Texas Two-Step: Cowboy Shuffle (6 page)

This was all making her head hurt. Ellen closed the lid of the computer. She couldn’t deal with any more men tonight. Not the one online and not the one in real life. Maybe tomorrow things would be less confusing. She could only hope.

Ellen heard the text come through to her phone early in the morning. Normally she would have ignored it, but she knew it would be Shooter from the barn. She grabbed for the phone on the nightstand and had to focus her bleary eyes to read it.

Good morning. Bucky’s fine. Eating and pooping like a champ!

She drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was crazy. This man of all men should not be having her leaping for the phone. This man was dangerous. As much as she’d like to make herself believe she was only anxious to see the text from Shooter because it was about her horse, she knew better. He’d opened the can of worms with his hint that he’d like to set his sights on her and then that damn kiss. And now that it was in her mind, it was all she could think about—all night long during a restless night where she’d barely slept. She was exhausted and more confused than ever.

It was still early. She heard Wes moving around out in the apartment. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Ellen padded to the kitchen. “Hey.”

Coffee pot in hand, he glanced over his shoulder. “Holy cow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you up this early. What’s going on?”

“Um, nothing. I…it’s just…well Bucky was colicky yesterday and I was worried about him so Shooter texted me this morning from the barn to let me know everything was okay.”

Wes’s sandy-colored brows rose. “Hmm. He called me yesterday, worried about you going there last night.”

“So he said. And that you weren’t at all concerned.” She crossed her arms.

“Ellen. The owner lives on the property. I think you were safe.” Wes frowned.

He was right, but it was still sweet Shooter was concerned.

“I guess.” She wandered closer and debated between having a cup of coffee or going back to bed. Wes was still standing, watching her. She guessed it was strange she was up this early and he hadn’t quite gotten over the shock yet. Maybe she should take advantage of him in his unarmed state. “Shooter’s been really helpful lately.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Maybe Wes wasn’t as unobservant as she’d assumed, judging by the look he was giving her now.

Time to retreat. “Okay. I’m going back to sleep. Have fun at work.”

She sped from the room as quickly as her bare feet could carry her before he got even more suspicious. This was crazy. Even thinking about Shooter like this was nuts and she’d end up with a broken heart and possibly a venereal disease. Nope, that was it. There was no way no how she could even consider having sex with him. Besides, the moment she did he’d run the other way.

Then again, maybe that was the answer.

Have sex with Shooter.

She sure as hell needed it. It had been way too long. He had to be good at it. He was with enough girls, he sure had the experience. Then he’d leave her alone and stop acting weirdly nice. They could go back to being frenemies and she’d be free to get to know Buddy online better and see if he was as promising as a boyfriend as he first appeared.

It was just insane enough to work. And now that she’d thought of sleeping with Shooter, the adrenaline rushed through her bloodstream until she couldn’t even lay still.

“Shit.” Forget about getting any more sleep today. The moment she heard the front door slam behind Wes, she got up for the second time that morning and headed for the shower. If she was going to seduce a man, even Shooter, she had better shave her legs and other, more pertinent, areas.

Chapter Five

“What’s going on between you and my sister?”

Shooter choked on the sip of water he’d been about to swallow when Wes had sprung that question on him. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “Uh, what? What do you mean?”

Could he have sounded more guilty if he tried? Jeez. Shooter dared to glance up and found Wes staring at him. Beneath him, his horse Mack shifted. He and Wes, along with about a dozen other cowboys and their horses, were waiting at the end of the arena for their turn in the box for the tie-down roping event.

Wes’s horse took a step forward and he reined him back. “I mean you two are being weird around each other lately.”

“Really? Weird? Hmm.” Shooter forced himself to sound innocent and clueless. Meanwhile, the vision of his lips pressed against Ellen’s filled his head.

“Yeah, weird. Like you’re being nice to each other. It’s just plain strange.” Wes stared off as the first calf roper left the box. “Gideon broke the barrier.”

