Page 16 of Headstrong Cowboy (Montana’s Rodeo Cowboys #2)

C hrissy didn’t think she’d ever had a better night. Dinner and conversation with Ryder had been so easy. There hadn’t been any moments where the conversation had died and she’d struggled to find something else they could talk about.

Now they were finishing up their dessert and the night would be over before she wanted it to be.

It wasn’t as if Ryder had to drive her home.

She’d met him at the hotel. All he had to do was go upstairs to his room.

She supposed she could walk him up to his door, a role reversal on the traditional way dates worked in the past.

Chrissy kind of liked that idea. Who was to say she couldn’t do that?

Couldn’t make sure Ryder got to his room safely, give him a kiss goodnight, and then drive home?

Her body warmed at the thought of kissing Ryder again.

Every time their mouths collided, all rational thought flew out of her mind, and all she wanted was to lose herself in him.

Something she’d never experienced with Beau.

She should feel guilty about that, but she didn’t, because Beau was gone and she was still here, and they’d been separated and divorced for a while before he’d passed.

He’d want her to move on and be happy, just like if he were still alive, she’d want the same for him.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Ryder asked as he reached out and brushed his fingers against hers.

“Kissing you.” The words erupted out of her, and mortification threatened to consume her. Where had her brain and mouth coordination gone? Clearly, it had taken a hike and Chrissy wished it would come back.

“You shouldn’t say things like that,” he murmured, his eyes turning dark with desire.

“Why?”

“Because we’re in a crowded restaurant and all I want to do now is kiss you.”

A shiver trickled down her spine at the intensity of his words.

This was all new territory for her. She’d only ever been with one man, but what she wanted now was for Ryder to take her up to his room.

Do all the things she hadn’t done in a long time.

The intimate side of her marriage to Beau had been over a long time before their divorce—another sign that they should’ve ended things before they did.

The uncertainty she’d felt when they’d been together that afternoon, about moving this quickly, vanished.

She didn’t have to fear anything when it came to Ryder.

“There’s a perfectly good bed a few floors up. ”

Again, her words shocked her. She’d never been this forward with anyone, not even Beau. But everything about what she was saying and doing with Ryder felt right. As if her life journey had been leading her to this very moment.

Ryder gripped her hand. “Don’t say things like that. I’m trying to be a gentleman here.”

“What if I don’t want you to be one?” she countered. Was she pushing for something that she wanted, but Ryder didn’t?

No, he wanted it. The way he was holding on to her. The tortured groan that had come from him when she’d mentioned his room.

“Are you ready for the check?” The server came up, popping the sensual tension bubble that had surrounded them.

Ryder relinquished his hold on her hand, and Chrissy wanted to snatch it back, hold it with both of hers so they were still connected. But she did none of that.

“Yes, that would be great.” Ryder said quietly.

Chrissy sighed. Perhaps the server showing up at their table had been at the right time.

She’d gotten so swept up into a fantasy that, while her body might want it, was she really ready for it?

For the prospect of letting Ryder see her fully.

She wasn’t ashamed of how she’d look, but being naked in front of someone she’d only known for a short time was a little intimidating.

“You ready to go?” Ryder asked.

Lost in her busy thoughts, she hadn’t noticed that the server had returned and Ryder had paid for their meal. “Um, yeah, sure.”

Whatever had been swirling between them before the interruption was definitely gone now, but Ryder still reached for her hand, and the second his warm palm slid against hers, some of her anxiety eased and she fell into step beside him.

They stopped in the lobby, with the doors to exit the hotel in front of them and the elevators to the right.

Chrissy moved to stand in front of him, placing her hand on his chest. Immediately, his rested on her hips.

Beneath her fingers, the fabric of his shirt was soft and warmed from his body heat.

She wanted to wrap herself around him and have some of that warmth seep into her bones.

When she was with him, she forgot everything else.

All the stressful things that were happening with the farm.

The way her mother wouldn’t look her in the eyes and avoided any questions she asked about whether she was going to sell the farm.

The way Sunny appeared to get more stressed every day, as if she knew that all of Chrissy’s plans were going to collapse and the farm was going to be swept out from under their feet.

