The Bull Rider's Keeper

by Lynn Collins

  “Large, black,” Selena ordered and handed Taylor’s twenty over to pay for their coffees. The window to the coffee shack closed. She added, “He would have stayed if he hadn’t been scared out of his mind. And the only reason he’d be scared after a night with a beautiful woman?”

  “How the hell would I know?” Taylor leaned her head back and closed her eyes. The coffee shack employee handed Selena the two cups filling the small interior with the dark roast aroma. Selena angled the car back onto the street and took the entrance to the freeway headed towards Boise. The woman drove like she was on a NASCAR track. Taylor tugged on her seatbelt.

  Once the car had merged into the light traffic she glanced at Selena. “Fine, I give up, what would scare the Bull Rider Jesse Sullivan?”

  “You have my youngest son on the ropes. Even Maggie saw it last night.” Selena lightly tapped Taylor on the hand. “Jesse’s in love.”

  8

  When Selena dropped Taylor off in front of the DeMarco house, Taylor quietly snuck in, only to find her mom and dad had already left. It was after one in the afternoon by the time Taylor arrived at the gallery, way past her normal schedule.

  Brit had opened and was working with a corporate customer when Taylor walked in. Taylor pointed to her office and disappeared behind the door as quickly as she could without breaking into a run. Selena had to be wrong. “I bet she says that to all of Jesse’s girls.”

  She stared at the computer as it booted up, willing her mind to get lost in the day-to-day gallery activities. Next week, they had a teacher from the nearby elementary school bringing a class in for a field trip. She’d have to have Brit do the tour and ask Selena to work earlier that day.

  She adjusted the work schedule. Thankful Selena had the day off. Maybe by the time she saw Jesse’s mom again, Taylor would have already gotten the ‘Dear John’ e-mail or text from Jesse. Then she wouldn’t have to think about his mom’s words.

  She pulled the contract out of her purse and stuffed it into a file, pushing it aside on her desk. She should be ecstatic about bringing in a new talent to the gallery. She should be thinking about scheduling the show’s opening and sending the contract over to the lawyers to get it finalized and set up in the gallery’s accounting system. She should be working.

  She jumped when her phone rang. Stupid, she thought, and clicked the phone to answer.

  “Taylor DeMarco.” At first, she didn’t think anyone was on the line and she checked the display to see if she’d been disconnected. “Hello?”

  “You got back.” Jesse’s voice rumbled through the phone and she thought of him whispering her name over and over in her ear last night.

  She pressed her lips together, willing away the memory. “No thanks to you. Who dumps a date an hour away from home?”

  He chuckled and she squirmed at the sound. She should have pretended it didn’t matter. Once again, he had the upper hand.

  “Didn’t you tell me it wasn’t a date?” Before she could answer, he continued. “Sorry about that. I told Barb I’d be here for an early interview, so I had a plane to catch. And you looked so sweet, snoring your way through your dreams.”

  “I don’t snore.” Did she? She hadn’t slept with anyone for years.

  “Whatever you have to tell yourself, sweetheart. Anyway, what are you doing this weekend?” Jesse paused, then added, “Can you come to Wyoming?”

  “Wyoming, vacation hot spot to the stars? Actually, I was just telling Brit how I wanted to spend a hot, dry weekend in Wyoming. Just me and the tumbleweeds.” She bit her lip.

  “Seriously, it’s not that bad. And I’ll make up for this morning by taking you out to dinner after the rodeo tonight.” He paused. “I think we should talk. We’re going to be working together and I’d hate for last night to, well, mess with our business relationship.”

  Taylor’s heart sank. He was mending fences because of the gallery. “We could talk when you get back.”

  “I’d rather do it tonight before I lose my nerve.” Jesse mumbled to someone on his end of the line. “Look, I’ve got to go. There will be a ticket waiting for you at the box office. Show starts at seven. I’ll make reservations for dinner and a separate room at the hotel.”

  “I’ll think about it.” Taylor hesitated.

  “Please come, Taylor,” Jesse said, then paused. “Barb’s fuming, I’ve got to go. Please come.”

