by T. J. Kline
“If she stays here, we both know she’s going to hook up with him and get her heart broken.”
“It’s about time she falls for someone.” Joe’s outrage almost made him laugh. “Relax, nothing is going to happen. You know better than anyone that Angie won’t get close enough to fall for anyone,” he reminded him. “Let her live a little. Besides, if he breaks her heart, you can be there to pick up the pieces.” It didn’t take a genius to see that Derek had fallen hard for Angie, and he doubted the cowboy would hurt her, but Robert would say anything right now if it would get Joe to shut up.
“You realize if this story does as well as she thinks it will, she’ll be moving to one of the bigger stations in Sacramento or San Francisco. Maybe even L.A. And where would that leave you?” He jerked the pen out of Robert’s hand, forcing him to look at him. “If you think she’s planning on taking you, you’re wrong. She can’t wait to get away.”
The announcer turned off his microphone. “Do you two mind? I’m trying to work here. If you want to talk, get out,” he ordered, turning his mic back on and adding some commentary to the ride happening in the arena.
Robert wasn’t sure if Joe was repeating something Angie had said or just trying to get a reaction from him. “We’ll talk about this later,” he whispered.
“I have a job for you while you’re there, Robert. Just be sure to find me before I leave. And, just so you know, if you don’t do this, I’ll make sure you’re sorry. You’ll wish you were in jail again when I get through with you.”
DEREK WAS KICKING himself. He’d tried to work out at least one hundred different scenarios to get Angela alone, and nothing seemed feasible. He watched her from the end of the arena while the specialty act performed for the crowd. The bull riding was next, their last event before they ran the evening slack, and he wondered if she was getting the footage she needed. He’d seen her talking with several of the competitors before and after their events, hovering in the medical tent while several minor injuries were treated.
She was a vision and he couldn’t seem to tear his eyes from her. Even seated beside her father and Joe in the announcer’s booth, her hair gleamed like it was lit from a fire within. She’d borrowed another Western shirt from Sydney, and she looked good enough to eat in her dark green shirt and jeans, with rhinestones on her perfectly round rear. He’d heard more than one of the contestants talking about her behind the chutes, and had he not been a professional he might have put a few of them in the medical tent himself. She was a woman who demanded a man’s attention without even trying.
“Hey, you gonna stare at her all day or get ready?” Scott sidled his paint gelding beside Derek’s horse.
“I’m ready.” He crossed his forearms and leaned them on the saddle horn.
“Maybe I should finagle a way to get Sydney and Kassie to a hotel tonight, huh?”
Derek glared at his brother. “It’s not like that.”
“The hell it’s not.” Scott rolled his eyes and looked back at the animal act in the arena. “Why don’t you take her out tonight? Find someplace in town for dinner. I’m sure I can convince one of the other guys to run the slack with me. It’s just timed events.”
“And if one of these guys gets hurt and she’s not here to get it on film?” He shook his head. “She’d never forgive me.” His eyes found her again and he clenched his jaw when he saw her lean close to Joe.
“I don’t trust him,” Scott said, his eyes following Derek’s.
“What am I supposed to do? He’s her boss.”
“He’s also up to something. You need to keep an eye on him,” Scott warned.
“I know, but I’m not sure what I can do right now. Unless he threatens the company, he’s just like any other reporter with a press pass.” Derek sighed and winked at Angela as she met his gaze across the arena and smiled. He felt his body immediately respond and shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. Damn, that woman could play him like a fiddle if she wanted to. He didn’t miss the glare Joe shot him. “But I don’t think it’s us he wants to threaten.”
DEREK FOUND ANGELA after the end of the bull riding in the medical booth, interviewing a cowboy who lay on a gurney while the doctor checked out his ribs. “How many times have you broken your ribs?”
“Who knows?” The cowboy winced as the doctor pressed against the bruised flesh. “I crack them at least once a year, sometimes more.”
“Yet, you continue to ride?” Derek caught the cowboy’s nod in greeting. Angela followed his gaze over her shoulder. “Why?”
“What do you mean, why?” he laughed. “Even on a bad day, this beats any eight-to-five job I could get working construction or behind a desk. I get to do what I love.”
“You love being injured?” Derek laid a hand on her shoulder, unsure if he was doing it because of the aching need to touch her or because he wanted to make sure everyone realized she was his.
“I love this sport. We’re just like any other athlete. Football players, baseball players, skiers, mountain climbers . . . they can all get hurt. We’re no different.”
“Except you’re riding a two-thousand-pound animal determined to get you off its back by any means necessary.”
He gave her a lop-sided grin. “Yeah, well, there is that.”
Angela smiled back at him and Derek felt the urge to drag her away from any other men nearby. She laid her hand on the cowboy’s forearm. “I think we have enough for now. Are you really going to try and ride next weekend?”
The cowboy glanced at the doctor, who frowned down at him. “I’m about ninety percent sure you have at least two cracked ribs.”
“Yeah, I’ll be riding next weekend.”
She laughed with him, even as he grimaced in pain, and the medic shook his head. Angela turned to Derek. “Are you finished?”
