Three Weeks With a Bull Rider

by Cat Johnson

  Dillon laughed. “Yeah, right.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t you?” Dillon’s brows rose. “It’s pretty obvious to everybody but you then.”

  When did this kid turn into some sort of psychiatrist? Watching. Analyzing. “All right, Dillon. Stop with the riddles and just spill. What do you think you can see that I don’t?”

  “Well, for starters, last night she was watching you, but tonight you’ve hardly taken your eyes off her.”

  Jace did find himself searching for Tara in the arena, though he wasn’t sure if he was keeping an eye on her to make sure she stayed away, or in hopes she’d come over.

  Worse than that, every time he thought about being alone again with her in the hotel, he got hard. They had two days off coming up. No competitions to keep them busy. Not a whole lot of distance to cover in the truck, either. It would be just him and her on the road, and then alone in the next town with nothing to do. Maybe he should take her back to Stillwater.

  No, he couldn’t do that. She’d kill him and he’d made a promise to her he wouldn’t break.

  Jace realized Dillon was still watching him and repeated, “Nothing’s up.”

  Dillon shrugged. “All right. But if you need to talk, I’m here. Oh, and the wife said that if you want, you and Tara should come visit with us over the break. Said she’d love to have another girl to hang out with.”

  Great. Now it seemed they were a couple, getting invited over by other couples. And why did Dillon’s wife even know Jace was traveling with a girl? Damned Dillon had obviously turned in his man card and become a gossipy old washwoman when he’d gotten married.

  “It’s not a break. It’s two travel days.” Jace scowled and repeated the defense he’d used with Tuck.

  “And you’ll be traveling right past my house to get to the next venue.”

  What could Jace say to that? “We’ll see.” That seemed like as good an answer as any.

  “How’s the shoulder today?”

  A change of subject. It was about doggone time. This Jace could handle. “Sore, but I’m good to go.”

  “Your travel partner rub it for you last night?”

  “What?” Jace’s mind immediately jumped to what Tara had rubbed, and how that little episode of weakness on his part had ended.

  Dillon shrugged. “Just saying, it must be nice traveling with a member of the sports medicine team. You wake up hurting, she can rub some liniment on you, or wrap you up, or hell, I don’t know, hook you up with some painkillers.”

  “She doesn’t bring the medical shit back to the room, idiot. And she couldn’t go handing out controlled substances even if she did. She’s not a doctor. She’s a student.” Jace had had just about enough of this conversation. When the hell was this show going to start, anyway?

  “I bet she could still give a damn nice massage. Don’t they train in that? Sports massage and stuff?”

  “I wouldn’t know.”

  “Then you’re a fool. If it were me, I’d be taking advantage of anything that girl had to offer.”

  Jace knocked his hat back a bit to shoot Dillon a look. “You’re married.”

  “Hell, I know that. And you’re not. You’re single and free as a bird. You do realize that, don’t you?” Dillon cocked a brow.

  “Yes.” Jace said it, but he wasn’t sure he had internalized that fact quite yet.

  “Then start acting like it, because a pretty girl like her, here on the circuit, won’t stay available for long.”

  “I already told you. She’s Tuck’s sister.”

  “So what? That don’t matter unless you’re planning on being the love ’em and leave ’em type.” Dillon eyed Jace with a knowing look. “I don’t think you are.”

  “You don’t know as much as you think you do.” And that was because Dillon was too young to have been around in the old days when Jace was exactly that type. Tuck, too.

  “Whatever. Anyway, I see you’re not throwing your other excuse at me.”

  Jace sighed, tired of the riddles. “What other excuse?”

  “That she hates you. Guess you two got past that.” Dillon smirked.

  “Not exactly.” No, theirs had moved from a hate-hate to more of a lust-hate relationship.

  He remembered Tara calling him an idiot many times last night. Right after he’d—Jace pushed that image away as his cock stirred. How the hell had this conversation gotten here? He’d need to start hiding until his ride if Dillon refused to shut up.

  “Anyway, I see the wife found Tara.”

  “What?” Jace spun to follow Dillon’s gaze.

