Head Over Spurs (Sterling Ridge #3)

Chapter 1

JULES

H e looked like Robert Redford’s version of The Sundance Kid .

And as he met her gaze from behind the chutes, she swore she recognized the familiar glint of a mischievous, outlaw spirit in his blue-green eyes.

His mustache twitched with a smile as he lifted a hand to tip the front of his ten-gallon hat to her.

Lifting her camera in return, she captured the handsome cowboy perched on the top of the fence with her lens.

He watched her with amusement as another cowboy lowered himself onto the horse in the chute beside him.

It was only when the chute opened, and a bucking bronco flew out that Sundance turned his attention to the rider.

She swiveled towards the scene as well. After all, she only had eight seconds per competitor—if that. And being in the infield with her photographer’s pass, she had to be on alert in case the horse veered her way.

Five and a half seconds. The cowboy was down. She took the opportunity to glance back at the outlaw doppelg?nger. He was watching her again—with such intensity her mouth went dry.

Another mustache twitch. Then he was the one climbing into the chute, positioning himself and securing the reins in his hand.

All it took was a nod before his horse launched out the gate.

Jules watched him through her lens, captivated by his control.

He was good. He was really good. The way he managed to find his seat between each attempt from the animal to throw him.

Eight seconds later, he was making his way across the infield towards her. She rested her camera in her lap as he strode over confidently. The low Texas sun blazed behind him, making him look every bit the classic leading man.

As he dropped down beside her, the fringe of his chaps spraying outward in the movement, their gazes met. He flashed her an alluring grin. One that she just knew had swept countless women off their feet.

Jules smiled back with satisfaction as he held out his hand. Normally, she wouldn’t fall for such a smile, but there was something about him that made her come alive under the attention.

Slipping her hand into his, she offered her own alluring grin. “Hi, Sundance.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up higher in understanding. Bonus points to him, then. “I haven’t seen you ‘round the circuit before. Are you new?”

“Who said I was a part of the circuit?”

His gaze dropped to the red lanyard around her neck and the laminated pass clipped to it. “Let’s say context clues,” he replied smoothly.

“Some clues can be misleading.”

Another competitor was out the chute now and she lifted her camera to capture the man flying through the air. He wouldn’t qualify for a score. A cloud of dust created a soft haze around him as he landed on his side and scrambled to get back on his feet.

All the while, Sundance kept his sights set on her.

“When you’re done here, can I buy you a drink?”

Straight shooter, she liked him already. Tucking a strand of her long, strawberry blonde hair behind her ear, she rose and pulled him up with her. “I can be done now.”

She wasn’t here for a magazine this time; she could leave whenever she pleased. And she felt a strong pull to leave with him. “Unless you need to?—”

“We’ll go now,” he replied. “I’m Riley, by the way.”

“Jules.”

Her pulse thrummed with the music that flowed through the hole-in-the-wall bar. The floors were sticky and the lighting was low. This was a real country bar, and exactly what she needed tonight.

With Riley pressed close to her side, Jules passed by the dance floor and weaved through the high-top tables. Using the heels of her hands to lean forward on the bar, she shouted, “whiskey sour,” to the bartender.

“You got it, sweetheart,” the gruff man called back before turning to her companion.

“Bourbon on the rocks,” he ordered, taking a seat on the empty vinyl barstool beside her.

Her attention swept over him, her body humming with appreciation at the sight.

Between the messy hair peeking out from under his hat and the classic looking mustache, he truly was a young Redford.

Taking time now to admire his details up close, she noted that he was even more handsome than she originally realized. Dangerously so.

“So,” he started, “are you from ‘round here?”

“No, I’m no Texan. Colorado. What about you?”

“Wyoming,” he replied, accepting their drinks from the bartender and handing over payment. He passed her drink to her, his warm, rough hand grazing hers as she reached for it. A thrill ran through her at how his hands would feel on other parts of her body.

“What brings you to Texas? I feel like I’d have noticed you before now if you traveled with the rodeo circuit.”

She shook her head, a smile turning up her lips. “Are you sure about that? Seems like there are a lot of things that could catch the attention of a professional bronc rider.”

“I’m sure.” There was such determination in his answer, as if she had captivated him fully.

She hesitated, feeling the air crackle, the heat between them palpable.

This wasn’t just normal flirtation over drinks.

It felt heavier, more important. As if he sensed it, too, the cowboy took a long pull of his drink, his mesmerizing eyes darkening as he brought his head back down to her.

Right, she hadn’t really answered his question.

“I’m a photographer, specializing in all things equine. I spent the last three weeks on a guest ranch in town, getting out there and capturing their day to day for their new website. Some of them competed today and asked me to come along.”

“That sounds like an incredibly fun job. How often do you travel?”

“Often,” she laughed. “But you must understand the excitement of traveling considering your line of work.”

While they spoke, they drifted nearer, as if falling into a slow dance.

With each small movement, they faced one another a bit more, the distance between them narrowing.

She crossed her legs, letting the slit in her long, floral dress fall open over her thigh.

His eyes tracked the movement, taking in the long, toned lines of her now exposed legs.

He traced from her upper thighs, over the soft curve of her knees, and down until they disappeared into the tall shaft of her black cowgirl boots.

Her lips parted in response to the hunger that shone in his eyes as they snapped back up to her face. “You look lovely,” he offered, his voice an octave deeper than moments ago.

Testing a theory, she brought her hand up to skim along the plunging neckline of her dress. And as she suspected, his eyes followed her movement once again. She felt as if she could blink, and Riley would make a mental note of it.

“You pull the rodeo look off well,” she replied, dropping her elbow onto the bar and leaning forward to rest her chin in her hand. He followed, settling his own elbows to his thighs and leaning in as well.

A familiar song drifted through the air, catching her attention. Excitement bubbled up within her as she recognized the opening verse. “Oh, I love this song,” she tilted her head to face the band.

“Want to dance?” he asked, closing his hand over hers.

“You dance, cowboy?”

“Tonight, I do.” He rose from his seat, keeping a hold of her hand in his. “What do you say?”

Jules shifted in his embrace, lacing their fingers together and pulling him out onto the floor.

They slipped into the crowd already moving to the beat.

It was a slow song, filled with heart and charged with emotion.

And when he looped his arms around her and tucked her in tight to him, she wondered if maybe this was a bad idea.

With the increased contact, came increased heat.

It flooded her body, causing her thoughts to swirl with desire.

Each step, each time he led her from his hips, each time his prized belt buckle pressed into the sensitive skin of her abdomen, the heat surged.

Jules needed more, she needed to feel him within her.

As the song made its transition to the next, an equally soulful one, his breath tickled her ear. “How am I doing?”

“You’re better at this than you led on.” Her words were wispy. Affected.

With a pleased grin, he spun her and dipped, holding her parallel to the floor. He leaned close, supporting her with a large hand splayed across her back and another cradled under her knee. “Another song, then?”

“Another song.”

Half a set list later, her chest heaved from the constant movement, heat radiating through her body.

She was past the point of understanding if the feeling was related to the man, or the way they moved together.

Either way, this was the most fun she’d ever had out with a guy before.

If she was never going to see him again, she was determined to get the most from tonight.

She wrapped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down so she could press her lips to his jaw, just before his ear.

Holding her flush against him, he tightened his grip at her hip and snapped his head around to catch her mouth with his.

The moment their lips made contact, it was as if a jolt of electricity passed through her.

She sighed into his mouth as it moved over hers, sucking and nipping on her bottom lip.

All the while, his mustache tickled her face with sweet friction.

Her need surging, Jules made an impulsive decision. “Do you have a hotel room around here for the night, Sundance?”