Cowgirl Up

by Cheyenne Meadows

  “No. I don’t trust people around him. Or he around them.” She bit her lip. “Besides, he’s all I have.”

  Shannon smiled softly. “Maybe not all you have, but he’s one hell of a horse. Make a great stud if you decide to retire him from barrel racing.”

  “I’ve considered that. Just don’t know if many people would be interested, especially in Kentucky.”

  “Just get to the finals. Once the nation sets eyes on Legacy, I bet his stud book fills up fast.”

  “That’s the plan. Two more races to qualify for the finals.” The light at the end of the tunnel remained out of reach, but much closer than ever before. “I’ve got to do better than fourth, though.”

  Shannon waved her hand. “First night jitters. Besides, you’re still getting used to Tinker. By tomorrow, you’ll have it down pat.” She offered up an encouraging grin. “Now, you need some rest if you’re going to do well tomorrow.”

  “Spoken like a true mother.” Trinity smiled, enjoying Shannon’s mothering tendencies, not only with her two sons, but with Trinity too. Shannon might have seven years of age over Trinity, but her wisdom and kindness went way beyond.

  “Yep. Don’t think that I’d hesitate to put you in time out, either.” She mock scowled.

  Trinity giggled. “Okay. Okay. I promise to be good.” She held up her hands in defeat.

  “That’s better.” Shannon chuckled then sobered. “You’re always welcome here, Trinity.”

  The words humbled her. “Thanks.”

  “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Shannon left, shutting the door behind her.

  Trinity sat down in a chair in the room, unwilling to chance getting the bed dirty with any dust remaining on her jeans. She checked the clock, then pulled out her cell phone, scrolled to find the number, then punched the button.

  “Hello?”

  “Carmen, hi. I was just checking on Legacy.”

  “Again.” Carmen chuckled. “That’s the third time today.”

  “I know. It’s just that I’m an overprotective horse parent who’s suffering separation anxiety being away from her baby.”

  “Uh-huh. Already figured that one out, Trin.” She paused for a brief second. “He’s fine. Ate like a glutton. Raced Victory up and down the fence a couple of times. Pretty much a typical day for him.”

  “So he doesn’t miss me?” For some ridiculous reason the silly question slipped out and she braced herself for a jolt of pain when Carmen unloaded the truth.

  Carmen snorted. “You’re a mess, Trin.”

  “I know. So, did he miss me?”

  “Of course. He eyed me oddly when I brought him his dinner. Refused a peppermint too.”

  Relief washed over Trinity. She chastised herself. Dumb and a bit childish to hope her horse missed her when they were separated for the first time ever. But, honest. “I guess he does like me after all.”

  “Like? Girl, that stud thinks you’re his momma the way you pamper him.”

  Trinity laughed. “Well, since he’s my baby, I guess that works.”

  “So, how did tonight go?”

  Trinity sighed. “Fourth. It’s tough competition.”

  “And riding a new horse isn’t easy, either.”

  “No. She’s a great mare, just very different than riding Legacy.”

  “Well, buckle down, Trinity. We’re all rooting for you here.”

  “I know. Thank you.”

  “Welcome.”

  “Thanks for taking care of Legacy for me. I’ll check in tomorrow.”

  “I imagine so. A time or seven.” Carmen laughed. “Goodnight, Trin.”

  “Goodnight.” Feeling better after the update on Legacy, Trinity went through her contact list once more, found Cody’s name, then hesitated. She bit her lip and debated calling him. After all, it was late and he’d probably be exhausted from endless meetings today.

  Still, she missed him. A lot. They’d grown close through the season. He made for a good friend, a great conversation partner, even a decent foot massage therapist. Then, he’d been right there when Legacy went down. She couldn’t pay him enough for his fast actions and the way he stuck by her through the whole experience, even staying the night.

