Ryder (Rope 'n Ride Series Book 2)
Author: Em Petrova
Date: 2016-06-21T04:00:00+00:00

Ryder

Rope ’n Ride Series Book 2

All Rights Reserved

Ryder

Copyright Em Petrova 2016

Ebook Edition

Cover design by Bookin’ It Designs

Electronic book publication June 2016

All rights reserved. Any violation of this copyright is punishable by law.

Ryder Calhoun would rather face down an angry bull than commit to a relationship. And that’s exactly what every woman he encounters seems to be after. He’s a championship bull rider, and his family’s reality show is a big hit. He’s not into gold-diggers or Buckle Bunnies who are after the prize—him.

Joy Humphries is rodeo royalty—her dad is a big name in bull riding and she knows what the life’s all about. She also knows men like Ryder Calhoun. Strong, capable and reportedly dashing between the sheets, though Daddy wouldn’t let her hook up with a rodeo man even if she wanted to. But the more she’s around Ryder, the more she thinks he might be different. Or is that all an act for the cameras?

Ryder can’t complete a thought that doesn’t have Joy attached to it in some way. He doesn’t care if she’s slapping his face or letting him kiss her silly—just being around her is enough for him. Trouble is they can’t escape the camera crew, and her father seems to pop up around every turn. There’s also a not-so-little problem with her distracting him in the arena, and he needs these wins to help his family.

Maybe he should just give up on Joy, because the only thing worse than falling for a forbidden woman is doing it in front of reality TV cameras.

Chapter One

Ryder hitched himself up on the fence and watched two of his brothers work. Damn, even the hard plank of wood under his buns felt good. He hadn’t sat down in what felt like a month. Between the ranch work, riding bulls for cash and giving interviews for the family reality show, he just wanted a spot of peace.

Something brushed his calf and he jerked his head down to look between his legs. Only to see a camera poking out between his feet.

“Sorry, it’s a great shot of Buck through the fence rails and between your boots,” Adrianna said.

Ryder shook his head and let her get on with her job. If it had been anyone but the sweet, soft-spoken Adrianna, he would have shown the camera person what spurs could do.

Buck and Lane stood talking, their voices low as they threw furtive glances at Adrianna. Whatever they were saying they didn’t want to be caught by the mics. This was the worst part of having the crew around them at all times. After nine months, the people almost felt like cousins to the Calhouns. But they didn’t want all their business aired.

Ryder jumped off the fence and crossed the dirt plot to his brothers. They all stood about the same height with enough similar traits that they couldn’t deny their father. If he were here, he’d be cussing at them to stop being lazy and get their butts to work.

And Buck Sr. would have liked the film crew as much as Ryder did.

At his right, he felt Adrianna’s presence. The blinking light was still hard for Ryder to ignore after all this time.

“Hey, Aloysius, have you decided to finally do some work around here?” Buck asked Ryder.

Ryder lowered his jaw and settled his gaze on his older brother. “Wanna call me that again?”

Buck’s lips quirked up as he said very slowly, “A-loyyyy-sssius.”

Ryder shoved him square in the chest, rocking him on his boots. Lane guffawed, and Adrianna decided to do an impromptu interview.

“Why are you calling Ryder Aloysius?”

“It’s his middle name,” Lane said between hoots of laughter.

Even Adrianna giggled. “Aloysius?”

“My father’s idea,” Ryder said through gritted teeth, shooting her a glare. She hushed but mirth danced in her brown eyes. All the brothers had discussed how pretty she was but their contract had a hands-off clause. Only their baby sister Wynonna seemed to be exempt from it.

“What’s your middle name, Buck?” Adrianna asked.

“Samuel, from the Bible,” he drawled.

“And yours, Lane?”

“Lane Rockwell Calhoun.”

Her white teeth flashed as she grinned.

“That’s right—everyone in the family has a decent middle name but me. I got the shitty end of the stick, and I still get it every day.” Ryder didn’t really feel this way but he did love teasing Buck that he was favored his whole life because he was oldest.

Buck sobered. “Dad felt bad about saddling you with Aloysius. It’s why you got his chaps.”

Adrianna swung the camera up to capture Ryder’s response. He gave a grunt and a nod. “My lucky chaps help me every single time I’m on the back of a bull.”

His pony-skin chaps were speckled black and white with thick, tooled brown leather details. He’d added the fringe—or rather Wynonna had. She was good with leather working and if she stopped barrel racing, she could easily start saddle-making.

For Ryder, buckling on his chaps was akin to saying a prayer and buying a lottery ticket all at the same time.

“Given the choice between giving up the name or the chaps, I’ll keep the name,” he said and walked out of the fenced area.

“You scared him off,” Lane teased Adrianna.

Ryder threw a look over his shoulder. “Just grabbin’ my rope. We taking care of these calves or not?”

All the way to the barn, he let his mind work over his next task. His two seconds of quiet were a thing of the past—they were separating and vaccinating calves today. The mothers and babies got stressed to the max from separation. They often bawled all night long, and the Calhouns were fond of their sleep. That was only one of the reasons why they’d come up with a new method, though.

Actually, it had been Buck’s idea. As part of team ropers Calhoun/Franklin, he was a championship header. He roped the horns while his partner snagged the heels for a quick time on the scoreboard. But real cowboys still used this technique on operating ranches, so the Calhouns employed the method.

Ryder reached for a length of rope looped on a nail high on the wall and headed back to the enclosure. When he got there, all of his brothers, as well as his sister, were present. The film crew set up points around the fence line, but one young guy was brave enough to get in the way of the stampeding hooves.

Buck waved the siblings near, and they got into a circle just like when one of them was about to rodeo. For you, Dad, Ryder thought automatically, and found it was true. This was for their dad—keeping traditions, taking care of the ranch Buck Sr. had built. At least they’d kept it out of the hands of their greedy cousin after a fuck-up with the will.

“Pair off. Each pair gets four calves,” Buck was saying.

“Four calves or four throws?” Wynonna asked, tugging her long auburn braid over her shoulder.

Buck laughed. “It’ll take me four throws but you use as many as you need, sister.”

Her eyes narrowed, making them look more elongated than normal. She and Lane shared the same eyes, and sometimes they could glare better than the barn cats.

“It’ll take me four as well,” she said.

Buck smiled and continued, “Direct the calves toward the water.” He turned and pointed at the huge metal tub at the end of the fenced area. “The calves move between the fenced walls into the hands of the second team, who will vaccinate and inspect the physical shape of the calf. If all is well, they’ll send the calf on down to the next team, who will tag its ear.”

They’d done this method for four years now, and they all knew what to do. But Buck enjoyed playing to the cameras. Now that he had his life settled and a pretty little wife tucked up in his bed, he was pretty carefree. Happiness was written all over him, which production loved too. He got a lot of spotlights with his wife Channing.

Good. Means they stay away from me more.

While Ryder was happy for his brother, he couldn’t think of anything worse than commitment. He had enough to answer for—didn’t need a woman demanding things from him too.

Ryder looped the rope over his shoulder and smacked his gloved hands together. “Let’s get this show on the road. Wyn, you’re with me.”

She gave him a suspicious look. “Why? What joke do you have planned for me?” She walked to her horse tied along the edge of the fence. “Did you smear cow pies on my saddle?”

Grinning, he swung into his saddle. “Why would I ruin a perfectly good saddle?”

“Then what’s up? You never pick me when we pair off.” She wrapped the reins around her hand and adjusted it to fit her glove just so. She was picky about her ropes.

“I figure I’ll hide behind all that red hair and the cameras will stay off me.”

She came up behind him. “I don’t mind the cameras. You rope the heads and I call the heels. They’re harder to land.”

“Be my guest.”

“Harder to land?” Buck yelled, taking offense because he was a header.

Wynonna waved a dismissive hand like the Princess she was. “You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t. But let’s get on with it.” Buck and the others moved down the line, taking positions.

Immediately Ryder and Wynonna circled the cluster of cows. Babies skittered closer to their mommas. Without hesitation, Ryder rode into the middle, scattering them. When he whipped around, he spotted a little brown beast ready for the rope. He whipped his lasso overhead. His brothers and the film crew hooted their encouragement. Wynonna took her position a few steps behind his horse.

Ryder tossed. The rope landed dead center of the calf’s head and he jerked it. The animal bucked its back legs to get away, and Wynonna was right there, setting her lasso on the ground and tugging as soon as the animal landed.

“They had a better time than you and Asher do, Buck!” West called. Buck shoved him.

Buck and West took over their part of the job before sending the newly vaccinated, 600-pound baby down to Lane and Ridge. Cheers went up when the calf reached the water tub and quenched its thirst.

Ryder and Wynonna shared a grin and they all got down to it. After three more calves were roped, Ryder handed off his horse to Buck. “Why isn’t Channing out here helping? I thought she loved doing this stuff.”

“She’s got a bun in the oven,” Wynonna said. Her voice carried, and everyone went dead still. From Calhouns to production, they all stared at Buck.

He spread his arms and gave an irritated jerk of his head. “What the hell, Wynonna? Don’t you think Channing and I might have wanted to deliver the news?”

“Too late now, babe. Our secret’s out,” Channing called from the fence, where their ma was hugging the life out of her.

With a resigned shake of his head, Buck mounted the horse and from the saddle declared, “We’re having a baby!”

Ryder fist-punched the air as everyone whooped and whistled. The effect wasn’t calming to the cows by any means, but celebration was in order. Ryder was just relieved not to be in the spotlight.

* * * * *

Joy leaned against the stable housing all the rodeo livestock and inhaled deeply. The sun on her face and the familiar scents of animals, hay and fried food gave her a feeling of home. She could almost envision her daddy coming off a bull, grinning. He’d throw her up on his shoulders and walk through the crowd, accepting congratulations and signing autographs.

She threw him a look now—he stood across the way talking to one of the riders he was coaching. The young pup had some small-town rodeo experience but her father was determined to build him up to the professional bull riders game.

Seeing how her father was one of the original founders of the PBR, he loved seeing bull riders jump into the big-time.

A pair of women in Daisy Dukes and rodeo tank tops wandered by Joy’s father and threw him coy looks. Ugh, Buckle Bunnies never change, even if Daddy’s in his sixties. She’d like to say this type of female was looking for her happily ever after with a special cowboy, but the groupies just wanted recognition. To brag to her friends about which cowboy she’d slept with.

Joy’s dad had never been into the scene, though. He’d remained faithful to her mom until she ran off with a cowboy of her own, leaving Joy to his care. Which was how she’d grown up at the rodeo—and why it felt like home to her.

“Hey, Bunny. Want to meet up after the festivities?” The drawl near her ear made her jump. She jerked away from the wall and put several feet between her and the cowboy trying to put the moves on her.

“My name’s Joy, and no thanks.”

“C’mon, sugar. You look mighty lonely standing here.”

“Are these the kinds of pickup lines going around now? Or is this all the better you can do? I’m not interested.” She started to walk away and found him striding alongside her.

She tossed him a look. Sure, he was pretty with his big blue eyes and crooked smile. Hell, every cowboy had one. The gold buckle at his waist was a homing beacon for the type of woman he thought Joy was.

“I’m not for you, cowboy,” she said.

He caught her shoulder and stopped her in her tracks. He brought his broad chest clad in new chambray close enough to her nipples that she could feel his heat. She backed up a step.

“How can you say you’re not for me when you don’t even know what I’m looking for?”

“You called me Bunny, so what you’re looking for is pretty obvious. Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you ask my father’s permission first?” She tossed her head toward her father several feet away, still coaching his young prodigy.

The cowboy swung his head around and when his eyes bugged out of his pretty little head, she couldn’t control the laugh that flew out of her mouth.

“Thunder Humphries is your father?” He released her shoulder.

She nodded. “He’s very protective of me. Doesn’t want me with a cowboy.”

