Collision

by Cassandra Carr

“Great,” she mumbled. There was a reason she wasn’t a pairs skater—having people all over her made her nervous, and even more so when it was Brady. She vowed to make it to the store herself no matter how sore her ankle got. Brady pointed out various landmarks as they walked, including the arena where the event would take place over the next couple of days. As he told her all about the Pueblo River Walk, which was still under construction, she raised an eyebrow. “You know an awful lot about this area. Are you on the tourism board or something?”

  Brady laughed. “We’re here twice a year and the NBT’s corporate headquarters are here. All told, I’m probably here six or seven times a year.” They walked a bit more until they came to a huge warehouse-type store. “Come on, sweetheart, we’re here.” Brady ushered her inside, his eyes twinkling. She didn’t trust that twinkle one bit, but trudged in after him. He headed for the women’s section and turned to her, assessing her from head to toe.

  She absolutely refused to squirm under his scrutiny, no matter how uncomfortable and warm it was making certain parts of her body that she’d rather remained dormant. “What?” she finally asked.

  “Well, I can’t ask you how much you weigh, so I was trying to see if I could tell what size you were just by looking at you.”

  Leah tapped her foot. “And what conclusion did you draw?”

  He grinned. “That I’m not stupid enough to guess.” He reached out and ran a fingertip down her cheek. “But from what I’ve seen and felt you’ve got nothing to worry about in the body department, darlin’.”

  “If you keep giving me compliments like that I might swoon,” she retorted, brushing by him to move toward a display of jeans.

  Before she knew what was happening he’d swept behind her, wrapping a steely arm around her waist and pulling her back against his hard chest. He had a very annoying habit of doing that, she’d noticed. He hummed from deep in his chest when their bodies met. “I’ll give you compliments all day long, pretty lady. You’re fucking gorgeous, and you know it. You make me crazy.” He flicked his tongue into the delicate shell of her ear for the briefest of seconds and then withdrew. Backing off, he continued in a more normal tone as Leah swayed, trying to reestablish some sort of equilibrium. “So, jeans. You’ll need probably three pairs. Don’t wanna pack too heavy—it’s easier to do laundry than to pack tons of stuff.”

  Leah pivoted to face him, hoping he didn’t notice the high color in her cheeks from his outrageous statements. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I have one suitcase, plus a small carryon bag and my purse. I’ve been traveling my whole life—I’m not new to this game.”

  Brady blew out a loud breath, gripping the back of his neck with his hand. “I’m sorry. Of course you have. What’re you gonna do with all those clothes once we buy you new ones?”

  She gave an indifferent shrug. “I’ll decide what to keep and ship the rest home.”

  “Ah.”

  “What does ‘ah’ mean?”

  “It’s just— I spend most of the money I make on improvements to the ranch. I mean, I’m not poor or anything, don’t get me wrong. I’ve done well on the tour, real well, but spending money without even thinking about it—that’s weird to me.” He looked away from her, his mouth turning down.

  “I won’t apologize for having money, Brady.”

  His gaze flew to hers. “Is that what you think I was inferring?”

  “I don’t know!” Throwing up her hands, she asked, “What is this conversation even about?”

  “Honestly, I can’t remember,” Brady replied, shaking his head and smirking.

  “Look, let’s just pick out some comfy clothes and get out of here.”

  “Deal. Then you can take me to lunch.” He touched her nose with the tip of his index finger and she had to resist the urge to grab it, whether in exasperation or something else entirely.

  Moving away from Brady and his ever-distracting touch, she scanned the racks, pulling out a few pairs of jeans, which she handed off to Brady. “Make yourself useful and hold my stuff. This might take a while. Since my thighs aren’t exactly normal-sized, sometimes it’s hard to find jeans that fit.”

  “Yes ma’am,” he drawled, “though I happen to think your thighs are perfect.” When she didn’t answer he chuckled and then followed her to another section of the store. There, he helped her pick out some plaid shirts with pearl snaps down the front. “A staple of every cowgirl’s wardrobe.” He then led her to a display of denim miniskirts and she raised an eyebrow. “For dancing at the honky-tonks. Come on, Leah, you’ve got killer legs—you’re a professional athlete. And besides, in those skimpy little skating outfits you wear you’ve gotta be used to people seeing your body, so what’s the big deal?”

