Page 4

My heart skips when his hand presses into my back, firm and steady as he leans in. “Not bad, little cowgirl,” he murmurs, his voice soft and teasing.

“Not bad? I killed it,” I fire back, tilting my chin up with a smile.

His brow lifts, and that slow, handsome grin spreads across his face. “You did good. Where’d you learn to rope like that?”

“I grew up on a farm,” I respond, intentionally leaving out the part about it being an egg farm where the only animals were chickens and a miniature pony.

He hums, letting the answer sit without pressing further.

Another photographer materializes out of nowhere, camera poised and ready. “Pose for the photo, please,” he announces.

Hayes’s hands settle on my hips like he owns them, pulling me snugly against his side.

Before I can process the move, he tucks me beneath his arm, tilting me just enough under the brim of his cowboy hat that he’s removed from his head and with one smooth motion, he lifts the hat to shield our faces from the crowd and the camera in a way that feels. .. intimate.

Suggestive.

Private.

My breath catches as I gaze into his soft, hazel eyes and feel the caress of his breath against my cheek.

He leans in, his face so close now that I can make out every detail.

The light brown of his irises streaked with green, the crinkles at the corners of his eyes that speak of laughter and years spent in the sun.

His rugged features are sharper up close, fine lines framing his mouth and a tan that tells stories of long days under open skies.

Hidden behind his hat feels like we’re in our own little cocoon of silence despite the roaring crowd that’s surrounding us.

“W-what are you doing?” I whisper, my voice betraying how completely thrown off I am.

I’d come here tonight ready to rope a cowboy, calm and confident. Hell, I’d even joked about sleeping with one. But now, standing this close to Hayes, his hand firm on my hip, his breath warm against my cheek and our lips practically touching, I’m completely at a loss.

“This is the pose they always want,” he says, his voice softer now. “Suggestive cowboy stuff sells.”

“Oh.” It’s all I can manage. My lips are dry, so I wet them instinctively, and his gaze drops, catching the motion and tracing every swipe of my tongue.

The camera clicks from behind his hat, but all I can think about is the way his thumb is brushing ever so lightly against my ribs.

“Tell me a secret,” he says suddenly.

“A secret?”

“Yeah.” His grin widens, boyish and carefree, softening the rugged edges of his face and stealing at least ten years off him. “Something that no one else knows.”

Calm, confident, and a little tipsy Regan from earlier is back and I already know what I’m going to say.

“You’re going to fall in love with me,” I say, keeping my face as serious as I can. “Even though you’ll try your damnedest to resist it.”

A smile spreads across his face before he’s throwing his head back and laughing so hard his chest is shaking. My grin doesn’t falter as he lowers his face back to mine behind his hat. “I’d hardly say that’s a secret, Regan.”

I smirk. “Tell me a secret about you.”

He studies me for a moment, like he’s weighing whether I’m someone he can trust. He must see that I am because when he finally exhales, he looks lighter.

“Tonight’s my last ride.”

My eyes widen, the air stilling in my lungs. “What?”

He nods, his jaw tightening like he’s both excited and still struggling with the decision. “I’m done. Hanging up my gear after I get off the bull tonight.”

“But... you’re at your peak,” I protest, the words spilling out in disbelief.

I just met this guy, didn’t know anything about him before but I read his bio on the ride to the rodeo, yet from what little I know, Hayes Walker is nowhere near ready to retire.

In fact, it would be a travesty to the rodeo world if he did.

Ninety percent of the crowd showed up tonight to see him ride.

“And that’s exactly how I intend to go out,” he replies simply, his tone firm.

“Wow.” The word slips out in a whisper. “That’s... kind of badass. Most men would keep going until they burned out.”

He smirks, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a way that makes my stomach flip. “I’m not most men and I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. I’ve finished what I intended to do and now I’ve got other plans.”

“Like what?”

“Med school,” he says, his gaze steady. “I’m thirty-three years old. I’m ready to do something other than get my ass kicked by a bull every weekend.”

I blink, caught completely off guard because that isn’t what I was expecting. “Med school?”

He nods, his grin softening. “No one knows yet. Just my agent.”

“Well, I feel honored that you’ve shared that with me.”

“You should,” he teases, stepping back slightly and dropping the hat from its place between us. Before I can say anything, he lifts it and places it firmly on my head, tilting it just so, his eyes locked on mine. “Don’t take it off tonight,” he says.

I reach up, my fingers brushing the smooth fabric of the brim that smells like him and feels well worn. “Why not?”

He grins, the kind of look that promises trouble. “Wear the hat, ride the cowboy, honey.”

And with that, he strides off toward the pit, leaving me standing there, my heart racing and my face burning.

“Miss, please return to your seat,” someone with a headset calls from behind me, breaking the spell.

I turn, completely in a daze while someone mentions they’ll send me a copy of the photos they took.

But all I can think about is the man who just walked away and the hat sitting snugly on my head that I don’t intend on removing.