The cowboy in question gave her the side-eye. He was either about to ask her to introduce him or wet his pants. She guessed the latter, judging by his age, and the way he danced from boot to boot.

She coughed to cover another giggle. At that moment her father looked up and saw her. “Trust me—you’d better move along now.”

He gave one last ditch effort, giving her moony eyes. “Before I fall in love, you mean.”

“Before you have your legs broken. Daddy’s shoulder injury’s long healed.”

Her father broke toward her, and the cowboy gave a quick nod. “Nice knowing you, Bunny.” He fled.

Joy watched him go, laughing.

“Did he just call you Bunny?” Her father hadn’t earned the nickname Thunder from being even-tempered. His brows lowered and he glared after the cowboy who’d hit on her.

“Yes, but don’t worry. I put him in his place.”

Her father shook his head and grinned. “Why don’t you stick close to me today?”

Ever since she’d grown boobs he’d hated her wandering the rodeos. He said she looked too much like her mother and men couldn’t keep their eyes off her. Sometimes not even their hands.

“I got it, Daddy.”

Besides, she may look like her mom with the same long, dark hair and gray eyes but she had her father’s strength of character. He’d stuck it out when her mother hadn’t. And he was the master of any bull he’d ever encountered. Which was how he’d won the finals several years running and won over two million dollars in his career. Back in his day, the fortune was unheard of.

She looked around at the bustling cowboys, handlers and fans. Maybe years ago when cowboys were… well more, she might have fallen for one but from what she saw now, she wasn’t impressed by any man wearing boots and Wranglers.

“I know you can handle yourself. I taught you well. Remember if anybody gets handsy, just gr—”

“Grab, twist and pull,” she finished with him, making a hand gesture to demonstrate what he’d taught her.

“That’s my little girl.”

As he walked away, she pressed her lips together. She loved his concern for her, but she was no longer a little girl. Making him see that would be as easy as tying pink ribbons around the hooves of the bulls in the chutes.

With a sigh, she followed her nose—and her cramping stomach—toward the food stalls. In her time, she’d eaten it all and her stomach was cast-iron. She could handle the hottest chili and greasiest funnel cakes. It was a good thing all the hard work she put in on the ranch kept her from weighing as much as one of the beef steers they raised.

She stood in line for a fresh-squeezed lemonade and eyed the Texas Ranger Burger shack beside her, when a deep drawl reached her ears.

“The scoring isn’t only for the rider,” he was saying.

Joy looked around and felt her ovaries clench. Now this was a cowboy she could sink her teeth into. Tall, big all over, and with the cutest flyaways of brown hair poking from the brim of his Stetson. Man enough to take care of business but with a roguish look about him that pushed Joy’s buttons.

Oh no. Not again. Hiding a rodeo man from her father had been miserable last time. And when he’d finally discovered her secret romance… Well she hadn’t been lying to that guy when she said he’d break his legs.

Quickly, she averted her gaze, paid for her lemonade and collected the cup, damp with condensation. She wandered to the next line to get her burger, still keeping her ear on the conversation.

The blonde woman asked something Joy couldn’t make out, but the cowboy’s drawl carried easily to her. This was a man in command of himself. More than her ovaries clenched this time.

“The bull scores from zero to fifty points and the rider gets the same. Many riders get zero because they lose control right out of the gate.”

Joy sneaked a glance behind her. Afraid to show that she was eavesdropping, she kept her gaze downward. Which was a terrible idea because in her field of vision was the sexiest forearm and hand she’d ever seen.

Roped with muscle and with thick veins running from elbow to wrist and down into his broad hands. His fingers were long with clean square nails.

“What can I get you?” the burger guy asked.

She looked up and almost laughed at the comical red cowboy hat atop his head and the gimmicky red bandanna around his throat. “You must be ready to keel over in this heat wearing that.”

He flashed a grin. “You know it, but it brings more customers my way. What can I get you?”

She placed her order and threw out her senses to try to hear the deep drawl that had done strange things to her body. When a burger was shoved at her, she paid for it and walked away from the booth.

She stopped dead. Face-to-face with the hunky cowboy. The blonde stood in front of him, toying with one of the patches on his shirt right over his pec. The cowboy looked past the blonde and directly at Joy.

Her heart gave a weird wobble. He’s not that great. I just have a weakness for cowboys because they’re forbidden.

“Riding bulls must be so hard,” the blonde said.

Rolling his eyes, the cowboy lightly grasped her wrist and pulled her hand away from his chest. “It’s not like painting your nails.” He looked at the pink claws on the hand he was holding and dropped it.

Joy found the urge to laugh irresistible and let it roll up her throat.

The cowboy looked straight at her and his eyes creased—God, they creased so adorably—and he pushed by the blonde to reach Joy.

Shit, now she was stuck. She’d been caught listening and there was no getting away from this cowboy even if she could uproot her boots from the dirt.

Now that her mind had caught up to her libido, she realized she knew him. Recognized him from TV. “You’re on that reality show Rope ’n Ride.”

He groaned so low that she wondered if she’d imagined it. There was a lot of noise around them.

He reached for his hat brim and gave it a tug. “Ryder Calhoun.”

“Joy Humphries.”

He blinked at her slowly. Then he let his gaze drop from her eyes to her lips and back to her eyes. She had her mother’s lips, too—“kissing” lips some guy had once told her.

“Humphries. Are we talking rodeo royalty?” His drawl was back, deeper than before and doing brand new things to her body. The energy between them zapped her in all the right places, but she couldn’t act on it.

She nodded. “My father’s Thunder Humphries.”

“Damn, should I bow to you or something?”

She smiled and shook her head. “Maybe it’s you I should bow to. A big-time TV star.”

This time his groan was unmistakable, and she got the feeling he liked his position as much as she liked being the daughter of a famous bull rider. She never could be sure if people liked her because of who her father was or for herself.

“I’d kiss your hand, but they’re both full,” Ryder said.

She remembered the burger and lemonade. “Yeah, I’d better eat and get back to work. It was nice meeting you, Ryder.”

When she started walking away, she wasn’t surprised to find him keeping step with her, but unlike the last cowboy, she didn’t mind this one. Which was dangerous.

“Back to work? What are you doing here in Austin?”

“Helping my father. He’s coaching a few rising stars.”

“Ah.” The short response gave Joy the feeling he didn’t like having more competition, let alone ones coached by Thunder Humphries.

“Why aren’t you in the PBR? You’ve got what it takes,” she said, navigating around a cluster of guys standing in the way talking.

“Hmm, your father is a founder of the PBR, right? Are you selling memberships like Girl Scout cookies now?”

She laughed again—she couldn’t help it. Being back where she belonged made her feel so free and happy. And she liked having Ryder there. His body heat washing over her side made her skin prickle, but most of all she liked what she saw under his sexy exterior. So far, he’d revealed his disdain for a silly Buckle Bunny and his fame.

Maybe this cowboy had some substance.

But it didn’t matter—her father wouldn’t like him around his “little girl.” That made her rebellious streak rise up, something that hadn’t happened since she was a teenager.

“I’m not trying to sell you a membership. I’m just saying, you’re good. You could easily move into the touring pro division and make big money.”

He shook his head, the action manly as hell. “Not interested. I stay with my family.”

“Too bad,” she said even as she admired his determination and ties to his family. “You have a chance at going against the toughest contenders in the world. You know the best bulls are in the PBR, right?”

Now that got his attention. There weren’t many bull riders who didn’t chase fame—but Ryder didn’t seem to be one of them. However, there wasn’t a bull rider on the planet who didn’t strive to ride the most dangerous, bad-ass bull that ever lived.

“There’s my father. You should talk to him.” She raised her lemonade in the direction of her dad.

“Thanks, but maybe later. I’m late meeting my brothers and sister. Ridge’s event is coming up and I can’t miss the circle.”

She’d seen the Calhoun circle on the reality show. When all the siblings drew together to bow their heads and devote their rides to their father, who’d died the previous year. It had touched Joy, seeing that. And being an only child made her long for such camaraderie. She’d always wanted sisters and brothers. Hell, she’d learned about sex from another bull rider’s son and been assisted by another rider’s wife when she’d gotten her first period.

Suddenly, she felt very alone.

Ryder looked into her eyes and wrapped his long, callused fingers around her wrist. He removed the lemonade from her hand and lifted her knuckles to his lips. The prickle of his beard met her sensitive skin first, and she sucked in a sharp gasp. Then his warm breath stroked her knuckles, followed by warm, soft lips.

She fought to keep her eyes from rolling back in her head. She caught herself before she swayed.

With a crooked smile that this time she found anything but average, Ryder said, “It was nice meeting you, Princess. Here’s your lemonade.”

It took her two tries to get the cup back into her hand and five solid heartbeats to peel her gaze off his retreating ass.

* * * * *

West dug his elbow into Ryder’s ribs.

Ryder flinched. “Damn, bro, why’d you do that? I’m still sore from that fall.” During practice, he’d gotten a whippy bull and was dumped within five seconds. If his ride today was the same, he wasn’t earning anything but embarrassment—and in front of Thunder Humphries and his stunning daughter.

Her gray-eyed stare was implanted in his head, and he hadn’t stopped thinking about her since kissing her knuckles.

“You didn’t say the words, Ryder. Say them.” West’s demand made Ryder look around at his family standing in their circle, looking at him.

“For you, Dad,” he recited.

“You’re distracted. Where’s your head, Ryder?” Buck asked from opposite him. Channing stood beside him and his partner, Asher, was on his left.

They’d brought Asher into their circle shortly after learning of his hardship with his wife who’d been huffing paint thinner and had finally filed for divorce, leaving him with two little hellion girls. Said girls danced in the middle of the circle wearing cowgirl boots and matching tutus.

Ryder stared at Buck. “My head’s right here. I’m in this. Wait till you see my score up on that board.”

Buck gave a hard nod. “Good.”

This wasn’t about earning enough money to buy the family ranch back from their asshole cousin anymore. But each of them had a strong drive to win their events. And Ryder had a spark of a dream in his head—for himself this time. He wanted his own place.

He was sick of going home to the family ranch house and sharing a bathroom with his grown-ass brothers and sister. West stealing all the hot water and Wynonna’s long auburn hairs in the drain didn’t make up for Ma’s good cooking. He’d take Ramen noodles and his own space.

Besides, if he got out of the house, he’d be farther from the production crew.

The circle split apart. “Good luck, everyone,” he said, meaning it.

The minute he stepped away from his family, though, his thoughts returned to Joy. Any other name couldn’t fit a woman like her. She’d laughed several times in his presence, which had made his heart jump every time. She brought a smile to his own face just thinking about her.

Medium height with a nice round ass and long, wavy hair that skimmed those perfect globes. Her skin had tasted like honey and smelled better. He ran his tongue over his lower lip and imagined kissing her plump, amazing mouth.

Damn, her lips were what lipstick models aspired to have. Full and pouty, her upper lip curved just right. Made for long make-out sessions.

That she knew him from the reality show bothered him some. He hadn’t seen all the episodes from last season—had no desire to watch himself on TV. When he did occasionally collapse into a chair with a beer, he watched sports or endured one of his mother’s game shows.

And Joy had seen him ride. Now that raised his spirits a bit. He was proud of his control on the back of a bull, and the fact that she’d recommended he go further with his career stroked his pride.

As he and his family made their way to the arena where Ridge would be competing in saddle broncs soon, he couldn’t help but look around for the curvy little vixen who wouldn’t leave his thoughts.

“Who you Jell-O-necking for?” Lane asked him.

“Nobody. Just seeing how big the crowd is.”

“Not buying it.” Lane didn’t press, though, just leaned against the wall separating the crowd from the arena and crossed his ankles and arms.

Adrianna pushed in beside Ryder, and he scooted over to give her enough room. She centered the camera on Lane, which was fine by him. He returned to scouring the crowd for the sweet little tan cowgirl hat and the beautiful woman wearing it.

