Chapter 28
Twenty-Seven
Quinn
I love what I see.
Wyatt was right. Wyatt was absolutely, one hundred percent, right. The only thing that mattered in the moment was the ride—and getting back to him afterwards. And in order to do that, I had to beat my time from last night.
I mounted Charming and spun him in circles, his speed ramping up.
I fucking love what I see.
“Amber coming in with a seventeen point nine, a seventeen point nine. But now we’re heading to Montana, native, barrel racing’s princess, I’ve heard her be called—”
Huh…that’s a new one…
“—Quinn Compton riding her gelding Charming. Now, last night, she pulled in a fifteen point seven, and the time to beat for tonight is a fourteen point four. I really think—just watching her these last couple of rides and even seeing what she’s done in the past—she can beat it.”
I blocked out the announcer’s voice—I was certain it was Hawkins—and tightened my legs around Charming, feeling his body move as he gained the speed.
When I rode, nothing passed through my mind.
All I could hear was Charming’s hooves hitting the dirt, all I could feel was the pounding of his heart and mine syncing up, and all I could see were those damn barrels.
But tonight…tonight I saw the prize. I saw Wyatt ready for me.
I felt his arms wrapping around my waist, lifting me off the ground.
I heard his laugh in my ear and his joy ringing through my body. I could see his lips against mine.
I rounded Charming over the first barrel. We went right and saw the dirt fly around his hooves. He huffed and picked his speed back up, rounding the second barrel. I let out a laugh as we booked it to the third, rounding it, and then we flew down the arena and into the gate.
“And she’s beat the top time tonight and set the time to beat for the Reno Rodeo—Quinn Compton pulling in a thirteen point eight! Did you see that ride? Thirteen point eight! That’s going to be a tough time to beat for the entire Reno Rodeo, sending her straight to the championship—"
With one thing—one person—on my mind, I slowed Charming to a trot and circled the back, not seeing him anywhere.
My heart rate picked up, but then logic set in, and I made my way straight to the trailer.
If he weren’t by the gates, he would be there.
As Charming got closer, my blood pumped through my entire body. He was so close…
Dismounting Charming, the buzz still flying through my veins, I stopped in front of my trailer. Seeing no one there, I huffed a breath.
“Wyatt?” I whispered.
“Compton!”
I spun, seeing him running through the few people who were behind the arena to get to me.
My heart pumped, and I bolted, taking off running towards him.
I jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist. I could feel him stumble a few steps back before he caught his balance, and his arms tightened around me.
It felt so good to be in his arms, it felt so…perfect…so right.
Don’t think about what could go wrong, Quinn—don’t let that stop you.
He was the prize waiting for me. He was my biggest supporter. He was my best friend. The man I was falling for, even though I was trying so hard not to. And here, in his arms—I could stay here forever.
“Please tell me you saw that?” I asked, my body still shaking.
“Saw it? Quinn, you didn’t hear me?” He arched his back slightly, raising one eyebrow as that stupid cocky smirk took over his face.
Hear him? Wait…
“What?” I giggled, putting the pieces together before he had to say anything.
“Hawkins let me announce your ride.” He tilted his head, biting his lower lip.
“Barrel racing’s princess?” I smacked his shoulder.
“I knew that would get you.” The cocky smile that appeared sent my pulse racing. This…man…
I grabbed hold of his neck, his arms steady on me, creating a small seat, and with one hand, I slapped his shoulder. He laughed, tossing his head back.
“You announced my ride, and the best thing you could say was that I’m your barrel racing princess.”
“As much as I want you to be my princess—you’re everyone’s princess, Quinn.”
If there were any time to kiss him, it would be this moment, right here. I could make it real. I could fall in love with him. I could—
“Come on.” He chuckled, setting me down on my feet. “Let’s get Charming settled and then watch the bulls. Yeah?”
I took a breath, a small ping of disappointment calming the emotions that just kept building. “Yeah.”
I reached for Charming’s reins, and the routine of taking off his saddle and getting him comfortable turned natural.
We worked in tandem, stealing little glances at each other.
I thought about what I could say to him, tell him that maybe I was wrong—maybe there was something more here, and I was just too afraid to admit it.
Maybe, just maybe, we could be more. Maybe I could hear him out.
The one thing that didn’t pass my mind was my mother and the way she lingered near the trailer.
I could feel her there, sensing her eyes on me, but it didn’t matter.
What really mattered was my smile when I talked to the reporter about my time, how even she was impressed, and how the world would be watching me.
My cheeks flushed when I saw Wyatt’s reaction to that statement, and then when his hand slipped in mine as he pulled me to the stands where we watched the bulls, he was the only thing that mattered.
“Dear God.” I leaned up against the trailer after the rodeo was over.
We never really stayed this long after; we normally went to settle my horse after my event, but tonight we stayed.
My legs were killing me, my eyes were heavy, and I still wanted to kiss Wyatt.
“I have never been this tired after a rodeo.” I took my hat off, closed my eyes, and hit my head against the metal of the trailer, the thunk echoing. “Ow…” I grumbled.
