A Cowboy's Heart (Hitting Rocks Cowboys) (6 page)

Connor’s heart came close to palpitating out of his chest. “Are you a psychic, too?”

She shook her head. “Nope. I’ve been studying the statistics on you. Barring a catastrophic force of nature, you’re favored to win. Nothing would make me or your parents happier. I’m sure they’ll be looking down at you.”

“How did they get into this conversation?”

“Once, when Ralph was giving me and Sadie some barrel-racing pointers, they both came out to the paddock. They’d been watching you practice at the arena with Wade. We heard your dad say that no one worked harder than you, whether it was ranch work or training for the rodeo. They both said they were so proud of you they could burst. Of course Ralph agreed.”

A lump as large as a boulder lodged in his throat. “It’s kind of scary how well you know what went on at the ranch behind my back.”

“We weren’t there all that often, but I’ll tell you this. Everything I heard about you would make you happy inside.”

“You’ve forgotten Ned.”

“I’m trying to, but there you go again, determined to stomp all over yourself. Those Corriente bulls from Mexico that you throw around have nothing on you.”

He laughed before hurrying to get cleaned up. Come to think of it, he’d been doing a lot of laughing since they’d driven away from the ranch.

Once he’d showered and dressed in a clean shirt and jeans, he made them bologna-and-cheese sandwiches along with a fresh pot of coffee. “Nice,” he remarked when she joined him a few minutes later smelling like a meadow of spring wildflowers. She was wearing jeans and a red-and-blue-plaid hombre shirt with horn snaps.

“Thanks.”

He gave her another sideways glance. “It’s a good thing I’m going out shopping with you. I’m afraid you won’t be safe in those duds on your own.”

“Throwing more bull, Bannock?”

“Just stating the truth, ma’am.” He wondered how she’d react if he told her she was a knockout in that outfit.

She gave him the once-over out of dark-fringed green eyes. “That shade of brown suits you.”

“And here I was afraid you wouldn’t notice.”

Her arched brows lifted. “You’d be surprised what I notice. Thanks for the lunch. I’ll be out in the truck when you’re ready to go.”

* * *

L
IZ
COULD
TELL
Polly was happy to see her. She kept nickering. They took a walk around the arena to help her get used to new surroundings, then Liz stalled her again. “I’ll be back later, I promise.”

She gave the horse an apple, one of Polly’s favorite treats, and then she left the tent area to meet Connor at the truck parked out in back. She’d been to Las Vegas several times with her parents, but for short periods. With the horrendous traffic, she was glad Connor knew his way around town. It gave her a chance to look at everything.

The marquees were dotted with the names of famous cowboys, cowgirls and celebrities who’d flocked here to enjoy the festivities of rodeo at its best. Entertainers were hosting special concerts at various venues across the city.

“Did I tell you I’ve seen half a dozen marquees so far with the name Connor Bannock up in giant letters? You own this city.”

“Me and a hundred others,” he mumbled, but she heard him. “Just remember one thing. Here today, gone tomorrow.”

“This is your sixth year of being on top. That’s not peanuts, as my father says. Seriously, Connor. You’ve honored me by asking me to drive here with you. It’s a thrill of a lifetime, one I’ll never forget.”

When his hand reached out to squeeze hers, she almost had a heart attack. “I have news for you,” he said. “Your company has been a bonus in ways I hadn’t anticipated.” He held on until he found a parking space in front of a local tack shop and had to let go. But his warmth continued to flow through her like sun-kissed Montana wild honey when you could find it out riding.

As they got out of the truck and entered the store, several wolf whistles reached their ears. Connor flashed her a speaking glance. “See what I mean? You need protecting.”

You walked right into this, Liz. When he’s back with his wife, you’re going to pay for it.

She might have known Connor would be friends with the owner. He came out of his office, and after introductions were made he gave them the red-carpet treatment. Before they left with the reins Connor specified, the owner wished them luck and took pictures of them.

“This bulldogger here is the greatest of all time,” he said, clapping Connor on the shoulder.

Liz nodded. “I already know that. We’ve been neighbors from the time we were born. I watched him growing up. No one could beat him, and no one will beat him this year, either!”