The rodeo clowns ran into the ring for a short show, and the crowd got fired up. Ryder caught sight of Ridge standing with the other bronc riders. It was easy to see he was preparing himself for the adrenaline rush, which was half the battle. Let that get out of control, and he wouldn’t keep his head on task and his ass in the saddle.

Ryder snagged his attention and gave him a chin-nod of support. Ridge returned it.

Then Ryder looked around to find a pair of beautiful gray eyes on him.

Joy stood off to his left with a group of his competitors. Damn, he didn’t like seeing that one bit.

Before he could act on his urge to go to her side, the clown act came out of the arena and the announcer’s voice boomed. As he gave a short history of bronc riding, Ryder only kept half an ear on it.

Joy’s attention was dragged away, and she turned to speak to one of the guys her father must be coaching. Ryder took in the way they stood together. Did she like this young’un? Hell, he couldn’t be more than twenty. Of course, she might not be either.

She’d seemed more mature when he’d spoken with her, though. She knew her stuff when it came to bulls, that was certain.

A tap on his shoulder made him turn, and he found two napkins being thrust at him by some young ladies. He smiled and took them along with a pen, using his thigh as a surface to scribble his name. When he twisted to return the autographs to the fans, one girl grabbed him by the face and laid a kiss on him.

She was soft and tasted of lip gloss. Some hoots sounded from one of his brothers, and then Ryder pushed her away.

“Thanks, cowboy,” she said with a saucy smile.

He’d been hit on plenty in his time—taken up many offers, too. But his face heated, and he couldn’t immediately glance at Joy. Once he got the nerve, he found her with her back to him.

He had no idea why it bothered him so much, but the desire to tell her he didn’t even know that woman was strong. As the first bronc stole out of the chute, tossing its rider like a rag doll into the dirt, Ryder mentally urged Joy to pivot a little more so he could make eye contact.

When the second and third riders were through, she still hadn’t given him the time of day.

And he realized he’d found trouble—because for once he’d crossed paths with a woman that he cared had a good opinion of him. And not because of what her father could do to help his career.

Chapter Two

“Joy, your father sent me to talk to you about fixing this.”

She glanced up from the baby goat she was hand-feeding apple slices to, refocusing her attention on her father’s newest recruit. He’d been on the ranch all of two hours and seemed to have snapped his bull rope.

Straightening, she gave a shake of her head. “Can’t fix that. You don’t want a second-rate rope for your job, Cody. But I’ve got more. Follow me.”

When she moved away from the goat pen, the kid she’d been feeding bawled in protest. Cody’s long legs kept pace with her, but he looked over his shoulder at the crying baby. “Seems like you charm everything you come near.”

Great. We’ve got a sweet-talker. Her father was paid well to put up several bull riders at a time on the ranch, and at one moment or another, they each decided Joy was fair game for a romance.

She was sticking to her guns, though—she didn’t do cowboys. Only once in the past few years had she let down her guard—with Ryder Calhoun—but then he’d proven he was as much of a jackass as the others. A playboy who lavished in women’s attention.

She lengthened her strides until Cody had to speed up to remain beside her.

“How long have you been helping your father train bull riders?” he asked.

“After his shoulder injury and he quit the PBR, I took over the ranch while he recovered. With that rotator cuff ripped as it was, his entire body was thrown off balance. He had months of rehab. Then, because he had no use of his shoulder, his whole body was off-balance. That’s when he got the inner ear problem because his system tried to compensate. It wasn’t until about two years ago that he was well enough to just sit around and get bored and ornery, so I suggested he start training guys to ride.”

Cody bobbed his head. “I read all about his injury and recovery afterward. A tough road for a man who’s so active.”

She slowed a bit. Maybe she was being too hard on the cowboys she came in contact with. They weren’t all so bad—this one understood the past situation, at least.

Her hands were sticky from the apple and she wiped them on her jeans before reaching for one of the bull ropes hanging in the barn. Before she could get it down, though, Cody reached over her. She caught a whiff of a man who’d been in the sun too long and stepped away.

For some reason a vision of Ryder jumped into her head. He’d smelled good—a fresh, soapy smell that had revved her up.

I bet that woman liked the way he smelled too.

When he’d kissed that girl, Joy’s stomach had knotted, which had only ticked her off more because why did she care anyway?

“Wow, this rope is better than any I’ve seen,” Cody said, inspecting the handle.

Joy smiled. “The handle’s guaranteed not to twist. It’s all in the weaving of the fibers.” She uncoiled it and measured it against his height. “I think this one will do. You have long arms.”

She waited for him to mention other long appendages and when nothing followed, she relaxed. Whether she’d adopted her father’s opinion of cowboys or finally formed her own, she expected every one of them to be a cocky jerk. Cody and she would get along fine, it seemed.

Half an hour later, she and her father had him on the metal bull, going through the same motions again and again, the repetition teaching him to react the same when he felt the animal move a certain way.

After two hours, they all broke for lemonade. And her father clapped Cody on the back. “I think you’re ready for Prescott, son.”

Joy’s eyebrows shot up. Prescott, Arizona was one of the bigger venues for all rodeo events. Cody would be up against some big names, including Ryder Calhoun.

Her father touched her shoulder as he passed her on the way back to the house. “Pack your best boots, Joy. Prescott awaits.”

* * * * *

“Ryder, c’mere!”

He’d normally keep walking when a female poked her head out of a hotel room and called to him, but he recognized Channing’s voice. Then a high-pitched squeal that could only be Asher’s daughter. Channing often took care of them while their father was busy rodeo’ing, and she always had her hands full.

He saw her looking disheveled, her long blonde hair hanging in what appeared to be dreadlocks. Upon approach, he realized the girls had braided her hair. Sparkly barrettes dangled from the ends.

“Will you please keep an eye on these little shits—I mean angels—while I go to the vending area?”

He eyed the darkness of the hotel room beyond her as if it were a cave of bats. “I can go for you. What do you want?”

“That’s the thing—with this morning sickness, I don’t know if I need antacid or to fulfill my salt craving.” She threw a harried look over her shoulder. “Please, just sit with them for a few minutes? I could really use a break.”

“All right, but they’re not getting near my hair.”

She laughed and plucked the barrettes out of the ends and then finger-combed the mess. It didn’t help much but she didn’t seem fussed. She practically shoved him into the room and sprinted down the hall. The door banged shut, and Ryder faced the two little dark-haired, dark-eyed imps standing before him.

“Hiya, cowboy,” Maddie said, sounding older than her four years.

“Would you like to sit for a spell and have some sweet tea?” Montana drawled.

He fought a smile and settled on the chair they offered. They’d dragged along a tea set from home, and he was given a small pink cup with a sticker on the side. “Why thank you, ladies. It’s mighty genteel of you.”

“What’s genteel?” Maddie asked.

“Is that like an eel?” Montana added.

“It means you are very polite and respectable,” he answered, taking a pretend sip of the tea.

Montana, the older of the two, gave a mock curtsy that bent her all the way to the floor. “Would you like some cake?”

He patted his stomach. “Not today, miss. I’ve got a big ride coming up.”

For the first time in ages, his stomach had butterflies when he thought about this performance. Prescott was a big venue with big award money. If he took some home, he’d have a nice start on a down-payment for a construction loan. He had visions of a simple house on the top part of the ranch with a wide front porch where he could sit and stare out at the land he loved so much.

But the money wasn’t the only thing that had him nervous. He’d heard through the pipeline that Thunder Humphries was in Prescott. Which meant Joy was too.

For a week he’d been rehearsing what he’d say to her, but none of it stuck in his brain. When he saw her again, he’d probably blurt a bunch of unintelligible crap that would make her think he was an idiot.

Again, he wondered why it mattered what she thought of him. He didn’t care what any of the people who watched him ride bulls or on TV thought. Somehow, though, he had to let Joy know that he hadn’t invited that kiss from the fan.

He hadn’t liked how she’d turned away and refused to look his way again.

Another pink cup was thrust under his nose, and he tipped it up before he realized it really held liquid. Some syrupy red stuff ran down his chin and onto his white shirt.

“Dammit, I don’t have time to change.”

The girls exchanged a look, their big brown eyes wide with censorship. “He says bad words too. Just like Channing.”

“Sorry, ladies. Don’t repeat that.”

“That’s what Channing says too.”

He’d burst out laughing if he wasn’t so annoyed that his white shirt looked as if he’d had a run-in with an ax murderer. And he needed to get to the Calhoun circle in ten minutes.

He went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The only towels in there lay in sopping heaps on the countertop. He took a length of toilet tissue and dabbed at the mess.

Maybe the patches he wore hid the stain well enough.

Who was he kidding? The cameras would zoom in on the stain and he’d have an interview about it later.

“Shit,” he muttered.

Two little girls twittered, “Shit!” from the doorway and collapsed in giggles.

A knock on the hotel door had him running to open it. Channing looked more than a little exhausted, and Ryder made note to mention to Wynonna that she needed to take over the Franklin hellions and give Channing a break. Asher had them 24/7 and no doubt he relished his rides just because Channing took over and he didn’t have to worry about his daughters.

Channing’s hands were full of junk food and a roll of antacids. The girls jumped at her to get the goodies she’d brought for them.

“I don’t think they need more sugar,” Ryder said to her on the way out.

Her gaze dipped over his shirt. “I don’t think you do either.”

He tipped his hat and practically dashed down the hall, feeling bad about leaving her in that situation. But when he got to the back hallways of the arena and took his place in the circle, a brand new sensation washed over him.

Of being watched.

And it wasn’t the cameras. Although one was trained on his chest, recording his sticky humiliation.

“Where’re your lucky chaps, Ryder?” Buck asked.

“With my other gear. I’m glad I didn’t have them on when the Franklin girls attacked with their pink ‘tea.’ Whatever it is.” He pointed at his shirt front, and Asher gave a shake of his head.

“Sorry, man. They’re a handful.”

“Yeah, Wynonna, Channing could use some help.”

Wynonna looked up, distracted, and he realized she’d been looking at the production manager, who was just old enough to spark her interest. She’d always had a thing for older guys, and it had gotten her in trouble more than once with their parents. But it could really get her in deep manure now if she violated contract.

“Be careful,” he mouthed to her.

“Shut up,” she mouthed back.

“Okay, we ready?” Lane asked.

They clustered closer, and Ryder bowed his head. It took all of his control not to glance up at Joy. His heart was beating a thousand times a minute knowing she was only steps away. Wearing that little tan hat and a Prescott rodeo T-shirt that molded to her breasts.

“Stay tough, stay strong. Do your best. For Dad,” Buck said. Lately he’d been adding some more words but right now it seemed fitting. The cameramen moved in and out of the family members.

Ryder dropped out of the ring to let them pass, keeping his head down. From his peripheral vision, he caught Joy’s movement as she walked away, making room for a row of fans who were bouncing up and down, hollering for autographs.

“Good luck,” Ryder said to Ridge, cuffing him on the shoulder as he passed. He rushed through the crowd and made it to the place where Joy would pop out.

He watched her come, her tanned legs in denim shorts making him burn. She spotted him and something strange passed over her beautiful face.

He wasn’t going to let her expression deter him. “Can I speak with you?” he said, low.

She hesitated before nodding.

He pulled her off to the side, out of the flow of pedestrians, and ducked his head to look into her eyes. They were more striking than he remembered, with flecks of silver and rimmed with thick black lashes. His heart gave a wild thud that stole his breath.

“What did you want to talk to me about?” she asked before he’d recovered.

“Back in Texas, that wasn’t my doing.”

A chilliness glazed her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“That kiss. That woman. I didn’t invite her to do that.”

“Why should I care?” She settled her hands on her hips. The action only drew his attention to her narrow waist, which he wanted to latch onto while he kissed her senseless.

He couldn’t stop his gaze from dropping to her mouth. God, that mouth. His cock hardened, and he was glad not to be wearing his chaps because his erection would be more obvious.