  The line went dead.

  She leaned back in her chair, tossing the phone on her desk. Brit caught the sliding cell before it dropped off the other side.

  “Our new owner?” Brit set the phone down and slipped into one of the leather chairs in front of Taylor’s desk. She adjusted the Anne Klein jacket that she wore over a silk tank and expensive jeans. Brit loved looking the part of an art curator, and her department store credit card statements proved it.

  Brit absent-mindedly played with the fashionable chains hanging around her neck. Taylor narrowed her eyes as she watched her friend. “Why would you think that?”

  Brit threw her head back and laughed. Finally, she looked at Taylor. “Seriously? I could see that guy had you twisted in knots since the night he showed up at the opening.” Brit leaned forward. “So, you two doing the nasty?”

  Taylor smiled in spite of herself. Brit could make her laugh at anything. “It’s not any of your business.”

  Brit’s eyes widened. “Oh. My. God. I was teasing, but you are so jumping his bones, aren’t you?”

  Heat ran to Taylor’s face as she thought about the previous night. How gentle Jesse had been touching her, caressing her body, as if she were his piece of clay and he was molding her into a masterpiece.

  “Earth to Taylor.” Brit snapped her fingers. “Seriously, the boy is a player. You need to keep your heart protected this time. I don’t want to be picking you up off the floor when he gets bored with playing fancy pants art dealer.”

  “I know. I don’t know what he wants, or what I want, for that matter. And it was only once. No talking about this.” Taylor frowned, thinking about the call. “He wants me to meet him out of town this weekend so we can talk.”

  Brit pursed her lips. “Road booty call?”

  “I don’t think so. He seemed sincere.” Taylor wondered if last night had surprised him as much as it had her. And if her memory was clear, she’d started the physical contact. She’d been the aggressor. He probably thought she was playing up to the new boss. The heat on her cheeks felt like fire now.

  “You’re going to go. Fly out and be his road toy.”

  Taylor started searching for a flight. “I’m not having sex with him. I’m getting this whole thing cleared up and past us, for the good of the gallery.” She looked at her assistant. “You have Selena to help out this afternoon and all-day Saturday, right?”

  Brit shook her head. “Tomorrow, yes. But Selena just called. She’s got an appointment or something today. This is the third one in the last week.”

  “From what I’ve learned, Selena has a habit of being a flake. Maybe I shouldn’t go.” Taylor leaned back in her chair, turning her attention from the computer to Brit.

  “You think I can’t handle the gallery by myself for,” she glanced at her watch, “four hours? I used to open and close on your days off by myself. What’s different now?”

  “It’s not that I don’t think you can deal,” Taylor said. “Hell, I’m probably just trying to catch a lifeline here and talk myself out of going.”

  “Then don’t go. You’re a smart, intelligent woman. You don’t need to be running off because Mr. Handsome Cowboy snaps his fingers.”

  Taylor laughed. “I’m not going because Jesse snapped his fingers. I need to know more about him, especially if I’m going to stop my folks from selling to him before I can get the funding package set. Mike says he just needs a few weeks.”

  A bell on the front door announced a new customer. Brit slipped out of her chair and went to greet the new arrival. Standing in the office door, she hesitated and waited unti
l Taylor acknowledged her.

  “What?”

  Brit cocked her head and met Taylor’s eyes. “Go ahead, play secret agent. Just remember what I told you. Keep your heart locked up. I worry about you.”

  Taylor watched her friend leave the office. Her fingers paused over the keyboard, wondering if this was totally stupid. Then she hit enter and picked up her purse. She had a plane to catch and she needed to pack an overnight bag.

  She glanced at Marvin’s contract. No use messing with it today. She’d get it over to Mike first thing on Monday. Besides, as Jesse’s first contract, there were probably some legal things that they needed to set up.

  Jesse paced in front of the arrival gate, waiting for her plane to land. Calling her had been stupid, impulsive, and ill-considered. Yet, he’d never been so sure of anything in his life. For years, he’d looked for the kind of love that James had with Lizzie. To love someone so much, well, he would give up anything to be with that person. He smiled as the thought came to him; he was more his mother’s son than he would like to admit.

