Page 18 of Wild and Unruly (Three Rivers Trevors Ranch #3)

stetson

Today was going to be the first practice session with Bonnie. After she agreed to compete with me at the rodeo, I was expecting her to back out, maybe say that she didn’t think it through and wasn’t ready for that.

But after church let out this morning, I looked at my phone to see a text from her asking when we were starting.

Because I was dying to see her again, I told her today in hopes that she would come out to the ranch, have lunch with us again, and then we could ride all afternoon.

She beat me back to the ranch.

She showed up in her Wranglers and boots, ready to ride, but got pulled into conversation with the other girls for a while before we could get out to the barn.

Now, we were warming our horses up in the arena before we got started. I can’t stop looking over at her. With her head tucked under her hat, her rope tied to her saddle—one she brought from home—and her face set in concentration, I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen something that sexy in my life.

I was the one having a hard time focusing. And when she tilts her head up, feeling my stare, all I can do is grin at her.

She smiles back and slows her horse to a walk, signaling that she’s ready.

Dani and CT volunteered to help us out, and Logan was right behind them, loading in the cows and getting the first one ready in the chute. I walk my horse over to Bonnie, slowing mine down to a stop. “You ready?”

She takes a deep breath and nods, smiling over at me. “I’m good. Didn’t expect an audience.”

I look to where she motions and see the rest of my family and the Trevors family all gathered in the crow’s nest to watch. It’s a bench seat that lifts you higher so you can see over the arena gates.

“Well, it’s practice for the real deal,” I say, embarrassed that my entire family is here while simultaneously grateful for their support.

CT calls us over, and we trot our horses over to the chutes, both of us getting our ropes ready. We’ve already established who will head and who will heel, meaning she’s going to rope the cow’s head first, then I follow up and rope the cow’s back leg, and we back up until the lines are taut.

We settle our horses into the chute, the cow in the one between us, and Bonnie gives the nod. The cow is released, and we take off at full speed. I’m ready for my turn once she’s got his head and watch her wind up and throw her line. She misses, and we reset.

Three more times, she almost has the cow and misses, and I can tell she’s getting frustrated. I pull my horse over to hers, facing her so our horses are side by side. “You okay?”

She’s winding up her rope, not looking at me and glances to where my family sits. “Fine. Just want to catch one damn cow.”

I reach over, resting my hand on her thigh. “You will. It’s been a while, Bo. That’s why we practice.”

She looks over at me and smiles. “You’re a nice coach.”

I never really thought of myself as her coach, and while that thought is appealing, I say, “I’m not your coach. I’m your partner.”

Bonnie looks over at me, and I lift my hand up to her cheek, wanting badly to pull her in for a kiss but not wanting to embarrass her in front of the people she is working with.

Later . I was making time for that later.

“Okay.” She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Let’s go again.”

I nod my head, and we trot back over to the chutes, loading ourselves back in and waiting for them to finish loading the cow. Bonnie fixes her rope, adjusts her seat and looks over at me. I wink, and she smiles before taking a breath and nodding her head.

We take off, the cow in between us, and she throws her rope on the head, catching it this time, and keeps him running so I can get a loop around his foot.

Luckily, I manage to get my rope around his foot, and we both stop and back our horses until he’s taut between us, and then we let go of the ropes.

I whoop loudly, and my family cheers us on. Bonnie has a beaming smile on her face as we trot back toward the chutes for another round.

We’re near the chutes when I reach her, and she slaps my outstretched hand. I wind my fingers through hers for a moment before pulling her close and saying, “Fuck yeah, that’s my girl!”

I watch her blush and shake her head, but the smile is undeniable. “It was one time. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“Nah, it was perfect. We’ll be ready for next weekend.”

She turns to me, her eyes wide. “Next weekend?”

Logan laughs, hearing our conversation, and looks to Bonnie. “Welcome to being Stetson’s partner, where he signs you up for anything and everything.”

Bonnie stares in shock for a second before the smile comes back, and I grin at her, releasing her hand.

Fuck yeah. I finally have a new partner.

And I’d really like to get her alone.

It was my first rodeo of the summer, and the adrenaline and excitement were pulsing through the crowd. Combined towns of Acton and Fall Springs came together to support and compete in this rodeo, and the crowds went crazy for their friends and family that competed.

