Page 21 of Ride Me Reckless

Then—because Kenzie always had flair—she pressed a kiss to my cheek like she was giving me a special thank you.

I chuckled, swatting at her playfully. "Go before you miss your shot."

She swung up onto Windstorm with practiced ease, tightening her reins and heading for the start gate just as the announcer called her number.

That's when I saw her.

Tessa.

Leaning against the fence post like it owed her something. Arms crossed. Her old leather jacket was zipped up halfway; the red stripes on the sleeves were faded now but unmistakable.

Her eyes met mine—only for a second. No smile. No wave.

But I felt it like a punch to the sternum.

Kenzie whooped as Windstorm surged forward, thundering into the arena with a clean arc. The crowd roared.

I didn't look away from Tessa.

She did, though.

Her jaw tightened—just enough to see it. Then she turned on her heel and walked back toward the parking lot like she hadn't just seen another girl press her lips to my face.

And like it didn't matter.

But I knew better.

Because my chest was still burning from where her eyes had landed—and the part of me that still wanted her was louder than every cheer in the arena.

I barely registered Rhett calling Kenzie's time. Cheers echoed behind me, but all I heard was the sound of Tessa's boots pounding the dirt as she stalked toward the edge of the trailers.

Hell no.

I nodded to one of the wranglers who would look after Windstorm and Kenzie without a word and took off after her. She was almost to the corner, ducking into that shadowed strip between rigs and feed storage where the crowd couldn't see—where she probably thought I wouldn't follow.

She was wrong.

"Tessa."

She didn't stop walking. Didn't even flinch.

I caught up with her in four long strides and reached for her wrist.

She yanked it back. "Don't touch me."

I grabbed her hips instead.

She stiffened, but she didn't pull away. Not really. Just stood there, looking like the past had shown up in the flesh just to fuck with me.

"What the hell was that?" she snapped.

"You tell me. You came here just to glare and vanish?"

"I came here to watch a rodeo, not whateverthatwas." Her chin tilted toward the arena.

"Kenzie?" I barked a humorless laugh. "She's seventeen, Tess. I've known her since she was twelve."

"Oh please," she scoffed. "That little braid you slid over her wrist? The way she kissed your damn cheek? Looked real professional."