  Inviting Taylor down to Casper without taking the time to think through what had happened had been impulsive. It’s not like he hadn’t had drunken sex before. Or even a one-night stand. But he’d never woken up early and watched the angel sleeping next to him breathe. His fingers itched to pick up a pencil and draw the curve of her arm as it draped over her chest, her hand curling up toward her face.

  He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. Man, he had it bad. An announcement came over the loud speaker that the Salt Lake flight had just landed. He felt bad for her having to fly to Salt Lake City then out to Casper, but the airlines liked to route their planes through regional hubs rather than send direct flights. Taylor’s flight had taken four hours, but she almost could have driven the distance faster. Brit had been curt when he called the gallery to see what time Taylor’s flight would be landing. Brit was hesitant to give him the details, even after he’d explained he wanted to pick Taylor up since his interviews were over.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea,” Brit wavered.

  He wondered if she’d been talking about giving him the information or the whole idea of him and Taylor together. Had Taylor told her best friend about last night? He snorted. Of course, she had. Women. They couldn’t keep a secret to save their lives.

  Then again, he hadn’t kept their night together a secret, either. After all, he had told his mother. He wanted some sort of approval, or at the very least, support that he wasn’t jumping off a cliff. Of course, that was exactly what he was doing.

  He glanced at the approaching crowd from the airplane. Would she see him if he took off and ran? He could hire her a driver, set her up in a hotel room, maybe even send Barb over to explain he was too busy to see her. He should be down at the barns checking out his tack and staring down the bulls. He briefly wondered which one he would be riding later that night. Lost in his escape plan, he didn’t notice her until she put a hand on his arm.

  “Jesse, what are you doing here?” Taylor looked up at him, confusion evident in her face.

  He pushed aside his fears and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I invited you down. What, you thought I’d just send a car? Or let you take a taxi? What kind of jerk does that?”

  “I just didn’t expect…” Taylor trailed off.

  Jesse reached for her carry-on bag slung over her shoulder, ignoring her pause. “You have checked baggage?”

  When she shook her head, he was surprised. Taylor didn’t seem like the kind of girl who only traveled with one bag, even for a short weekend getaway. He’d expected two, maybe even three more bags. See, you don’t know her at all. He brushed away the thought. They had time to learn about each other. As long as she felt the same way, there would be plenty of time.

  He put his hand on the small of her back and maneuvered her toward the exit. “Let’s get you set up at the hotel, then I’ll take you to the barn and introduce you to the bulls who want to crush me tonight.”

  Taylor laughed. “Sounds like fun. Is one of them named Amanda?”

  “Jeez, you’re never going to let me live that one down, are you? I swear,” Jesse held up a hand in a three-finger Boy Scout salute, “there was never anything between Amanda and me. I was nice to her because she is Maggie’s daughter.”

  They stepped out into the bright Wyoming sunshine. “I believe you, I’m just not sure Amanda does.”

  He let that comment slide. Driving through the edge of town, the two remained quiet in the rental car Jesse had picked up when he arrived that morning. He typically rented, even if the car stayed parked at the hotel the entire weekend. He liked having options.

  They reached the hotel about twenty minutes later. Jesse waited in the lobby while Taylor ran up to the room to drop off her bag and freshen up. He watched the elevator door close behind her, kicking himself for not escorting her. Slow down, he thought. You don’t even know if she likes you. At least she’d confirmed she wasn’t dating anyone last night. He thought about her kiss last night and slid down into one of the lobby couches.

  “Jesse Sullivan,” a man’s voice boomed. Jesse turned and looked into Hunter Martin’s face. “Shouldn’t you be hanging around the rodeo grounds looking for tonight’s after-show party girl?”

  Jesse stood, shaking Hunter’s hand. He liked the guy. Barb had done well for herself. “I figured you’d be staying back in Boise this weekend. Doesn’t Kati have a competition?”