Last year, I dragged Logan to several of these events in the hopes that we could win some money I could put toward the house I want to buy, but when shit went down with Thea, he had to take a step back, and I lost my side hustle.

This year, I was feeling hopeful and confident. Bonnie stepped up when I didn’t anticipate she would, and I didn’t have any qualms about her staying all summer long to compete or continuing this when she had to head back to Denver.

But I can’t deny that I was hoping I could make it enticing enough for her to stay .

Fuck, that was a crazy thought. Enticing enough for her to stay? The thought pulls at me, and I start to imagine what that could look like. Her staying here, her being by my side for all of it.

It was an image that I couldn’t wipe from my mind.

“How ya feeling?” Logan slaps me on the shoulder, standing at the fence next to me where I watch another event that is going on. The crowd screams and whistles, cheering on the barrel racers who were running their patterns.

I nod, resting my booted foot on the bottle rung and an arm over the top. “I’m good. I feel pretty good about our chances.”

The competition here wasn’t nothing, but as it is a smaller town, this is probably the smallest of shows I’d compete in.

“Bonnie sure seems to have stepped up to the plate.” I look to my brother, whose gaze is on someone behind us.

When I turn, I have to take a deep breath at the sight.

Thea is animatedly telling a story, using her hands to demonstrate something, and Bonnie has her hand over her stomach, and her head tipped back in a laugh.

She was in boots, jeans, and a pink button-up shirt, ready for showing.

I hadn’t even seen her yet, and she was already chatting and hanging out with my family like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I bite my lip to keep my grin at bay and look back to the arena. “She did. I think we have a good shot.”

Logan looks at me. I can feel his gaze drilling a hole into my cheek. “How long is she staying?”

I feign nonchalance and shrug, giving him a quick, unconcerned glance. “I’m not sure. I think another week for the article. ”

“And then she heads home?”

A swirling feeling makes its appearance known in my gut, and I have to take a breath so I don’t give in to it. “I’m not sure, Logan.”

“Stetson,” he starts, his big brother tone in full throttle. “Don’t go getting too attached.”

Too late , I think, then give him a wide smile and shrug. “It’ll be a fun thing while it lasts.”

Logan shakes his head, not believing my bullshit for a second. “That’s not you, Stet. You’re already way too deep for that kind of comment.”

I sigh, resting my forearms over the top rung of the gate, and shake my head.

“I’m not. I’m fine. She’s super cool. I like getting to know her.

” And have intimately enjoyed the time getting to know her so much so that I would love to take her back to my place and continue what we started on that mountaintop.

“If she heads back and wants nothing to do with me, I can’t stop her.

But if she goes home and does want something to do with me, then I’ll keep dating her. That’s all there is to it.”

“I think you’re oversimplifying your feelings.”

Shaking my head, I look at my older brother. “What am I supposed to do, Logan? Profess my undying love for her? Never try with someone because it’s complicated?” Even saying the words makes my gut clench. Not try with Bonnie? Not an option.

“Well, well, look who it is, my two favorite brothers!” Jax’s loud and obnoxious voice draws a crowd as he reaches us, arms outstretched, and we’re both pulled into one-armed hugs.

I glance behind him and am surprised to see Mitch has tagged along. I nod at him. “Hey, man.”

Mitch nods at me and avoids the group hug. I don’t blame him for that. Ever since he came home last summer, aside from helping out when Thea was in trouble, he’s kept to himself.

“What are you doing here, knucklehead? Should you even be walking on that?” Logan asks in a true big brother fashion, nodding at the medical boot wrapped around Jax’s foot.

“Ah.” He waves a hand at Logan, dismissing his words, even though waving that hand makes him wince. “You worry too much.”

Logan grumbles and turns back to the arena where they’re cleaning up the barrels.

“Fuck, did I miss the barrels? Those ladies are always so hot.”

Logan glares at him while I shake my head, a smirk on my lips. “That was the high school class.”

Jax purses his mouth, his eyes widening. “Never mind then.”

I look from brother to brother, wondering when it was that all four of us were together last. I think it was two Christmases ago, and even then, Jax and Mitch came for the day and then left immediately.

It’s almost weird to have them here.

I see a flash of pink approaching from behind my brothers and step off the fence, heading around them to wrap Bonnie in a bear hug. “You actually showed.”