Espino, Stacey - Hardcore Cowboys [Ride 'em Hard 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Stacey Espino

home.” He rifled through his drawers to find something suitable for a woman half his size.
    She sat on the edge of the mattress, not taking up much space on the queen-sized bed. “You aren’t home often?”
    He held out a few articles of clothing to her. “I travel with the rodeo. Have for more years than I can remember.”
    “Really? That sounds exciting.”
    Wyatt scoffed. “Not so much anymore. It’s right and well for the young riders looking for thrills and honor, but as you get up in years, it doesn’t hold the same appeal.”
    “So why do you do it?”
    He thought about it. Why did he keep doing something that no longer held interest for him? Was it because it was all he knew? Was he scared of failing in a regular lifestyle? He wasn’t sure of anything anymore.
    Hoping to ignore her question, he asked, “What do you do? You like your work?”
    “Not exactly. I’m a waitress in a fast-paced restaurant. It’s nothing glamorous, that’s for sure. But I have to survive and I want to help my family.” She exhaled. “For me it’s all about the money.”
    “So you’re not much different from me. You’re working a job you don’t love. Any plans to change the future?” He’d love some advice if she had any.
    “People like me don’t have much choice in the matter.”
    He didn’t like the sound of that. She was everything and shouldn’t be stuck in a rut that she wasn’t happy in. Wyatt felt like an asshole. He had choices. Money wasn’t an issue for him or his brothers. His dysfunction was internal, a fear of life, a fear of disappointing those he loved. He got used to his days as a nomad, doing as he pleased, not hurting anyone but himself. When would it stop?
    “So don’t go back.”
    She smiled a sad smile. “That’s a fantasy, Wyatt. Real life is waiting for me back home.”

    * * * *

    Men never opened up with her or talked to her like a real person. Her old boyfriend had been a stranger, mostly keeping secrets, living a double life. Her boss was an asshole, and she’d never met her father. Wyatt was all male, but he didn’t have that obnoxious bravado that often went along with the other sex. His personality comforted her, pulled down her guards. Although she sensed there was something darker locked up inside him, part of her wanted to uncover it.
    “How’re you feeling, anyway?”
    “Better. No more nausea. I’m just stiff. My shoulders and knees are a bit achy.”
    Wyatt’s face was blank. “I’m sure that’s normal. Cord and Val will check you out when they get back.”
    “Where should I change?” She had the clothes he’d offered her, but she wasn’t ready to start stripping in front of him, even if he might have seen her naked when she’d been unconscious.
    Wyatt cleared his throat. “Sorry...I’ll be outside in the hall.” He slipped out and pulled the door shut behind him.
    Samantha dropped the towel on the bed, the cool air unpleasant against her nude, slightly moist body. If she never felt cold again, it would be too soon. Her nipples pebbled as she paced the room, trying to get a sneak peek into Wyatt Carson from his private space. No pictures of children or women. One of the two dressers was filled with dust-covered trophies. She wiped one of the brass plates with the pad of her thumb. They were all riding trophies from one event or another, spanning over a decade. The man must be a god in the saddle . Envisioning him in leather chaps, cowboy hat, and holding on to the horn of a saddle as he rode hard and fast made her stomach flutter.
    Wyatt Carson. Why couldn’t a man like him walk into her restaurant? What would it take for him to fall in love with a woman like her? She knew her thoughts were futile, but that didn’t make reality any easier to digest. He’d never want her. Wyatt just had old-fashioned manners, putting himself out to help care for a complete stranger. Nothing more . As soon as she could, she’d be back to the city, only a memory to the