Roses and Rodeo (Rough and Ready) (6 page)

“One of those things you take for granted ’til you don’t have it anymore.” She nodded. “I know what you mean.”

After they passed another couple who greeted them with nods, Danica asked Creed, “Are you going to retire here someday?”

“Yep.” He smiled. “I plan to buy a ranch and work it somewhere between here and Wickenburg.”

“Creed!” A female voice came from behind them and both Creed and Danica turned.

A beautiful slender and petite blonde in her mid-twenties, about Danica’s age, rushed up to Creed. Her braless breasts bounced beneath a skimpy top with spaghetti straps and her jean shorts were rolled up high enough that her butt cheeks probably showed from behind.

Danica frowned inwardly. She’d seen that woman somewhere before. And then she realized it was the same woman who had been with Creed at the bar in Las Vegas, and she’d been crying.

The young woman threw her arms around Creed’s neck and she started crying again.

“I need to talk to you,” the blonde said with a sob.

Creed glanced down at Danica. “Give me a sec,” he said then walked away with his arm around the woman’s shoulders.

When they were a fair distance from her and she couldn’t have heard the conversation if she tried. Before she turned away, she glimpsed the blonde’s tear-stained face and red eyes.

Not much longer and Creed returned. He looked troubled.

“Everything all right?” she asked.

“It will be fine.” His phone rang, and he drew it from his holster and answered it. “Hi, Mom.” He was silent as he listened. “Yep, I’ll be there at seven Sunday night.”

When he’d holstered his phone he smiled at Danica. “Let’s go to Courthouse Plaza.”

“You lead, I’ll follow,” she said.

He offered her a smile and she returned it.

She couldn’t help but wonder who he’d been talking with but decided if he didn’t volunteer the information it was none of her business.

They strolled around Courthouse Plaza then spent time in historic downtown Prescott including Whiskey Row, which was being rebuilt after having gone up in flames not that long ago.

As the day wound down, they went to a great barbeque place in Prescott where Danica had a shredded pork sandwich and Creed had the baby back ribs. They had cowboy beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and ice-cold beer to go along with it.

When they walked out of the restaurant, Danica covered up a yawn. It had been a long and relaxing day.

“You’re not tired yet, are you?” He put his arm around her shoulders. It felt comfortable and…nice.

She had to tilt her head to meet his eyes. “A little. I was up late last night finishing up a project for work so that I could take today off.”

“Why don’t we go ahead and get you checked in to that bed and breakfast,” he said as he guided her in the direction the truck was parked.

She nodded. “Good idea.”

It didn’t take long to drive to the small, quaint two-story inn. Danica signed in with the motherly woman who was at the front desk and paid for her room with a credit card. She was given an old-fashioned key to a room at the patio guesthouse and was told that she had the Cleome room.

They walked the short distance to the guesthouse. Creed took the key from her and opened the front door. Her room was down the short hall and he used the key to open the door to her room.

It was so pretty and quaint that she fell in love with it at once. A burgundy, green, and cream quilt covered the king-sized bed along with mounds of pillows. There was a rocking chair, an overstuffed chair in front of a fireplace, and a flat screen TV. On one end was a small kitchenette along with a bistro table and chairs.

In the bathroom there was a huge jetted tub and a marble shower, which looked oh-so-tantalizing right now.

Creed set her things on the rocking chair then moved to where she stood. When he was just inches from her he reached out and caught her hand. The simple touch felt intimate and it sent a thrill straight through her belly.

“Would it be taking advantage of you to kiss you?” he said quietly. “I’ve been wanting to from the first time I saw you.”

She tilted her head so that she could meet his gaze. “You can kiss me.”

He lowered his head and his lips brushed hers. It was a whisper touch that had her parting her lips on a sigh. He pressed his mouth firmly to hers and slipped his tongue between her lips.

His kiss was slow and filled with heat. It grew more intense as he kissed her and a deep, primal need grew inside her. Their kiss deepened and she found herself sliding her arms around his neck, rising up on her toes, and kissing him even harder.