While she’d been at Tilly’s getting ready for her date at the Graff with Ryder, she’d explained the situation to her sister and, as expected, Tilly had said she could pitch in some money.

Or whatever other help they needed. Chrissy loved her sisters and the way they all banded together to stand strong.

Whatever the outcome, she would know that they’d given everything they had to save the farm.

Each day she hoped that it would happen, but each day a little bit of her began to doubt that they would succeed.

All of those things should be enough to convince her that getting involved with Ryder wasn’t a great idea.

Not to mention she didn’t know how long he was going to be in town for.

He hadn’t come right out and said that he would be leaving after the rodeo, but that made the most sense to her, considering his past involvement with the event.

A soft touch brushed against her forehead and she looked up to find Ryder studying her intently.

How often had she’d gotten lost in her mind with her troubles and other thoughts around him? Way too many to count.

“I should go,” she said quietly, all thoughts of trying to wrangle an invitation up to his room forgotten.

“It is getting late.” Ryder made no move to release her, as if he, too, was having difficulty saying goodbye to her.

“What are your plans for tomorrow?”

Ryder shrugged. “Not too much. I’ve got a couple of appointments, but that’s it.”

“Would you like to come out to the farm again? I can make us some lunch and afterward, we can go to Riley’s, so I can practice some more. The rodeo is next weekend, and I need as much practice as I can get.”

Beneath her hand, Ryder’s muscles tightened, and his fingers dug slightly into her waist. Did he even notice he’d tensed up? Was it because she’d mentioned the rodeo?

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be at my appointments. I wouldn’t want to say ‘yes’ and then cancel at the last minute. Can I take a rain check?”

Chrissy mustered up a smile, pushing down the hurt that formed with this rejection. “Sure. I understand.” She clutched her bag a little tighter. “Thank you for dinner.”

Ryder sighed and pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for coming and for the invite. I really wish I could make it tomorrow.”

Trying to pick up on any nuances in his voice, as if he was lying or really did mean what he said, was difficult for her. She chose to believe that he was being sincere. “It’s okay.” She pulled away a little and lightly pressed her lips against his. “Goodnight, Ryder.”

When she went to extricate herself out of his embrace, he framed her face with his hands and kissed her.

A type of kiss that would’ve been better suited to a bedroom.

The chance of someone recognizing her was high.

While Marietta had grown in population of the last decade, there were still plenty of people in town who knew she was the daughter of Frank and Eunice Bloom.

Chrysanthemum, who’d married her high school sweetheart. A romance that hadn’t worked out.

Breathless, it took her a few seconds to form words after Ryder broke their kiss. “That’s quite the goodnight kiss there, cowboy.”

“You make me forget who I am. Where I am. What I’m supposed to be doing.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Considering he caused the same things to happen to her, Chrissy felt the question was reasonable.

“A combination of both.”

“Ditto,” she said before touching his face. “I really do need to go. I’ll speak to you later.”

Ryder grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it, like he’d done before. And just like the last time, her knees went a little week at that gallant gesture. “You most definitely will. Drive carefully.”

“I will.”

With one last look, she took two steps away from him, before Ryder reached out and pulled her tight against him, his arms encircling her. The embrace said everything neither one of them could say out loud.

I really want to see you tomorrow.

I wish we could go upstairs.

I can’t say goodbye to you.

I wish you didn’t have to leave.

This unspoken communication seemed to be what they needed and this time when they broke apart, it was easier for Chrissy to walk away.

As she stepped outside, she wrapped her coat around her, warding off the chill in the air.

She expected Ryder to still be where she’d left him.

She glanced over her shoulder, and her assumption was correct.

His hands were in his pockets, looking casual, but she could see that he was holding himself stiffly, as if fighting the battle not to forget his good intentions and make her unspoken wishes come true.

But he stayed where he was, and she handed her ticket to the valet.

Her car arrived quickly and, as she got in, she spared one last look through the glass doors.

Ryder still stood there. Lifting her hand in a wave, she disengaged the handbrake and drove off into the night, knowing she’d left a little piece of herself at the Graff Hotel.