“I wanted you to know,” he said.

Her dark brows drew together in the middle, reminding him of the serious look her father was known for. “Ryder, I don’t think you realize—”

In one step, he was against her. Or rather, she was against him. Yanked flush to his body, her soft breasts and hips glued to him. “I realize plenty, Princess.” He swooped in and kissed her.

The shock of lust to his system threatened to topple him, but he angled his head and prodded the seam of her mouth. She opened on a gasp, and he plunged his tongue inside.

After one swipe of the honeyed interior of her mouth, pain blasted across his face.

He released her, realizing she’d knocked his hat sideways with her slap.

“Don’t ever do that again.” Her voice wavered. From anger or something else? She sure looked pretty with her pink cheeks and swollen lips that, now he’d had a taste, he wanted so much more. “I’ll wipe that crooked grin off your face, Calhoun!”

He turned and glanced into the camera pointed right at them, wishing there wasn’t a hands-off clause in the contract. “I s’pose you got that on film?”

“Yep,” the camera guy said happily.

“And I saw it too, brother,” Lane said, clapping him on the back.

Annoyed, Ryder stared at Joy’s retreating back. Dammit, he’d done it now. She’d never talk to him again.

But he’d sure as hell try to make her.

* * * * *

Joy folded her fingers into her palm and tried to shake off the sensation of her hand meeting Ryder’s rugged, stubbled cheek. Damn him for kissing her—and double damn him for raising such need in her.

A burning, scorching, wildfire kind of need. Her pussy seemed to pulse in time to her heart, and her breasts felt too big for her bra cups.

To make matters worse, she was only about twelve paces from him at all times. And he was looking at her.

She ignored him, keeping her face turned away and her focus on Cody and Tucker’s training. They were good bull riders. Trouble was, one man was better. Better at everything, it seemed—even kissing.

Stealing a peek from the corner of her eye, she noted Ryder standing with arms folded and legs braced wide, comfortable in his own skin as he BS’d with one of the other bull riders.

“Any words of wisdom for me, Miss Joy?” Cody drawled.

She snapped her attention onto him. He was cute in a boy-next-door way. With hair that tended to flop into his eyes when he removed his hat, which was often. He seemed to put that hat on and off more than a little girl at church. He held still as much too.

Shifting from boot to boot, he gave her a smile. Joy’s skin prickled, but not from Cody’s grin. No, Ryder’s gaze fell heavily on her. Lawdy, she almost felt his weight atop her.

Goosebumps ran down her arms, and she dragged in a deep breath. “Keep your mind off the scoreboard. Concentrate on the ride and let your body react naturally. You’re trained to know what to do.”

God, why did everything she said seem to have some sexual meaning? Because sex is on your brain, dummy.

She stole a look at Ryder and met his unwavering stare. Was it her imagination or were his eyes darker—blacker?

He shifted his jaw, and she realized he was grinding his teeth. Then he flicked his gaze to Cody, and she realized why.

Good, now you know how I felt when that girl kissed you.

Being even in the jealousy department didn’t make her feel better, though. Actually, she felt more miserable. She just wanted her easygoing life of floating between rodeos and the ranch, living a life she adored with no complications. Suddenly a gorgeous bull rider had wedged his boot in the cogs of her motor.

I’d like him to shove something else in my inner workings.

Shaking her head, she pivoted away from him. But Cody was chatty, and she was forced to make conversation with him about their surroundings, the announcer having a strange squeak in his voice, and whether or not the fireworks were as good in Prescott as everybody said they were.

Finally, Cody got on the topic of the bull selection. Talk I can get into.

As they discussed the bulls they’d draw from, she was very aware of a certain rider several feet away strapping on his lucky chaps.

She knew that from the reality show.

Chaps given to him by his father and the ones he’d won seven out of nine events wearing last year.

Her gaze wandered.

Trim hips with steely thighs covered in speckled pony-skin. The strap riding just over his bulge—

She jerked her gaze away but not before she caught his damn crooked smile.

Playboy.

She rubbed her hands together and tried to forget the feel of his cheek—sharp with dark beard sprouting in the Arizona heat. And warm skin that smelled of musk and man.

The hellfire was back again.

She pushed out a breath. “I’m going to take my place behind the riders, okay? Good luck, Cody.”

He leaned in and flipped a tendril of her long hair on her shoulder. “Do I get a good-luck kiss?”

“Absolutely not.”

If Ryder asked, on the other hand…

The first rider was in the chute, but right out of the gate he dumped it. Hit the dirt in a cloud of dust and the bull fighters ran in to keep him from being stomped on. Cheers from the crowd. Joy was a mess of nerves, and only partially because her father’s protégées were up next.

Tucker was a young, cocky rodeo guy who’d discovered his natural ability to ride by accident. He’d been pretty buzzed the first time he’d jumped onto a bull, and soon he was doing it sober too. Her father had scouted him at one of the rodeos in the South—she couldn’t remember which one.

They all blended together for the most part, but something told her she’d remember Prescott as the place where Ryder Calhoun had awakened a dormant beast inside her.

She swung her head his direction and caught his grin as he spoke to one of his brothers. They were all gorgeous men, but Ryder had something special.

She let her gaze track over his features—nose slightly off center, probably broken a time or two from pitching headfirst off a bull. Chiseled jaw. And his lips…

As if he felt the weight of her stare, he looked at her. Her stomach flip-flopped and she pressed her thighs together to ease the ache between them. While he wrapped his rope securely around his hand, he didn’t look away from her. She mouthed, “Good luck.”

He barely gave her a head-dip of acknowledgement before the chute was opened. The bull came out with hooves flying. Back arching, the dust thick in the air as he bucked wildly.

Ryder was grinning.

Cheers erupted, and she was aware of many cameras around her as the film crew got footage of the best ride of the season.

“Damn, that boy’s got what it takes,” her father said from beside her.

She nodded, unable to form words or look away from the beautiful man holding his own against the two-thousand-pound beast.

The announcer was going crazy over the ride, using words like outstanding and unprecedented. She had to agree—he was poetry on the back of that bull.

When the buzzer sounded, signaling his eight seconds were up, he remained seated, arm jerking in counterbalance. Thighs gripping.

He let the bull whip him another two complete three-sixties and then leaped off, boots hitting the dirt and his hat in the air.

The crowd screamed. Women waved and jumped up and down. Men hooted in admiration.

But Ryder scrambled into the crowd and gave his brothers knuckle-bumps and high-fives. Then two little dark-haired girls leaped at him, and he flipped one upside down while the other clung to his leg. Finally, a beautiful blonde woman, Buck’s wife she knew from the season finale of Rope ’n Ride, took the girls away and Ryder stood grinning up at his score.

Joy hardly remembered Tucker’s ride and Cody did well enough, but it was obvious who’d won the event. Ryder leaned against the wall with his family while the little girls—who did they belong to anyway?—crawled all over him.

Joy didn’t blame them. That’s where she wanted to be too. Climbing him like a tree, his strong arms supporting her and his lips commanding hers again.

The tall heeler, Asher Franklin, took the girls off, and she realized they were his daughters. Joy was glued to the scene. It seemed once the Calhouns brought you into their lives, you were a permanent fixture. And everything they did was fascinating, which was why America had fallen in love with their reality show.

Ryder caught her staring and she twisted away to talk to her father. The results were about to be announced, followed by the fireworks.

She flexed her fingers to dispel some of her nerves. Her father needed one of his guys to place. But part of her wanted Ryder to get the win.

What was wrong with her? Sure, he’d had a great ride but her reason for wanting to see him on that podium holding up his buckle was purely selfish—because she just wanted to look at him.

His big body and that winning smile. She groaned.

A huge explosion from the crowd. Looking around, she saw Ryder fist-punching the air and his brothers hoisting him up onto their shoulders. Unable to stop herself, Joy smiled at the happy display.

* * * * *

Red and blue lights scattered over Joy’s beautiful, upturned face. Her big eyes were fixed on the fireworks display, shining with the reflections.

Ryder sandwiched his tongue between his teeth to keep from calling out to her. She stood close enough that he could have her in his arms in a blink. Bent over the railing in two.

From there he’d take his time with her. He’d need all night long to get his fill of her.

Another huge flower burst in the sky over the stadium. Instead of watching the petals separate and trickle downward like rain, Joy moved her stare to him.

His cock hardened instantly, but worse was the bald longing she raised in him. What was it about her? Sure, she was an eyeful and he wanted more than a handful of her. But there was some clash of her eyes that he’d never felt with another woman.

For the most part, women at rodeos were all the same, right?

Warm, tanned arms spun around his middle, and he stiffened. Turning, he found a Buckle Bunny with stars in her eyes.

He bit back a groan and tried to disentangle himself, when she leaned in and licked his earlobe. “Come to my room tonight, cowboy. Number 109. Over there.” She pointed past him in some direction he couldn’t care less about going in.

Not unless Joy was leading him.

He pushed the woman back a step. “Thanks but no.”

“But I’ve heard you’re such…a…good…lover.” She punctuated each word with more licks to his earlobe. He suddenly knew how a salt lick felt under a cow’s tongue. Granted, she was cute but not his type, especially with Joy steps away from him.

He pushed her off him once and for all and spun to find the object of his desires gone.

“Dammit,” he said under his breath and took off into the gathered crowd, watching the fireworks. He’d never find her in this throng, and especially in the darkness. But he couldn’t let her get away a second time.

He didn’t make it ten steps into the crowd before he located several cowboys clustered around Joy. Ryder didn’t stop to see if she welcomed their attentions—he barged into the middle of them, breaking them apart with his big shoulders and bigger attitude.

Joy’s face registered shock as he grasped her elbow and dragged her away.

She dug her boot heels in. “Where are you taking me?”

“Someplace where we can talk.” Several booming fireworks shook his chest walls. Joy’s elbow was warm in his fingers and he wanted to pick her up and shove her against the nearest wall.

“I appreciate you getting me away from those guys, but you can let me go now.”

He towed her through the mass of people to the far end of the arena where the chutes were located. Seemed fitting that he’d claim her here.

She pulled out of his grip, but he caught her again, giving her a don’t-try-it stare that closed her pretty lips around her protest.

After yanking open one of the gates, he shoved her into the chute.

“What are you doing?” she burst out.

“This.” He cradled her face with all the tenderness she brought out of him and lowered his mouth to hers. She gasped, and he took immediate advantage, swiping his tongue through the interior of her sweet mouth. She moaned. He growled.

When she wove her arms around his neck, he lifted her against the side of the chute, letting her feel every inch of his desire for her. With a quiet noise of wanting, she angled her head and kissed him back.

Soft exploring that soon raged into long, hungry kisses he never wanted to end. She dug the points of her short nails into his shoulders and he found her ass. Round and fitting perfectly in his hands.

“Ask me to your room,” he muttered between kisses.

“Never.”

He stared into her passion-filled gray eyes and nipped her lower lip. “Why not?”

She bit him back slightly harder. His cock ached. “Because I don’t date cowboys.”

“It’s not dating. It’s a one-night stand.” Even as he said it, he knew he was lying. One night wouldn’t be enough.

“I definitely don’t do one-night stands with cowboys.”

“I’m a rancher too. Do you do it with ranchers?” He nibbled her throat, making her writhe against him. She stuck her hands into his back pockets, shooting heat through his whole lower body.

“No...ranchers,” she murmured as he kissed a path down her neck to her collarbones.

“Then who can you do it with?”

“Nobody wearing a hat.”

He withdrew, plucked his hat off his head and tossed it into the muck inside the chute. “Problem solved. C’mon, Princess. I’ve been standing five feet from you all day, and I’m aching for you.”

She looked up at him, eyes wide and dazed. She kneaded his ass through his pockets, and he clutched her buns harder.

The final boom of fireworks ended, leaving a ringing silence. Joy pulled away as the crowd cheered.