“Never? Not even after that one weekend where you booked two rides in a row?”
“We won’t talk about that night.” I opened my eyes and looked at him.
He had his hands shoved in his pockets, his stance wide, his stupid ball cap back on his head, and his blond hair sticking out in all directions.
“But yes—even this night takes the cake. I can’t wait to get back to the hotel and watch a show and just… pass out.”
After talking to you, of course.
“You’ll be back in the hotel in no time.”
“Hartwell! You coming?” Hawkins came running up to Wyatt’s side, knocking his ball cap off his head. “Need a ride?”
Wyatt laughed, twisting his torso to watch as his friend bounced on his heels, obviously still pumped with the same energy he used to announce the bull riders.
“Yeah, sure. Let me just make sure Quinn’s good. Whose truck?” Wyatt asked, bending to pick up his hat.
“Mine—the red Ford parked in E lot.”
Wyatt waved at him before turning back to me, taking a deep breath.
“You’re…” I stammered. “Going out tonight?”
“Yeah, Sam’s in town for the night.” He smiled, not even phased by the fact that I just turned into stone.
“But…” I swallowed, stopping myself before I could become that person already.
“Just…” I paused again, looking into his eyes.
They were telling me something. There was definitely a message there.
A silent request for permission, making sure I was alright before he took off?
It wasn’t like he had to watch a show with me.
He wasn’t required to sleep next to me and listen to anything I wanted to say.
We were friends. Friends didn’t make friends hang out with them.
I inhaled and gave him the best smile I could muster. “Don’t make any bets with any girls, okay?”
Dropping his chin, he shook his head, his laugh rumbling through his entire body.
He took a step towards me and kissed my cheek.
“That’s an easy promise. I may not be chasing anymore, but…
” He heaved a sigh. “No bets. I’ll see you in the morning?
We’re just going to Pure Country Canteen, you know, the authentic honky tonk.
” He waggled his head, and I just smiled at him. “I won’t be out long.”
I nodded, biting the inside of my bottom lip before I begged him to stay. He took a step back, banged on the back of the trailer, then left.
I went to settle in Charming, making sure to give Hook some attention before finding the nearest drive-thru with the worst food I could possibly eat, then promptly went back to the hotel.
I walked into my dark room, tossed the bag of food on the bed, and stripped down to my underwear.
I didn’t need a ten-minute shower tonight, knowing that Wyatt wasn’t going to be coming into my room—hell, I could take a bath.
So, after I ate the disgusting taco, that’s exactly what I did.
And the silence was getting to me.
I slunk down into the tub, the tips of my hair dipping under the water, and closed my eyes.
I could just see myself from an outsider’s point of view.
All I needed was bubbles and a glass of wine, and I was the girl who had just been dumped by her boyfriend.
Except that was the furthest thing from the truth.
I was the girl who chickened out a few weeks ago, pushing the man she was falling for to arm’s length.
I told myself it was because he had become too close a friend to screw things up with.
I wanted to get closer to him, not find myself hurt later down the line because he was that guy.
The guy who had more numbers for booty calls than friends to talk to on his phone.
I didn’t want someone who had slept with a lot of women.
Wyatt was friend material—the fact that I wanted to kiss him today was just a lapse of judgment. Just a lapse of judgement…
I’d eventually find a guy who was everything that I wanted.
Someone who would put me first. Who would show me they cared for and loved me without even trying.
I wanted someone who made my knees weak when they smiled, and whose eyes I could get lost in.
I wanted someone I could trust, someone I could talk to without any fear of what they would think.
I wanted to be chased. I wanted to be teased.
I wanted to be told I was gorgeous. I wanted…
Wyatt.
I wanted to hear him out.
I desperately wanted him.
And I wanted to tell him all these realizations.
I needed to tell him all these realizations.
Standing from the bathtub, I dried myself, did a fast braid to hide the wet ends of my hair, and dressed in the cutest outfit I could find in less than five minutes. I grabbed my hat, slipped on my boots, and rushed out of the hotel.
The bar was loud, crowded, and smelled like stale beer, and I spotted him the second I walked through the door.
Abi and Kyla always had this look on them when they saw their husbands.
Their eyes would glaze over; their cheeks would blush, and that stupid smile that proved that they were in love would spread across their faces.
Me—right now—in this exact moment…I’d bet one million dollars that’s exactly how I looked because every person in the bar faded as Wyatt was the only one who came into my view.
My feet moved on their own, going directly to the pool table where he watched as Hawkins took his shot. Hawkins missed, and Wyatt began to study the table, and right before he bent, I stepped in between him and the table. His smile grew, and his eyes widened with surprise.
“Quinn—” he whispered.
I swallowed and quickly cupped his face in my palms, the pads of my thumbs rubbing his jaw lightly.
“Wyatt,” I whispered back. “I…” I stumbled, taking a shaky breath before looking into his eyes, and suddenly every word I had conjured up on the drive over was gone. All I could think to say was, “I want you to chase me.”
Then, I pulled his mouth to mine and finally…finally…kissed Wyatt Hartwell.