  “Yup, bet those two are gonna hit it off real well. They’re about the same age. They both have to put up with our sorry asses. They’ll have a lot in common. They can compare notes.”

  “I told you, she and I aren’t a couple. Stop talking like we are.”

  “Whatever you say.” Dillon turned to Jace. “So what do you want for dinner when you visit? Burgers? Ribs? You name it.”

  As Dillon’s wife Cassie and Tara laughed and chatted on the other side of the arena, Jace realized there was nothing he could say to change Dillon’s impression. Some battles weren’t worth fighting. He began to sympathize a bit more with Tuck and his having to do what Becca wanted. Jace wasn’t even with Tara and he was already being made to do things he’d rather not.

  If he was going to be mocked anyway, might as well get a decent meal out of it. “Ribs would be good. Been eating way too many burgers on the road.”

  Dillon grinned. “You got it. Oh, and wait until you have Cassie’s potato salad. You’re gonna love it.”

  They were discussing menus for this little couples dinner party thing he’d gotten sucked in to. God almighty, things were good and screwed.

  “Can’t wait.” Without enthusiasm, Jace added, “I guess I’ll pick up the beer.”

  If he was going to be thrown into this thing, he’d better make sure there was alcohol.

  “Perfect. I’ll tell Cassie you and Tara got the adult beverages covered.”

  You and Tara. Jace scowled. “Great. You do that.”

  “So how are you liking life on the road with Jace?” Cassie asked the question while wearing an amused grin.

  “Ugh. It’s worse than being around my brothers. Jace is so stubborn sometimes.”

  Dillon’s wife laughed and turned toward the refrigerator. “Most men are. Bull riders in particular. Believe me. I’m married to one of the most stubborn ones there is.”

  Tara laughed. “Well, I don’t know Dillon that well, but Jace sure is. This morning he was acting as if he didn’t even want to come here today. How stupid is that? We’ve got nowhere else to be for two days.” She cringed when she realized how rude she’d sounded. “And I mean besides that, it was so nice of you and Dillon to invite us to your home for a barbecue. You two have a really nice place, by the way.”

  Jace and Tara had spent so much time in the truck, sleeping in a new town every other day, and eating nothing but fast food or stuff from the arena vendors. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to spend the day at a real house, and get fed a home cooked meal?

  Tara had jumped at the chance to visit. Besides the opportunity to spend time with someone other than Jace, just the sight of the fresh vegetables Cassie had out on the kitchen island was starting to make Tara’s mouth water. With all the crappy, unhealthy stuff she ate while on the road, for breakfast, lunch and supper, Tara figured she’d be buying the next larger size jeans soon if she didn’t watch it.

  Cassie emerged from behind the fridge door with a huge container in her hands.

  “Let me help you with that.” Tara hopped down from the stool at the kitchen island and reached for the ceramic bowl.

  “Thanks. You can just put it down there for now.” Cassie tipped her head toward the kitchen table, and then spun back toward the open refrigerator. “As for Jace not wanting to come here today? I think that had nothing to do with me
and Dillon or our place.”

  “What do you mean?” Tara asked.

  “I think it’s about you.” With two different salad dressings in hand, Cassie moved back toward the island and set the bottles down.

  “Me? Why?”

  “You tell me.” One blond brow rose. “What’s the deal with you two?”

  How to answer that? Tara hesitated. Other than her momma, she’d grown up with all boys. Her own brothers, Tuck and Tyler, and Logan and Layne next door. She’d always wanted another female to be able to talk to about stuff. Things such as sex and men. Her brand new sister-in-law Becca, because of her connection to Emma, wasn’t proving to be the confidant Tara had hoped for.

  But Cassie wasn’t involved with any of that mess with Logan and Emma. Cassie knew Jace and she was married to a stubborn bull rider. She was close to Tara’s age. She would understand what Tara was feeling.

  “Tara, nothing you tell me will get back to Dillon or Jace, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m not one of those wives who runs right back to her husband with every scrap of gossip. I promise.”

  “I believe you. It’s just so complicated and messed up, I’m not sure where to start.”

