Page 32 of Roping My Rival

Besides, our lives are far too different to make it work. If he knew what I’d done, I doubt he’d still turn those gorgeous brown eyes in my direction.

“Can we walk back now?” Darla, oblivious to my internal angst, stands with a grin. At least she’s always happy.

“Of course.”

Darla chatters on about the birds and squirrels, and I’m half present in the conversation. It’s not until we’re walking back up the entrance of her care facility that I notice the familiar truck out front and the man inside.

I don’t bring Darla’s attention to it. After getting her settled and chatting with her ‘boyfriend’, I sign myself out.

The truck is gone.

And so is Warren.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Warren nods. “It’s fine.”

We’re finally off to our first rodeo, and as much as I wanted to take separate vehicles, it made more sense for us to travel together. We’d been getting along mostly and practicing at the training facility almost daily. The earlier tension seems to have disappeared, and while I wasn’t teasing him like he asked me not to, we were polite enough.

It’s an amazing perk to have an indoor facility like the rodeo school at your fingertips. I don’t think I’d be this prepared for the season without it. It’s also been nice to have other people around, so I’m not tempted to kiss him again. That’s a definite perk I won’t admit out loud.

Not sure how I’m going to stop myself now, though. Travelling together in his fancy truck and being close to him 24/7 might just make me do something stupid. More stupid than usual.

I load Trigger into the trailer next to Warren’s horse and add my saddle and gear to the back of his truck before finally sliding into the passenger seat.

“I told Jesse to keep an eye on your truck while we’re gone. He won’t need the keys, but he’ll keep a watch.”

“Thanks.”

Warren remains silent in the early morning as he drives the truck and trailer out of the rodeo school’s lot, and we start the drive to our first rodeo. I stare out the window and wish I had something to do. If I’m not driving, I’m thinking. When I’m thinking, everything just gets super messy in my head.

“I was thinking we could stop at the truck stop at the highway intersection. Grab food before we keep going. Unless you don’t mind the food trucks when we get there, but I like to stretch halfway.”

Warren blurts all this out. The words run together like he’s afraid that if he stops to take a breath, he might not say it all.

“That’s fine.”

I normally pack a bag of my own food, but that would be hard to explain with Warren, I think. Especially when it’s peanut butter sandwiches for an entire weekend. I budgeted for meals out, but nothing too over the top.

We travel along in silence, the tires humming along with the radio playing in the background.

“So, ah…” He clears his throat, and I close my eyes. Here it comes. “I wasn’t spying on you, but I’m curious why you have your home address as the assisted living home in town?”

I was wondering if he’d bring that up. Kind of hoped he wouldn’t, but this is Warren, after all. He asks questions. A lot of them.

“If you weren’t spying, why were you there?” I turn my head towards him when he remains silent. He’s blushing. Like red as a tomato, and I laugh. “Jesus, Burke, were you hoping to hide under my window and jerk off or something? I’ve never seen a blush that red. You look like a damn apple.”

A delicious apple I wouldn’t mind a bite of.

“No! I’m not a perv or… whatever. I was just…” His throat bobs with a swallow, and I’m super interested in hearing what he has to say. “I was entering your info into the computer for Jesse. We share all the admin work, and I noticed it was your birthday the day before. I thought I’d surprise you and ask if you wanted to get a drink or whatever.”

Good lord, can’t I get a break? He’s too good.

“You didn’t think to call me?”

He shakes his head. Annoyance in his huffed breath. “Never mind. I was trying to be nice, but clearly it was a mistake.”

I let the information sit with me. It warms my insides to the point I’m uncomfortable acknowledging it. Maybe I should let him in a little. We work together, and I know we’ll perform better if trust is there. Warren can give it more freely than I can, but I need the extra money from these wins. Maybe I can allow him a bit. Just to ensure we’re still partners who get along and win.