“No.” He frowned when he saw Joe and Skip waiting for her at the trailer. “We still have to finish the timed events.”
“I thought those were finished a long time ago.” She twisted her lips in an expression he wanted to believe was disappointment.
“The slack is the overflow of competitors who weren’t able to compete in the time allowed during the performances,” he explained. “We had a lot of calf and team ropers this weekend so we’ll take a short break and then get them started. Hopefully, it won’t last too long tonight.”
“Need my help with anything?”
Derek snuck one arm around her waist and pulled her close, spinning her so that he leaned back against one of the trailers and she stood between his thighs, away from the view of prying eyes. “You have no idea,” he murmured, dipping his head toward hers. His voice was low and hoarse with desire.
He had to spend some time with her alone tonight. He gently touched his lips against hers, trying to keep his kiss light against her lips until her fingers clenched against his chest. He deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue past her lips to taste the sweet nectar of her mouth. He felt himself grow hard as her hands snuck over his shoulders and around his neck and she pressed herself against him with abandon. Her mouth stoked the fire in him until it was threatening to consume every shred of self-control he retained. He growled low in his throat and spanned her waist with his hands, moving her backward until she was arm’s distance away.
“Good God, Angel. I have never wanted a woman the way I want you.” He saw her eyes glimmer and dismissed the notion that it might be tears. She wound her fingers around his wrists, moving his hands to circle around her.
She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his jaw. “Mr. Chandler, the feeling is mutual,” she whispered.
She leaned backward to get a better look at a commotion near the arena and, heaven help him, the movement pressed her breasts closer to his chin. He took a ragged breath, his hands sliding up her back and pulling her upright.
“If you do that again, I’m going to drag you inside and take you here and now and forget everything I know about being a gentleman,” he warned, every nerve ending in his body vibra
ting with desire.
“And I just might . . .” He saw her face pale. “Derek, they need you.” Her voice held a note of panic.
Derek moved her aside and ran to the arena with Angela right behind him. He saw the cowboy riding out of the arena, his arm clutched to his stomach, blood pouring from a fresh wound.
“Skip,” Angela called. Derek barely glanced at the man as he ran toward them, the camera immediately on his shoulder.
As the cowboy dismounted and was settled on the gurney, the doctor began to inspect his bleeding hand. Blood dripped down his palm, splattering in the soft earth and forming droplets at their feet.
“Found it!” someone called from the arena and Derek saw another cowboy run toward the table. “Here ya go, doc.”
Derek turned and began to walk away as the doctor slipped the top of the cowboy’s thumb into a bag of ice as one of the paramedics on site helped the cowboy into the back of the ambulance. Angela paled and moved away from the cowboy, shying away from the gore. She shook her head at Skip and he backed away as they closed the doors, still filming as the ambulance pulled out of the rodeo grounds. She turned to the doctor.
“How often does that happen?”
“It’s not common but it happens in the roping events. Usually it’s when the roper dallies the rope around the saddle horn. The tip of his thumb can get caught, and when the rope pulls taut”—he smacked his lips together and flipped his hand up—“there goes the end of the thumb.”
“Are they going to be able to fix it?” He could hear the horror in her voice. She glanced at the cowboy who’d found the digit before looking back at the doctor for his answer.
“They’ll try, but there’s a good chance they won’t be able to do anything.”
She looked at Derek and then at the cowboys around her with incredulity. He could see how it might be difficult for her to grasp the fact that no one seemed overly worried about the thumb. It was just part of the culture: a “cowboy up” attitude. Besides, it was just a thumb.
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I have to get back in the arena and finish. Are you going back to the trailer?”
She glanced at Skip, who jerked his chin toward the cattle chutes at the other end of the arena. “I can get some good shots down there, Angela, and if anything happens I’ll be right there.”
“Okay,” she acquiesced. “Then I’ll head over to the trailer and start the copy with Joe.”
Joe was the last person he wanted to leave her alone with, but he didn’t see that he had a choice. This was her job and Joe was her boss. He spotted Sydney heading into the trailer. “Why don’t you work inside the trailer? It’ll give you some quiet, and I’m sure Syd could use some help with Kassie while she starts dinner for everyone.”
At her nod he felt a measure of relief. At least with Sydney present he would feel safer knowing that she would eavesdrop. Sydney was a master when it came to finding out information people didn’t even know they were giving.
DEREK ROLLED HIS shoulders backward, trying to loosen up his stiff muscles. The slack had lasted far longer than he’d thought it would, and they still had one performance left tomorrow. He locked the back gate as the last contestant pulled out. What he really wanted to do was to head back to the ranch and spend a few days working on his house. Working on it always seemed to give him time and distance to put anything troubling him into its proper perspective.
Perspective was exactly what he needed right now, when every instinct was telling him Angela was “the one,” but every circumstance seemed destined to drive them apart. How could a city girl and a cowboy ever make a relationship work? He knew he could never move, and the only place she wanted to go was up: bigger city, bigger stories, bigger fan base, bigger paycheck. As much as he wanted her, he wanted something that would last, and he just couldn’t see past their differences. However, logic wasn’t enough to stop the electrifying jolt of yearning he felt as soon as she came into view.
