Page 65 of Worth the Fall
I squinted past the lights and through the arena to see Jo and Ellie waving erratically. I grinned and waved back.
I would love to! I’ll be there in two shakes of a rabbit’s butt!
I wished I were there to see Ellie laugh at that text. My dad would say that any chance he could, and it always cracked me up.
Colton was sliding his chaps around his belt when I caught up to him.
“Hey!”
He looked up, a big smile on his face. His dimple waspractically begging for a kiss. “How ya doin’? Did you get all your work done?”
I nodded. “I’m all done till the after party.”
“Did you write that part about the company?” He asked, pulling on his sponsor vest.
I nodded again, feeling like a bobble head.
“Man, I loved it! I bet Thompson and Mickey did too; they’re always talking about the glory days when they were in the circuit.”
Again, my first thought was to blow off any of the credit, but Colton’s wise words made me think again. “Thank you,” I said honestly. “My goal was to make them feel like they were still a part of the rodeo world.”
“I think you did just that,” he assured me confidently.
“How are you feeling?”
He was obviously itching to get going. He was shaking his hands over and over, getting prepared to shove them in his thick gloves. “I’m ready,” he said, mostly to himself.
I needed to get out of his hair so he could mentally prepare. “I’ll see you after?”
He nodded. “I’ll be lookin’ forward to it.” He slid on his gloves and tightened them with his teeth, which was so unexpectedly hot.
“Good luck, Colton.”
“Not goin’ to kiss me first?” He asked with a crooked grin.
I loved his in-charge attitude when it came to kissing me. “Oh, of course I am.”
His glove wrapped around my waist, sliding me close.He leaned down, catching the back of my head with his hand. I gripped his shirt with my polished nails and brought his lips into mine. He kissed me rough and tender all at once.
“I think I’m gonna have the best ride of my life, thanks to you, Miss Ford,” he whispered before planting one more soft kiss on my lips.
I rubbed my thumb over his mouth, trying to get my red gloss off. “Oh, my pleasure, Mr. Nash.”
It was torture to leave his touch again, but he needed to get focused on his ride. I waved goodbye and slowly made my way back to the stands.
“Y’all were too sweet to save me a spot!” I shouted in a thick Texan accent as soon as I spotted the Nash family, who took up their own row.
Ellie ran to my side and grabbed my hand. “Ally! Guess what? I’m singing the National Anthem tomorrow!”
“Oh my goodness, I am so excited to hear you sing again!” I slid my accent back deep into my soul and grinned at her.
“Will you come sit by me?”
“I would be honored!”
She dragged me through the sea of legs and plopped my butt beside her. I waved shyly to AnnaJane, who sat on the other side of her. She threw her arm around me, her big black hair falling around me. “Girl, I have been lookin’ all over for you. We need to talk about Colton kissin’ you! Was it so hot?”
She made it way too easy to let my guard down and tell her everything. “Oh…it was so hot.”
