"I would never wear a skirt that color," Ms. Non-GMO said. "And her shoes are awful."
"Say… You were at the gala last night, right, Rowdy?" Owen asked.
Gretchen found her opportunity to let Rowdy in on her little subterfuge about being a groupie. She snuggled next to him and looked up at him with calf eyes. "Did you meet her, honey?"
Rowdy gave her one quick questioning glance, then caught on. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her in close. "Why would a cowpoke like me have an opportunity to meet a cash-princess?"
Gretchen put her free hand on his broad chest. "I guess it wouldn't happen."
"Nope."
Owen spoke up, convinced of Gretchen's groupie status. "Not for the likes of us, eh, Rowdy? We have lovely ladies like these who don't think they're roses in a field of daffodils."
"Mm-hm," Rowdy replied. "Are we here to eat, or not?"
"We ate already," Owen said, pointing to the cleared table, bearing only two coffee cups.
Two other men approached. One was a Native American, with a regal bearing and a laid-back sort of walk. He had long black braids and an eagle-feather in his black cowboy hat. A bear claw on a leather thong hung on his chest. His lips turned up at the corners as he came close, and it was clear they were heading toward Rowdy and Owen's table. The other cowboy was a bit disheveled looking, with slightly scruffy hair sticking out from under his dark brown cowboy hat. He looked clean but rough around the edges. His smile lit up the room, however.
Rowdy greeted them, standing, "Hey there." Owen did likewise.
"Just thought we'd stop by for a how-de-do," the scruffy-looking fellow said.
"Cash wanted to have a big breakfast before we went to the arena," the Native American said. "I just want a cup of coffee."
Rowdy chuckled, then gestured toward Gretchen. "Cash Ritchy," he said, "this is Gr-Nellie." He indicated Gretchen, who smiled. "And this dark and brooding guy is Montana Bear Claw, but everyone calls him Bear." Both men tipped their hats.
"Cash, Bear," Gretchen said by way of greeting. "It's nice to meet you."
"Pleasure, ma'am," Bear said.
The GMO girl said her hellos as well, but it was clear she'd met the two men before.
"Have a seat?" Rowdy asked, pointing toward the open end of the booth opposite him and Gretchen.
"Naw," Cash replied. "Just saying hello. Don't wanna crash your party."
They all laughed lightly. "Bareback?" Gretchen asked.
"I am. Cash's saddle bronc," Bear responded.
"We saddle riders are the sissies among the roughies," Cash said with a chuckle.
Melody walked by, taking Amy to the ladies' room. Amy paused, but Melody encouraged her to hurry along and the little girl cooperated. Everyone watched the pair go by.
"'Zat the lady with the heavy purse?" Cash asked his friends, though his eyes remained on Melody.
"We don't know," Owen said. "She came rolling up in a limo."
"Slumming, maybe," Cash said. Bear seemed disinclined to speculate. "Well, I see John Riggins. Me and Bear were hoping to meet him here. We'd best be goin'."
Never having sat back down, Rowdy shook their hands, giving Bear a pat on the shoulder as well. "Okay. Give John a howdy from me."
"Will do." Both men tipped their hats again at Gretchen and the blonde. "Nice to meet you, Nellie. A pleasure seeing you again, Becky," Cash said.
Owen said his goodbyes and both he and Rowdy returned to the table. Gretchen snuggled up to her date and he draped his arm around her shoulders again as the waitress approached.
They had a hearty breakfast, though Gretchen tried to keep her portions under control. She was only five-foot-one and needed to avoid big meals if she wanted to keep her weight down. The diner's coffee was amazing and Gretchen had two cups while they sat there and chatted. Owen tried to flirt with her, but Rowdy gave his friend some ominous looks and the smaller man backed down, though it became clear he was needling Rowdy as a joke. Becky, however, was dead-serious in her pursuit of Rowdy's attention. While it was very true Rowdy was a fine-looking man, Gretchen wasn't thrilled with having the other woman try to undermine her new relationship.
After the third time Becky gushed how much she'd love it if he would have a beer with them after the rodeo, Gretchen spoke up about it. "We have other plans," she said. Then she could have kicked herself because Owen smirked.