  “It’s not a big deal. It’s just that some of these are practically indecent. I don’t normally wear skirts this short.”

  “So be a little scandalous. Who cares? I dare ya.” He winked and she rolled her eyes in response.

  “Yes, because you daring me is going to make me buy one…”

  “Come on, sweetheart, show me a little somethin’ somethin’,” he pleaded.

  “Fine. But I’m only buying one.” She picked out a skirt that looked to be one of the longer ones and added it to the growing stack of clothes in his arms. After adding t-shirts and assorted other items, they dumped everything in a dressing room and headed for the boot department.

  Leah zoomed in on a hot-pink-and-maroon leather pair with dark-pink stitching. Following her, Brady groaned. “Those aren’t cowboy boots. Those are…” he gestured wildly. “I dunno what they are, but they sure as shit aren’t real cowboy boots.”

  Planting her hands on her hips, she regarded him. “And why do I need ‘real’ cowboy boots? Am I a ‘real’ cowboy? No, so I think I should be able to get whatever I want. And I want this pair. I never buy anything outrageous, and believe me, for me these are very outrageous. Besides, I’m going to get another more staid-looking pair, these are just the coolest boots and I’ve got to have them.” Picking them up, she hugged them to her chest and he groaned again. “Look, I’ve done everything you wanted today. I picked out all sorts of clothes that I never thought I’d wear because you said they would help me fit in. I want these boots and I’m buying them.”

  “Fine. But can we look for a normal pair now?”

  “Of course.” Beaming, she continued to clasp her find to her breasts. The boots were totally unlike anything she’d ever even considered purchasing, but she was feeling devilish. Brady moved in front of her and her gaze shifted to the fine cut of his jeans over his well-muscled thighs and butt. Again it occurred to her that it wasn’t fair for one man to have this many good genes. It seemed like God really should’ve spread things around more evenly. Maybe then she wouldn’t be staring at him and trying not to drool all the time. She sighed.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked, turning around.

  “Nothing,” she stammered, pretending intense interest in the boots to her right so Brady wouldn’t see the heat creeping up her neck. “I like these.” She held up a simple pair of black boots decorated with delicate silver studs.

  Brady smiled. “They look like you. Let’s go try everything on.”

  For the next half hour she tried on clothes, grateful that at least her skating allowed her to stay at a decent size, barring her overly muscled thighs. By the time she was done, Brady had everything up by the register and the cashier had begun to ring up her purchases. “Thank you for organizing everything. I expected to have to do that once I got out.”

  He shrugged. “I had nothing better to do. No biggie.” She paid for her purchases and they got a cab back to the hotel. After putting everything in her room they went back down the street to a little diner Brady knew of and ordered lunch. Leaning back in the booth, Brady stretched his arms out along the top and Leah fought to keep her gaze on his face. “So tomorrow’s the first event,” he began. Leah nodded and he continued. “David said you’re coming with me to a party with s
ome of the sponsors, including Nelson Motors. A lot of the NBT brass’ll be there too, since the corporate headquarters is here. It’s a dog and pony show. I’ll be the rangy mutt. You can be the sleek, gorgeous racehorse.”

  Leah chuckled and he smiled in return. There’d been no rangy mutt in evidence since she’d met him, and certainly not the other night when they’d gone out to dinner. The man certainly knew how to wear clothes. “Wear something kinda nice, but not too nice,” Brady said. The sponsors and the NBT guys’ll probably be in suits, but they don’t expect anyone else to be. I usually wear jeans and a button-down shirt. Maybe dust off my hat a bit.” His dimples deepened and her gut clenched briefly.

  “Right…” She knew that no matter how nonchalantly he made himself out to be there was no way Brady took these things too lightly. He couldn’t afford to. If he didn’t show up on time and behave as expected he’d hear about it from the NBT the same way she would from the Figure Skating Association.