  She couldn’t help but grin at the memory of his excuse to spend the night, that he had no transportation back to the rodeo. A plausible excuse, sure, but one with holes. In all reality, there were several options open to him. He ended up staying because they both wanted him to. She recalled waking up in his arms, the coziness, the comfort. Even with his clothing still on, she loved the feel of his body wrapped around hers. Safe. Protected. Cared for.

  I can so get used to that.

  They would reunite at the finals. If she qualified.

  I will. I didn’t come this far to come up short.

  Determined, she sealed the positive motto into her mind, and called Cody.

  He answered on the second ring. “Hello?”

  “Cody? Did I wake you?”

  “Nope. Wasn’t asleep yet.”

  She heard the fatigue in his voice. “Do you ever sleep? I know you don’t seem to at rodeos.”

  “Now and again.”

  “So, what are you doing if you aren’t sleeping?”

  He paused for a moment. “Not much. How did your ride go? What do you think of Shannon’s back-up mare?”

  She caught the abrupt shift in topics and went with the flow. “I came in fourth. But, I know we can do better. She’s just different than Legacy, more hands on instead of auto pilot.”

  “Enjoying your time with Shannon? She seems like a good woman.”

  “Oh, she is. Fed me. Put me up in her spare bedroom. Letting me borrow her horse and gave me some tips and training this afternoon. She’s an angel.”

  He chuckled. “Sleeping in a real bed, huh? That’s novel for you.”

  She smiled at his teasing. “It’s different, definitely.” A weary sigh followed. “I’d trade it all in for my lumpy cot if I could be with Legacy.”

  “I know, Trinity.” A few seconds ticked by. “Keep your head up. You can do this. It’s a challenge, sure, but you’ve met every one so far and came out on top.”

  As much as she appreciated the pep talk, she wished to hear it in person, rather than over the phone. “How’s the meetings going? Are you bored out of your mind yet?”

  He snorted. “The whole morning was one, endless security briefing. Necessary, but it would have been a bit more interesting if they actually had someone with high-level security experience draw up the plans and lead the meeting. As it was, the guy couldn’t answer most questions and seemed rattled that people even asked.”

  “Ouch. Sounds like they need a replacement or someone fell through the cracks.”

  “Yeah. I had a chat with one of the board members. He’s supposed to be looking into things.”

  Sounded like the Cody she knew. He saw a problem, then pulled strings and made needed moves to get it corrected. “Think he will?”

  “Probably. I pointed out some big loopholes. Considering how many fans, competitors, and vendors will be in this place, he’s not about to leave everything up to chance.”

  “Cody?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “I’m proud of you.” She spoke the words straight from the heart.

  “For what?” Confusion laced his voice.

  “For going above and beyond. For being caring, smart, and compassionate. For getting the ball rolling and finding a way to give me a chance at the finals.” Not for the first time, she realized how much Cody stood heads above most other men. His conscience and willingness to stand up for what’s right made him a rare breed these days. A warrior, through and through. And a man she found herself falling hard for.

  “No problem.” The words came across softly, but hinted at humble emotion. “Trin?”

  “Yes?”

  He paused as if he wanted to say something, then changed his mind. “Good luck tomorrow. Believe in your
self.”

  “Thanks. I’ll do everything in my power to move up in the standings. If I don’t punch a ticket to the finals, you’ll be going without me.”

  He chuckled. “We can’t have that.”

  “No way. Who else will give me foot rubs and share my pie.”

  “Then ride like the wind tomorrow, Trin. I sure as hell ain’t rubbing anyone else’s feet at that rodeo.”

  She laughed, the tension easing from her as typically happened when she talked with Cody. “Not even Jared’s?”

  He snorted. “Especially not Jared’s.”

  Feeling so much better, she giggled at his mildly disgusted tone. “I miss you.”

  “You’ll be in Vegas soon enough. But, bring a jacket and a blanket. The nights are damn cold.”

  “Will do. Goodnight, Cody.”

  “Night, Trin.”

  She disconnected the call, then leaned back in the chair.