“Yup. That’ll cost him ten.” And good thing too. As distracted as he was today, Shooter would love if every other roper got the ten-second penalty for leaving the box too early after the calf. Then maybe he’d have some chance of finishing in the money. He tracked the action in the arena then turned his attention back to Wes. “And I would think you’d be happy Ellen and I are getting along.”

Wes watched the next roper head out after a calf. “Good run. And I’m not complaining. It’s strange, is all.”

Shooter drew in a deep breath and gathered his nerve. His horse, sensing his agitation, danced a bit beneath him.

“If, and this is a totally hypothetical if, Ellen and I were to, I don’t know, maybe go out or uh, something. You okay with that?” He glanced up again and found such a shocked expression on Wes’s face, he would have laughed if he weren’t so nervous from asking the question in the first place. When Wes didn’t answer for what seemed like forever, Shooter raised a brow. “Uh, Wes?”

His friend swallowed, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. Finally he said, “Uh, yeah. I’d be fine with it.”

“You would? Good. That’s good. Not that it would ever…you know. Just wondering. ’Cause you know Ellen. She would never…” Shooter felt fueled with adrenaline, which was probably why he was babbling like an idiot and Wes was watching him as if he had two heads.

Wes cocked a brow. “Don’t be so sure. About Ellen I mean.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t be so sure she’d say no. I’m up. See ya in a few.” Wes gathered the reins and rode off to compete, which Shooter would have to do himself in a few minutes. When he should be getting his head centered for the run, instead he was absolutely spinning with the possibilities. He and Ellen together and with Wes’s blessing. Now all he needed was Ellen to be on board with the idea. But Wes thought she’d say yes if he asked her out.

Wes made a perfect run and Shooter shook thoughts of Ellen out of his head. There’d be time for that later. Now it was time to rope a calf and win some cash. He tossed the bottle of water he’d held toward the fence and out of the way where he could pick it up and dispose of it later after his run.

Piggin’ string in hand and a spare rope shoved into the back of his belt, Shooter headed for the box.

Amid the other barrel racers, Ellen cantered Bucky in a tight circle to warm him up for the competition to come. The repetition of the exercise they both knew so well worked to calm her mind, which had been racing ever since she’d come up with the insane idea to have sex with Shooter to chase him away so she could get on with her life and get a real boyfriend. Buddy was looking better and better as a potential candidate. They’d exchanged a few more messages over the past couple of days. Nothing huge, just small talk, but he was nice and they shared so many interests in common. In fact, maybe he was here right now, watching her without her even knowing it.

Bucky tripped and Ellen, occupied with thinking hard rather than riding hard, nearly lost her seat. Great. Now the idea that her online mystery man might be here, as well as Shooter, was in her head. She needed to focus and fast, because they had already dragged the dirt inside the arena after the last event and the barrels were being put out for the barrel racing. If her lack of concentration was any indication, romance and rodeo did not mix.

“Ellen!”

She spun her head to see one of the other racers signaling her. “Yeah?”

“You know you’re up second, right?”

Crap. She’d forgotten to look. Ellen pulled up on the reins and headed Bucky to where they needed to be. If only it were as easy to get her concentration there too.

She waited off to the side for the racer before her to speed down the alleyway and pull up to a hard stop.

The announcer’s amplified voice called out the girl’s time and then Ellen’s name. It was time. She clamped her hat down tighter on her head and kicked Bucky into a hard gallop down the alley, into the arena and across the start line. Reins held tightly, she navigated the horse into a wide circle around the first barrel, clearing it easily but costing her time. She’d have to cut closer to the second barrel to make up precious seconds.

Ellen hugged the second barrel so closely, Bucky’s flank knocked into it. Already on the way to the third and final barrel she glanced over her shoulder to see the fifty-five gallon drum they’d hit teeter ominously, then settle in its upright position. They hadn’t knocked it down, so she wouldn’t be penalized five seconds, but she didn’t have a second to spare to be grateful for that as she circled the last barrel in the cloverleaf-patterned ride.

Feet bouncing wide in the stirrups and reins gripped in one hand, she slapped Bucky into top speed with her free arm and made a direct path for the alley leading out of the arena. Her hat flew off as she crossed the finish line where the official recorded her final time.

