Page 1 of Ropers Can’t Tie Knots (Kissing Ridge Cowboys #3)

one

Gabe

T here’s a certain freedom that comes with age and a successful career.

You can choose holidays when you want, the boss leaves you to your own devices most of the time, and you can eat dessert for breakfast.

In my case, it also means you can decide to walk away from a position that no longer serves you and move on to a fresh life challenge. With no mortgage or family anchoring me to this job or city anymore, it’s time for a change.

When the law firm I work for passed me over again and still didn’t offer me a partnership after ten years, I knew the time I’d been waiting for had truly arrived.

It was scary as hell to acknowledge I was ready.

Watching my best friend fall in love and enjoy his life made me wonder if perhaps I had it all backwards from the beginning.

Happiness wouldn’t find me when I holed myself up in my office sixteen hours a day, six days a week.

Accumulating wealth and job experience before seeking a relationship seemed like a great idea in the beginning.

Over time, the only things that found me were loneliness, overeating, and self-induced heartburn. After several deep discussions with my best friend Riley and meetings with my financial planner…I resigned.

I won’t lie and say I wasn’t terrified to walk away to parts unknown, because I was. Working as an attorney for a prestigious civil law firm filled every moment of my life, and I enjoyed it. But the call to find the missing piece has intensified.

At forty-one, I have a lot of life to live yet, and with the increased time I spend with Riley and his friends, it’s painfully obvious I’ve let too much of the past ten years slip through my fingers.

But a man still needs to work. While I don’t mind an extended leave of absence, I’d need to work again, eventually.

Which is how I’ve found myself moved to the small town of Kissing Ridge, where my best friend lives. Fate must have been thinking of me when I came across the ad for a law practice for sale in the small town.

I liked the business the previous lawyer had built, and I was bursting to make the change, not just in my career, but in my life.

I wanted to attend rodeos with Riley and walk to the farmer’s market for fresh food twice a week.

Most importantly, I wanted to be a part of the friend group Riley invited me into.

They’re a close-knit group of rodeo cowboys and welcomed me without question. Well, the one guy was a little prickly, but I could manage him.

Parking my car in the lot of my new favourite coffee house, I exit the vehicle with a smile and enter The Thirsty Cow. City life has most things I adore, but it doesn’t have this quaint and cozy coffee house with the bubbly barista named Diamond.

Diamond looks up from the espresso machine and flashes a smile my way .

“Well, hello, Mr. Handsome. What can I get you today?”

His tone is flirty, and while he’s an attractive man, he’s not the type to set the butterflies off in my gut. He’s like a warm hug from an old friend.

“I’d love a mocha, please.” Scanning the seating, I wave to Riley. “I’ll be over there. No rush, darling.”

Diamond nods with a wink, drawing a small laugh from my lips before I walk across the room to meet Riley.

I wasn’t expecting him to be here alone. “Is it just the two of us today?”

After hugging each other, he returns to his place, and I sit beside him, angling so we can speak face to face.

“I’m afraid so. The boys have some kind of pressing rodeo thing, and it didn’t sound like any fun to me.” He smiles and reaches over to squeeze my knee. “Some days I still can’t believe you’re here.” His voice clogs with emotion. “Everything going okay?”

We’ve spent too much time apart. Sometimes it doesn’t seem real that I’m here permanently, either.

“It’s great, Rye. In fact, we signed the final papers today. I have officially bought the practice.”

His hand covers his mouth and mutes his squeal of joy. “Oh my god, this is so amazing! You’ll love it here, Gabe. Honestly.”

Diamond delivers my coffee with another wink, and I allow myself to appreciate the man a little longer. The legs he has go on for days, and while he’s not my usual type, he’d probably be a fun fling.

“I’m not on the market, handsome. Eyes up here.” He tsks, and Riley laughs .

“Busted.” I join Riley’s laughter. “They’re a lucky person then, Diamond.”

“Yes, they are.” He quips before blowing me a kiss and returning to the counter.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you shot down so smoothly before. Are you losing your touch?”

Reaching for my mocha, I can only keep laughing. “I don’t think so. He said he was taken anyway, so that doesn’t count. I’d hate to be a home-wrecker.” Riley watches as I sip from my mug, and I turn away from his gaze.

One-night stands aren’t my thing anymore. Riley probably knows that even though I’ve not voiced it out loud yet. He’s always been able to read me well, and part of the reason we just clicked.

Riley clears his throat. “So, when will you plan to be here permanently?”

“I still need to find a place to stay. The unit I had hoped to rent while I house hunted had a sewer backup and is no longer rentable.”

“Well, that’s shitty.” We both chuckle at his joke. “Aunt Agnes said she’d love to have you if she still had a spare room.” Riley offers.

“Tell her I appreciate that, and I’ll still be by for visits.

” Even if she still had a room, I’m not sure I’d like to live with an eighty-year-old.

While I don’t plan on stringing together wild nights with strangers, if I met someone, how could I bring them back to my place with her on the other side of the wall? Just…no.

“I’ll figure it out. Now, tell me about you and Jackson’s hydroponic thing. Catch me up.”

Riley speaks with such joy. His eyes glow and the smile on his face is one I envy as he tells me about their dogs, the growing hydroponics business and Riley’s romance planning. He’s currently arranging several student promposals and I have to say, I didn’t know that was a thing.

“Let me get this straight. He wants to ask a girl out using a cow?”