“I can’t, Ryder. I know what kind of guy you are.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, wanting her touch on him again. “What kind of guy is that?”

“A playboy. I’ve heard things.”

“You heard wrong,” he gritted out.

She lifted a brow. “I don’t think so.”

“Look, neither time you’ve seen a woman hanging on me have I initiated it. Besides, I could say you liked the attention of those guys who’d blocked you back there.”

She gave a light shake of her head. “No.”

He reached for her. “Then what’s stopping you? You want me. You want this.” He skimmed the curve of her breast with his knuckles, causing her to shudder.

“I want more than the physical.” She ducked under his arm and opened the gate.

Whirling, he grabbed the bars and fought back a curse. He couldn’t give anybody more than the physical, not with a dozen cameras on him at all times. He wasn’t going to try to start—and keep—a relationship under the spotlights. It was like trapping a bird in a cage.

“Joy,” he called.

She turned, staring at him with big, hungry eyes and lips swollen from his kisses.

“See you in Cheyenne.”

Chapter Three

“What the hell’s up with Wynonna? She’s acting crazy,” Ryder said to his brother next to him.

They leaned against the fence rail, watching her show off in the saddle. She’d sheered seconds off her barrel racing time, and there was no way she’d humanly get even another millisecond off. Not without a faster horse, but she loved that mare. They’d been together for three years. She’d won her first event on the mount.

Ridge gave Ryder a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, crazier than usual,” Ryder said.

“She’s obsessed with a better time, but beats me why. I think she’s just showing off for the cameras.”

“Or the production manager,” Ryder said under his breath, and Ridge nodded.

“If things go south with them, our show’s probably cut.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Ryder said at once.

Ridge looked at him hard. “Wouldn’t you? You’d be out enough money to get that house of yours.”

“I can earn it myself with good old hard work.”

“You’ve been ‘on’ with bulls lately, but that can’t last. Most of the ride is luck.” Ridge tipped his hat lower against the glaring sun.

“I know.” Ryder sighed. The ranch felt smaller than normal since the film crew had come into their lives. And this morning Ryder had discovered his toothbrush on the bathroom floor, knocked off by some inconsiderate family member. When he’d found several hairs on it, he’d hurled it into the wastebasket and finger-scrubbed his teeth.

He’d also spent half an hour going over his bank account and finances, looking at ways to squeeze more money from his budget in order to go to the bank and ask for that loan.

The next installment check came from the TV network in two more months. He didn’t know if he could live through eight more weeks of hairy toothbrushes.

He pushed air out of his nose as Wynonna reined in, a cloud of dust swirling around her horse’s legs. She glared at Ridge. “What’s the time?”

“Sixteen point eight.”

“Dammit!” Wynonna threw her braid over her shoulder and her horse danced at her agitation. She patted its neck soothingly, but Ryder eyed them.

“You’re too tense. Your horse is picking it up.”

“What?” She turned her narrowed cat eyes on him.

He wasn’t cowed by her dirty looks. “Remember that racing clinic you attended some years back? The instructor talked about a smooth ride, and the only way to get that is for your horse to be happy, stretch out on the runs and turn those corners faster.”

Wynonna opened her mouth, probably to shoot a sassy reply, but closed it again.

“Maybe you need another clinic to remind you, l’il sis.”

“Maybe you need to take up Thunder Humphries’ offer to train you,” she shot back.

At the name, his chest blazed and a longing for Joy rose up, so strong he thought he might choke. No, that was just the dust off the hooves. “What are you talking about?”

“I heard Thunder was looking for you in Prescott. He was going to invite you to train with him on his ranch.”

On his ranch. With Joy so close I could have her daily—nightly. And every minute in between.

He gave a shake of his head. “I’m doing fine without training. Besides, Thunder is looking for the next PBR champ. I’m not playing that game. I’m happy where I’m at.”

Wynonna dismounted in one fluid motion, and a camera followed the swing of her leg. She hit the ground and put her hand right over the camera lens, directing it down and away from her. “Can I get a minute?” she snapped.

The crew member muttered a “sure” and walked away from her as if she were a grenade with the pin pulled. Ryder waved her over to the fence, and she twisted her lips as she followed. Ridge trailed behind.

“What’s that about?” he asked her quietly.

At his tone, all the fight seemed to trickle out of her. She leaned her elbows on the rail and bowed her head. “I’ve made a mess of things.”

“With the manager?” Ryder couldn’t stand seeing her upset. He rested his hand on the warm crown of her bowed head.

She nodded. “He’s being a dick.”

At that, Ridge and Ryder both stiffened. Nobody treated one of their own badly, especially their baby sister.

“What the fuck’s he doing? Do I need to break his legs?” Ridge asked.

“Good gawd, no,” she drawled. She straightened and held her head high. “I’ll handle it, okay?”

Ryder latched onto her arm. “You sure?”

She nodded. “I’m a big girl now. I can take care of it myself. He’s not a bad guy really, but he’s the jealous type.”

Ah, that explained much. Wynonna was like a big, beautiful flower attracting every bee in the field. If the production manager was remotely jealous, he was messing with the wrong girl. Hell, he was anyway. Wynonna was off-limits and he was at least ten years older than she was.

“I don’t like this,” Ryder said.

“Me neither.” Ridge sounded pissed. His middle brother was normally very mild-tempered, but when his temper flared, watch out.

“I got it, guys.” She held up both hands as if to ward them off.

Ridge pointed a finger at her. “You’d better tell us if you don’t.”

Suddenly, her eyes went wide and soft and she leaned over the rail to hug them both. She planted a wet, noisy kiss on each of their foreheads.

“Ewww, girl spit.” Ryder rubbed at his skin.

They watched her return to her horse. She wrapped her arms around its neck and the mare nudged her with her nose.

“I think you’re right about her having a softer hand while racing. Rule number one of cowboying—or rodeoing—is treat your horse right and you can get the job done faster.” Ridge pushed away from the fence.

They walked back toward the barn together. There was always work to be done on the ranch, but Ryder had a feeling it wouldn’t keep his mind off the mention of Thunder’s offer.

Ridge seemed to be channeling his thoughts. “What do you think of going big-time with bull riding?”

Ryder shot him a look out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t think it’s for me. You trying to boot me out of the Calhoun circle?”

As he lifted his boot, Ridge hooked his own under it and tripped Ryder. After a few stumbling steps, he righted himself. Reaching out, he whacked Ridge’s hat off his head. It tumbled into the dust.

“If you’re out of the circle, that means more ladies for me,” Ridge quipped.

All of a sudden Ryder was back in that chute with Joy in his arms. It was as if she’d known how crazy her perfume made him when she’d bought it. And how he was a sucker for those little squeaking noises she made while he kissed her.

He clenched his hands into fists. The barn was ten steps away, but he veered off from Ridge and made his way to the house. He needed a cool drink if he was going to make it through a hot afternoon of working with Joy on the brain.

“Hey, you tapping out?” Ridge called.

Ryder raised a hand in farewell and mounted the porch steps. Shade greeted him, and he wanted to sink down into one of the chairs and sit this round out. The increasing need for a spell of peace and quiet gripped him.

As he pushed through the screen door, the hinges gave their pleasant squeal. He picked his way through the mudroom, which had been clean for all of a week after the film crew had shown up. Now it had various other footwear left by production people. Ma had resigned herself to a messy entryway and focused on other things, like bigger meals and fluffier country biscuits.

“Ryder, you just missed a phone call. If I’d known you were headed into the house, I would have told him to hold on.” Ma came out of the kitchen drying her hands on a dishtowel.

His eyebrows shot up on their own. “Who’s calling me? We’re all here.”

She nearly fizzed with excitement. Her brown eyes, so much like his, shone. “Thunder. Freaking. Humphries.”

He shook himself, both at her use of the word freaking and the name of the man. “You’ve been hanging out with Wynonna this morning, haven’t you? Never mind. Did Thunder say what he wanted?”

“All he said was he was looking to talk to you. When he knew you weren’t nearby, he said he hoped to see you at the next venue.”

Cheyenne—they were headed to Cheyenne. Thoughts of sunny days, warm nights and scorching kisses from a certain little cowgirl flitted through his head. If this continued, he wouldn’t be looking for the ride—but seeing Joy.

And then the ride.

God, he hadn’t had blue-balls for a woman this bad since Katie Ryan back in his senior year. He’d never gotten a chance with her but that hadn’t stopped his fantasies.

Joy was a million times better, though. Or worse depending on how you looked at it.

He gave his ma a nod and walked past her into the kitchen.

She trotted behind him. “Aren’t you gonna say anything, Ryder?”

As he opened the fridge door to get at the iced tea, he had to nudge a cameraman aside. Foregoing the glass, he tipped the jug to his lips and drank for a long minute. Dammit, he needed time to process what was going on in his brain, and he refused to do it in front of his family—or the cameras.

He put the jug back in the fridge and his mother made a tsking sound. “Is that how you’re going to leave things?”

He didn’t know if she meant the jug or the conversation. “One of my brothers will be by for a drink next—the jug’s fine.”

“And what will you do about Thunder? You know why he’s calling you, right?”

I’m sure it isn’t to hook up with his daughter.

His balls clenched at the mere thought. “I know fine.”

She followed him back to the front of the house. “And what’s your decision? Will you go pro with Thunder Humphries at your back?”

He paused with the screen door open partway. A fly buzzed by his head and into the house. “I need some time, Ma.” He looked into her eyes and saw worry mingled with happiness at his opportunity. On impulse, he leaned in and pecked her cheek. “You’ll be the first to know, okay?”

Hell, she, his family and America would probably know before he did.

* * * * *

Joy wasn’t feeling it today. The long drive to Cheyenne in the back seat of the truck, listening to her father’s rising star, Cody, sing to old Waylon Jennings songs on the radio set her on edge.

Stiff from sitting, she crossed and uncrossed her legs, wishing she’d brought her own entertainment and earbuds. Typically, she and her father had companionable conversation or quiet on their drives. They didn’t usually have a third party in the vehicle with them, but Cody had a case of the jitters and her father thought it best to bring him along. Driving alone, Cody would just overthink everything.

She stared out the window at the passing landscape. Nebraska was one of the more boring states to drive through. As a child, she’d saved all her coloring books for the ride through this state and hardly looked up until they’d crossed the state line.

Now with no distractions, her mind was free to wander, which was more dangerous. She would see Ryder at this upcoming event. She could almost feel his lips on hers and his hard ass under her hands. The rasp of his five o’clock shadow still seemed to sear her skin, and his scent…

She closed her eyes and rested her head against the seat. What would happen when she saw him again? She couldn’t deny the attraction between them. She’d never experienced such a pull to a man. But her head knew better than to mess around with him. In her experience, rodeo guys were players.

Besides, she’d heard plenty of rumors about him being a Casanova between the sheets.

All he wanted was a one-night stand anyway.

He’d probably forgotten her by now, moved on to the next pretty girl wearing boots. He certainly had no lack of interest. With his looks, he could have anybody. And he was famous to boot, which meant he’d probably have a celebrity hanging on his arm by next year.

Opening her eyes, she stared at the back of Cody’s head. He’d taken his hat off, and at one point his boots too, until the smell had filled the car and his father had asked him to put them back on. He was a nice kid and he’d finally given up hitting on her. One sharp look from her dad had ended any notions of romance in Cody’s head.

Unfortunately, her own head was a mess. She liked so much about Ryder. She may not know him very well, but she felt as if she did after watching him on the Rope ‘n Ride show. Also, the Calhouns didn’t seem to be affected by being in the public eye. Everything they did seemed genuine. Their family circle touched her deeply. And Ryder playing with the little dark-haired Franklin girls…

She shook herself. I’m just trying to find a reason to break my own rules about dating cowboys.

Overall she was content in her life. She loved working on their family ranch as well as traveling with her father. Never one to get hung up in personal goals, she drifted along, happy to help others.