A groan rose up inside him and he grasped her by her waist and pulled her tight to him. His erection dug into her belly and she caught her breath as she realized that if she didn’t stop now, there might be no turning back.

She moved her hands to his chest and pushed, just enough to break the kiss. “I think this might be headed in a direction that I’m not ready to go.”

He gave a pained smile. “I think you’re right. If I keep kissing you like this we’re both going to end up with our clothes off, trying out that king-sized bed over there.”

Her cheeks warmed as she pictured the two of them on the bed, naked and sweaty, their limbs tangled together and their bodies fused as one.

She didn’t want him to leave even though she wasn’t ready for sex with him. “We could play cards,” she said. “I’m pretty good at poker.”

He gave a slow grin. “Honey, they only kind of poker I want to play with you right now is strip poker.”

She tilted her head to the side. “That would be fun… Think you could keep your hands to yourself if?” she teased.

“Not a chance in hell,” he said. “If those clothes of yours start coming off, they’re all gonna be off in a hurry.”

“Then I guess poker is out.” She glanced at the fridge. “Too bad we don’t have any beer or I’d offer you one.”

He looked serious and she wondered why. He took her by the shoulders. “Danica, being around you right now isn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done. It might be the hardest.” His lips firmed. “You’re driving me crazy. You look great, you smell so good, you tasted incredible, and you felt amazing in my arms. I just want to touch you and I don’t think I can keep my hands off you.”

She swallowed. She felt the same way. He was so sexy with his afternoon stubble and the depth of the green of his eyes. She loved the scent of a man and she had loved the feel of being in his strong arms.

But she didn’t tell him that, although he could probably see it in her eyes. They still didn’t know each other well enough to tumble into bed already. She needed time.

“All right.” She offered him a soft smile. “I’ll let you go.”

He shook his head as if saying no but he still said, “I’ll meet you here in the morning and join you for breakfast.”

She nodded. “That will be nice.”

He gave her a long, lingering look before he turned and headed for the door. He glanced over his shoulder one last time, then closed the door behind him.

Chapter 7

Summer sun beat down on Danica as she sat in the middle of the packed outdoor arena. No breeze stirred the still air and a droplet of sweat rolled between her breasts. Before each ride, the announcers shouted out the name of the bull and cowboy about to ride it.

The crowd cheered and then seemed to hold its collective breath as another bull flung itself into the ring, a cowboy on its back. The bull bucked fast and hard, twisting its body around. The cowboy lost his grip before the eight-second horn sounded and he tumbled off the beast.

Danica gripped the wooden bleacher seat she was sitting on, her hands to either side of her as she watched the bull continue to buck and almost trample the cowboy. The bullfighters finally caught the bull’s attention and got it out of the ring.

As the bull thundered down a chute, Danica lessened her grip on the seat. Every single bull ride she found herself tensing up and praying that the cowboy wouldn’t get hurt. Somehow seeing it in person was far more difficult to watch than on TV. Maybe because this felt more real.

“Crazy,” she said to herself, not for the first time, as the next cowboy prepared to ride. “Some men are just plain crazy.”

She studied the cowboy and realized it was Darryl Thompson, who Kelsey still had a thing for. Danica had spoken with Kelsey a couple of days ago and she said that Darryl had flown out to be with her in between events. She sounded happy and excited and Danica was glad her friend had found someone she cared for. At the same time a familiar nagging at the back of her mind was worried that Kelsey would get hurt again.

Kelsey had nearly squealed with excitement to hear that Danica was going to Prescott to see Creed ride. Danica admitted that that she’d watched him on TV and that she and Creed had still been talking daily. Kelsey had wanted to make it to the Prescott event to see Darryl, but had a friend’s wedding to go to.

Danica watched Darryl as he settled onto the bull. She couldn’t see what he was doing from where she was sitting, but she imagined he was securing the bull rope around his hand like she’d seen on TV.