  When she started this seasonal journey, she never envisioned a man like Cody becoming a main character. Now, she looked at him, then her future, and wasn’t sure the two weren’t intertwined.

  Blowing out a deep breath, she glanced at the clock, and headed for the shower. Tomorrow would be another eventful day and she needed some shuteye.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The indoor arena was huge. Biggest to date that she’d encountered with the exception of one, which happened to be outdoor, simply massive, and didn’t count in comparison. How they kept this ceiling up with no poles down the center, she couldn’t fathom, but thanked the feats of engineering just the same. For the size provided a definite advantage for her mount as compared to the smaller ones. With the long run both in and out, Legacy could hit full stride and fly like his namesake down the backstretch time and again. His long legs would eat up the distance while his powerful hindquarters, provided the catapult. If there was one event center that suited her crossbred stallion, this was the one.

  Her spirit soared at both the comforting fact and the realization that she’d finally reached her destination. The national finals. A lifetime of preparation came together to make this moment possible. She intended to enjoy every second along the way.

  She’d pulled the rabbit out of the hat, the prior weekend by finishing second overall to Shannon. The points catapulted her firmly into number ten in the nation. If she could win the average here, she could move up enough places to take home the grand prize—national barrel racing champion.

  Legacy snorted and danced under her. His time off must have done him good because he bristled with energy as evidenced by his bucking and kicking up his heels. “We’re just going to trot through this time, buddy. Get your confidence back up first.”

  He chewed on the bit, but obeyed, moving with long, flowing strides around the barrels. His ears pricked as he picked up the pace when he headed back toward the finish line.

  Trinity laughed. She’d worried like an overprotective mother about Legacy after the fall. He remained sound and his attitude hadn’t been dented in the least judging by the way he fought to turn on the speed.

  Her world turned right side up again. Thank goodness.

  Ten days. The long, drawn-out rodeo tested everyone’s stamina on a nightly basis. She’d already done the math. Win the average and she would be national champion. Knock a barrel down and she fell out of the race. The best barrel racers in the nation were here, all bidding to take the top spot. She clung to her spot by the skin of her teeth and needed to win a few rounds along the way in order to jack up her points as well as keep her in the running for the finals average bonus. Mistakes would cost her pretty much everything. She hadn’t come all this way and made such sacrifices to go out without laying it all on the line.

  This is our time.

  Trinity patted Legacy’s neck and let him walk around the inner circle of the arena to get acclimated to the large place. “We’ll do one loping run through, then it’s back to the stall for you. Tonight will be here soon enough.”

  Once she made it back to the starting area, she let him move into a canter, then run the cloverleaf pattern again. He fought her before finally giving in and sticking with the less than full throttle pace.

  Satisfied with their practice time, Trinity slid off him, grabbed the reins, then led him back to their assigned home for the next several days.

  On the way, she saw a couple of people she knew and waved. Unfortunately, the one person she wanted to come across the most remained absent. Cody.

  They’d spoken on the phone a few times this past week while he was in Vegas getting ready for the big event. He sounded tired on the phone, like the meetings had bored him out of his skull. Come to think of it, they probably had. Cody was a man of action, not one to sit behind a desk.

  She grinned at the image of him crossing his eyes and chafing at the forced endurance of hour-long discussions. He’d be just like Legacy today. Raring to get out and run.

  Maybe that’s one reason I’m drawn to Cody. He reminds me of Legacy. They both possessed fast motors, intelligence, and a definite sweet side. Each carried themselves with confidence and attitude.

  Yep, that must be it. Wait until I see Cody and tell him he’s just like my stud. She giggled at the idea. His mouth would probably fall open before a wicked smile creased his face.

  Unfortunately, she might not run into him for a while. Always before he cited the first day of the rodeo as hell on wheels with all the checking in of livestock. Each animal had to be gone over, searching for illness or injury, and their paperwork verified. There might be a dozen vets running around, but the number of livestock had to be in the triple digits.

