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The show was officially over.

We had gone through the “ceremony” to receive some sort of ribbons. Most everyone else left before it happened, knowing the admins would mail their awards, but since our drive was four hours, we bunkered down for one more night and attended the ceremony before we hit the road.

Dani got a red ribbon, which was second place overall, and I got blue, which was first. Dani was having a blast giving me shit over the fact that I wasn’t making a big deal out of it and kept telling anyone we passed that I won the show. I couldn’t care less that she was ribbing me the entire day, not after last night.

I could still taste her on my lips and was enjoying reliving our night over and over again in my head. I was hopeful we could do more before we left, but after our little romp—her in my cowboy hat was going to be a sight I never got over—we had passed out hard .

We were already done loading our tack, and Hank came over to give me a hand.

“Hey, can you come walk with me?” he asks casually, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. It was his own bit he came up with, trying for discreetness.

I didn’t think we needed it, but I let him play it out.

“Be right back,” I tell Dani, grasping her hand in a quick squeeze before I walk away. Amy and Joanna were with her, so I wasn’t worried.

Not to mention…that was where I was headed.

“He’s by his stalls, but he’s alone.”

I nod and take the lead. Hank had wanted to handle this last night, and I didn’t disagree, but I talked him into waiting until today. Better to leave him with an…impression before we left.

All I had to do was think about that fucker touching my girl, and I was ready to rip him to shreds. You don’t get to put your hands on a woman and get away with it. Not if I have anything to say about it.

I enter the end of the aisle he’s in. Most everyone is busy packing up, but his aisle is completely empty. Even his horses are gone.

I’m about to curse and turn away when I hear a zipper to my left. For fuck’s sake, if he’s railing some poor girl in a stall, I’m going to either punch him or puke .

But when I take a step forward, he’s alone in the stall. Clearly, he’s finished taking a leak.

I step into the stall quickly before he can say anything, and his eyes widen with fear when I grab him by the shirt and push him against the wall. No doubt the bars of the stall are digging into his back, and it brings me an extra ounce of satisfaction.

Hank stands near the door, keeping watch.

He’s a good friend.

“You touch my woman?” I growl into his face, my form towers over the weaselly piece of shit, and he shrinks back, his hair falling over his face, his hat knocked to the pee-soaked floor.

Another win for me.

“W-what? No, she’s lying!” he says in a hurry, fear that I’m going to do something to him written all over his face.

Good, because I am.

“That bitch lies about everything!” he bravely says.

I chuckle darkly at his comment, and I grip his shirt tighter, slamming him against the bars again, and he whimpers like the scared little boy he is. “You touched her,” I say, getting in his face. “You left marks on her.” My words are whispers in his face, dark, menacing whispers that make him flinch .

“I-I-I…she needs to know her place?—”

I cut off his sniveling. I clench my jaw and tighten my grip on his shirt, shoving him harder into the bars and feeling satisfied when my knuckles dig into him.

“You go near her ever again, this will be the least of your problems.”

His eyes widen fractionally. “What will?”

I don’t reply except to cock my fist back and slam it into his face, my hand hurts immediately, but the anger at him touching Dani, hurting her, overwhelms the pain and keeps my fist flying back and forth, slamming into him over and over enjoying the feeling of his bones crunching under my hand.

Hank taps me on the shoulder, and I get in one last hit, letting Tommy fall to the floor. He’s breathing heavily, and I spit on the ground near his feet.

I don’t say another word as we leave him in the stall. I whip out the rag that I had used to wipe sweat from my face while tearing down the tack room from my back pocket, using it to wipe my knuckles.

“Well,” Hank starts as we walk back to the stalls to part ways. “I don’t think he’ll be bugging Dani anytime soon.”

“Good,” I reply gruffly, willing my heart rate to calm down. I don’t want Dani to worry when we get back .

She’ll find out what I did eventually. She knew I would never let something like that slide, which was why she made an attempt at hiding the bruises from me.

We round the corner and say goodbye to the siblings, hugs go around, and we make plans to get together when we get to the next show in a few weeks.

We make our way out to our trailers, and I grab her hand, the anger and adrenaline that was pumping through my veins moments before is on a dull simmer now, and I look down into her gorgeous eyes. “You wanna convoy back to the ranch?”

She smiles, and I brace myself for the independent woman speech. I would respect it, but I won’t love it. “Of course, just don’t leave me in the dust.”

Relief hits me, and I smirk at her. “Wouldn’t dare.”

Dani looks at me almost shyly, and I wonder what’s going on in her head. She tucks her hair behind her ear and licks her lips, drawing my attention.

I’m about to go find somewhere to get this woman alone when suddenly, she lurches forward quickly, pecking me on the lips and then pulling away. “See you there.”

“Well, now, wait a minute,” I say in reply, taking large steps forward to grab her hand with mine and pull her back to me. “That’s no way to leave your man.”

Her eyes glitter up at me. “Oh yeah? How am I supposed to do it?”

“Well, allow me to show you.” Then I pull her close, my eyes connect with hers, and her teasing grin fades. My hand goes to her cheek, thumb rubbing along her bottom lip. I hear her breath hitch as my hand slides lower, my other arm wrapped completely around her waist. My calloused hand rubs over the smooth skin of her jaw before landing on her neck, my thumb tucked up under her chin, tilting it up to my lips.

I start softly, letting my lips glide over hers and watching her eyes involuntarily flutter shut, and I take her mouth with mine. Her tongue connects with mine, and nothing else in the world exists.

The only thing that matters is this woman right here, and I take a minute to thank my lucky stars that I get this second chance with her.

That I get to kiss her, hold her, protect her.

I won’t ever take it for granted again.