Riley snort-laughs and slaps my arm. “You’re in the country now, Gabe. We do things a lot differently here.”

I think that’s an understatement. His phone pings, and he reads it with a smile before rapidly typing a response. “Are you free tomorrow? There’s a big party to kick off the rodeo season.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “Lots of wrangler butts, Gabe.”

I do like a cowboy. Not something I thought I’d ever say, but after last year and my first rodeo, I admit I see the appeal. I never got close enough to touch, though, last time. But I observed one closely.

“Yeah. I’ll be there.”

Riley’s answering smile is one that confirms I did the right thing moving here. “I’ve really missed us hanging out, Gabe. I’m so happy you’re here. Can I invite you for dinner every week, or is that too much?”

Laughing, I sip my mocha and eye the rest of the cheesecake on his plate.

“Are you going to finish that?”

He pushes the plate towards me with a smirk.

“Your sweet tooth hasn’t changed.”

No, it hasn’t. Lots of things have, but not my love for homemade desserts.

“Are you having fun?”

Jamieson, the bull rider friend of Riley’s, shouts across the table, and I raise my glass with a nod. “I am, thank you.”

He nods his head and smiles like there’s nothing better than being in a crowded hall filled with cowboys, belt buckles, and tight asses. To be fair, I can agree with that to a point.

If you have any kind of western kink, this is the place to be.

It’s a denim-clad ass buffet and in case you’re not an ass man, there are loads of shiny belt buckles.

And more than a few cowboy hats. Although Riley mentioned earlier that the guys at the bar still wearing hats are just using them to get laid.

Whatever works, I say.

Turning my back to survey the dance floor, my gaze falls on the man who caught my attention last year.

It wasn’t his belt buckle that drew me in, although I can appreciate a man proud of his achievements.

The dark and handsome cowboy with a smouldering gaze and a chip on his shoulder was all I needed to be intrigued.

Hunter Burke.

Jackson’s former rodeo partner, and a man with one hell of a cactus exterior. I had hoped last year he’d be up for a little fun, but he had one hell of an attitude, and I thought it best if I left him alone. Dealing with someone’s thorns wasn’t on my list .

This time, though, I think I want to chance it and see if he draws blood.

Hunter stands against a wall while he speaks with a young woman. She touches his arm, and he slides it away with a smile and a shake of his head.

She pats his arm again and walks away just as I step into his line of sight and his smile fades.

“Ouch. I’m not sure what I’ve done to get that look already. I’m just coming to say hello.”

Hunter sips his beer with a cocked eyebrow.

“What look? This is literally my face…Gabe.”

Smiling, I take a sip from my glass. The way he says my name sends a beacon of hope that maybe he noticed me last time, too. “You remembered my name. I must’ve been memorable for you.”

Hunter draws another swallow from his beer and looks out at the dance floor. “Riley talks about you all the time. It’s hard to forget.”

What a dirty liar he is. It’s more than that, and I know it. We’re playing the same game here, and we should both be winners.

“Still…you remembered.” Moving closer, I test his limits and brush a finger along his hand. He stills, but I don’t miss the bob of his throat. “And I definitely remembered you.”

“Is that so?”

Hunter’s brown eyes meet mine as he turns his head back to me and I sip my drink, pleased when his gaze drops to my lips.

“Do you want to taste it?”

“What?”

Swirling the ice cubes, I raise my cup. “My drink. You can taste it, Hunter. I don’t mind. ”

His nostrils flare, and the flash in his eyes sends a spark to my groin. This man is absolutely gorgeous in an untamed way. Just like the last time I saw him, he has this whole wild stallion vibe going on. He’s unpredictable and I’m fucking here for it.

Hunter leans in close, his lips ghosting against my ear. “You can’t handle me…counsellor.” He lingers, and I swear he blows a soft caress across my skin. “As attractive as the offer is, I’ll have to decline.”

My hand wraps around his wrist before he steps away.

His skin is hot against my palm, and I smooth my thumb across the inside of his wrist, feeling the steady pulse under my touch.

“I’ve handled a lot more than you. I don’t need to know why you’re turning me down now, but if you change your mind… I’ll be around.”

Dropping his wrist, I turn around and walk away.

He might say no this time, but I’m nothing if persistent. I live here now. There will be a next time.

I’m sure of it.

Draining my glass, I drop it on a table as I walk by on my way to say goodnight to Riley.

“Enjoy the rest of the night, Rye.” Leaning in, I kiss his cheek. “I think I’ll get an early sleep. I’ll talk to you this week.”

“Thanks for coming, Gabe.” Riley isn’t a big drinker, but the flush on his cheeks is a giveaway that he’s had more than a few. “No luck tonight?”

“I’m not feeling it. It’s okay. Say goodbye to Jackson for me.”

Weaving through the crowd, I exit the bar towards the parking lot. A few small groups cluster, sharing a cigarette, and I nod as I walk by. The late spring air still carries a chill in the evening, and I quicken my steps to get to the warmth of my car .

The lights flash when the doors unlock, and I turn my head to look back towards the bar.

An unmistakable figure stands at the edge of the shadows from the streetlight.

“Well, well…you couldn’t just let me walk away after all, could you?” Opening the car, I slide behind the wheel with a victorious grin. But when I look towards the figure, it’s no longer there.

But my smile remains.

Seems Hunter Burke doesn’t always make things easy.

Game on, cowboy.