No Ordinary Cowboy (Mills & Boon American Romance) (Rodeo Rebels - Book 6) by Marin Thomas Page B
Authors: Marin Thomas
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bull,” she said.
He entered the guest bedroom and grabbed a change of clothes. “She’s riding in the Ajo rodeo next month.”
Maria’s eyes rounded. “Cal and Sonja didn’t object?”
“Her parents don’t know.” Advertising the event would take care of that minor detail soon enough.
“Why in the world is Lucy rodeoing?”
“She’s trying to raise money for the Pony Express,” he said before shutting the bathroom door. Standing under the low-flow showerhead was like getting caught in a summer sprinkle rather than a dousing rainstorm. Mindful of the area’s water restrictions, he soaped up quickly and rinsed off. He spent most of his workday outside, requiring at least two showers per day in a state where water was a priceless commodity.
After drying off, he slapped his cheeks and neck with aftershave and shrugged into clean clothes, refusing to examine why he was sprucing up when he’d get sweaty all over again hauling out the mechanical bull from the shed.
He’d stowed the machine after Michael’s death and promised himself that he’d never use it again. He should have given it away, but he’d kept it as a reminder of all the good times they’d had together. While his mother worked in the kitchen, Tony hauled boxes of Christmas decorations out of the shed. He’d just finished clearing a path to the bull, which sat on transport dollies, when a truck pulled up in front of the trailer.
Maddie sat in the passenger seat, her long tongue hanging from the side of her mouth. As soon as Lucy opened the door, the dog charged Tony, and he braced himself for impact when she leaped through the air. Dropping to his knees, he wrestled with her.
Lucy laughed, drawing Tony’s gaze to her dimples, and his heart missed a beat. If one smile from Lucy was all it took to disrupt his life rhythm, then he was a heart attack waiting to happen.
“You should have seen Maddie when I asked if she wanted to visit you.” Lucy looked every inch the cowgirl in tight jeans, cowboy hat and boots. And her expensive-looking Western shirt hugged her breasts and showed off her trim waist.
Forcing his gaze from her figure, he pushed Maddie off him and fetched a bowl from the shelf inside the shed. Michael had left the water dish at the trailer for the times he stopped by with Maddie. The pink plastic dish with a princess crown painted on the side had amused Tony, and he’d accused Michael of treating the dog better than he did his girlfriends.
“Look at that, Maddie, a designer bowl.” Lucy laughed.
The dog followed Tony to the water spigot on the side of the trailer. As soon as he filled the bowl, she lapped up the contents then lay down in the shade on the porch.
“Michael complained about Maddie being a female dog.” Lucy stared at the boxer with sad eyes. “But I think my brother liked having his best girl by his side all the time.”
“Has Maddie been behaving?” Tony asked.
“Only because she’s been locked in her cage.”
No wonder the dog was depressed. After Michael had rescued her, she’d gone everywhere with him. Maddie was used to being with people and other animals, not spending every hour of the day alone. Tony shook his head to dislodge the image of the boxer in her cage and motioned to the shed. “I need your help with the bucking machine.”
Lucy glanced at the trailer door. “I was hoping to say hello to your mother before we started.”
“She’s making supper for us. You’ll have a chance to chat with her later.”
“Great.” Lucy poked her head inside the shed. “I’m glad you kept my brother’s bucking machine.”
“How did you know I had it?”
“I saw it in the back of your truck one afternoon in Yuma.” She shrugged. “How do you propose we pull this giant monstrosity out of here?”
“It’s resting on a pair of steerable dollies. It should roll right out.” He slipped past Lucy, the sultry scent of her perfume drifting up his nostrils.
“What do you need me to
He entered the guest bedroom and grabbed a change of clothes. “She’s riding in the Ajo rodeo next month.”
Maria’s eyes rounded. “Cal and Sonja didn’t object?”
“Her parents don’t know.” Advertising the event would take care of that minor detail soon enough.
“Why in the world is Lucy rodeoing?”
“She’s trying to raise money for the Pony Express,” he said before shutting the bathroom door. Standing under the low-flow showerhead was like getting caught in a summer sprinkle rather than a dousing rainstorm. Mindful of the area’s water restrictions, he soaped up quickly and rinsed off. He spent most of his workday outside, requiring at least two showers per day in a state where water was a priceless commodity.
After drying off, he slapped his cheeks and neck with aftershave and shrugged into clean clothes, refusing to examine why he was sprucing up when he’d get sweaty all over again hauling out the mechanical bull from the shed.
He’d stowed the machine after Michael’s death and promised himself that he’d never use it again. He should have given it away, but he’d kept it as a reminder of all the good times they’d had together. While his mother worked in the kitchen, Tony hauled boxes of Christmas decorations out of the shed. He’d just finished clearing a path to the bull, which sat on transport dollies, when a truck pulled up in front of the trailer.
Maddie sat in the passenger seat, her long tongue hanging from the side of her mouth. As soon as Lucy opened the door, the dog charged Tony, and he braced himself for impact when she leaped through the air. Dropping to his knees, he wrestled with her.
Lucy laughed, drawing Tony’s gaze to her dimples, and his heart missed a beat. If one smile from Lucy was all it took to disrupt his life rhythm, then he was a heart attack waiting to happen.
“You should have seen Maddie when I asked if she wanted to visit you.” Lucy looked every inch the cowgirl in tight jeans, cowboy hat and boots. And her expensive-looking Western shirt hugged her breasts and showed off her trim waist.
Forcing his gaze from her figure, he pushed Maddie off him and fetched a bowl from the shelf inside the shed. Michael had left the water dish at the trailer for the times he stopped by with Maddie. The pink plastic dish with a princess crown painted on the side had amused Tony, and he’d accused Michael of treating the dog better than he did his girlfriends.
“Look at that, Maddie, a designer bowl.” Lucy laughed.
The dog followed Tony to the water spigot on the side of the trailer. As soon as he filled the bowl, she lapped up the contents then lay down in the shade on the porch.
“Michael complained about Maddie being a female dog.” Lucy stared at the boxer with sad eyes. “But I think my brother liked having his best girl by his side all the time.”
“Has Maddie been behaving?” Tony asked.
“Only because she’s been locked in her cage.”
No wonder the dog was depressed. After Michael had rescued her, she’d gone everywhere with him. Maddie was used to being with people and other animals, not spending every hour of the day alone. Tony shook his head to dislodge the image of the boxer in her cage and motioned to the shed. “I need your help with the bucking machine.”
Lucy glanced at the trailer door. “I was hoping to say hello to your mother before we started.”
“She’s making supper for us. You’ll have a chance to chat with her later.”
“Great.” Lucy poked her head inside the shed. “I’m glad you kept my brother’s bucking machine.”
“How did you know I had it?”
“I saw it in the back of your truck one afternoon in Yuma.” She shrugged. “How do you propose we pull this giant monstrosity out of here?”
“It’s resting on a pair of steerable dollies. It should roll right out.” He slipped past Lucy, the sultry scent of her perfume drifting up his nostrils.
“What do you need me to
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