"Gonna watch soap operas together, eh?"
Rowdy responded, "Not your business, Owen."
"S'okay. Me and Becky will find our own fun at the after party. Sign a few autographs, maybe. Won't we, sugar?"
Becky was pouting, so she replied sullenly, "'Course we will."
Owen didn't seem thrilled with the conversation so he excused them and they left.
Once alone at the table, Rowdy asked, "What's going on here, Gretchen?"
She shrugged, a little embarrassed by her behavior. "I was thinking I should make myself a groupie while I'm here in Vegas, just so people don't know who I am and our privacy is better assured."
"I thought as much. You know, darlin', if you set yourself up as a groupie, all the Owens of the rodeo will be after you. You're too pretty with all that soft blonde hair and those sparkling gray eyes."
She hadn't thought they'd actively pursue her, but she'd seen some of it with Owen, so maybe her gambit had been shortsighted. Invisibility wasn't going to work out well if she attracted too many men. And how would Rowdy feel about it? She hardly knew him. Would he think she was, indeed, a groupie and intended to pursue the cowboys to notch her bedpost?
Rowdy pointed out another reason it was a bad idea. "You might put me in the position where I'd have to be defendin' your honor day in and day out."
"Oh, no! That was not what I intended. Are you very mad at me?"
"Not very, but I do want an apology."
"I'm sorry," she replied sincerely.
"I think we need to talk about the vice you couldn't guess last night."
"Does it have something to do with this situation?"
He nodded. "While I accept your apology, I also think words are cheap and I want you to think twice about your actions. I think we could have somethin' going here and I want to set the relationship up proper."
"I don't know what you mean. I won't do it again."
"Let's make sure. I'll give you a spankin' and that will be the end of it."
"Spanking!" she said in a whisper, afraid to say the word aloud, especially as Amy and Melody were returning to their table and passing by. "You can't!"
"I can. If you want to continue whatever we started yesterday, this is the way to do it. Otherwise, it's going to be shallow like Owen's gals are. Quick and dirty, with no feelings. If you want to be a groupie, now's the time to say so. And just for your information, I don't go out with groupies much. I don't go out with women I don't respect."
"And you won't respect me if I don't let you spank me?"
"Now that we've got our cards on the table, I can safely say, no, because I won't believe you sincerely won't be coming up with crazy schemes all the time. I don't know you well, but I'd like to if you'll show me you're as sincere as I am."
Sincere. Bob would birth a cow. The very idea of letting a man spank her was so foreign. There was something personal about it, just the same, and Gretchen wondered if a personal relationship was something she wanted to pursue. She didn't know Rowdy well, but he was very attractive, not only in his looks, but in his manner. Amy liked him as well. How humble could Gretchen be at this point in her life? Was humility something she needed to embrace? Was it possible without some sort of governor on her behavior, all her millions would make her spoiled, egotistical, and a bitch? Would Rowdy be a good governor? Did she trust him?
She found herself leaning toward saying yes. Biting her lip, she asked herself all those questions again. Rowdy might be good for her. His temper didn't seem to be involved. He'd pointed out the ramifications of deciding not to cooperate with the spanking
. There was no threat there. Was there harm in it?
"All right," she agreed, her voice small and soft. "But I have to tell you, it scares me."
"I won't harm you."
"How can I be sure?"
"What would Bob do to me if I did?"
Gretchen snorted. "Shoot you, probably."
Rowdy nodded. "Yep. I don't want to get shot."
"How do we get around him?"
He thought about it for a moment, his brow furrowing then releasing. "How does he deal with your sex life?"
"What sex life?" Staring at her, he nodded toward Amy. "It was a long time ago, and I've been rather too busy to pursue anything new. Not that it's any of your business."
"So you have no plan in place with Bob?"
"No!"
"I'd suggest we make a plan. Bring Bob into it. You don't have to tell him it's about a spanking. Let him think it's about sex."
"I can't… I just can't."
Rowdy nodded. "That's that, ma'am. You done with your meal?"
"Y-yes."
"Then I think we ought to high-tail it back to your suite and live and let live."
