Page 20

He shook his head, sweat flying off the end of his nose. He had work to do.

The sun beat on him like a hammer as the gate swung up, Tucker McAllen riding Sunfish like a dream, marking out and spurring.

Dalton sat in the saddle, Fritz shifting restlessly under him, ready to work.

“Soon,” he muttered. Then the buzzer sounded and off they went, Julio on one side and him on the other. Tucker grabbed ahold of him, and he cut away while Julio ran Sunfish out and away.

Boom. He set Tucker on the arena floor, right down on his feet, gentle as a baby.

“Thanks, man.”

“Anytime.”

He nudged Fritz, and they took off after the buckin’ horse too, hazing him so Julio could grab the strap free.

He looped her and then led the horse into the chutes, switched out ropes, knowing someone would deal with it, coil his rope and hang it where he could fetch it back.

They were like a well-oiled machine today. Sundays could be like that, and Dalton was glad.

They had this and the bull riding and then breakdown. Tomorrow was Colorado and a week off.

He wanted to whoop, but that would startle folks, and Fritz might just toss his ass, as het up as he was this afternoon. So he sucked it in, making another lazy circle around as they loaded up.

Fritz danced, and he reined in the gelding, soothing. “Hush now. You get pasture for a week as soon as we finish here. Such a good boy.”

Tank watched him like a hawk. Dalton could see the man’s eyes, feel the touch of the gaze. He wanted to shift in the saddle, but no way was he letting Tank know how much the man got to him.

No fucking way.

His balls let him know it was happening, though.

The next rider went down, and they kept the horse away from him as well as pulling the strap. Tank handed him his other rope, those brown eyes eating him up.

“Thanks.” Fuck, he wanted to just get on his knees and beg.

“No problem.” Tank gave him a slow grin that liked to burn him to the ground.

He rode over to wait with Julio, and both of them stood for less than a minute before Julio asked, “You okay, boss? Sun getting to you?”

“It’s hotter than usual up here, huh?” He tipped his hat down farther over his face.

“Sunnier, for sure.”

Not necessarily hot. Yeah, he needed to get his shit together and stop mooning.

“You ready to get to the mountains?”

“Shit yeah. I want to do some fishing.” He grinned, half his brain already there. “You?”

“Heading to New Mexico for a few.” Julio had family there.

“Chama, yeah?” That was damn near Colorado.

“Yep. Only a few hours away from Durango anyways.”

“Yeah. You’ll be full of fry bread.”

“Shit, amigo, I’ll be exploding with enchiladas. Mama promised.”