worn leather chaps hugged his strong thighs. Amazing! Oh yeah, she thought, as her heart thumped at the sight of him, he was a hell of a man. Big time cowboy eye-candy. She wanted to trail her tongue over every inch of that muscular body to see if he was as delicious as he looked.
Just thinking about tonight made her twitch.
“Howdy ya’ll” said the announcer. “It’s time for the steer roping event and we have some of the fastest steers and smoothest, roping cowboys around in this arena today. How ‘bout we start this out by giving these fellas a round of applause.”
The crowd went wild and Scarlet was among them. Nerves skittered down her spine. Oh, man, she’d never had anyone special to cheer on before and she was nervous for Nash.
Several cowboys, numbers pinned to their backs, took their turn at roping the giant steers. They were amazing. Graceful, but strong, and very athletic.
Finally it was Nash’s turn and Scarlet went still. Gazing toward Nash’s chute, she saw his face go hard. He leaned over and said something to Shorty and then focused again on his horse.
The announcer spoke into the microphone. “All right then, cowboys and cowgirls, let’s give a friendly Sweetridge welcome to a fine cowboy from down south of here. Nash Logan hails from New Braunfels, Texas and the Rocking R Ranch. Three-time all-around cowboy in steer roping and bull riding. The man has won more prize buckles and saddles than you can shake a stick at. Eight seconds on a mean old bull is nothing for this cowboy. Let’s give it up, folks.”
Applause broke out again as the enormous steer shot like greased lightning from the gate. Scarlet watched Nash jump down into the saddle as his chute sprang open.
There was something almost majestic about the way he moved. Leaning over the pommel of the saddle, he narrowed his eyes in concentration as he twirled is rope high in ever widening circles. Standing in the stirrups, focusing on the steer, he never paused as his cowboy hat flew from his head to bounce on the dirt floor of the arena. When he let the rope fly, it settled smooth as silk around the wicked looking horns and his horse went still as a statue. The rope tightened and Nash jumped down to race toward the steer.
Scarlet gasped and leaned forward.
The snorting steer jerked his head, his eyes wild in his head. Nash grabbed the huge animal by the horns and forced him to the ground. Reaching to the rope at his belt, he tied the animal’s hooves with an economy of motion that was amazing. Back hooves, front hooves, then they were tied together as Nash tossed his arms in the air.
“Seven point six seconds!” The announcer bellowed. “Would you look at that? Nash Logan, ladies and gentlemen! Give this cowboy a hand! This is a new record, people. This Texas boy can rope a steer quicker than lightning. Good job, Nash.”
Nash loped across the arena and snatched his hat from the ground pausing once to acknowledge the crowd with a wave. Several rodeo clowns ran up for back slapping as several more clowns untied the bested steer and shooed him out of the arena.
Pride shot through Scarlet’s blood, warming her to her toes.
He was very, very good, she thought. Tomorrow night he’d participate in the bull riding event. The crown jewel of the rodeo. She’d be here, she knew, but tonight? Well, tonight this cowboy was all hers.
Chapter Four
Sweetridge was a small town and it had only taken a quick inquiry at the local grocery store, to find Peachtree Lane. Nash sat parked in the driveway in front of Scarlet’s house and fell in love.
Man, Mama Rose would love this place, he thought, as he studied the old but well-maintained Victorian. Painted a slate gray, it had black shutters and a lace-covered etched glass door. All the trim was painted black to match. From where he sat, he saw huge iron urns filled with crimson geraniums on either side of the entry. Their brothers were placed strategically at other
Just thinking about tonight made her twitch.
“Howdy ya’ll” said the announcer. “It’s time for the steer roping event and we have some of the fastest steers and smoothest, roping cowboys around in this arena today. How ‘bout we start this out by giving these fellas a round of applause.”
The crowd went wild and Scarlet was among them. Nerves skittered down her spine. Oh, man, she’d never had anyone special to cheer on before and she was nervous for Nash.
Several cowboys, numbers pinned to their backs, took their turn at roping the giant steers. They were amazing. Graceful, but strong, and very athletic.
Finally it was Nash’s turn and Scarlet went still. Gazing toward Nash’s chute, she saw his face go hard. He leaned over and said something to Shorty and then focused again on his horse.
The announcer spoke into the microphone. “All right then, cowboys and cowgirls, let’s give a friendly Sweetridge welcome to a fine cowboy from down south of here. Nash Logan hails from New Braunfels, Texas and the Rocking R Ranch. Three-time all-around cowboy in steer roping and bull riding. The man has won more prize buckles and saddles than you can shake a stick at. Eight seconds on a mean old bull is nothing for this cowboy. Let’s give it up, folks.”
Applause broke out again as the enormous steer shot like greased lightning from the gate. Scarlet watched Nash jump down into the saddle as his chute sprang open.
There was something almost majestic about the way he moved. Leaning over the pommel of the saddle, he narrowed his eyes in concentration as he twirled is rope high in ever widening circles. Standing in the stirrups, focusing on the steer, he never paused as his cowboy hat flew from his head to bounce on the dirt floor of the arena. When he let the rope fly, it settled smooth as silk around the wicked looking horns and his horse went still as a statue. The rope tightened and Nash jumped down to race toward the steer.
Scarlet gasped and leaned forward.
The snorting steer jerked his head, his eyes wild in his head. Nash grabbed the huge animal by the horns and forced him to the ground. Reaching to the rope at his belt, he tied the animal’s hooves with an economy of motion that was amazing. Back hooves, front hooves, then they were tied together as Nash tossed his arms in the air.
“Seven point six seconds!” The announcer bellowed. “Would you look at that? Nash Logan, ladies and gentlemen! Give this cowboy a hand! This is a new record, people. This Texas boy can rope a steer quicker than lightning. Good job, Nash.”
Nash loped across the arena and snatched his hat from the ground pausing once to acknowledge the crowd with a wave. Several rodeo clowns ran up for back slapping as several more clowns untied the bested steer and shooed him out of the arena.
Pride shot through Scarlet’s blood, warming her to her toes.
He was very, very good, she thought. Tomorrow night he’d participate in the bull riding event. The crown jewel of the rodeo. She’d be here, she knew, but tonight? Well, tonight this cowboy was all hers.
Chapter Four
Sweetridge was a small town and it had only taken a quick inquiry at the local grocery store, to find Peachtree Lane. Nash sat parked in the driveway in front of Scarlet’s house and fell in love.
Man, Mama Rose would love this place, he thought, as he studied the old but well-maintained Victorian. Painted a slate gray, it had black shutters and a lace-covered etched glass door. All the trim was painted black to match. From where he sat, he saw huge iron urns filled with crimson geraniums on either side of the entry. Their brothers were placed strategically at other
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