Page 22 of Knot my First Rodeo

She tries again.

Still bad, but better.

“Keep your wrist loose,” I say. “You’re fighting it.”

“I’m not fighting it.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

She glares at me, then tries again. This time, the loop holds for a second before dropping.

“There,” I say. “Better.”

She looks at me like she doesn’t believe me.

“That was still bad.”

“Yeah, but less bad.”

She rolls her eyes, but I catch the small shift in her shoulders. We go like that for a while. Her trying, me correcting, her snapping back but still listening. Each time, she gets a little better. Each time, she stays a little closer, and that feeling from earlier?

Still there, but stronger now.

Something’s off.

I glance at Clint again. He’s watching, too, expression unreadable. Briggs is pretending not to, but I know he sees it. Autumn wipes her hands on her leggings, breathing a little heavier now.

“Why am I hot?” she mutters.

“It’s work,” I say automatically.

“It wasn’t this hot earlier.”

I shrug. “Sun’s higher.”

She nods like that makes sense, but she doesn’t look convinced.

Her scent shifts again. I can almost catch it, something warmer and sweet.

I frown slightly. “You sure you’re good?” I ask.

She looks at me like I just offended her. “I said I’m fine.”

I hold her gaze for a second longer, then nod. “Alright.”

But I don’t buy it, and judging by the way Clint’s watching her now?

Neither does he.

Chapter

Ten

Autumn