Page 46 of Roping My Rival

Warren juts his chin out, and I notice the tremor in his hand as he turns back to keep eating. We eat in silence for several minutes while I mull over his words.

“I know I’ve been a dick to you, but…” Inhaling, I set my fork aside and take a moment to choose the words. I know what I want to say, but I’m not as brave as Warren. Not even close. “I…” Jesus, my mouth is dry as cotton, and I can’t look at those chocolate-brown eyes, or I might want to kiss him here instead of forcing out the words.

“I’m sorry.” My voice trails to a whisper, and rather than relief over voicing the words, I feel naked and raw. I apologized once already, and he accepted it. Now I’m offering it again, and Warren simply accepts the words I didn’t honour the first time.

“Thank you,” he whispers, and I dare to sneak a glance his way.

Big mistake.

His lips twitch with a small smile, and his hair flops over his forehead in such a way that he looks just like the fresh 20-year-old he was when we first met. When I first beat him.

“So…” He clears his throat and moves to sit back on the couch, so I follow along. “I was thinking it might be easier to do this at the school. I have a whiteboard, and it might help to just sign up and pay immediately. I’ll just expense it.”

“Yeah, sure.” I gesture to our empty bowls and pull out my wallet. “Do you want me to settle the bill, and I’ll meet you there?”

Warren stands and pushes my money back to me. “You don’t have to pay. Diamond meant it when he said he’d feed you.”

“Oh. Um…tell him thank you for me?”

Warren tips his chin with a smile. “Tell him yourself.”

Diamond arrives with an infectious smile, along with another older man who offers me his hand in greeting.

“You must be Dane. Pleasure to meet you. I’m Rhett. Is Warren treating you well?”

Squeezing his hand, I almost laugh at the question. “Nice to meet you. And yes, he is. Thank you so much for the lunch. It was delicious.”

“You’re welcome. Stop by anytime. If you’re roping with Warren, you’re part of the family, and we feed you. Simple as that.”

“Oh, I can’t—”

“Don’t protest, darling.” Diamond cuts in. “Your money isn’t good here. Tell him Warren.”

Warren laughs. “I tried, but he’s stubborn.”

“Oh, so you’re a matched set. Good to know.” Diamond laughs as he scoops up the dishes, and Rhett lingers a little longer, chatting about rodeo and our schedule.

“Listen, Burke, I have a stop to make, and I’ll meet you at the school in an hour, if that’s okay?”

“Oh yeah. See you soon.”

He smiles at me like we’re suddenly best friends, and Rhett nods as I practically run out of the place.

It’s not until I’ve driven to a country road and pulled into the field that I finally let it all out and scream where nobody can hear me.

I can’t let another person I care about get hurt.

Especially Warren.

But he’s making it harder to keep him away every time he does something nice for me. Every time he smiles and those brown eyes flash with something less like hate and more like want, it drags me into his orbit.

But I need the money, and no other options come close to the money we could make as a team. Unbuckling, I slide out of the truck and inhale several long breaths of fresh country air. Leaning against the front of my truck, I stare into the cloudless blue sky.

I’m falling for my rodeo partner, and it’s the worst thing to happen to me.

I wish I could talk to Darla about all of this. She’d say something profound that would make me feel better. At least she would have before I broke her.

The lump in my throat is hard to swallow when I think of that night. It was us against the world until it was just me racing to save my sister’s life. My entire family crumbled because I took my sister on a horseback ride with a horse she was still getting to know.