Give Me A Cowboy. Jodi Thomas

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СКАЧАТЬ It would be easy to tell her father she was riding home with her sisters, then tell her sisters she was going home early on horseback. Neither would check with the other. She would slip into the back of the hotel and Bonnie Lynn would, hopefully, have a room ready. She’d order supper and wait.

      Laurel smiled. Women like her didn’t have lovers, but tonight, for one night, she would. For one night she’d be desired even if he couldn’t love her.

      As the sun faded on the last night of the rodeo, Laurel couldn’t sit still in the wagon. She had to pace. In a few minutes the rodeo would be over. She knew win or lose her life had changed. She’d never marry Filmore. If Rowdy lost tonight, she’d still be leaving her father’s house, even if it took a little more planning.

      For the first time she knew her own mind and would not live as a child any longer.

      Something else had changed. She’d fallen hard for Rowdy. Not infatuation or a warm kind of cuddly loving feeling, but hard, fast, forever kind of love. For once in her life she’d found something—someone she couldn’t resist. If he didn’t feel the same, they’d walk away as friends tomorrow, but he’d never leave her heart. She’d have the memory of one night with him forever.

      The first saddleback rider didn’t make the clock. Three more to ride. Every nerve in her body felt like it was jumping.

      Laurel paced. Her father was so wrapped up in what he was doing he hadn’t even notice the changes in her over the past few days. But others did. She saw one of the cowhands who always followed after her sisters studying her as if seeing her for the first time. A stranger had smiled at her. One of the store clerks had gone out of his way to hold a door open for her. She almost felt like “been kissed” was written on her face. Maybe it was, her lips were swollen slightly from Rowdy’s kisses and her cheeks burned each time she remembered the way he touched her.

      She laughed suddenly, thinking that after tonight Filmore wouldn’t want her anyway. She wouldn’t be a virgin. She might spend the rest of her life a very proper old maid, but tonight she’d make a memory. One night with the man she loved was worth more than a lifetime of nights with one she could never give her heart to.

      The second rider stayed on, but his horse looked half asleep. The mounts didn’t seem as wild and fresh as they had the first night. No one had come close to Rowdy’s saddle bronc ride the first night, but the scores for bareback riding were high.

      She turned and watched as Rowdy came out of the shoot riding the one horse she’d thought no one would attempt. The animal bucked wildly as if in a death fight. Now Rowdy had no saddle to hang on to. She counted the seconds in her mind. One, two, three.

      As she watched him being jerked back and forth she realized he was doing this for her. If she’d stayed out of it, he would have won one event and gone home a winner like Dan had. He wouldn’t have put his body through four nights of torture. Her father’s men wouldn’t have beaten him.

      He couldn’t say he loved her, but he’d done this for her. He’d risked dying for her.

      The crowd began to scream and she realized she’d lost count of the seconds. A moment after she heard a man yell time, Rowdy flew through the air and hit the ground hard. His whole body crumbled as if every bone and muscle liquefied.

      Laurel thought of nothing but him. She jumped over the barrier and ran across the field. A rodeo clown and one of the stock cowboys tried to stop her, but she shoved them aside. By the time they had the horse pulled away, she was kneeling at Rowdy’s head, tears streaming down her face.

      “Rowdy. Dear God, don’t let him die! Rowdy.” Her hand trembled as she brushed his dark hair aside. “Please don’t die on me,” she whispered. “Please.”

      He twisted slightly and rolled to one knee. “You praying over me again, Laurel?”

      He’d scared her so badly, anger flashed along with relief. She swung at him, hitting him on the arm.

      He stood slowly as if testing bones. Once standing, he offered her a hand. “How about waiting until I find out if I won before you kill me.”

      She realized everyone in town was watching them. Cheering as he stood. Seeing her cry.

      Dan, near the judges’ table, gave Rowdy a thumbs up.

      “We won,” he whispered. “We won.” The joy she’d expected was missing from his tone. “You’ll get your money.”

      She couldn’t look up to see what was wrong with him. She’d never made a public scene in her life and she just made one in front of everyone.

      When he turned to wave at the crowd, she bolted toward the side of the arena, wishing she could just disappear into the crowd. Trying to think of some way to explain away what she’d done, she moved toward the surrey. Her father looked furious and Filmore, beside him, had turned purple with anger.

      “What in the hell were you doing!” Half the crowd heard her father yell when he spotted her coming toward him.

      “I thought he was hurt,” Laurel yelled. No one seemed to hear her.

      He waited until she was five feet away before saying in his low, demeaning tone. “That was not proper behavior, Laurel. I’ll be having a few words with you when we get home. I’ll not tolerate such a show.”

      She could hear her sisters laughing and joking.

      Laurel realized there would be no controlling the damage she’d done. But, for one moment, Rowdy was all she thought about, not the crowds or her father or the consequences of her action. She could bare her father’s anger. She could ignore Filmore. But Rowdy’s hard words echoed in her brain.

      The crowd was still cheering. Laurel glanced toward the arena, hoping to catch sight of Rowdy. It wasn’t hard. He was riding straight toward her at full gallop.

      Everyone took a step back when Cinnamon pushed the barrier trying to stop. Laurel stood her ground, letting the horse’s powerful shoulder brush against her.

      Rowdy didn’t look like he saw another person around but her. “I have to know,” he said quick and angry. “Are you still my partner or was this all a game?”

      She couldn’t breathe. She saw hurt and confusion in his dark eyes.

      Her father moved toward her, shoving people out of his way.

      “I’m still your partner,” she answered and lifted her chin.

      Rowdy slid his boot out of the stirrup and offered his hand. “Then take the victory ride with me.”

      She gripped his fingers and stepped into the saddle as he shoved back to make room. A moment later, his arms were around her holding tight.

      As her father’s hand went out to grab her leg, Rowdy kicked Cinnamon into action. They shot out into the arena.

      Laurel closed her eyes and leaned into his warmth. Nothing mattered but him, not the rodeo or the crowds or even her father. Only Rowdy.

      As they circled, she whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make a scene.”

      “That doesn’t matter, but it took me a minute to figure out what you’d done. How unlike my shy Laurel to run to me.” His СКАЧАТЬ