by Jen Talty
Hayden tugged, releasing Sawyer’s grip.
He stuffed his hands into his pockets and scuffed his feet as they rounded the corner toward the cemetery. “When I rented the upstairs apartment, the family that lived in your place, the kids used to play kickball in the backyard. Whenever the ball ended up in the graveyard, they’d stand on the edge and scratch their heads. They wouldn’t step foot in the cemetery.”
“So, you came to their rescue.”
“Every time, but my curiosity got the better of me and I had to ask them why they wouldn’t go get them. I mean, everyone ends up going into a cemetery at some point in their life. They might be kids, but maybe a grandparent had passed or a great uncle.”
“Did you piss off their parents?”
“No. They scared the crap out of me and now I don’t want to go into the graveyard. Ever. Not even in broad daylight. The ghost story their parents had come up with was so subtle to keep their kids from running wild in that place that I even have nightmares. Sometimes, late at night, I look out the window and—”
She grabbed his arm. “Don’t you dare tell me. Right now, I take my morning runs in that graveyard and if you ruin that for me, or make it hard for me to sleep, and I end up getting even more banged up in my training, it’s not going to be a ghost giving you nightmares.”
“Now, nightmares suck, but I wouldn’t want to be responsible for any more bruising on your beautiful body.”
“Flattery won’t get you very far with me,” she said. “What happened to the family that lived here?”
“They got lucky. Their dream house came up for sale and all the stars aligned and they were able to buy it. I was really happy for them because he’d lost his job a couple of years ago and things had been pretty tough. So I was glad things were looking up for them.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her up their shared porched. “Where’s your uncle?”
“He had to go take care of some old business. He’ll be back in a couple of days.” She hated how much Kevin was still intertwined with MacKenzie and her crew. Or the fact that MacKenzie thought it was okay for Kevin to up and leave his new job and run off and do whatever crazy stunt she wanted him for that could potentially ruin everything.
“He’s pretty hard on you.”
The last thing she wanted to do was defend her uncle. Again. She’d been doing it her entire life and she was damn fucking tired of it.
Only now that the tables had turned and she understood him a little better, it was an easier pill to swallow. However, it was a game she no longer wanted to play.
“He’s a little rough around the edges.”
“That’s being kind.” Sawyer pulled open his door. “I want to show you something.”
She tilted her head. “That sounds like a proposition.” Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach like a cement brick plummeting to the bottom of the ocean. It was fast and furious and there was nothing that was going to stop it until it hit bottom. Her childhood had been stolen from her and she hadn’t even realized it until it was too late. She hadn’t missed it because the rodeo gave her everything she lacked. As a young teenager, she loved competing. She thrived on winning and she wanted to be the best.
That was until her uncle beat the shit out of her and killed her fight. That night changed everything. She’d already been slowly dying inside. The only thing that gave her joy had been the rodeo, but her uncle managed to taint that, and by the day of her accident, she felt as though she were all alone in the world.
He flicked the light switch and pushed open the door. “After you.”
The air in her lungs escaped. She’d had very little experience with men. Between her training, her near-death experience, and living with her uncle, she didn’t have too many opportunities for sexy time.
Not that she wanted this moment to turn into a walk on the wild side.
“I promise. I will keep my hands to myself,” Sawyer said.
She swallowed her fear and slowly climbed the steps. She rubbed her forefinger and thumb together as she rounded the corner at the top. To the right, she saw a door to the only bedroom. To the left was a small living room and a galley kitchen.
“Over here.” He tugged her through the main room and lifted open the window.
“What the heck are you doing?”
“We’re going to go sit on the roof.”
“Oh no, we’re not.” She took a step back.
“You’ve got to see the view of the cemetery and the town from up here.”
She held up her hands and waved. “Nope. No, thank you. That’s a little too high for me.”
He laughed. “Are you kidding me? You’ll get on the back of a bucking horse, but you’re afraid of heights?”
“More like a little terrified of free-falling from a second-story window.”
“You’ll be fine. It’s not a very sharp angle out this window.”
“Who sits on a ledge anyway,” she mumbled. Taking his hand, she angled her foot on the other side of the window.
“That’s it. You’ve got this.” He steadied her as he held her hips, easing her ass to the shingles. He scooted himself closer and pointed. “Look.”
She gasped, gazing out over the county graveyard. The moon and the bright stars shone down over the grassy patch of land, illuminating the intense area. A few lampposts flicked in the background.
“I can’t say I want to go running before the sun comes out.”
“You can’t anger the spirits if you’re respectful and I don’t think jogging would upset them.”
“Is that what the family that lived here before told you?” She breathed slowly, in through her nose and out through her mouth all while she held on to the open window with one hand and gripped his thigh with the other. She did her best to focus on the patch of land behind her backyard. “This is an amazing view.”
“I hadn’t realized how big the cemetery was until I saw it from up here.”
“But it’s also kind of small the way it snakes through the neighborhood like that. It’s as if it’s a tree root in search of water to feed the leaves on the very top end.”
