Ride Me Cowboy #2 (The Cowboy Romance Series - Book #2) by Alycia Taylor Page B

is remembering correctly, she even
made a few first moves. I let that go for now though, she was obviously
embarrassed. No use in rubbing it in. I put the now warmed-up truck into
reverse and pulled out onto the road.
    “So, you had fun at the rodeo? Think you’ll want to
go to another one someday?” I asked as I put her in drive. She gave me a
look…not a nice one. I guessed that she wasn’t in the mood to talk, so I just
started talking to ease the awkwardness. “I have a passion for it. I guess
you’re just kind of born with that, you know? It’s not just a sport, it’s a whole way of life. It satisfies you on so many
different levels, you know?” She was staring out the window and not
acknowledging me. That’s okay. I’ve been ignored before. “My mama used to say I
was gonna run them broke with the money it took to
keep me in clothes. I was constantly ripping or staining my jeans. I thought it
was cool. Every scrape or bruise I got was like a trophy and there was nothing
better than getting tossed off head first into a puddle of mud.” I think she
rolled her eyes and sighed that time. It was a response, at least. “When I’m on
the road, I’m in the arena before the dawn breaks, exercising the horses or
practicing roping which I do sometimes, too. The competitions sometimes go
until sunset or later, so it makes for really long days, but it feels damned
good to lie down and sleep that night, you know?” I got a snort that
time…Almost there. “Even after they hand out our checks, there’s a lot of work
to be done when you’re staying on the road for a while. The horses need to be
cooled and fed and untacked. The gear all has to be cleaned and oiled. It’s a
lot of physical work, but that’s a good thing for more than one reason. Like I said, it makes for good sleeping at night. Plus,
cowboys ain’t really given
the credit for their musculature, like say a pro ball player is. Not just
anybody can get up in a saddle or on the back of a bull and not completely tear
their body up the first time out. You have to be in good physical condition to
do it.” I admit that I was hoping for a kudo from her…I got
nothing . “I ain’t really got the time to be
pumping iron in a gym. The hard work compensates for that.
    “The other thing you have to be real careful about
is the food. Food on the circuit can be rich and delicious, but full of nothing
but fat and calories. I’ve seen more than one cowboy and cowgirl fall victim to
it. Excessive weight can affect the hell out of your balance and coordination.
Even ten pounds would throw me way off my game. Then there’s the practice time,
too. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been doing it…if you get out of
practice, you’re screwed. During the season, I’ll go to three or four rodeos a
week. The paycheck is nice, the purses I win, but even with the little rodeos
that ain’t about the titles,
it’s about the practice. One of these days, I intend to make it to the National
Finals in Vegas. I don’t think it will be much longer now. I’m on my way.”
    “Damn, you talk a lot.” She still wasn’t looking at
me, but she was talking. I tried not to look amused, just in case she looked my
way.
    “In my defense, I paused a lot and gave you ample
opportunity to jump right in there. You chose not to. You got something to say,
just come on out with it.”
    “Why do you live with your father? You’re a grown
man.” Harsh, but I guess it’s a logical question.
    “I travel a lot. It just doesn’t seem to make sense
at this stage to buy a house or even rent one and let it sit there empty when
I’m on the road for over half the year.”
    She looked at me. Progress! She still had that glare
on her face like she’d rather be with anyone else but
me… “So what do you do when you’re at home – besides hit the local rodeos and
seduce drunken women?” I couldn’t help it, I laughed.
    I avoided the last part though for now and said, “I
work on