  She hadn’t seen him ride in the ring yet, either, but she’d be willing to bet he was dead serious when it came time to compete. You can’t be the best at what you do without putting your heart and soul into it. In that way they had something in common, only she was trying to hold on to her fleeting fame and he was just cresting the mountain. “Got it. So we’ll schmooze the sponsors, then I saw I’ve got some sort of autograph signing, then nothing for a while, and then some pictures with the leaders after the first round. Should be an easy enough day.”

  Brady nodded. “I’m sure they’re trying to ease you into it, not scare you.” He grinned, showing even, white teeth. “While you’re signing autographs I’ll be getting my gear together for riding. Once you’re done signing you can go to will-call to pick up your ticket. I’ll leave a ticket just in case Nelson or the NBT forgets for some reason.”

  “I’m sure that won’t be necessary.”

  “Maybe not, but it’ll be there just the same.”

  “Thank you,” she muttered. Why did it feel as if she was letting him take care of her? She didn’t like being reliant on anyone for anything. She felt much more comfortable when she had control over her world. It was time to take that control back. “So when we get back I need to go work out my ankle. I haven’t done much for it in a few days besides some stretches. I can’t afford to let my rehab slip. My skating is hinging on my ankle being able to handle even more difficult jumps and spins than I’ve done in the past. Anyway, I assume you can entertain yourself?”

  Brady snorted. “Yes, I can entertain myself.” Then he rubbed at the stubble on his chin. “Though I could use a good workout too…”

  Leah clenched her teeth and tried to remain calm. The thought of him in shorts and a t-shirt, displaying all those muscles while he went through his workout had her mouth watering. She could almost taste the male sweat already. Was he planning to stick to her like glue for the entire tour? Hell, she might not even make it through the afternoon. If she didn’t get some Brady-free time soon she was liable to grab him, toss him to the floor and see just how good he was at bucking. “It’s a public facility. I can’t stop you.”

  “Maybe I’ll do just that. Work up a little sweat, you know?” He looked at her, smirking, and she groaned internally. Did she have a thought bubble over her head or something? Brady’s cell phone rang then. Pulling it out of his pocket, he grinned. “Hey, man, you guys in town?” After listening to a few words, he said, “We’re at the Blue Dolphin. Come on by.” Shoving the phone back in his jeans, he said, “My best friend Conner’s here. He’s also a bull rider—a damn good one too. He’ll be over in a few with his fiancée Jessica. They can’t wait to meet you.”

  “I bet,” Leah answered, knowing Conner and Jessica would undoubtedly think the same thing Brady must have when he’d first met her—that she was a stuck-up, spoiled, rich brat. She considered for a moment what he thought of her now and why she cared if she’d made a better impression on him since their first meeting. “Did you tell them about my nickname?” she blurted.

  Brady’s eyebrows shot up at her outburst. “No, but they looked you up online.”

  “So they think I’m a rich, stuck-up bitch? Great. Maybe I should go.” She began to rise but Brady grabbed her arm. She stared down at the spot where their bodies met. It felt all tingly and her body tightened.

  “Sit.” She’d never heard that tone of voice from Brady before. It sent a shiver up her spine and she sat back down without further argument. “I’ve talked to Conner since then and told him you’re not like that. They really are looking forward to meeting you. Now finish your lunch.” Heat coiled in her belly at his tone. She’d never liked bossy men, so why did she react this way when Brady spoke to her with that edge of authority in his voice?

  Squeezing her thighs together against the throbbing ache that was working its way from her belly to her sex, she picked up her fork again, but didn’t take a bite. Finally, she sighed. She couldn’t resist asking him, “So what did you tell them?”

  He leaned forward and the heated gleam in his eyes made her want to lean back, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. “Worried?” When Leah just glared at him he laughed. “I told Conner you were smart…sexy,” he reached out and traced the line of her arm from her elbow to her wrist, “and sophisticated.” Turning her wrist, he lifted it and placed a soft kiss to the inside as she held her breath.

  Leah blew out the breath she’d been holding. “I thought we were going to stay friends,” she said, her voice squeaking at the end. Closing her eyes, she tried to withdraw her hand from his, but he wasn’t letting go.