“That’s an interesting analogy.” Her muscles relaxed and she leaned back, staring up at the electric sky. “How often do you sit out here at night?”
“If I’m singing at Boone’s late, I’ll come out here when I come home and have a glass of whiskey and unwind. And sometimes I like to have my coffee out here in the morning.”
“Too bad it’s not flat; you could make it a balcony.”
“Now that would amazing.” He rested on his elbow and placed a hand high on her leg. “I’ve never seen a rodeo before.”
“Seriously? What about the Whiskey Ranch Showcase?”
He shook his head. “I have an aversion to races. I tend to lose my shirt.”
“Good thing the rodeo isn’t the track. Far from it.” She tried to focus on the blanket of stars and not the warm hand massaging her thigh. “I could get you a ticket with a barn pass.”
“I’d like that,” he said, holding her gaze with fiery intent.
She swallowed her pulse.
He leaned closer. His lashes fluttered over his dark, smoldering eyes. He was going to kiss her and she should stop him, but all she could do was hold her breath and wait for his tender touch.
And he didn’t disappoint.
His lips were soft, but firm and he slipped his tongue between them, swirling it around inside her mouth.
A low groan vibrated in her throat.
This was exactly what she didn’t need.
She pressed her hand on his chest. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I promised I was going to be a gentleman. I went back on my word.”
“It’s just that I have a rodeo to train for and to be totally honest, it’s not going all that well.”
“Why not?”
“Two years away has taken its toll.”
“Is it that or your injuries from your accident?” he s
aid, brushing her hair from her face.
“So, you did some research as to who I am.”
He nodded. “I was curious about you and your uncle.”
“My uncle?”
“This is embarrassing, but because I didn’t know anything about you or the rodeo and you always wear these long-sleeved shirts.” He reached out and ran a hand up and down her arm. “I know someone close to me who was abused for years and she always wore clothes like that to cover up her bruises, even when it was eighty degrees.”
“My uncle doesn’t beat me,” she said behind a tight jaw with thick emotion in her throat. He’d done it once, and it wasn’t as if his father hadn’t done it to him.
Her uncle was a lot of things, including an asshole, and she should walk away from him. She didn’t owe him anything. She didn’t have to help him, and he could have left her in that hospital room all alone.
But he hadn’t.
As dysfunctional and fucked up as their relationship was, she cared about Kevin and she wasn’t going to let MacKenzie destroy her uncle.
It was time to change their luck.
“I didn’t mean to insult you and I thought I should be honest.”
“Well, I do appreciate the dose of truth behind your thoughts, but do you always go around thinking the worst of people?” The hardest part was he wasn’t that far off the mark. Her uncle hadn’t been the kind of guardian she deserved. He’d been emotionally and mentally abusive. Not to mention he’d used his fists once to drive home a point.
He’d stolen from her and he’d put them in a position where both their lives were on the line.
He didn’t deserve her loyalty, but he had been the only family she had and as a kid, she didn’t know any better. As an adult, she wanted to give him a second chance to do the right thing. So far, Kevin had been doing everything he’d promised. She would keep her end of the bargain as long as he did.
“I haven’t talked about this with anyone since I moved here. Heck. I haven’t talked about it in five or six years, but I grew up in an abusive household. I’m sensitive to the signs.” He ran a thumb across her cheek. “But after I read about your career and accident and everything that you endured.” He traced a path up her arm with his finger. “I suspect you’re covering up scars from your past injuries and not bruises from someone hurting you.”
She pushed herself to a sitting position. Her heart squeezed. “Whether I am or not, it’s not your business.” There had been other people in her past who had stuck their noses in her business, concerned about her uncle’s behavior. Everyone always thought he was too hard on her and expected too much. When she was a little girl, she thought it was because Kevin wanted her to succeed and be the best. She believed it was because he loved her, not because she was his meal ticket.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s not the first time I’ve opened my mouth and inserted my foot with something like this.”
“Why?” Crap. She shouldn’t have asked the question. At this point she should be saying thanks for the view and good night.
“I told you. I lived it and I don’t want to see anyone live the hell that I did.”
“So, you go around trying to save everyone?”
He shook his head. “Actually, I tend to stay away from people and mind my own business. It was hard with you because your reactions toward your uncle reminded me a bit of how my mom cowered toward my dad.”
“I’m sorry that you lived that, but you don’t know anything about me, or my uncle, or what we’ve had to survive.”
He nodded. “I know. I’m sorry. I came to a rash judgment that I shouldn’t have. I’d like to make it up to you when you have a few hours off and maybe take you to the movies or something.”
“I have no time off until after this first rodeo,” she admitted. “Do you want to come? I’m happy to get you that ticket.”
“I’d love to, but only if you’ll let me take you out afterward.” He held up his hands. “It doesn’t have to be a date. I swear, I can keep my lips to myself. I’d like the opportunity to redeem myself.”