  Cassie paused chopping lettuce for salad. “Really? Well now, that sounds interesting.”

  Tara laughed. “Interesting. Yeah, that’s one way to put it. Anyway, we’ve, uh, done some things together.” She raised her gaze to Cassie, who was doing a good job of looking casual as she moved on to chopping carrots. Tara lowered her voice to a hiss. “Sexual stuff.”

  But nothing more since that time in the bathroom. He’d been in such a mood after the last event, Tara had let him be, figuring if she got him mad he wouldn’t let them come visiting today.

  Her hostess’s eyes rose briefly to meet Tara’s gaze before Cassie went back to focusing on the knife in her hands. “All right.”

  “But we haven’t done a lot of stuff. Not because of me. I want to, but he refuses. He acts as if he isn’t interested in anything, but I know he is.” Tara figured the near constant hard-on he’d tried to hide from her the past few nights was one indication of his desire. Not that she knew a whole hell of a lot about men, but that was one sign even she, with her inexperience, couldn’t misinterpret.

  “Maybe he’s trying to be a gentleman.”

  “I don’t think so.” She laughed at the thought. Jace? A gentleman. Not so much. “I thought every male wanted sex.”

  Even as Tara spoke, the words brought up emotions she had yet to bury. Even a man like Logan had wanted sex. He just hadn’t wanted it with her. She pushed that painful knowledge away.

  Cassie smiled. “Yeah, they pretty much do, and that’s probably why he’s so freaked out. He wants to, but at the same time he’s trying to be respectful of you. Of the fact you’re traveling together. Of Tuck.”

  “That’s the excuse he keeps giving me. Tuck.” Tara slapped one palm against the top of the kitchen island in frustration. “Why the devil would Tuck care what I do?”

  “Tuck’s your brother. Of course, he cares. And Jace has been Tuck’s friend for a very long time. You’re Jace’s best friend’s little sister. See how that could cause some conflict?”

  Tara let out a breath. “So you think that’s what’s bothering Jace? His concern about Tuck?”

  “I do. Besides the fact that traveling together makes this kind of thing tough.”

  “Why? I think it makes things easier. We’re already in the same room every night.”

  “Yes, and that’s well and good while you two are getting along. But what about when you have a falling out or end it totally and move on to someone new? You and Jace still have to be together twenty-four-seven even if you’re arguing.”

  They already fought like cats and dogs. What difference would it make if they had sex, too? “I don’t know. I still think our being nothing more to each other than traveling partners makes it perfect. We can do it without worrying about all the feelings. I would think Jace would be thrilled I want to have steady sex with no emotional attachment.”

  “Steady sex with no emotional attachment?” Cassie’s gaze pinned Tara.

  She nodded. “Yeah. It’s perfect, right?”

  Cassie laughed. “You haven’t had much experience in this area, have you?”

  Though Cassie probably didn’t mean it as such, the insult hit Tara hard. Still, there was no denying the truth. “No, not really.”

  “It’s not a criticism, sweetie. I’m just saying it’s pretty impossible for a woman to have sex with a man and not succumb to feelings. Especially when you’re around the guy as much as you are with Jace.”

  “But—”

  “Just trust me on this one.” Cassie cut off Tara’s protest.

  Cassie couldn’t understand the situation. She didn’t realize that the kind of relationship Jace and Tara had was different, but after she spent the day with them, she would see. A picture was worth a thousand words, and a day of watching them fight would be even better proof.

  Tara still needed to tap into Cassie’s knowledge. “So what do I do? Give up on being with Jace just because he’s friends with my brother?” Was she supposed to live like a nun? While Jace wouldn’t give her what she wanted, he also wouldn’t let her even look at another guy on the circuit.

  “No. Give him time and Jace’ll give in, eventually. He won’t be able to fight it. It’s obvious he’s into you.”

  “You think? How can you tell?”

  “He keeps looking over here as if he’s watching the kitchen door.” Cassie glanced through the window at where he sat outside next to Dillon, who was playing with their toddler, Cheyenne.

  Tara peered through the same window. “Maybe he’s hungry. He’s waiting for you to come and say it’s time to serve the food.”

