Learning the Ropes Read Online Free PDF

girls who went to horse shows.”
    She saw David’s body jerk to the side and Chris shot a glare at David. Alicia silently thanked him for shutting Chris up, even if it was with a kick under the table. This was something she needed to talk about with her parents privately. She didn’t need his help or, in this case, him instigating trouble.
    C HRIS RUBBED AT the knot forming on his shin and glowered at David.
    “Are you guys ready for dessert? Blackberry pie?” Jessie asked, looking at him pointedly. “If I remember right, that’s your favorite, isn’t it, Cristobel?”
    He gave her a grin. “I love your blackberry pie but you’ve stuffed me with lasagna and garlic bread.” He shot a sly look at David who was watching Alicia intently. “I guess I could have a small piece and then work it off dancing tonight.”
    “I thought you said you wanted to head out?” Chris didn’t miss David’s suspicious glance.
    “We should go to the dance and have some fun.” He nodded toward Alicia across the table. “I know how much this one likes to dance. Maybe she could teach you a thing or two. Your moves are pretty horrendous.”
    “I don’t know,” Alicia hemmed. “I have to be back down there early tomorrow for the next go-round.” She stood and started to clear the table.
    “You’ll do fine, hon,” Noah chuckled. “Beast knows the pattern in his sleep.”
    Alicia rolled her eyes as she hurried to the sink with the plates, not wanting her father to see her irritation. She needed to focus on tomorrow’s run. If she came in first it would move her up in the standings, bump her above Delilah, and add a hefty chunk to her savings. She had to be at the top of her game, not exhausted from dancing with a couple of cowboys, no matter how ruggedly good looking they might be. Although, an ice cold beer and some loud music might curb the frustration building in her right now.
    “Come on, Ali.” Chris came up behind her with a stack of plates. “It’ll be like old times.” He cocked his head to the side and gave her the puppy dog eyes that used to get him his way with his sister.
    She glanced up at David, who followed Chris into the kitchen, bearing more dishes. He shrugged and looked resigned to Chris getting his way again. She wanted to be angry and shake him. Maybe if people told him no once in a while, he’d understand responsibility and that life wasn’t all about fun.
    Instead, she looked back at his pleading blue eyes and sighed. Her heart thumped in her chest as he took a step closer before lowering his voice.
    “Come on, Ali. You know you want to go.”
    She did and couldn’t fight it when her heart did a flip in her chest. Alicia sighed. “Fine.” How did he always manage to turn her brains to mush?

 
    Chapter Three
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    A LICIA FOUND HERSELF squished between two cowboys in David’s pickup truck on her way back to the rodeo grounds to attend a dance she hadn’t wanted to be at in the first place. The entire truck reeked of men’s cologne, and she wanted to beg Chris to open a window before she choked but kept silent, unsure which of them had taken a bath in the stuff. It practically made her eyes water. What in the world ever possessed her to agree to this?
    She tapped her heel on the floorboard nervously, feeling herself on edge but not sure why. Both men were oozing with charm and neither was hard on the eyes, as her mother had pointed out several times before they left, but seated between the two of them, she couldn’t help but feel awkward. Most women would kill to be in her position and she just wanted to get out of the truck and get back to her horses. She shifted nervously in the seat and Chris glanced her way, nudging her with his elbow and jerking his chin in a “watch” gesture.
    “First round is on David,” he declared.
    David turned his head toward them. “Why me?”
    Chris smiled broadly and Alicia fought to keep a straight face. Something about him pushed the constant chatter of