  “I never promised that friends were all we’d be.” Feathering another kiss on her palm, he began to move up her arm with hot, open-mouthed kisses. Her heart hammered in her chest and a rush of moisture dampened her panties. Why couldn’t she steel herself against this man? Her eyes flew open as Brady straightened in his seat.

  Following his gaze, she turned and saw a tall, lean, tanned cowboy with jet-black hair and eyes the color of dark chocolate saunter toward them, a smiling woman loping along beside him. The man plopped down next to Brady, giving him a friendly shove. “Move over. I’m not here to see you. I wanna see the pretty little lady here.” The woman, who Leah assumed was Jessica, snorted and slid in next to Leah. He gave her an indulgent smile before turning back to Leah and sticking out his hand. “Hi, I’m Conner Raub, the good-looking bull rider.”

  Leah couldn’t help but laugh. She shook Conner’s hand. “Leah, the figure skater who Brady swears he told you wasn’t as frigid as my nickname implies.”

  Conner slid a gaze to Brady and then back to her, kicking up one corner of his mouth. “Oh, he sure didn’t describe you as frigid, I assure you, ma’am.”

  “Uh-huh…”

  “And this here’s Jessica, my fiancée,” Conner said as he stretched out his long legs to the side of the booth.

  “Hi, Jessica, it’s so nice to meet both of you. Brady talks of you highly.”

  Jessica barked out a laugh. “I bet.”

  “So what’s for lunch? I’m starving. You buying, Mr. Rodeo King?” Conner asked with what could most accurately be described as an up-to-no-good grin.

  Before Brady could answer, Leah slid her plate toward Conner. “Have the rest of mine. I’m sure you’ll want more than what’s left but at least it’s something.”

  Conner looked horrified. “That’s all you’re eating? You need your strength, girl!”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Don’t try to convince her to eat more,” Brady advised. “She eats exactly what she wants, when she wants. Arguing with her is a waste of time.”

  “Arguing with any woman is a waste of time,” Jessica retorted. In that moment Leah decided she was going to get along just fine with Jessica.

  Leah nodded. “That’s right. It is pointless to argue with us. Anyway, I really do need to be getting back to the hotel. You guys have a good time this afternoon catching up.” Rising, she pulled a couple of bills
out of her wallet. “This should cover lunch.”

  “You’re making her pay?” Conner asked Brady.

  “We made a deal, so shut the hell up.”

  Laughing, Leah left. The faster she got away from Brady, the faster she could regain her equilibrium. With all that testosterone focused exclusively on her, she wasn’t sure how long she would’ve lasted without jumping him. Instead, she poured her energy into a long, hard workout, which Brady mercifully left her alone to do, then grabbed some takeout, went back to the hotel, called James, and curled up with a movie.

  Chapter Five

  Brady debated what to wear to the sponsor shindig for far longer than any man should ever take to decide on clothes, finally settling on a pair of black jeans and a black button-down shirt with his black Stetson. Going with all one color seemed easiest, and he liked the way he looked—sort of dangerous. Glancing at the time, he saw he needed to skedaddle. He planned to escort Leah to the arena and wanted to be sure he didn’t miss her. Picking up his gear bag, he whistled as he headed for her room.

  He knocked on the door and stood back. When she answered he about swallowed his tongue. His dick hardened in seconds to something he could’ve driven fence posts on his ranch with. She looked unbelievable. His gaze raking over her from head to toe, he noted her shiny hair fell in soft waves around her face. She wore little makeup, but she didn’t need it. Her gunmetal-gray blouse draped over her breasts, giving an enticing hint at cleavage while not being overly revealing, before gently flaring out toward her hips. Like him, she wore black pants, and he noticed she’d put on the black cowboy boots she’d gotten yesterday.

  “Wow,” was all he could get out as he swallowed hard.

  Leah chuckled, but bit her bottom lip. He had to consciously restrain himself from leaning in to lave the spot with his tongue. “Is this okay?”

  “Fuck me, darlin’, you look incredible,” he told her. “I’m gonna have to fight guys off you.”

  She cocked her head and looked at him. “I highly doubt that. Why are you here, anyway?”