"But–"
"There aren't too many options here, Gretchen." He looked up and nodded at a passing cowboy who gave him a nod back.
"Will you talk to Bob?"
He frowned again. "Bob is your employee, Gretchen."
"I know, but he's… Bob. Hard to explain."
Rowdy sighed and rose from the table, offering his hand to her to help her out of the booth. Always a gentleman, even when breaking it off with her. All sorts of regrets washed over Gretchen, and a sense of loss for what might have been had their situation been different and she didn't have nine-hundred-million dollars.
They walked to the truck and Bob followed. The truck had been parked behind the diner in the overflow parking, so no one could see them from the windows. Bob got in first, then Rowdy helped Gretchen and got in himself. He turned on the engine and the air conditioning, but they didn't go anywhere.
"Bob," Rowdy started. Gretchen listened keenly. "There's no good way to put this. Gretchen and I are attracted to each other and want to make it physical."
"No," said the man in the backseat.
"Are you saying Gretchen can't have a personal life?"
Bob audibly ground his teeth. "I think she needs to know you better first. We all need to know you better."
"You don't trust my judgment?" Gretchen asked, a bit miffed.
"Well, now, Gretchen, you have made some poor decisions along the way."
"The money I gave to the prison inmate accidentally was a fluke."
Rowdy pinned her with a stern look and she flushed, her cheeks growing hot.
"How about the boutique you bought in Kentucky, sight unseen?"
"How was I to know drug dealers used the place as a shelter?"
"You would have known those things if you'd let Harry and me do our business and keep you safe."
"This is different."
"It's not different. You're about to make a big mistake."
"Beg pardon, Bob, but I don't consider my relationship with Gretchen to be a big mistake."
"You see dollar signs, so no you wouldn't find it a bad decision to chase them… to chase her."
"Bob!" Gretchen exclaimed. "It's not like that at all." She looked down at her hands, twisting in her lap. "This is so embarrassing." Rowdy was gripping the steering wheel of his truck as though they were driving one hundred and ten miles per hour on a winding road, even though they were still parked on the gravel lot. "Bob, this is my life. If I make mistakes, I have to deal with them. I'm confident this is not a mistake. It's what I want. I trust Rowdy."
Bob stared at her for a few moments, then at Rowdy, who eyed him in the mirror. "It's your decision, Miss Nelson. I'm just your bodyguard."
Gretchen felt herself tearing up. "Bob, don't be that way."
He sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel imprisoned."
"Thank you."
"I'll be available if you need me, Gretchen."
"I know."
Without a word, Rowdy put the truck in gear and started driving them back to the hotel. Gretchen saw Melody and Amy rolling out in the limo not far behind.
When they'd all gotten back to their luxurious home away from home, Gretchen and Amy stood by the hotel guard assigned to them and waited for Bob and Melody to sweep the rooms, looking for intruders or other threats. Rowdy went with them, though Gretchen didn't know why. Since there were no threats, the trio came out and nodded at Gretchen to come in.
Gretchen approached Bob, Melody and Rowdy, only hearing the last few words of their conversation. "Glad we got that taken care of," Rowdy said, enigmatically, then shook hands with the two bodyguards. Next Rowdy turned to Gretchen. "Are you going to be at the rodeo tonight?"
"I don't have tickets."
"You do now. I'll make sure there are four tickets waiting for you at Will Call."
She touched his arm. "Thank you."
He nodded. "I'll see you after the show."
"With your horse?" Amy piped in.
"Remember, peanut, my horse is at home far away. But I'll be riding a bucking horse trying to throw me on the ground. I have to stay on his back for a short time and then, if I do well, I get a prize."
"Ooo! I like prizes!"
"Don't we all."
"Can we see Rowdy ride his borrowed horse, Mommy?"
Gretchen smoothed her daughter's dark hair, loving the excitement in her daughter's brown eyes. "Yes, we sure can."
"Yay!"
"Now go get ready for a swim. I'll be in in a minute."
Rowdy tipped his hat at the little girl. "Bye for now, peanut."