Moments later the gate to the chute opened and the bull shot into the arena. Even with a furious bull beneath him, Darryl’s ride was smooth and professional and he matched the movements of the bull. When the eight-second horn sounded he dismounted, landing on his feet. The crowd cheered and Darryl took off his hat and flung it into the ring with triumph, something she’d seen a lot of cowboys do during the two events she’d gone to and the one on TV.

Darryl picked up his hat. He received a score of ninety-three and raised his hat to the cheers of the crowd. Grinning, he exited the arena.

Three more bull riders entered the ring, two of them hanging on for the full eight seconds while the third landed on the ground with the first buck.

For some reason, the bull riders’ vests with patches from all of their sponsors on them made the cowboy look even sexier. She wasn’t sure why their protective vests looked so good on them. Maybe it was like any man in uniform.

She rubbed her palms on her jeans in a nervous movement as she waited for Creed’s turn. She had dressed as she always did when she went home or to country-western events. She wore Wranglers, a western-style blouse, and a pair of boots. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a western hat.

Before she knew it, Creed was in the chute, preparing for his ride. He looked focused, intent on what he was about to do.

Danica’s heart pounded faster and she clenched her hands into fists as she waited for him and the bull he was about to ride, Black Rain, to enter the ring. It seemed to take forever and then it was too soon.

The bull came out twisting and turning the moment the gate was opened. The fringe on Creed’s chaps fluttered in the air as the bull raged.

Creed moved on the back of the bull as if his body had been created of smooth flowing liquid. He matched every buck, every twist, and he made it look effortless. Danica held her breath for the full eight seconds that he rode Black Rain.

When the horn sounded, he dismounted, hit the ground, and rolled away from the bull. He got up and dusted himself off.

Danica let out her breath in a huff. She shook her head as the crowd cheered and shouted. Then Creed looked directly at her, touched the brim of his hat, and flashed her a grin before turning away. She felt a fluttering sensation in her belly and smiled at the grin that had been just for her.

The announcer shouted that Creed had just scored a ninety-four-point ride, beating Darryl by a point.

When the event was over, Danica was grateful. Three bull riders had been stepped on and suffered minor injuries. To a one they got to their feet, dusted themselves off, and made it out the ring on their own. One thing about these cowboys—they were a tough lot.

After she made it through the crowd leaving the arena, she headed across the parking lot and waited for Creed by his truck.

She leaned up against the truck and watched people coming to the parking lot and climbing into their vehicles. She spotted Darryl and almost called out to him when she saw that he was with someone. He had his arm around the shoulder of a gorgeous black-haired woman and she had her arm around his waist. They walked a little too close together and were a little too familiar as far as Danica was concerned.

She frowned. If Darryl hadn’t broken things off with Kelsey, then he had no business being with another woman. She watched the pair until they reached a big truck and they both climbed in. Again, maybe she was reading too much into things.

When Creed came walking toward her, carrying his equipment, she studied him. He looked so damned sexy in his dusty jeans and shirt, his handsome face streaked with dirt. His eyes held the spark of a man who had just faced a giant and won. And she considered a bull quite the giant.

She didn’t realize she was smiling until he reached her. “Congratulations, Mr. Champion.”

He set his equipment down and then grinned as he caught her by her waist, swung her around, and set her down on her feet.

This time he didn’t ask—he brought her to him and kissed her hard. Passion filled his kiss and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

“I need to shower.” He stepped away from her and brushed a smudge from her cheek. “I’m getting you dirty.”

“Why don’t you come to the B & B and shower in my room?” She trailed her fingers along his jaw, feeling his rough stubble beneath her fingertips. “Then we can go out to eat like you promised, and then to the dance.”

“Works for me.” He kissed her again before stepping back, but caught her hand. “Sure you’re okay with that? Me showering at your place?”

“As long as you don’t attack me,” she teased.

“I’m more concerned that you’ll attack me,” he said with a straight face and then laughed.

She shook her head, trying not to smile. “Let’s go.”

He helped her into the truck then tossed his gear in the back. When he made it to the driver’s side, he took off his hat and set it on the center console as he climbed in. He started the truck and headed toward the B & B.