But for the first time, she wanted something.

A six-foot tall bull rider from Tulsa with a drawl like syrup and looks that set her on fire.

She ran her tongue along her lower lip.

Once, when she was little, she’d gotten poison ivy and spent several days itching herself alive. Now, whenever she even saw the plant that had caused her so much irritation, she started scratching.

With Ryder, it was the same. She thought about him and her body reacted heatedly—her nipples were hard gems and her panties grew damp.

Fidgeting a bit on the seat, she closed her eyes again and let her mind wander over long, deep kisses in a chute. The strangest place and yet it fit both her and Ryder perfectly.

His deep voice filled her head as she let the truck movement lull her.

I’m a rancher too. Do you do it with ranchers?

No…ranchers.

Then who can you do it with?

Nobody wearing a hat.

She still felt a thrill down to the tips of her toes thinking about him tossing off his hat, determined to win her in any way possible.

Maybe it was time to have a little something for herself. Even a one-night-stand would give her memories to last a lifetime. When she was an old lady, did she really want to have stories about somebody else living it up while she looked on?

They continued down the long road toward Cheyenne. Soon she’d be face-to-face with Ryder and have to make up her mind.

* * * * *

A camera loomed from both the left and right side of Ryder, with one panning across the line of Calhouns from the front. Hell, there was probably one trained on the back of his head too. Now that he thought about it, the hairs on his neck prickled.

Twisting around, he expected to see a lens aimed at him. And was instead met with beautiful gray eyes.

The breath punched from him. He turned all the way around to look at Joy. Shapely in a fitted black T-shirt bearing her father’s name. It appeared to be vintage and two sizes too small. Had it been a shirt from her childhood?

His balls clenched as he scanned her tight body. Dark jeans that fit like a second skin and those adorable boots with a rhinestone pattern across the toes. As they stared at each other, her lashes lowered, giving her an irresistible shy girl look.

He groaned, snagging his brother’s attention. Buck threw a glance over his shoulder and grinned.

“When you gonna go after that?” Buck asked.

Ryder didn’t answer, just tipped his hat to Joy. She responded with a little wave.

Damn, seeing her palms made him think of her hands in his back pockets, kneading his ass. She’d be a wildcat in bed, he had no doubts. A woman that passionate couldn’t withhold a thing—not from him.

He pinned her with his gaze for another long heartbeat before he noticed the cameraman smiling like the village idiot. Swinging his gaze right at the camera, he said, “You get what you wanted?”

“Yep. Should we ask her for a consent to film form?”

“Hell no,” Ryder growled. The last thing he wanted was to yank an innocent woman into the world of production. He could barely take a full breath without a camera recording the expansion of his chest.

The national anthem began to play, and he hurriedly turned to put his hand over his heart. It was pounding as fast as a horse who’d been ridden too long. But he hadn’t been ridden hard or fast—yet.

His brothers loved to sing, adding their deep voices to the crowd of uplifted voices. Channing’s was high and clear, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Joy was singing.

By the time the song had finished, he barely hesitated before whirling to look at her again.

She was gone, but her father stood in her place. As soon as Thunder caught his eye, he smiled and made his way through the crowd to reach him.

For some reason Ryder felt like a kid coming to take the man’s daughter to prom. He planted his boots so he didn’t shift around and waited.

Joy suddenly appeared again, a ray of sun popping from behind a cloud. Ryder tried to school his features, aware of Thunder’s attention on him.

By the time they both reached Ryder, he didn’t think he could feel more off his game. He clenched and unclenched his fingers to dispel his nervousness.

When he glanced around, his family had scattered to ready themselves for their events. Bull riding was often last at these rodeos, since it was the biggest draw, so Ryder had all the time in the world to get Joy alone and kiss that soft smile off her face. Replace it with an expression of bliss.

Thunder shoved his hand at Ryder. “Hello, young man. I was hoping to run into you here in Cheyenne.”

Ryder took his hand, a rough hand that knew hard work every day of his life. Their grasp was equally matched as they pumped their arms up and down.

“Nice to see you, Thunder.”

“Have you met my daughter Joy?”

“Briefly, yes. Nice to see you again.” Ryder held out his hand to her, and she took it. Soft, silky and full of promise. Tension crackled inside him as he looked into her eyes.

Quickly, she released him and gripped her hands together.

“What do you say I buy you a beer?” Thunder asked, clapping Ryder on the shoulder.

“Sounds good. All that singing has left me as dry as dust.”

Thunder chuckled at his half-ass attempt at a joke and Ryder felt like a fool. He didn’t know if he could even tip a beer up to his lips without dumping it down his shirt. Then he’d be facing the woman he liked far too much with another stained shirt.

“Good, let’s head to the concessions, why don’t we?” Thunder took off into the crowd. People stopped him to say hi or take a photo with him, and he was patient with everyone.

Ryder trailed behind with Joy, getting similar treatment. Except there were more fans swamping him and he wasn’t remotely patient. He ground his teeth as people took selfies with him or asked for his autograph. All he wanted was to get Joy alone again.

Halfway to the concession stand, he spotted Wynonna weaving through the throng of people, her hat pulled low. But he knew that grimace on her lips—she was crying.

He rested a hand on Joy’s arm. “Will you go on and tell your father I’ll be right there? I see some family business that needs a minute of my time.”

She blinked up at him, all sweet, feminine cowgirl. Nibbling her lower lip, she looked as if she wanted to say something.

He cottoned on to it. “I know nobody keeps your father waiting, but this is important.” He glanced toward the place where Wynonna had disappeared.

Joy nodded, making her long, thick braid caress her round breast. Ryder clamped off a groan of need and smoothed her arm with his fingers.

“Thank you. I’ll just be a minute.” He reluctantly released her and dodged into the crowd.

As soon as he rounded a hot dog truck, he saw Wynonna standing with Lane, her head on his shoulder and her body giving those little telltale tremors of tears.

“What happened?” Ryder demanded.

Wynonna jerked away from Lane’s hold and narrowed her eyes at Ryder. “Nothing. I’m going back to my room to freshen up before my event.”

Before he could stop her, she was gone.

Ryder and Lane looked at each other. “You’d better tell me,” Ryder said with a note of no-nonsense.

Lane leaned near. “She’s emotional.”

“I can see that. What the hell happened?”

“She and producer broke things off.”

“Thank God.”

“Well yeah, but what if he tells the network and she’s kicked off the show? The series isn’t complete without all of us.” Lane scuffed his knuckles over his jaw.

Dammit, this same clause had Ryder locked in too. Not just into the contract—he could get out of it easy enough if he delivered a right hook to one of the camera guys—but his family was relying on him.

He shook his head and rubbed his own jaw, which was just as square as his brother’s. “What should we do?” he asked Lane.

“Let her go get cleaned up and her head on straight. She’ll be all right. I don’t think she was in love with him.”

“Jesus, was it that serious?”

“’Fraid so. Our sister is tender-hearted. Remember all those wounded animals she dragged into the house and how broken up she’d be that she couldn’t heal them and re-release them to the wild?”

Pushing a breath through his nose, Ryder nodded. “All right, so she got attached. Does Mr. Producer need his balls crushed? Because I’ve got the boots to do it.”

Lane’s lips tipped up. “Not yet. We’ll keep an eye on him though.”

“Who else knows about this?”

Lane gave a laugh that brought several heads around to stare, mostly the female variety. “You know the family—everybody knows.”

“Family meeting after the events,” Ryder said.

“I’ll let everyone know.”

With a nod, Ryder dove back into the crowd to meet up with Thunder and his stunning daughter. He located them at the beer tent. Joy had two cups in hand, and she thrust it at him as he approached. Their fingers brushed around the cool plastic, and she hurriedly pulled free and looked away.

“Let’s take a seat.” Thunder jerked his head toward a picnic table.

Many negotiations had taken place at a county fair picnic table. Businesses were started and terms negotiated. Ryder just never guessed he’d be in this position.

He settled on the bench across from Joy and Thunder. They all took a sip of beer. It tasted like cat piss but at least it was cold.

“You probably know why I’m talking to you, Calhoun.”

He dipped his head. “I can guess.”

“I’ve been watching you for a while now, even before you started with your reality series. You could say I knew the bull rider before he put his own stamp on the world.”

“I appreciate it.” Ryder didn’t dare stare at Joy for too long. He risked her father’s wrath, but worse, he couldn’t trust himself not to lunge across the table, cup her delicate face and lay one on her.

“As you know, I offer my services working with bull riders to get them up to top performance levels. I won’t beat around the bush here—I want to work with you, son.”

Ryder’s chest filled with something warm and helium-like. When was the last time he’d felt this way?

When kissing Joy.

Ryder tried to organize his thoughts. His mother had been excited by the idea of Ryder going pro. But he still wasn’t convinced he was cut out for it. He loved riding bulls—but was he so dedicated that he’d live on the road, constantly alone and out of touch with his family and reality? Was he willing to give up so much for a little more fame and cash prizes?

He pressed his lips together.

Seeing he might be about to turn him down, Thunder raised a hand. “Don’t answer yet. Give it some thought first. I can do a lot for you, Calhoun, but I only take competitors who are devoted to winning.”

Ryder slid his gaze sideways to Joy. She had only taken a sip or two of her beer, but thoughts of tasting it on her ran rampant through his head.

“What do you think?” he asked her.

Her lips popped open in surprise and her eyes rounded. Damn, she had a little spattering of freckles across the bridge of her upturned nose. “I agree with my father—you’re skilled enough. You just need a little honing to take home the whole national title.”

His chest expanded. He held his breath for a heartbeat before releasing it slowly. “Pretty words, for sure. And something to think about. But you’re right—I need to give it some thought. Thank you for your offer.”

A camera zoomed around his head like an annoying shit-fly. He latched onto Joy’s gaze again, and she gave him a little private smile. Did she understand how annoying it was for him to be in the spotlight 24/7? That sweet smile said she did.

“Ryder! There you are!”

He glanced over to see a woman barreling his way, all legs and blonde hair. He recognized her at once and nearly got up and ran for it. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation from a woman he’d slept with months ago in front of Joy.

He stiffened as he spotted her rounded stomach jutting from above her jeans, which had the waist unbuckled and tucked down over her pregnant belly.

“We need to talk, Ryder,” she said, caressing her distended abdomen. “About the baby.”

* * * * *

Joy’s heart slammed against her ribs and she barely gathered enough oxygen to remain upright. She goggled at the scene before her.

This woman—obviously a Buckle Bunny by the looks of her—was approaching Ryder about getting her knocked up?

Or did he already know?

Joy started to get up, and her father followed. “We’ll leave you in privacy,” he muttered.

“Wait, no. This kid can’t be mine. What the hell are you doing, Ashley?”

That he recalled her name meant he had some tie to her. Joy grunted and got to her feet, the few sips of swill she’d drunk sitting like poison in her stomach. She was right about Ryder—he was a no-good cowboy whore like all the rest.

“Joy.” The rough sound of her name on his lips brought her up short. She looked into his eyes, noting shock and fury and hurt on his handsome face.

He shot to his feet.

Suddenly Joy took pity on him. He looked as stunned as she felt, and with the cameras buzzing around him, he was close to losing his shit.

“Daddy, I’ll meet you back at the stables, okay?” Not waiting for his reply, she rounded the table and pushed her way between the pregnant Ashley and the man she claimed as the father.

Joy grabbed each of their arms and marched them through the crowd with a terse, “Stop filming,” to the crew. She got Ryder and the woman into a quiet spot and turned to leave.

“Wait. Joy.” He stepped up to her, flooding her with his body heat. Bowing over her, he whispered, “Why’d you do that?”

She lifted her shoulders, as stumped as he was. “I know you don’t want it aired this way.”

With that, she made her escape, aching deep in her bones where hope had once lifted for a few short hours on her way to Cheyenne.