Angela set out plates of food on a long table for a buffet-style meal for the crew. He chuckled as Kassie reached across Sydney to grab a fistful of Angela’s long hair. He saw the smile that graced Angela’s face as she reached for the child, catching Kassie as she lunged before cuddling her close. She was quickly letting go of her ice queen demeanor. There was joy in her eyes now; contentment had replaced the haunted desperation he’d seen there last week. It surprised him how easily her smile surfaced now. Knowing what he did about her past, it probably surprised her too.
Kassie spotted him behind Angela and reached for him, causing Angela to turn and see what had attracted the child’s attention. She flashed him a bright smile and his heart pounded against his ribs.
That is not a good sign, cowboy.
He scooped the baby from Angela’s arms and kissed her cheek, making her giggle. “Hey, cowgirl. And one for you,” he said, leaning down and pressing a quick, perfunctory kiss on Angela’s cheek.
He didn’t want it to appear too intimate with others around, but he couldn’t help but touch her. Kassie watched them intently, and Derek laughed when she opened her mouth, wanting another kiss. The pair obliged the baby while the crew began dishing up their plates.
“Where’re Joe and Skip?” He shifted Kassie to one side of his chest and held her in the crook of his elbow, bouncing her occasionally as he searched the faces nearby.
“Joe’s by your trailer, probably pouting. He’s not happy about the turn of the story but he’s agreed to one more week, although he would like me to head back sooner if possible.” She pointed to several of the crew seated with her father, Skip on his right. “Skip’s over there with Dad. I guess they are going to share the couch in your trailer tonight, which doesn’t really leave you many options again, I’m afraid.”
“My truck or your couch again,” he filled in. The thought of sharing the roll-out bed with her last night stirred a fire within him, again overruling the discomfort still tormenting his back. “Hmm, who’s staying on the couch with me, you or Scott?”
She tipped her head and gave him a reprimanding look. “I overheard Sydney say she was heading back tonight after dinner.” She allowed Kassie to grasp one of her fingers in her pudgy fist. “This one might be coming down with the same thing her cousin has.” As if on cue, Kassie coughed hoarsely.
She met Derek’s gaze, her eyes dark with longing. “I’m not sure what the sleeping arrangements are going to be tonight.”
“Don’t worry, Angel. Your reputation will be safe. Scott and I will take the couch and you can have the bed.”
“I can’t do that! You guys won’t fit on that couch.” She paused, looking as if she wanted to say something, and he wondered if she was thinking about how he’d managed to fit on the couch with her in his arms last night.
“We’ll figure something out.” Derek cringed at the thought of sharing any bed with his brother. He’d done it enough in the past to know it would be a tugging match for blankets. He didn’t anticipate getting much sleep tonight, especially when the person he wanted to be lying next to was only a few feet away.
“Why don’t the two of you take the bed and I’ll sleep on the couch?” she suggested, looking pleased with her solution.
It wasn’t the solution he had in mind. “We’ll figure it out.” He turned toward the food. “Dinner looks good.” He reached for a plate and set it on the table, trying to spoon homemade pork and beans onto it without spilling on the baby in his arms.
“Here, either give me Kassie or your plate.” She reached for the child, who whined and clung to her uncle. “Okay, then I’ll take the plate,” she laughed. “She’s pretty smitten with you.”
Derek smiled down at the little girl tucking her head between his neck and chin. “Yeah,” he agreed. “This little girl has a special place in my heart.” Angela turned and looked at him intently, as if trying to read his thoughts. He could see concern creeping into her eyes and wondered at her hesitation.
“That’s sweet.”
&n
bsp; Derek didn’t miss her clipped tone. “Angel,” he said, reaching for her waist and pulling her close, “are you jealous?”
“Why would I be jealous?”
“Let’s take our food over there,” he said, jerking his chin toward his truck. “I think we need to talk for a second.”
Angela dished up a plate for herself while he waited. She walked toward the truck, carrying both plates. He lowered the tailgate and she set the plates down, glancing at Kassie, now asleep in Derek’s arms.
“You want me to take her so you can eat?” she asked softly, unable to keep the gentle smile from curving the corners of her lips.
“No, go ahead.” He wasn’t sure where to begin. He stalled, twisting the cap from a bottle of water and drinking half before setting it down. Angela played with her food but remained silent. He could tell she wanted to ask about his earlier statement but wasn’t sure how to bring it up.
“I told you Scott and I didn’t get along, but last year I helped Scott’s ex keep him and Sydney apart. The only thing it accomplished was getting Sydney hurt, almost killed.” Derek could taste the shame on his tongue, bitter and vile, and he looked away from Angela. “I promised her I’d make it up to her. That I’d never let my family down again, and she’s family. Kassie’s . . .”
“The part of Sydney that you can have,” Angela finished. He could hear a note of sadness in her voice as she put her fork down. “I get it.”
“No, I . . . damn it.” Derek tossed his hat into the back of the truck, and for the first time Derek wished for someone else to hold Kassie. “Angel . . .”
“Don’t call me that,” Angela murmured, shaking her head and tossing those fiery waves around her shoulders.