  The men sank down into the couches, Hunter taking the couch that mirrored the one Jesse was sitting in. “When doesn’t Kati have a competition? I swear that girl is horse crazy. My dad’s doing cheerleading duty this weekend. Barb and I decided to take a weekend for ourselves.”

  “Mixing business with pleasure.”

  “Summer keeps Barb busy, so I have to grab her time when I can.” Hunter smiled. “She loves her job. Although, I don’t get why, having to corral the likes of you all the time.”

  “Well, soon I won’t be the one she’s chasing around.” Jesse slung his arm over the top of the couch.

  Hunter leaned forward. “I hear, congrats. If you need a good accountant or lawyer, let me know. I can give Barb a few names of people that worked with the dairy before we got so big we hired a full-time staff.”

  Jesse groaned. “I’m pretty sure I’ll need referrals. I know Barb’s having our lawyer look over the contract, but I don’t think he wants to be involved in all the day-to-day stuff. I’d rather not use the current gallery lawyer. I’d just feel better knowing I hired the guy and he has my back; you know?”

  “Smart man.” Hunter grinned. “Next time I see you you’ll probably be stuffed into a suit with a Bluetooth stuck in your ear. Jesse Sullivan, art dealer.”

  “Now, don’t go crazy on me. I’m pretty sure art dealers don’t wear the monkey suit. Aren’t we supposed to dress like creative types?” Jesse thought about the one, lone suit hanging in his closet back home.

  “I think those are the artists, not the gallery owners.” Hunter stood and greeted his wife as Barb joined them.

  “I didn’t think I’d see the two of you chatting it up.” Barb kissed Hunter, and then turned her attention to Jesse. “Don’t you have bull rider duties to perform?”

  “Just waiting for Taylor, then I’ll go down and play the role,” Jesse drawled.

  Barb, who had been drawing circles on her husband’s leg with her French-tipped fingernail, stopped and frowned. “Taylor’s here?”

  “Don’t look like that. I invited her.”

  Barb leaned forward. “I don’t think that’s the best idea you’ve ever had.”

  Hunter put his hand on Barb’s back. Jesse saw the movement. Was he supporting her? Or warning her?

  “Look, I’m not known for great ideas. But I think this girl may be the one.”

  Barb’s eyes widened. “Jesse, slow down. You need to think about this. Taylor is your gallery manager. Having fun is one thing, but when you have to see that pe
rson daily, well, relationships like that can get complicated.”

  “I’m not a kid, Barb.” Jesse’s words came out harsher than he’d wanted. “I like the girl. Maybe more. But I’m not an idiot. If she’s not interested, she’ll tell me and we can go back to whatever friendly relationship we had before. I need to know where I stand.”

  “I think you’re treading on thin ice, here,” Barb warned.

  “Now that doesn’t sound like the Jesse, I’m beginning to know at all.”

  Jesse turned his head to see Taylor standing in front of them. He took in the sight of her. Skin-tight stretch jeans, a silk tank in brilliant blue, her hair loose around her shoulders. He stopped at her feet and grinned—she had on cowboy boots. He was in love.

  Barb stood and Hunter followed her lead. “Taylor, so nice to see you.” She made the introductions between Hunter and Taylor. “We were about to grab some dinner before the event. Do you two want to join us?”

  Jesse shook his head. “You know I can’t eat before I ride.” He grinned at Taylor. “I swear the bulls can smell a cheeseburger or a T-bone steak on your breath. Riders get killed that way.”

  “So most riders are vegetarians? At least on days they compete?” Taylor sat down on the sofa next to Jesse. “That’s fascinating, I’ve never heard that before.”

  “Because it’s just Jesse’s theory, not reality.” Barb laughed. “Believe me, the more you hang around the guy, the easier it will be to figure out his bull crap.”

  “Ouch, that’s harsh.” Jesse pretended to be shot to the stomach.

  “I have to be honest with you, it’s in our contract.” Barb gave him a sweet smile, which didn’t fool him in the least.

  “Hunter, you should have run when you had the chance.” Jesse glanced over at Barb’s husband, who was listening to the verbal bantering like it was Wimbledon, each insult another ball over the net.