Rodeo Riders Read Online Free PDF

staring up at the great Brahma’s churning hooves, thick, curving horns and impossibly powerful chest, knowing she couldn’t move, knowing she was going to be killed.
    “Give our young lady a round of applause, ladies and gentlemen!” the announcer yelled. “This is her first time to compete since a serious accident last year. I know she’d appreciate your encouragement.”
    Fighting tears and self-disgust, Jordan glanced up at the time clock. She’d never ridden that slow. Surely there’d been a malfunction. The hell there had!
    Her fellow racers applauded when she returned to them, and she forced a rueful smile. After dismounting, she loosened the cinch around Trixie’s belly and rubbed the heavily breathing mare’s forehead. “You done good, old girl. A hell of a lot better than I did. And tomorrow can only be better, right?”
    Trixie turned her head to the side and gave Jordan a look she interpreted as it’s up to you. I did my part .
    “I know you did. Just be patient with me. There’s something about a head trip that—”
    Trixie backstepped, compelling Jordan to grip the reins. When the mare stopped tugging, she turned to see what had startled her. She shouldn’t be surprised to see Cougar and his black stallion, but tell that to her heart. The way it pounded had to be attributed to shock.
    “I’m going to be tied up until late tonight.” His too-dark eyes bore down on her, powering through the protective layers she tried to throw up. “You know which is my rig. I’ll leave it unlocked. Wait for me.”
    Wait in that too-small space that’s alive with your essence? Feel your presence on my skin and think about what you’re going to say—and do?
    “What for?”
    “We still need to talk.”
    She swallowed. “Just talk?”
    “It’s your call.”
    Cougar’s personal area had to be twice the size of hers, which helped defuse her claustrophobia, only, if she was being honest, fear of enclosed spaces had nothing to do with the state of her nerves.
    After putting Trixie in her stall and mounting her other mare, she’d returned to the action. Her reason had been twofold. She wanted to get three-year-old Misty used to the sights, sounds and smells of a rodeo, and watching the other events had made it possible for her to take at least a part of her mind off her poor performance and what Cougar thought they needed to discuss.
    All right. There’d been a third reason. She’d watched Cougar. He’d been in constant action, one moment behind the chutes as he supervised those handling the bulls during their event, the next riding pickup in the arena. Like his stallion, he’d seemed tireless. In an environment filled with the most masculine of men, he stood out.
    And no matter how hard she’d tried not to let it happen, thoughts of the body beneath the clothes stalked her.
    “Is that why you’re here?” she asked herself. At the moment, she was looking through a folder filled with newspaper clippings about the various rodeos he supplied bulls for. He appeared in only a handful of the photos, too often at a distance. But there was one close-up of him being interviewed with a pen full of Brahmas behind him. His hat was pulled low on his forehead so she could barely make out his features, but his sweaty shirt clung to every muscle and rib. Just looking at him, she could feel his heat.
    A sound outside spun her around. Heart hammering, she opened the door and looked out. Cougar and a short, slim man were standing a short distance away. Cougar glanced at her and then turned his attention back to his companion.
    “If you can find better hay, see if you can get it delivered tomorrow,” he said. “But I’m guessing this is the best we can do.”
    “I’ll get on it at first light.” The spare and weathered man was looking at her, but she couldn’t guess whether he was surprised to see a woman waiting for Cougar. Probably not. “Anything else?”
    “Get some sleep.”
    “More than you will,