  She sighed. Work before pleasure, but that’s just another aspect of Cody that made him the man he is. Not afraid of getting dirty, he went above and beyond. A wonderful trait to have in a boyfriend and lover.

  Lover?

  The word popped into her mind and stuck. She blinked. Talk about putting the cart before the horse. Wow.

  They’d just started loosely dating. Shared a few kisses. Even the night he spent with her at the stud farm, he shared her bed, but that was it.

  The memory brought a soft smile. She woke up snuggled into his body, warm and protected. Even with his clothes on, she savored the experience and hoped for a repeat sometime soon.

  Speaking of, it was a bit odd that he didn’t strip down to his underwear or at least take his shirt off. She’d pondered over his decision more than once, but never came up with a good answer. Perhaps he wanted to avoid shocking her, especially with his natural and predictable morning erection. Maybe he thought she’d protest the minute he started shucking clothes. Boy, would he have been wrong on that count. Cody was damn sexy with clothes on. Without…she resisted the urge to fan herself.

  Which led her back to that word. Lover. No shudder of terror raced down her spine. No panic attack hit. Instead, she considered the term barely out of her reach, just like her goal of winning the finals. Both were doable, realistic goals, and would be life changing. Although one big difference existed. The run at the finals would be fleeting. A bright moment in her life. Cody, on the other hand, she’d hang on to him for a good long time. Maybe forever.

  Her stomach clenched. What about the plans to pick up stakes and move elsewhere, leaving everything behind? To see the world and take a brand new path? How could she do that when Cody tied her down?

  Prior ideas and current situations clashed like a couple of male bighorn sheep fighting for a female.

  She shook her head in an effort to toss the deep thoughts aside. No sense in getting all up in arms over deciding her future this very minute. Besides, she had bigger fish to fry in the form of the first run of the finals starting in a few hours.

  Focus, Trin. One day at a time.

  Repeating the sage advice, she entered the barn, found Legacy’s stall, and led him inside.

  “Miss me?”

  Trinity heard Gary’s voice and flinched. “No.” She twisted to grace him with a glance be
fore returning to the task of organizing her clothing for the night. She had an hour before show time and couldn’t decide which shirt to wear for tonight’s run.

  “Now, darling. You treat me so cold.” He steadily approached with a conceited smile plastered on his face.

  She stood but refused to retreat, even though her heart sped from nervousness. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m not interested?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  He stopped at the edge of her comfort zone. “I don’t believe that. More like playing hard to get.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m not interested. At all.” She emphasized the last words, hoping to drill them through his thick skull.

  “We’ll see about that.”

  Before she could do more than open her mouth to speak, he wrapped her in a strong embrace, forced her against the stalls, and sealed his mouth over her own. Her arms were trapped between their bodies as she tried unsuccessfully to shove while he nipped at her lip and shoved his tongue into her mouth.

  Fear gave her strength. Trinity whimpered and tried to skirt to the side, but his hold didn’t give an inch. Nearly gagging from his invasion of her mouth, she desperately collected her wits and bit down on his tongue.

  “Fuck.” He released her just enough.

  She slammed her knee into his groin and shoved at his chest at the same time. He didn’t go down, but he did back off. A great deal. Too bad the hard cup lessened her blow. The satisfaction of watching him writhe in pain would have been almost worth it.

  He glared at her while wiping at his mouth. His lips pinched in anger as his nostrils flared before a smug smile appeared. “Good thing I like the feisty ones.”

  “Stay away from me, Gary. I mean it.” Trembling, she lifted her chin and kept her tone steady. Showing him how much he rattled her would only encourage more of his caveman assaults. In order to get her point across, she had to hold her ground, show no fear, and knock his balls into his throat if he reached for her again.

  His gaze flickered around before he whispered to her. “I always get what I want.” He started at her for a long moment before sauntering past and finally out the back exit.