Rough Rider Read Online Free PDF

and brushed the dirt from her jeans.
    â€œCan you give me a few minutes to shower and change?” she asked Grady. “I’ve got some clean clothes in my trailer. I’m not about to go to a fancy party reeking of the stock pens.”
    â€œSure thing,” he replied. “I’m going to hit the locker room and grab a quick shower myself. Don’t make me wait too long.” Grady placed a callused hand on the small of her back. “I’ve got a real thirst tonight for a whiskey…” He raked a hungry gaze slowly over her five-foot-eight-inch frame. “And a tall drink of water.”

Chapter 3
    After a quick shower, Dirk threw on some fresh Wranglers, toweled his head with his good arm, and then scowled at the fifty-dollar button-down from the George Strait collection laid out on the bed for him—the one Rachel had purchased at the Wrangler Fashion Show. She’d presented it as a gift, and expected him to wear it tonight. He felt a surge of resentment at the subtle ways she’d begun controlling him.
    It seemed everyone had expectations of him these days.
    Big. Expectations.
    Although they’d not actually talked about it, with his graduation and now the rodeo win, they’d all be anticipating a move on his part, most likely tonight, but the idea of hobbling himself at age twenty-two, even to Rachel, galled him to no end.
    They’d been together off and on since high school. She was the girl every guy had wet dreams about. Gorgeous, bright, and bubbly, she’d won Miss Teen Rodeo in high school and now wore the crown for the state of Montana. On top of all that, her parents were loaded. Rachel’s ol’ man flew her around on his Beechcraft Baron twin-engine during her queen campaign and tonight his money paid for a fully catered shindig for family and friends.
    Dirk had sensed their disapproval of him from the get-go, but after four years, her parents had grudgingly accepted him. But the feeling that they expected him to be grateful about it irked the hell out of him. Although his family wasn’t stinking rich like hers, they were still highly respected fourth-generation ranchers with a decent spread and a fairly profitable operation—by current ranching standards anyway.
    He considered the expensive dress shirt, weighing the ire he’d incur from Rachel if he didn’t wear it. In the end, he threw down his towel, pulled a black tee out of his bag, sniffed it, and then grunted through the pain of pulling it on over his head. He knew he’d draw some severe looks by not dressing up, but he had a point to make. Like a hardmouthed mule, he wasn’t about to cave to the pressure. There would be no proposal. No engagement announcement tonight. Eventually. Maybe. But damn sure not tonight.
    * * *
    Janice brushed out her hair, applied a bit of blush and mascara, and then eyed herself in the mirror with a feeling of dismay. She wore her favorite pearl-button Western shirt with clean, if faded, jeans. Her only adornment, proudly worn, was the gold-buckled belt she’d won for breakaway roping at the high school rodeo. She’d polished up her ropers and dusted off a hat that was in bad need of reshaping. She wished now that she’d brought her “town” hat. Deciding she’d do better to go without, she cast the hat aside.
    She hadn’t expected the party invitation and wished she’d brought nicer clothes, but she really didn’t have anything suitable at home anyhow. The only dress she owned was the one she’d worn to the senior prom three years ago, but she’d filled out so much since then that it probably didn’t fit anymore. She wondered what the other girls would be wearing, then told herself it didn’t matter. No one would be looking at her. She’d just fade into the background, stay for one quick drink, and then make a quiet departure. Alone.
    Although Grady hadn’t called it that, Janice