“Deal,” she found herself saying.
Only, she knew it would never happen. She’d have to find a good excuse to cancel, and she would. Getting involved with anyone while her uncle was still tied up with MacKenzie was a bad idea.
5
Sawyer leaned against the railing, holding his breath. Never in his life had he watched such a display of athleticism and they hadn’t even gotten to the bronco riding yet. Half the time, he had to close his eyes when he watched Hayden perform any of the events. No way in hell could he have done even calf roping.
Not that he’d get in a pen with a cow of any size.
“Impressive, isn’t she?” Kevin handed Sawyer a beer.
“Very.” He took a long draw of the cold brew, enjoying the bubbles as they fizzled down his throat. He’d memorized the order of all the contestants, but it didn’t matter.
Hayden was the last one.
And now she was next.
Sawyer didn’t really understand all the scoring, but he did get that she had no chance of winning the overall, not even if she broke the world record for bronc riding, which she’d told him she wasn’t even thinking about.
All she wanted was a good showing.
So far, she’d done just that.
Or at least from Sawyer’s perspective, she’d been successful.
“She’s worked really hard to get where she is and trust me when I say, it’s been a really fucking hard road.”
“I’ve heard.” The hair on the back of Sawyer’s neck stood up on end. He kept his gaze on the chute where they loaded the horses. Any second now, they should be announcing Hayden’s name. “I’ve seen the videos on YouTube.”
“So you know she’s not only lucky to be alive, but to even be walking.”
Sawyer nodded. “Are you sure she should even be doing this?”
“You think I’d let her if she wasn’t up for it? If the doctors hadn’t cleared her?”
“That’s not what I meant.” Sawyer tilted his head, lowering his shades. “I’m simply concerned for her well-being and I don’t know—”
“Are implying I’m not? Because I raised that little girl after my brother died and nursed her back to health after a bronco nearly stomped her to death. I’m all she has.”
Sawyer glanced between the man on the podium with the microphone telling the crowd that Hayden had entered the corral and Kevin, who had climbed up on the side of the fence, on the inside where family, friends, and other barn pass holders were allowed to watch. It was directly opposite of the stands.
“I mean no disrespect,” Sawyer said, not quite understanding why Kevin was behaving like an overprotective uncle with a chip on his shoulder. Sawyer couldn’t figure him out and he didn’t trust Kevin.
Nor did he believe that Kevin was this loving, caring man who had always been there for Hayden. Sawyer sensed tension between the two of them, but he couldn’t put a finger on the source, and as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t let it go.
Hayden had wormed her way into his daily thoughts, his nightly dreams, and now his songs. He couldn’t close his eyes and not think about her and when he was awake, she managed to weave into his mind both consciously and subconsciously.
Wherever he went, she was just there, and he couldn’t shake it.
So, he decided to embrace it.
For now.
“You seem like a nice enough young man, but I need you to stay away from Hayden. She can’t afford to split her focus between a budding romance and her comeback. She’s worked too hard, so I’m going to ask you to back off.”
“I think that’s for her to tell me.” For most of Sawyer’s childhood, he’d been a mousy child, never speaking up for himself or against authority. When his father would go off the rails, Sawyer would do exactly what his mother told him to.
He’d either hide during the attack.
Or he’d go to the neighbo
rs.
As he got older, and he realized what was going on, he started to push back. That’s when he learned that the only way it was ever going to end was if he did something drastic.
And he did.
And he paid a small price, though it was too late. His father had killed his mother and Sawyer had killed his father.
“But I want you to know that I wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt Hayden.”
“That might be true. However, I’m asking you nicely to leave her alone. She’s already struggling and she has one shot at a comeback.”
“What happens if this doesn’t work out for her? What then?”
“She has a plan and right now, it doesn’t include a guitar-picking loner who hops from one town to the next with no real career or future.” Kevin turned. “And I did a little digging. Your name isn’t Sawyer. Well, it is, but that’s your last name. Your first name is really Blaine and I know what you did, so excuse me if I don’t think you’re the kind of man I want around my niece.”
Sawyer balled his fists. “If you did your homework, then you know why I did it and that I didn’t spend a single day in prison.”
“I don’t want to know the details. I just want you gone. Got it?” He pushed his glasses up on his nose. “Now, I’d appreciate it if you let me watch my niece in private.”
Sawyer had no desire to get into a pissing contest with Kevin while Hayden was preparing for her big comeback in bronc riding. He took his beer and moved to where JB stood with his son, his wife Cheyenne, and their new daughter, Dora.
“She looks nervous,” Sawyer said softly.
“She does,” Cheyenne agreed.
“I’d say she looks more spooked.” JB handed his daughter to his wife. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“Why?” Sawyer asked.
“I was there the day she fell, and something wasn’t right that day.” JB took off his hat and set it on the table behind him. “Back then she looked spaced out. Today she appears more like a timid animal, which isn’t like her.”
“She was that first day she got on Cricket,” Cheyenne said.