Chapter 14
RILEY
“ S till undefeated this season.” Brett tipped his beer at Riley. “You’ve got a fast learning curve.”
The sun had set, good food had been devoured, and his appreciation for this place and these people had managed to grow yet again.
He had found his place here when he was at his lowest point last year.
At the time, they hadn’t hesitated to make him feel like he had been here all along. And that support only continued.
“It’s still early,” he replied lightly. “Being undefeated right now is nothing to brag about.” Winning was great. But the need to be the best wasn’t driving him like it used to.
In contrast to his experience with Jules, he had spent most of his time on the road by himself. Being named champ still ended with him alone in a hotel room back then. Not that he always minded it—the traveling had been fun, and the adrenaline he felt in the arena was addicting.
But sitting here, looking around the fire at the group that felt like family, Riley couldn’t help but think maybe this is where he belonged after all. His father liked to say ‘don’t fight what comes your way, it’s about the journey and having the grit to keep going.’
He had spoken to his old man just this morning on the way to the rodeo, but he owed Sal another call tonight all the same. If for no other reason than to tell him that maybe, after all the risks Riley took over the years to force his life to follow his will, his father was right all along.
His parents had moved to Arizona—tired of Wyoming winters—the year he joined the circuit. Piper had already married and moved to a base across the country at the time. So, with him on the road, they took off to finally follow their own journey after sacrificing to help with his dreams.
“As long as you keep kicking Dane’s ass,” Cooper snorted from across the way, pulling him out of his contemplation.
Dane, the guy who wasn’t above playing dirty to get ahead. Last year, he’d tried to screw with Riley, stealing his rope.
He also tried to screw with Maddie.
“Which one was Dane? Why don’t we like him?” Jules asked as her and Maddie returned from the main house. She dropped down into a spot next to Riley on the bench just big enough for two.
“The one that stayed the fuck away because he’s terrified Grey will kill him if he comes within spittin’ distance of Maddie again,” Cooper answered her with an amused laugh.
On the bench to the left of him, Grey muttered in agreement, his arms tightening around Maddie as she returned to her spot at his side. This family he had stumbled upon was a protective one, and Riley grinned with amusement.
“ Oh , I remember that story,” Jules mused.
Why she had taken the spot beside him instead of her own bench, he didn’t know. And he didn’t care about the reason, instead simply happy she was here.
He leaned forward, dangling his bottle of banquet between his legs and widening his posture until his knee settled against hers. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her attention drop to where they touched, her leg pressing back against his as if she was allowing herself to relax into him.
In a voice low enough to grant their conversation privacy, she asked, “Do you miss the pro rodeo?”
“Sure, some things about it. And I know part of me always will,” he answered, turning to face her.
“How do you deal with that?”
Sighing, he tilted his head in consideration.
“Well, I don’t miss it the same as when the injury first took me out.
It’s more of this dull longing these days.
And not longing for the events I’m missing out on.
It’s more like…” he hesitated to find the right words.
“It’s a longing for who I was at the time.
For the ability to not carry this worry with me every time I saddle up. ”
Reaching over, she pressed her hand to his thigh. Her fingers curled, squeezing. The gesture may have been meant to offer comfort, but instead it sent a wave of desire shooting up between his legs.
“What I do miss,” he continued in a low voice. “Is feeling like I have something for myself. Something to work towards. Don’t get me wrong. I love it here. I love this ranch, and I swear these people saved me. I wasn’t my typically chipper self when I was first released from the hospital.”
Heavy questions weighed down her gaze, those beautiful, cool eyes urging him to continue. “I can’t imagine you as anything but laid back.”
“I was pretty angry, mostly with myself.”
“With yourself?”
“You know—if I could have been more focused, practiced more, done something different. A lot of what ifs related to me being better and preventing the injury.”
“Riley. Don’t forget that I have seen you compete in saddle bronc. I don’t know what happened but… I would put good money on it not relating to something you could have done better.”
He paused, allowing her words to burrow into his chest and warm him from the inside.
He didn’t blame himself like he used to, but her opinion carried weight all the same.
It was odd, how someone he’s known for only a few weeks could come to mean this much to him.
About as odd as a one-night stand keeping him hung up on her for a year.
“Well, I appreciate that, wild thing.” He flashed her a crooked grin. “Being given this chance here, it helped me let go of most of that. I’m not really working towards something for myself though. And I’m not sure I could leave this… them, even if I knew what I would want to do.”
“Being here doesn’t mean you can’t have something of your own too,” Jules murmured warmly.
She was right. The problem was, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted for himself. That is, other than her.
As if sensing his thoughts, she snuggled in tight to him. Her cheek came to rest against his bicep. This didn’t feel like they were forgetting about Texas. And it could easily be perceived as flirting with the line of friendship—considering that her hand had snaked a hair higher on his thigh.
None of it was enough to raise eyebrows from their friends, but it had his undivided attention. That is, until Cooper came over.
Dropping onto the empty bench beside them, he asked, “What are you two doing over here?”
“Just talking about work,” Riley offered casually, taking a drink.
“Sure.” He didn’t look convinced but shrugged it off all the same.
“Well, I was thinking… for my birthday here soon, we should all go to Wrangler’s.
Jules, you’ll come, too, right?” Co oper was clearly undeterred by how close they were huddled together, chatting with them as if they hadn’t been whispering apart from the others in the dark.
“Of course I will,” she replied warmly, lifting her head and smiling.
“Cool. Anyway, I was on my way to get another round. Want anything?” He waved a hand between the two of them.
“No thanks.” Jules shook her head.
“I’m good, thanks man,” Riley replied. His thoughts were still on the fact that Jules just agreed to hit the bar with them. What was it she had said earlier? I know what happens when I go to a bar with you .
The moment Coop was out of earshot, he dipped his chin to the side and murmured, “You know you just agreed to go to a bar with me, right?”
“I couldn’t say no on his birthday,” she replied, batting her eyes at him. She trailed her hand the remaining way up his thigh, her fingers slipping further around to the inner side, teasing. “I guess I’ll just have to be a good girl that night.”
There was heavy insinuation in her silken tone. And the realization must have been written all over his face because she smiled with satisfaction as she withdrew her hand. Immediately, the pressure of his awakened arousal made him wish her hand was still there teasing him.
“Jules,” Maddie called across the way. “Tell Laurel about the time in South America when you had to go to the little medic center in the village where they didn’t speak English. When you needed all those stitches.”
Riley raised his eyebrows at her in surprise. “Why did you need stitches?”
“Anything to get the shot,” she offered with a shrug, as if that was explanation enough.
She leaned towards the group and started in about the misadventure, and he couldn’t help but think about how well she fit. Here at his side, but also with these people. This place.
It was as if she had been here for far longer, naturally falling into their lives. Was it like that everywhere she went? Was that part of her success as a traveling photographer—her ability to make people feel connected to her in such a short time?
He wanted it to be about more than her skill at her job. He wanted her to feel connected to him, to the ranch, as well. And as she leaned back against him, using him as a support in a fit of laughter, it felt like maybe he’d get what he wanted.
Deep in his gut, a flicker of hope ignited.