Another shocking thing happened when Connor put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. “Mark my words, Stan. This year Liz will take the championship in barrel racing.”

The older man smiled. “I’ll be there in the front row, watching.”

She eased away from Connor and hurried out of the store. It was one thing for him to grasp her hand in the truck from a surfeit of emotion to do with his parents. That, she understood. But the feel of his arm around her shoulders was something else.

He’d been paying her a supreme compliment in an effort to make her feel good, of course. To be held by Connor for a brief moment didn’t mean anything to him and shouldn’t mean anything to her. She needed to get over it. It was the unexpectedness of his doing it in front of someone else that had thrown her.

On the way back to the arena, they stopped to fill up with gas. Connor looked at her. “I want some gum. Can I get you anything while I’m in there?”

“Not for me, thanks.”

“Be right back.”

While he was inside the crowded station, her cell rang. When she saw the caller ID she felt a stab of guilt before clicking on. “Kyle?

“Hey, you—are you in Vegas yet? I thought I’d have heard from you by now.”

She shut her eyes tightly. In truth, she’d forgotten all about him. “Sorry. I got in late last night and have been out shopping for some gear for my horse. I was going to call you this evening. Where are you?”

“Yellowstone. I had a delivery here and will be flying home in another hour, so I thought I’d try to reach you now.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“Are you nervous? Excited?”

“Both,” she said as Connor got back in the cab and started the engine.

“I’ll bet. I’m looking forward to next weekend. I’ve got three days off so I can enjoy the rodeo and spend some time with you after you’ve won the championship.”

“Don’t I hope,” she said as they drove away. Liz might not be able to spend much time with Kyle after the rodeo if Connor wanted to get right back to the ranch.

“There’s no doubt in my mind you’ll win.”

“Thanks for your support. It means a lot. Now, I’m afraid I have to hang up and start putting my horse through our routine. I don’t want her to think I’ve deserted her.”

“I think I’m jealous.”

“Don’t be. After Las Vegas, my barrel-racing days are over.”

“Forgive me if I tell you I’m going to be glad you’ll have more time for us. When is the best time to phone you?”

“Maybe it would be better if I call you.”

“I’ll be waiting. I miss you.”

“Me, too.” She wished it were the truth. “Thanks for the call. Take care flying back.”

“Always.”

No sooner had she hung up than Connor said, “Which one of your favorites was that?”

“Kyle.”

“Where is back?”

“The airport in Bozeman. He’s an air-cargo pilot.”

“I presume he’ll be coming to watch you compete.”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“On the last night.”

“Has he ever seen you in action?”

She took a deep breath. “Not yet.”

“He’ll be blown away by the good doctor.”

“You’re good for my ego.”

“Then we’re even.”

Connor...

He drove to their spot in the RV park. “Leave everything else in the truck and I’ll lock it. First person to reach their horse gets a free Milky Way.”

“You’re on!” A good race was exactly what she needed to expend her nervous energy.

The two of them took off running. She was fast, but no match for him. They whipped past other people. When she tried to enter the barn, he turned around in front of her, preventing her from reaching the stalls.

“Connor—” She was out of breath. “You’re cheating!”

“Is that what I’m doing?” He blocked every advance she made. There was fire in his eyes. Her pulse raced off the charts. “Sorry, sweetheart, but no Milky Way for you.” He’d backed up to her stall.

“You’re the one who’s going to be sorry for this. I’ll get you when you’re not expecting it.”

His smile was wicked. “Before or after midnight?”

“Maybe while you’re mucking out the stall.”

“Whoa. Just remember you’ll be in there with me.”

She laughed. “You’re shameless.”

“I’m not the one with the halo.”

Was he trying to rile her with comments like that? Daring her to do something outrageous? While she was trying to figure him out, he went into Firebrand’s stall. In a minute they walked their horses out of the barn to the trailer where they saddled up and put the new reins on Sunflower. Liz had no idea if she would like them or not.