  “Maybe.” Cassie shrugged. “Or he’s watching for you to come outside.”

  “Why?” They were together almost every second of every day. He should be happy to have a break from her.

  Dishtowel in hand as she wiped down the work surface, Cassie looked up at Tara. “Men become hyper aware of where the woman they’re interested in is at all times.”

  Really? This was news. Although, it made sense. When Tara was into Logan, she’d always looked to see where he was and what he was doing. Those times were over. She buried the thought and tried to concentrate on the issue at hand—getting Jace’s hands on her.

  “And you think Jace is interested in me?” Tara had been missing out on having a female she could talk to about men. Cassie seemed to know everything.

  “Yeah. Play it cool. Let him come to you. He’ll come around.”

  Tara wasn’t good at sitting around and doing nothing, but Cassie seemed so convinced, it might be worth giving it a try. “All right.”

  Cassie picked up the bowl of greens. “Can you grab that potato salad? We can take this stuff on out. The ribs should be done on the grill.”

  “Sure.” More aware after her talk with Cassie, Tara noticed when Jace’s attention whipped to the back door the moment it swung open. He stood and strode toward them.

  “Let me grab that.” Jace went to Cassie first. As he should, Tara supposed, since she was their hostess.

  Cassie shook her head. “Nah, I’m good. This is light. Take the potato salad from Tara. That’s the heavier of the two. Can’t run out of tater salad. Dillon would never forgive me.” She laughed and sent Tara a knowing look as Jace tipped his head in a nod.

  “A’ight.” He turned toward Tara and their eyes met for a heart stopping second as he took the bowl from her hands.

  Tara swallowed as he relieved her of the burden. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” He smiled. The expression reached all the way to his eyes. “Did you help with all this?”

  “No, Cassie had most everything done already. And what was that supposed to mean? I can cook.” Tara frowned at the tone he’d used, as if insinuating she couldn’t have helped.

  “Yeah, right.” Jace
laughed. “I seem to remember the year a fire extinguisher appeared in your momma’s kitchen. If I’m not mistaken, it was because of a certain incident while you’d been trying to cook something alone.”

  Tara sat on the bench next to him because there wasn’t a spot anywhere else. If there had been, she would have taken it since he was in annoying mode again. “Not my fault that I didn’t know water makes a grease fire spread.”

  “Uh, yeah, I think it is. Don’t they teach you that in like middle school?”

  “Oh, shut up.” Tara scowled. If this conversation didn’t prove to Cassie that there was no potential for feelings with Jace, nothing would.

  “Salad?” Cassie handed her the bowl of greens, drawing Tara’s attention away from the pointless and frustrating argument with Jace.

  Tara glanced up to find Cassie and her husband looking amused. Stupid Jace. Embarrassing her in front of her new friends. She’d have to keep her head down, eat and pretend nothing was wrong in front of their hosts, and then yell at him later in private. “Yeah, thanks.”

  “How’s the shoulder feeling, Jace? Dillon told me you dislocated it the other night.” Cassie set Cheyenne in her lap. The little blond girl dove in fist first and began to eat potato salad off her mother’s plate.

  “Eh, it’s fine. As good as I could expect, anyway.” With his right hand, Jace took the bowl Tara thrust at him. He wasn’t wearing his sling because he was a stubborn fool, but he was still favoring his left arm and not using it as much as usual. He glanced up at Dillon. “Is there a Big Mart anywhere between here and the next venue?”

  “Yup.” Dillon nodded. “Right off the highway in the next town. You can’t miss it. Why? You need something?”

  Jace sipped at his beer. “Yeah. Nothing important. Just thought if we passed one, I’d stop.”

  That had been evasive. Tara frowned. “What do you need?”

  They’d stopped at a store not long ago and picked up whatever they’d been missing .

  Jace looked as if he’d rather do anything than answer her. Finally, he said, “Underwear.”

  “Underwear? Last time we did laundry you had like eight or nine pair.” The fact she knew that wasn’t lost on Tara. Travel partners certainly were close. A bit too close.