Page 63 of Buckin' Around

Shock contorts her face.

“Your choice, Riley.”

Chapter 16

Riley

Spencer eliminates the space between us as his hands slide over my jawline, thumbs caressing my cheeks.

“You can either tell me what the hell has you so wound up, or you can kiss me.”

What the actual fecking hell?

But the heat that bursts to life in my core, the lightning sliding through my veins, contradicts my initial reaction.

His head dips further, lips almost brushing mine.

“Your choice, Riley.”

My heart hammers in my chest.

What I want and what I need have never been such polar opposites.

I want the cowboy in front of me.

I want to kiss him.

Steal the hat from his head and slide it onto mine while I grind on his lap, watching those blue eyes of his darken with every move I make.

Then my thoughts drag back to the man before me being flung around atop of a raging animal that outweighs him ten to one.

The danger and the risk he willingly takes. Even knowing he is Ivy’s only parent, he still does this.

How could he even consider it, now that he’s a father?

I knew what he did on his weekends but seeing it firsthand is a stark awakening. My stomach rolled, breath hitching with every move the bull took that tossed him from end to end.

All I can do is reel over the possibility of him getting hurt—or worse. The possibility of Ivy being left alone in this world. I lived that harsh reality as a girl. If there is a chance that it could happen to Ivy, I can’t be part of this...

Someone has to be grounded. I need to stay grounded for Ivy. For my own sake and peace of mind.

I can’t attend another one of these events, and I’m going to have that conversation with the man standing so, so close.

The look on his face when he climbed that railing. The way he looked for us—no, not us... for his daughter. My throat swells with emotion.

I need to keep this professional.

I need this job.

And I need to complete my MBA and go home to my family.

To Chlo.

“Neither,” I breathe. “Take your hands off me.”

Something like confusion and hurt flickers through his eyes.

My gut churns. I may as well have kicked a basket of puppies.