“Now look here, little bit, I got rid—”
“Don’t!” The crimson shade of her face went deathly pale. Tears glistened in her dark eyes, and she squeezed them shut. “Don’t ever call me that.”
Reaching in, he cradled her cheek in his hand. “Aw, hon, I didn’t mean to—”
“Leave me alone,” she whispered. “Please.” When her lids fluttered open, she turned her head, slipping away from him, and she reached for the ignition. Gunning the motor, she slammed the truck into gear, spewing dirt behind her tires and nearly taking his head and hand with her.
Chace stood staring after her. What the hell had he done? Was his touch so repulsive to her? No, it hadn’t been that. He’d felt her lean into his palm, felt her tremble in his hand. Then dammit, why would she shake him off like water on a wet dog?
He made his way to his own truck and trailer, cursing himself for caring when she obviously wasn’t interested. He’d forget about her by the time he got to Phoenix.
But once on the road, he found it harder than he’d thought to rid himself of her reaction to his touch and his body’s response. Five hundred miles later, with Ray jabbering away the entire trip, Chace wished he’d asked her where she’d be riding next. He had a few questions, when and if he caught up with her. And he’d damn well get some answers.
Ellie pulled her rig in behind the arena near Phoenix just after noon on Friday. She’d made good time, but a week on the road, even though she hadn’t rushed, left her exhausted. Sometimes it was more tiring than the competing.
Each weekend she competed somewhere, earning or not earning enough to place among the top fifteen money winners by the end of the season. Only those placing qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, held the first week of each December. As soon as she finished in Phoenix, she’d head for Austin to do the same thing again. And again, until she hopefully made it to Finals. There would be a month break before that first week in December, but she wasn’t looking forward to it. This time she couldn’t avoid going home.
Home. Ellie sighed and climbed out of her pickup to check on Sky Dancer, thinking of that long month in Oklahoma looming ahead. The thought brought back the old panic and guilt. But she didn’t have a choice. She loved her two brothers and wanted to see them both happy. And safe. Alive and not old before their time. It would take getting them off the ranch to do that. And that meant selling the place, no matter what they thought they wanted. She knew best. Now that she had a prospective buyer, she only had to convince Matt and Brett to sign the papers.
After securing her camper with the new lock she’d had installed, she took Sky Dancer out of the trailer. Her boots kicked up dust in the dry grass as she worked. Rain had been scarce in the area, but from previous experience she knew the arena was well tended. She could concentrate on her riding.
She saddled and bridled Sky Dancer to give him some exercise and herself a welcome break from being behind the wheel. Seeing Reba and Nate’s truck and trailer pull into the lot, she reminded herself to stop on the way back to say howdy. Rodeoers were like a close-knit family. But after spending over half her life competing, she wanted a change—new faces, new experiences. That was for the future. All she wanted for the moment was to relax and ease the knots from her shoulders. Her ride tonight wouldn’t be worth spit if she couldn’t loosen up.
When she’d put enough distance between herself and the parking area, she urged Sky Dancer into a gallop. It should have done the trick, but she couldn’t get a particular cowboy out of her mind. The touch of his hand on her cheek had brought a comfort she’d almost forgotten existed, until she’d realized how weak and vulnerable it made her. She couldn’t allow it. She’d been on her own since raising her brothers— a job she’d finished without help from anyone. She couldn’t start needing someone now, not when she was so close.
By the time she returned to the campgrounds, it was well past two. Hoping to catch Reba, she guided Sky Dancer to the Tuckers’ trailer.
Before she could dismount, Reba appeared in the doorway. “You made good time.”
“How was Laura?”
“Busy.” Reba wiped her hands on her jeans and frowned. “Timmy and little Sally were stayin’ with friends, and the new baby was colicky. Wouldn’t even let me hold him.”
Ellie felt her friend’s disappointment. “Next time he’ll be better.”
With a hopeful smile Reba dug into her pockets and sighed when her hands came up empty. “I’m out of ice, and I always have a glass of cold tea ready for Nate ’fore he heads out for the evenin’. Would you mind gettin’ me a bag at the concession stand?”
“Not at all,” Ellie replied.
“Let me fetch some money.” Reba ducked back inside.
While Ellie waited, the area filled with a variety of vehicles, and she waved to the people she recognized. When a hand rested on her thigh, she nearly bolted from her saddle, spooking Sky Dancer and forcing her to concentrate on calming him.
“Get the door fixed?” a deep, familiar voice asked.
Her heartbeat accelerated as she turned to look down at Chace Branningan. “Are you following me?”
His grin was enough to melt the polar ice cap. “Nope. Didn’t know we were destined to run into each other so soon.”
“Disappointed?” she asked, and watched an assortment of emotions cross his face.
Pure devilment won out to dance in his eyes. “Miss me?”
Ellie wasn’t about to admit she’d thought of little else other than him and the sale of the ranch over the six days she’d spent on the road. “I completely forgot we met.”
The light in his eyes flashed, and he shot her a devilish grin. “Yeah. I know the feeling.”
“A ten-pound bag shouldn’t be more than—” Reba’s voice halted, and Ellie turned in the saddle to look at her. Her gray-eyed gaze drifted to Chace and back again to Ellie, and her mouth turned up in a Cheshire Cat smile. “I’ll get the ice.”
“No,” Ellie said in a rush and turned to scowl at Chace. “Mr. Brannigan was just leaving.” Having Reba see them together, no matter how innocent, was a bad idea. No telling what the woman might get in her head.
“Haven’t seen you for a while, Chace,” Reba said, her grin widening. “I didn’t know you two knew each other.
He looked at Ellie and offered another knee-weakening grin before turning back to Reba. “I had the pleasure of meeting her last week in Cedar Rapids.”
“Really? In that case, why don’t I fix us all lunch tomorrow and you can get better acquainted. Say at noon?”
With a grin, he touched the brim of his hat. “That sounds mighty fine.”
Ellie shot her friend a murderous look. He was the last person she wanted to spend time with. “I’ll be there if I can make it,” she hedged. “Keep your money, Reba. I’ll get the ice.”
Without a glance at Chace, she nudged her horse toward the concession stand. Behind her, she could hear his soft chuckle, and she tightened her grip on the reins. Her day had taken a turn for the worst when he’d shown up. She hadn’t expected to see him again, and with the season nearly over, the thought had both cheered and disappointed her. That alone was enough to worry her.
Her wait in line at the concession stand was blessedly short, and she added two candy bars, knowing Reba’s penchant for chocolate.
Balancing the bag of ice on the saddle horn in front of her with one hand and holding the reins in the other, she wove her way through the gathering groups toward the Tuckers’ trailer. She called a greeting over her shoulder to one of the other barrel racers, wishing her luck, and turned back when Sky Dancer came to a sudden halt.
Chace