For a long time she wandered the grounds, avoiding people she knew. At times like this, a spot of her own privacy would be welcome. Right now, the only alone time she’d get was in a bathroom stall.

She went into the ladies’ room and was immediately met with the sound of weeping.

Crap, she wasn’t in the mood to hear somebody’s sob story. She couldn’t help anyway, but this happened far too often to her. She had a soft spot for human plight and people often confided in her. She started to spin back to the door to go, when a tall, beautiful auburn-haired woman came out of a stall.

They took one look at each other, and Wynonna’s tears started up again. Joy’s shoulders drooped as she realized she was stuck talking something out with the youngest member of the Calhoun family whether she wanted to or not. If she left now, she’d be an inconsiderate ass.

Seeing her cry left Joy feeling as though her dear friend had been hurt.

“Can I help you?” Joy asked softly.

Wynonna sniffled and tried to mop her tears and nose simultaneously with a soggy hunk of toilet paper.

Taking pity on her, Joy went to the paper towel dispenser and jerked free a handful. She placed the wad in Wynonna’s hands.

“Thank you,” she said through a stuffed nose.

Joy waited for her to dry her nose and eyes. “Why don’t you splash some cold water on your face? It might make you feel better.”

She shook her head even as she moved to the sink. “Nothing will make me feel better. And I can’t go out there. I’m going to have to forfeit today.”

Joy blinked. A Calhoun was letting life get in the way of winning? That wasn’t the person she knew from the reality show.

“You can’t do that. Let me get you a drink and we’ll wait until you feel better before going out into the public eye.”

Wynonna dragged in an unsteady breath. “I’m an idiot and now I’m paying the price. Buck warned me to stay away from him.”

“From whom?” Joy leaned against the sink.

“Ethan.” At the name, tears started steadily falling again.

Joy pushed away from the sink and pulled Wynonna into her arms. She couldn’t be much younger than Joy was but she seemed both stronger and yet more fragile. Physically, she was a powerhouse, as muscled as an athlete but with enough curves to attract some asshole named Ethan who’d hurt her.

Suddenly, she felt a strong camaraderie with Wynonna. She squeezed her new friend. “I don’t know who Ethan is or what happened between you, but you’re a gorgeous and amazing woman who will find love from some worthy man in time.”

“I don’t want…love. I’m turning lesbian.”

At that, Joy laughed. She couldn’t help it. The statement was so dramatic and exactly like the Wynonna she knew from the show.

Could that mean the real Ryder was the one she knew too—the one who wouldn’t have gotten a woman pregnant and left her hanging?

Wynonna squeezed her back. “I know you. You’re Joy Humphries.”

She nodded.

“You seem upset too. What happened to you?” Wynonna asked.

How did she say she had a blinding crush on Wynonna’s brother and he may or may not be accepting his role as a father right now?

She shook her head lightly. “I’m fine, thank you. How are you feeling?”

“Like an ass for getting sucked into starting a relationship with an older man. I think he’s in midlife crisis. Only thing he’s lacking is the earring and the gold chain.” Her spunky speech made Joy smile.

“But does he have the convertible?”

“Yes, it’s red.”

They stared at each other for a long moment and then buckled in half, laughing and snorting.

For five solid minutes they laughed until they cried. Other women came in and out of the bathroom, looking at them as if they’d lost their minds. But when Joy straightened, she felt better for it. And it appeared Wynonna did too. The normal color had come back into her high cheekbones and her eyes were mostly free of pain.

On impulse, Wynonna hugged her. “Thank you for that. I needed a friend right now. You can’t know how difficult it is having five brothers sticking their boots in my business.”

“I don’t. But being an only child has its drawbacks too. Like nobody to stand up for me or confide in.”

“You never did tell me what’s bothering you. Does he have a convertible too?”

“Worse—a hat and boots.”

Wynonna made a sympathetic noise. “Why don’t you join us for dinner after the events end? We all meet up and pig out on pizza and wings.”

Half an hour ago, Joy would have jumped at the opportunity. But now…

She shook her head. “Thanks, but my father has a celebratory dinner for his riders. He’ll want me there.”

“Another time then. I think you’d fit in real well with my family.” Wynonna’s smile was genuine.

Joy’s heart turned over. She’d believed she’d fit in too.

“Another time,” she said without much commitment. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes, thanks to you.” She hugged Joy again and then went to the mirror to fluff her hair. “All right, I look okay, don’t I?”

“You’re beautiful.”

Wynonna made a face that was like a little sister would give, her nose screwed up and her eyes crossed. She swept out the door and Joy took a moment before she followed. When she stepped into the sunlight, she saw Wynonna surrounded by cameras and one of her brothers at her side.

Moral support. That’s what the family was all about. What would they do for Ryder once they learned about his secret baby?

A hard grip on her elbow made her squeak. “Walk with me.” The dark rumble of Ryder’s voice slammed her at the same instant his musky, leathery scent did.

She stumbled, and he kept her upright, his arm around her middle now. “I don’t want to walk with you.”

“Too bad. You’re going to talk with me.” He maneuvered her through the crowd like a vacuum cleaner through a room stuffed with furniture. When they reached a trailer, he opened the door and practically threw her inside.

She caught herself on a short countertop, realizing this was one of the Calhouns’ personal travel trailers. Maybe even Ryder’s. She glared at him just as he launched through the door and firmly closed it behind him.

She was faced with a big, angry, determined cowboy. “I don’t like it when you try to get away from me,” he said.

A sassy retort bubbled up, but he grabbed her, silencing her with his hard lips. He kissed her deeply, drawing her onto tiptoes and against his muscled body. Unable to stop herself, she made a hungry noise. He deepened the kiss, and she wrapped her arms around him just to keep herself upright. No, she was lying to herself. She wanted to hold onto him.

“Fuck, I want you, Joy. I’ll be anything you want. Just let me in before I die from this need.”

She pushed away from him. “I don’t want you to be anything—especially not a father to that woman’s baby.”

He released her and she almost fell over. Bracing her legs, she tried to remain standing in the face of his anger, which didn’t seem to be directed at her. “It’s not my kid. I guarantee it.”

“But you slept with her. You knew her name.”

“Yeah, I did sleep with her,” he said without a moment’s pause. “Months ago. More months than she’s been pregnant. And after I reminded her of that, she backed down and said she’d forgotten the time frame.”

Joy’s stomach bottomed out. She dipped her gaze to his broad chest, avoiding his gaze. He was having none of it.

Lifting her chin with his callused knuckle, he met her stare. “You like kissing me, and I’m a free man.”

His words sank in. Her promise to herself during the drive to Cheyenne burst in her brain like fireworks at the end of a show. Now or never.

They hurled themselves at each other.

* * * * *

The minute his lips met hers, he was fully hard. Aching and panting for her. He grabbed her ass and hitched her against his erection even as she ground against it.

Those small squeaking noises were back, burrowing deep into his psyche. He didn’t think he’d ever get them out—didn’t want to. Angling his head, he delved his tongue into her mouth, gathering all her cute little sounds and feeding his growls back to her.

She clamped her arms around him, holding him right where she wanted to as she rubbed her breasts over his chest.

“Hell,” he ground out, releasing her ass to cup her breasts. They were firm and high, smaller than most women he’d been with but sexier. Running his thumbs over the mounds, he felt for her distended nipples. As soon as he got his reward, they tore away from the kiss and stared at each other.

Her chest heaved, her lips swollen and her eyes burning. “I want you. Don’t stop.”

His heart picked up its pace as he dead-bolted the trailer door and walked her two steps backward to the futon. It was draped with a quilt, which he spread out as he eased her down.

She ran her tongue over her lower lip, and he nearly burst out of his jeans. He hit his knees before her, picking up her juicy scent of arousal and nearly swallowing his tongue.

“I have to taste you. I’m dying for it.” His voice was grittier than ever, as if he’d been drinking all night. He felt drunk, for sure.

She tossed off his hat and sank her fingers into his hair, drawing him right down against her. Groaning, he used his jaw to push up her T-shirt and get at her silky belly. Lightly tanned and taut, her bellybutton gleamed with a stud shaped like a horseshoe.

“Guess I got lucky.” He nuzzled her piercing. She arched upward. Kissing a path over her flesh, he plucked at her distended nipples through her bra. Then he slid his hands up her torso, removing her top and flipping up her bra at the same time.

In a flurry, she reached behind her back and released her bra clasp. As soon as her round breasts bounced free, he was on her. Sucking, biting, nibbling and working the tips with his tongue. She cried out, writhing in his hold. Thank God he hadn’t left his hotel room without his wallet. He was known for doing that and always bumming money off his brothers. But a single condom was wedged between the folds of leather.

Releasing her nipple, he gazed up at her beautiful face.

“You look so undone for me.”

She didn’t speak, just clutched his head and drew him up for a lingering kiss. She tasted of need and something sugary. A soda? Cotton candy? He tasted her for another long minute before pulling free and kissing back down her bared body.

When he reached her jeans, the button and zipper were no match for him. He nimbly worked them open only to see a pair of polka-dotted red panties. Retro panties that matched her bra, now he thought about it. The lingerie added another layer to what he already knew about Joy.

She was a different kind of woman. One he needed to get closer to.

“Ryder, hurry.” She lifted her tight butt off the futon, allowing him to pull off her jeans. But he left her panties in place, more turned on than he’d been in his life just from the sight of them.

He easily removed her boots and jeans. Using his hands on her knees, he pushed her legs up and back, spreading her to him.

“I’m not…” her breath hitched, “naked.”

“This is how I want you.” Holding her gaze, he lowered his lips to her pussy. Covering the fabric, open-mouthed and throbbing for her. Her warmth met his mouth, and they shared a wild moan.

Through the fabric, he made slow love to her swollen outer lips and located her hard bud beneath the silky cloth. Desire pulsed through him, a rush in his ears.

He kissed her sex up and down, drawing long cries from her. Then using his tongue, he pressed beneath the elastic edge. The instant his tongue met sleek, smooth, shaved skin it was all over for him.

* * * * *

Joy had never experienced such a moment in her life, but she hoped to again and again. Somehow having Ryder’s mouth on her, through her clothes was the most erotic thing she’d ever known. Her insides trembled and she’d never been so wet.

But the instant he removed her panties altogether, she lost all sense of herself. She lived, breathed and thought for Ryder.

He nudged her thighs up and apart and dived between them. Piercing her with his tongue. She contracted around him, juices spilling from her. He gathered them on his tongue with slow, maddening strokes. Up and down, then in and out. Up, down, in, out. The knot in her core pulled so tight she thought she might snap in two.

Her orgasm rushed out of nowhere, so fast and mind-blowing that she threw her arms and head back and let the wave strike her. Her body hummed as her orgasm stole her senses.

Ryder’s lips and tongue never slowed, eating her like she was the best treat he’d ever tasted.

When she jackknifed upward, clutching his head to move him from her too-sensitive folds, he raised his gaze and met hers.

A breath trickled from her.

With quick movements, she pulled his shirt from his waistband and tore it overhead. The minute his carved body was locked in her vision, she thought she’d stepped onto stage with a male dancer. He was chiseled from deltoid to the cords on his forearms.

Wetting her lips, she leaned in. Slowly. He seemed to hold his breath as she kissed his neck. As soon as she tasted his salty-clean goodness, she was starving for more. With a moan, she spattered kisses over his chest, loving that he had some chest hair. Down to the washboard of his abs.

He stopped her when she reached for his belt buckle. “I can’t go slow with you. Not this time, Joy.”

“I don’t want slow.” She flashed him a grin. “Not this time.”

Now that they’d agreed to more, it was game on. She ripped open his belt. Their fingers tangled on his button-fly. He twisted and turned to kick off his boots and jeans, leaving him in red boxer briefs.

“We match,” she said.

He dropped his drawers. “I knew it from the moment we saw each other.” He rolled a condom from tip to root of his straining cock. A cock so thick she didn’t know if he might hurt her.

