Page 30 of One Last Rodeo

“Well,” he says, leaning forward, “I think you picked the right thing. Not that you need me to tell you that.”

I smile, glance out over the backyard again. The soft hum of laughter floating through the smoky, mountain-cooled air is relaxing. I'm glad I didn't go back to the hotel room to perform surgery in my head. Everything about this place feels different from California. It's looser, quieter, slower. I like the way it forces me to breathe. Maybe it’s the conversation with Jensen that’s making me more relaxed, too. Oh, that’s probably the whiskey.

“So, no riding for four days then,” I say.

He lifts his arm slightly, showing off the sling one of my trainers put him in after his MRI. “Yeah.”?

“You don’t seem that bummed about it anymore?”

He shrugs. “I know it’s the right thing to do. I want to stay in this long term.”

Of course he does. Because he has zero intention of slowing down, even when his body and every medical recommendation scream otherwise.

I finish the rest of my drink faster than I should, and Jensen must notice something shift in my posture like I'm trying to run away because he quickly blurts out: "Tell me five things about you that no one else would know.”

I look at him. “Why do you think I have five secrets?”

He chuckles. “I think you have many more secrets than that. But I want to know five, Doc. Hit me with them, and they better be good.”

I raise a brow. “Why?”

His voice dips. He leans forward, his knee bumping mine a little. I don’t pull away from the contact this time.

“So that I know more than any other man does about you.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”It’s not.God help me, it’s absolutely not stupid at all. His words land somewhere low and warm, brushing against the part of me that craves validation and acknowledgement. The part that still struggles to believe I could hold a man's attention this completely.

I immediately blame the whiskey. All of it. I never should've ordered the first glass, let alone considered a second. Otherwise, I'd shove his stupidly handsome face away and tell him his ridiculous lines aren't going to work on me.

The problem is, I'm not entirely convinced that's true anymore because I think they’re working. I think they’re working well.

I try to think, to come up with five things that feel safe but are still true. This is what normal people do on dates. I need the practice. That’s all this is. Practice.It’s not even a date!I’m just having a single drink with one of my athletes in a city neither of us are tied to.

“Okay,” I say letting out a deep breath. “Here we go.”

He leans in closer.

“I think people who eat pizza crust first are serial killers, and if I find out that a patient does it before or after surgery, I make sure they know it’s bad for their heart health even though it’s a lie."

He bursts out a laugh. "Damn."

I continue with my list. "My favorite color is red. I’ve always wanted to go to a hockey game but never had anyone to go with and would feel weird sitting in the crowd alone. If I could go back in time, I would have chosen to work with the San Diego Suns professional hockey team, and not the Breakers. I wear an eye mask every single night or I can’t sleep. Staying in California as long as I did is one of the biggest regrets of my life. Staying with my ex is a close second.”

He's motionless, watching my face and waiting for me to finish. When he’s sure I’ve given him five, he sits back in his seat. “That was good.”

“You asked for five things.”

“I didn’t expect you to deliver.”

“Well?” I ask, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious. My whole-body itches with nerves. Am I breaking out in hives? I can't remember the last time I’ve ever been this vulnerable. It’s not a good feeling.

“Well, what?”

“Aren’t you going to make fun of me?”

His eyebrows pull together. “When have I ever done that? I think a lot of things about you, but none of those would ever result in making fun of you.”

Heat crawls up my neck, simmering under my skin as he keeps smiling at me. He’s so… big. And warm. And solid. And all I can think of are large adjectives because I’m not used to being looked at like I’m interesting. He’s emotionally stable in a way that’s unsettling, because how can he be this self-aware and kind, yet choose to do a reckless job without care for his physical safety? It doesn’t make sense.