“Ellen Griffin comes in with a clean run at twelve point five seconds.”

She breathed out a long slow breath. She was done. It was a good enough score and a clean run. Now all she had to do was cool Bucky down, find her hat and wait to see if she’d placed in the top times for the night.

“Good run.” The deep, familiar voice had her glancing down to see a smiling Shooter, her hat in his hand. He knocked the arena dirt off it then held it up to her. His eyes twinkled beneath the brim of his hat as he tilted his head up to smile at her.

Damn. There he was being nice again. Strangely nice.

“Thanks. You too.” She reached down from the saddle and took her hat from him.

He shrugged. “Yeah, it was all right. I didn’t win, though.”

She laughed. “Not first, but you placed.”

“Yeah, but I like to win.” His eyes bored into her, as if they were talking about more than calf roping.

Ellen may not be the best when it came to men, but she knew one thing—Shooter was interested. She knew something else. He certainly did like to win, and he’d set his sights on winning her. Then once he had her, he’d move on the next challenge.

That was fine. Her mind was made up. She needed to get things back to normal both in her life and between her and Shooter. Then maybe he’d go back to acting like her brother’s best friend and a pain in her ass, and she could get to finding that boyfriend.

“What are you doing after?” Ellen’s heart began to pound. So many emotions crashed through her. Doubt, because this was probably a really bad idea. Anticipation, because God she really missed having sex. Insecurity, because what if he didn’t want her?

“That depends. What do you want to do after?” His grin reached all the way up to his eyes, creasing them in the corners.

She glanced around them. No one was near enough to hear. She leaned low in the saddle toward him. “I want to go back to your place.”

His smile disappeared as his expression turned serious. “Go cool him down so we can get the horses loaded.” Then he spun on his heel and made a beeline toward the horse trailer in the participants’ parking area.

That had been easy. Now if only the rest of the night went so smoothly.

She tried to ignore the tremble in her hand holding the reins as she clucked to Bucky. “Walk on.”

Chapter Six

Shooter slid the bolt shut, securing Bucky for the night. His horse was already put away. Wes’s horse was as well.

Wes popped around the corner. “The trailer’s unhitched.”

Already? Shooter must have taken longer brushing his horse, and then helping Ellen with hers, than he’d thought. “Okay. Thanks.”

Since Wes had already dealt with the three-horse trailer they all used for traveling to competitions together and it was stowed off behind the hay shed where the owner of the barn let them store it, there was nothing left here to do.

“Maryann’s hungry. We’re gonna head over to get some barbecue. You coming?” Wes waited for an answer.

Shooter glanced quickly at Ellen, and then back to Wes. “Um. Nah. I got some stuff to do at home.”

“El? You coming?” Wes focused on his sister.

“Me?” She got a deer-in-headlights expression of panic on her face. “Uh, no. I’m not hungry. I’ll see you home later.”

From his position next to her, Shooter could see her cheeks turn pink.

“All right. You two have fun.”

Shooter glanced up in time to see Wes’s smirk.

Shit. They weren’t fooling anyone. Wes knew damn well Shooter never turned down barbecue. And Ellen wasn’t the kind to blush, especially not over an invite to eat with her own brother and her best friend. They might as well have taken the microphone at the rodeo and announced they were sneaking back to his place together to be alone. How the hell she’d come to this decision, he didn’t know. Not that he wasn’t happy, just confused. Must have been that kiss. Little did he know his lips held such power.

Now, if only he’d stop shaking. There was nothing left to do but go home…with Ellen. He glanced up and found her silently watching him. He tried to think of something clever to say. Before he had a chance to deliver his line of choice, clever or not, Ellen took one step forward, then another.

He swallowed. It suddenly felt hard to breathe. When she rose up on tiptoe and closed the distance between them, he stopped breathing altogether. Then her lips touched his. Gently at first, until Shooter dragged in a huge, ragged breath and tangled his hand in her hair, pulling her in for a harder kiss.

Kissing her felt good. Felt right. He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her close until she was pressed tightly against him. That felt even better. Tilting his head, he deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue between her lips.