“Let’s find out how those work for you.” Connor brought along her bagged set of barrels. Once they’d mounted, they rode around the park several times and finally headed to the arena. Some riders were there for pleasure; others were putting in practice sessions before the first night of rodeo events coming up day after tomorrow. Competitors would be out here every day from sunup to sundown to get in the needed workouts.

“I’ll set these up for you.”

“No, Connor. You need to practice.”

“Wade will be over later and we’ll work out then. Right now I want to help you.”

“I didn’t expect this.”

“Well, you’ve got me, little princess, so use me!”

“Little princess—?”

“That’s what Grandpa calls you behind your back.”

“You’re kidding!”

“I know a few things you don’t know.”

“I’m sure you do,” she muttered. She was touched that he would share something that personal with her. “Thank you for your help.”

“That’s better. This is fun.”

He was like a kid out there setting up the four red, white and blue pop-ups with weighted bottoms. After placing them in a diamond pattern, he got back on Firebrand to watch her from a distance. “Are you ready?”

“Yes!” Her heart raced because it was Connor watching her every move with his expert eye. She wanted to put on a good show in front of him.

“Let’s go, Sunflower. Easy at first.” She took off to do her ten-minute trot-and-lope drill around the barrels. At first, the new reins were a distraction, and she told Connor her horse could tell.

“Keep sticking with it, then give her a rest and come back this evening to try again. If they still don’t suit you, then forget using them. The last thing I want you to do is lose your concentration because of them.”

Good advice.

“You’re looking great out there.”

Sunflower seemed happy to be put through her paces after traveling in the trailer for such a long time. By now, they’d acquired a fair amount of bystanders watching them, but if she’d developed nerves, Connor was the source of them.

The king of the cowboys was taking his precious time to help her be the best she could be. Short of winning his love, which she could never have, she was the luckiest woman in the world to be sharing this special moment in her life with him. Liz wouldn’t have missed this experience for anything on earth.

She leaned forward and patted the horse’s neck. “Good work, Sunflower. We’ll come out again later.”

Connor gathered up the barrels and put them in the bag before they rode back to the trailer to remove all the gear. With that accomplished, they walked their horses to the barn and mucked out the stalls. A lot of nickering went on.

“It sounds like they’re having quite a talk,” Connor murmured.

“I know. Maybe Sunflower is confiding in him.”

“Stop worrying about it, Liz. I could kick myself for suggesting you might like these reins. If I’ve thrown you off, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Of course you haven’t!” she cried softly. “I’m a big girl. I didn’t have to buy them, and I plan on trying them again. You feel too much guilt over problems that don’t exist.”

“Is that what I do?”

“Yes. It makes you a very nice person, but a troubled one when you don’t have to be. Let’s go back to the trailer and I’ll fix us some sloppy joes and salad.”

“That sounds like heaven.”

Once they reached it and went inside, Connor washed up in the bathroom while she washed her hands in the kitchen. As Liz got the hamburger out of the freezer to thaw in the microwave, she heard a knock on the door. A special knock. It was probably Wade.

She walked over to open it. There stood Reva Stevens in a fire-engine-red two-piece suit and heels. Her makeup was perfect.

Thank heaven Connor had warned Liz.

His ex-wife was a stunning woman with black hair that flowed to her shoulders and light blue eyes. She was beautiful and petite, standing shorter than Liz by several inches.

“I’m looking for Connor Bannock. This is his trailer, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I’m his neighbor, Liz Henson.”

“Oh...from Montana. You and Sadie are good friends.”

“Yes. And you’re Reva. Since Connor and I are both competing in the rodeo, he was kind enough to trailer my horse with his.”

“Is Wade with you?”

“No. He came in his own trailer with his girlfriend. Connor and I just got back from the arena. He’ll be out of the bathroom in a minute. Please come in.”

“Thank you.”

Liz went back to the kitchen area. At a glance, she could just imagine what Reva was thinking. The signs of two people living in close quarters were all over the place. If Liz were in Reva’s shoes right now, she’d be having a major meltdown.

“Hey, little princess—later on tonight I want a rematch of Pineapple.”

Reva had just sat down on the sofa when Connor emerged from the bathroom. At his announcement, Liz watched his ex-wife spring back to her feet.