The Rider's Dangerous Embrace (An Interracial Bad Boy Romance Story) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Jayda Rivers. Daughter of John Rivers.”
    Luke tipped his cowboy hat up so that she could see his face. She couldn’t help it, she immediately began assessing him, much like her father taught her. What to look for in rider, physically. He had a set jaw, strong and chiseled, and eyes with a deep wisdom to them.
    She wasn’t the only one assessing. His grey-blue eyes looked her up and down. He was probably a couple of years older than her, twenty-seven or twenty eight. At least. Thomas was right, he was still young enough that he had quite a few good years left. His stance was strong, like his grip on the bull.
    She held out her hand to him, looking him straight in the eye as she waited. He assessed her for a moment, his own eyes moving over her body. Damn, he was impossible to read. What was this man thinking?
    Finally he reached out and shook her hand, his grip firm, the handshake of one man to another. She could tell a lot by a man’s handshake, and this man meant business.
    “I knew your father a good bit,” Luke said, nodding to her, “he was a good man. Sorry for your loss. To be honest, I’m glad to see one of his own is takin’ over the business. Not those greedy vultures like Thomas.” Ah. A smart ass. That she could handle.
    “Hey, you watch your mouth, less you want me to knock out some of those fancy teeth.” Thomas punched him in his shoulder, a gesture which he returned.
    “I, uh, thank you,” She felt a little off balance. It was hard accept. No matter how many times she heard someone give their condolences, the pain never went away. So she just stored it away, refusing to address it.
    Back to the task at hand. It was the only way she knew how to cope.
    “I haven’t seen your kind of talent in a good long while.”
    A smile tugged the corner of his mouth.
    “Taught by the best.” He stayed tight-lipped as he looked her up and down, judging her.
    Well who the hell was his coach?
    “Luke, we talked earlier about you being willin’ to sign up under our sponsorship. Well, Ms. Rivers seems pretty intent on makin’ sure that this happens.” Thomas smiled like he just got a bite on fishing line cast out into the middle of a pond. Almost his, as long it was reeled in right.
    “I am, I would be willing to speak to you about the prospect of joinin’ a sponsored program…” She barely got the words out of her mouth.
    He interrupted her without so much as a polite nod, “I really gotta be heading’ out.”
    He grabbed his ball cap and replaced the cowboy hat he rode with. She got a peek at raven locks before he switched them out. “I’m late for my next ‘social engagement’. Think you could swing by the dance hall tonight? It is the end of the rodeo and I should be there. We can talk then.”
    “Luke.” Thomas said, tipping his hat.
    “Thomas.”
    She couldn’t help but notice the muscles in his body, particularly his tight ass moving back and forth in those tight cowboy jeans. Heat pounded into her cheeks, leaving her dumbfounded. This was one of those times that she was glad no one could see her blush.
    “What the hell just happened?” She furrowed her brow and looked at Thomas who responded with a chuckle.
    “I think you just got asked to a dance.”
    “But…” She had to resist the urge to run after him and tell him what kind of opportunity he was letting slip out of his fingers.
    “I know what yer thinkin’. Let him go. He’s a tough one, Jayda. You’re dad’s been tryin’ to get him to sign on for years. You have to go, you have to bag him.”
    She hesitated, turning on her heel to face Thomas. “Years?”
    “Yeah, about ten.” Ten years was a long time in the business. Especially for a bull rider.
    It peaked her interest. “Why hasn’t he?”
    Thomas chewed on his check for a moment, thinking about it. “Luke was a loose cannon for a while, and when he wanted to be signed, well, your father wasn’t ready. Then, after that, it was nothing but no. Foolish pride?