She waved and hurried away with Melody. Bob stood uncomfortably nearby, but appeared to try not to listen in.
"We have unfinished business," Rowdy told Gretchen.
"I suppose we do."
He laughed. "Fraidy cat."
She smacked him on the arm, but it was playful. "I'm not afraid of you."
"Good. I'm a stuffed puppy when you get to know me." He tilted his head toward Bob, who turned his back. Things had changed. Gretchen wondered what her two bodyguards and her new beau had discussed while in her suite alone. Rowdy took Gretchen's chin in hand and tilted her face up toward him. She snaked her hands around his sturdy biceps and leaned in.
It was one kiss. A gentle one. Nothing greedy or aggressive about it. But Gretchen felt as though sparks flew from her lips to her toes, nonetheless.
They broke apart too soon. Mere seconds had passed and Gretchen wanted more. But this was not the time or place for more.
"I'll meet you at the main entrance about ten minutes after the rodeo is over. My event is the first one after the prayer and the National Anthem. I'm hopin' to win big."
"I know you will," she said, trying not to sigh and make moon eyes at him.
He grinned. "Thanks. Bye now, ma'am." Tipping his hat at her and nodding to Bob, Rowdy turned and left her standing in the hall in front of her suite. It was a few hours until the rodeo, and then who knew how long before he'd spank her. The rodeo sounded like fun… But the spanking was a mystery yet to be revealed.
Chapter 3
The seats Rowdy had acquired for them were awfully good. She wondered how he'd gotten them so late in the rodeo event. The Worldwide Finals Rodeo was ten days long and this was Day 8. The cowboys had already established themselves. Although the top fifteen in every event were invited, there were some standouts in each category. For the bareback riding, there were three who really were shining stars: Rowdy, Bear, and a fellow she hadn't met, Zack Thomas. Rowdy had already won $1.4 million dollars over the year, some four hundred and thirty thousand of which counted toward the world championship title. If he won enough at the finals, he was a shoo-in for the title. But Bear wasn't far behind and there was a reasonable possibility he could overtake Rowdy and win the championship. If he won the WFR, he'd have the earnings for t
he top spot.
Rowdy needed to win at least two of the last three days.
The crowd was excited and a bit raucous. Everyone was polite, however, and respectful as the quartet moved to their seats to the side of where the bucking chutes were located and where the action for the rough stock events would be best seen. Amy was practically hopping in her seat as they waited for the action to start.
There was a prayer, just like every rodeo Gretchen remembered from childhood, and then a big to-do about the National Anthem and patriotism. They were two of her favorite things about rodeo. They were shameless purveyors of family, God, and country. Amy had memorized the National Anthem from a music CD she'd gotten last Christmas, and she sang the loudest of those around them in the stands. Bob, at Gretchen's insistence, had obtained a cowboy hat, jeans and boots, and he was no longer sticking out like a sore thumb. Apparently, Melody had had a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved red t-shirt in her luggage, so she was prepared. Poor Bob did look a little uncomfortable in his new finery, however. Gretchen was amused by his many adjustments to his hat. But she had to admit the outfit looked good on him. It softened him, making him look less brutish, approachable. He was a good-looking man in his forties, which made him eye candy for the ladies over thirty-five in the audience. In some ways, he reminded her of her father, though it had been over five years since she'd seen her dad. Certainly, he treated her like he was a father, sometimes to her irritation.
The bareback riding was the first event after the Anthem presentation, and she watched with great eagerness as the cowboys took their turns. Bear was third in the rotation, and he did a splendid job, riding the full eight, long seconds, and getting a score of eighty-eight out of one hundred. His horse, Cherry Pie, a product of the Journey Pro Rodeo livestock ranch, was announced as a good candidate for bucking horse of the year, which made it a very hard horse to ride. It was an excellent score, but Rowdy or Zack might very well best it. Scores of up to ninety-four had been recorded, though none higher ever and anything over ninety was rare.
Zack rode before Rowdy, too, but he got bucked off a bucking horse named Greasy Spoon. Greasy Spoon had also been labeled ‘rank’ meaning very hard to ride, so no one was unduly surprised Zack couldn't control the ride.
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