sun rose and
set with a wave of my hand and he counted the minutes until he could drag me
off for some fine loving.”

She
sighed wistfully, then started again, her eyes meeting Trinity’s. “Lora never
once regretted having you. Sure, the situation wasn’t ideal, but when is it?
Trust me, she thanked the good Lord every day that you were in her life. Never
doubt her love, her support, or her happiness to make you the center of her world.”

Trinity
looked away, busily blinking back tears. She knew and understood what Madeleine
said, but that didn’t remove the guilt from her shoulders. “Because of me, Mom
gave up on her dream.” The admission eked out.

Madeleine
shook her head. “No, sweetheart. She didn’t give up. Her dream simply changed.
You think she couldn’t have continued riding, claimed the finals title after
having you?” She waved her hand. “Lora could have done that just as easily with
you as before you came along. But, the fact is, she didn’t want the road life
for you. She wanted more.”

The
soothing ointment of Madeleine’s disclosure left a warm, healing sensation on
Trinity’s broken heart. She wiped at a single tear, then searched her friend’s
face for the truth. Finding exactly what she sought, Trinity blew out a breath.
“She never told me.”

Madeleine
wrapped her in a hug. “She might not have said the words, honey, but she showed
it with her actions every day.”

“Thank
you.” Trinity hugged her tight in return, almost as good as getting to embrace
her mother one more time. Peace hovered, giving Trinity a glimpse of what would
come. With a little more time.

Madeleine
released her. “Well, I better get to my seats before the barrel racing event
gets close to starting. I don’t want to miss a single run.”

“Thanks
for coming, Madeleine.”

“Anytime,
honey. Just climb on our boy and have the ride of a lifetime.” Madeleine waved
and strode off.

Almost
immediately Trinity missed her, the only person she truly counted as family
since her mother passed.

Her
mother. Oh, how she missed her. Especially now that Trinity finally sat on the
verge of fulfilling a long time dream.

If only things had been
different.

She
wanted to kick herself for using the dumb statement once more, a carryover from
hearing her mother utter the same words one too many times. ‘If only’ never
provided a stable family life, happiness, or money. And, just like her sperm
donor of a father, fell damn short in the scheme of things.

Buck
had made an appearance at the funeral, surprisingly enough, but left before
saying a single word to Trinity. The story of their relationship. Better from
afar. He’d all but shoved fatherhood away like a dreaded disease and hadn’t the
gumption to do more than stare at her now and again when they happened to
attend the same event. He’d retired years ago, but worked for the rodeo
association as a bull-riding judge. A role designed for him. Unlike parenthood,
at least with her. She couldn’t speak for his new family.