But when he spun her to lie on the futon and settled between her spread thighs, she forgot about any fears. Their kisses were long and deep, their movements wild. When he looked into her eyes and filled her with his fat tip, they both stopped, sharing a shiver.

“You’re. Tight,” he bit off, jerking his hips, stretching her inch by inch. She closed her eyes and let her body take over. So tense around him, milking him with each pulsation of her inner walls.

When he was fully seated inside her, they stared into each other’s eyes again. This time it felt different—so intimate and perfect.

“I’ve waited too long for this.”

“You hardly know me,” she panted.

“Still too long. Relax for me, Princess. Let me in deeper.” His brown hair fell into one blazing eye. The hardness of his jaw and the set of his mouth told her how much control he was spending in this minute.

Cupping his face, she drew him down for another kiss. As their tongues twisted together, she relaxed into his hold.

And he slid another inch deeper. Bottoming out in her. She cried out.

He growled.

Rotating her hips, she wiggled closer. He pulled out and eased back in with painstaking slowness.

“Thought you couldn’t go slow.”

His eyes rolled back in his head. “Keep squeezing me that way and I’ll be done before I’ve started.”

She wrapped her thighs around his hips and claimed his mouth again as he began to move. His pace too slow for her liking, so she bucked upward to take what she wanted. The action proved too much for him.

He slammed into her again and again, perspiration dampening his hair where it lay over his forehead. His eyes searing. Muscles straining. She cried out as his cock slid through her walls, bumping the perfect spot. When she felt her orgasm rush upward, she clung to him.

“Kiss me. I’m there.”

“Joy,” he said roughly. They tensed together. The thrum of her release washed over her as he stiffened and roared his own.

In the back of her mind, she registered how different this moment was. How nobody had ever looked her in the eyes when he’d lost control for her. And that might be because Ryder was the only man who ever had.

* * * * *

Hell, he was a goner. His heart had stopped.

No, he could hear it pounding in his temples.

Must have been his brain that had flat-lined. He couldn’t remember his own name.

But he recalled hers. Joy—the three little letters meant so much. She was such a big presence. Though not flamboyant, she caught everybody’s attention. And she’d definitely overwhelmed him. He’d barely thought of anything but her since they’d met.

She lay still, eyes closed. Her pulse hammered in her throat, and he knew he hadn’t killed her.

A chuckle burst from him, and she cracked an eye. “You’re laughing at me?”

“That sound, Princess, is pure relief that we don’t have a camera guy in here with us.”

“Or my father.” At that, she giggled. The sound was like champagne, fizzing over inside him. He captured her lips and gave her a sound kissing.

“Good thing you have a trailer to hide in,” she said.

“This isn’t my trailer. It’s Ridge’s. He bought it last season after two of his motel rooms had bedbugs.” And for more privacy. He loved the cameras just as much, and he’d had someone special a few months back.

She gave a shudder, and he set about kissing away the goose bumps that had risen on her throat and breasts. When he lapped her nipple, it hardened instantly.

“This isn’t over,” he said.

“I thought you said a one-night stand. You got it.”

He leaned on his elbows to stare down at her. “It’s not night.”

“So you’ll be satisfied by tomorrow.”

He bit off a growl of irritation, but her soft touch on his chest made him forget why he didn’t like what she said.

“If my dad catches us together, he’ll end your career.”

Now that got his attention. He sat up and pulled her with him. “What the hell? You’re serious?”

She bit into her lower lip, making the flesh plump out in such an inviting way that he was hard all over again. “I’m sorry to say, yes. He hates the thought of me with a cowboy let alone a rodeo man.”

Ryder pushed out a harsh breath. Then he scuffed his hand over his jaw. She followed the action, looking way more absorbed than a woman just looking for a one-time deal.

Reaching for her, he pulled her into his lap. She curled against him, and his heart flexed so hard that he knew he wanted more than one night.

“What’s he got against a rodeo man?”

“He’s seen a few in his time. Knows how they’re all players.”

“Not all. Was he a player?”

She lifted a shoulder in a shrug, making him feel as if he was holding a fragile bird. “I was a child. I hardly knew what was going on in his adult life. Besides, my mom was gone.”

“I’m sorry.” He’d read articles about Thunder’s hardship—his wife taking off and leaving him to raise their daughter. Actually, she’d run off with—

A rodeo man.

No wonder he had a chip on his shoulder against them. Ryder would just need to prove him wrong.

Compared to the reality show filming, Joy’s father was a small mountain to scale. Ryder refused to put her into the camera lens. She deserved better than this mess he was in.

He rested his nose on the fragrant part of dark hair and inhaled. “If your old man tries to stop me from seeing you, I’ll have to take him out.”

She laughed. The sound high and clear and true. Damn, she was such a breath of fresh air in his smoggy world. For a year he’d fought with lawyers over the will his father hadn’t changed before dying, and then being bombarded with a fame he didn’t welcome.

“He’s got a bum shoulder. If you’re going to take him down, go for the shoulder.” Her tone teased.

He caught her smile and it spread through his whole system. “It’s good to know a man’s weaknesses.”

“What’s yours?”

He thumbed her cheeks and gazed into her gray eyes. “You.”

A pretty flush coated her face, spreading over her breasts. He made a sound she recognized as wanting.

“We’re going to be missed. We’d better get back to our lives.” She stood, and he watched with fascination as she dressed.

Finally, he got up and dealt with his condom and dressed too. When she turned to him with bright eyes, he grabbed her and held her. Nose buried in her hair, he said, “This isn’t finished.”

She withdrew from his embrace and let herself out of the trailer. As soon as she stepped out, a camera loomed up at her side.

With a roar of fury, Ryder leaped out and wrested the camera from the guy. He’d seen the crew work with their equipment long enough that he knew the basics. He flipped open a little door and ripped the SD card free.

“You can’t do that. It has Ridge’s ride—” the guy started.

Too late. The card was in the dust crushed beneath Ryder’s boot heel.

Chapter Four

“What were you thinking? You just jeopardized your contract, right along with Wynonna. No interference.” Lane opened his eyes wide to impress his words upon Ryder.

Raising his shot glass to his lips, Ryder drank off the whiskey. It barely burned on the way down—it was his fourth shot, after all.

An angry cameraman had gone to his production manager—who was an emotional wreck after being dumped by Wynonna. Who knew what would come out of the meeting. Nothing good.

“Another,” Ryder said to the bartender, lifting his glass.

“Make that six.” Buck’s deep voice sounded from his side.

When six glasses were set up before all the siblings lined up at the bar, they looked at each other and raised their glasses.

“For you, Dad,” they said down the line and swallowed the liquid.

The acrid edge of the alcohol took Ryder’s aggravation away—but it also drowned out the flavors of Joy that still lived on his tongue. That was his only regret.

After she’d walked away from the trailer and the crushed SD card debacle, she hadn’t spoken to him. He’d supported his family members in their events. Then he’d taken his own bull and given the ride his all.

Knowing Thunder was there to watch nudged him toward a bigger greatness than he felt he’d achieved yet. He wanted to prove to the man that he was worth it—but his determination wasn’t about bull riding.

He wanted him to see he was worthy of his daughter, dammit.

This was craziness. A few weeks ago he’d been evading anything remotely resembling commitment. Now…

When he ordered another shot, Lane shook his head at the bartender and she brought him a beer instead. “Can’t even get ripping drunk with you monitoring me, Lane.”

They moved off toward a table at the back that would hold all of them. Once they were settled, they stared at each other, nothing to say.

After a long moment and half his beer, Ryder lowered his bottle and said, “At least there isn’t a Calhoun kid on the way.”

“What the hell?” Buck said.

“Was there a chance you were unsure?” Wynonna leaned her elbows on the table, her hands upraised in exasperation.

He set the bottle on the table. “A bunny called me her baby daddy, but she had the time frame all wrong.”

“Jesus, Ryder. We can’t let you off the ranch.” West shook his head.

Some of the whiskey was taking effect and he was much mellower than he had been a few minutes ago. Which was good—he needed it to deal with his family.

“I don’t think we need to worry about Ryder’s bastard children as much as we should about our contracts for the show.” Buck’s ominous tone silenced them all.

Dipping his head into his hands, Ryder tried to give a damn that he might get kicked off Rope ‘n Ride. But he couldn’t feel further from that. “I lost my cool.”

“You think?” West dropped his sarcasm into the mix.

“You’d do the same if someone you cared about might face a scandal because she was filmed in a place she shouldn’t have been with a man she shouldn’t have been with.” His voice cracked.

They all looked at him. “What the hell are you talking about, Ryder? Or is it the whiskey talking?”

“No, it’s me.” He met each solemn gaze. “I was with Joy Humphries—”

“Jesus.” West smacked a palm on the table.

“You know how to choose the most untouchable woman, don’t ya?” Ridge asked.

Ignoring the outbursts, Ryder raised his hands for silence. “I’m only telling y’all because if anything comes of this…moment of anger I had, then you’d find out anyway. I don’t keep shit from you.”

“Except secret babies.”

He stabbed a finger at Wynonna’s nose. “The kid is not mine!”

“All right, let’s calm this down. Wynonna, you aren’t in any position to talk.”

She clamped her lips so tightly shut her face looked like it might turn inside out. Her auburn hair was loose and curly, looking like something boiling over. Her eyes echoed this.

Buck placed his hands on the table. “We’re all edgy with these people around us all the time.”

“Can’t get away from them,” Ryder spat. Can’t even steal a kiss without them—and America—knowing it.

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing if they lost their contracts. He could do without the money. Peace of mind was far more important.

Buck cleared his throat. “I know. I’m trying to be a good husband to Channing and a supportive partner to Asher with cameras down my throat too. I can barely walk because I’m pretty certain one’s wedged between my ass cheeks.” Buck’s words had the effect he’d been shooting for.

They all laughed, tension trickling out like a poison and leaving them all feeling better.

“Look,” Buck continued, “we just need to keep our heads on straight. Everything we do is no longer private, and that includes our relations.” He looked pointedly at their sister.

She kept her gaze downcast. “It was a big mistake.”

“You’re young,” Lane said as if to soothe her, but a heartbeat didn’t pass before Ryder knew he’d said the wrong thing. Their sister saw it as a red flag and charged head-first.

“I’m two years younger than you, Lane. Age has nothing to do with it!”

“Shhh.” Ryder tipped his head toward a group at a nearby table who were obviously eavesdropping.

Wynonna shut her mouth with a snap, and Lane returned to nursing his beer. Buck spoke low, “It’s easy to lose our control, but we have to be more careful going forward. We can’t lose these contracts. Not right now.” Something in his tone gave Ryder a bad feeling.

“What aren’t you telling us?”

Buck pushed away from the table and stood. “I’ve got a baby on the way and my wife and I don’t have health insurance because nobody will insure a rodeo guy. I need this cash.”

Ryder studied his brother. He knew Buck better than anybody. As kids, they were inseparable. And there was more to his story than he was sharing. Ryder didn’t press, though.

“As soon as I’m soberer, I’ll apologize for the camera incident,” he said.

Buck latched onto Ryder’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’m going back to my room. All of ya, keep your noses clean, okay?”

As soon as he was gone, West released a low whistle. “Instead of what would Jesus do, we’ve got what would Buck do?”

A moment’s silence and then they all burst out laughing. Ridge ordered another round of beers, and they sat drinking long into the night. When Ryder walked his sister back to her hotel room, he hugged her and told her everything would be all right.

But in the morning, it most definitely wasn’t.

Chapter Five

A banging on her door woke Joy from a sound sleep—and a scorching dream involving Ryder’s lips on her body. She bolted upright, looking around, dazed and wondering where the hell the sound was coming from.

“Joy! Open up!”

She narrowed her eyes at the door. “Daddy?”

No, it wasn’t his voice. It was…

Ryder’s.

She leaped out of bed and tripped over her boots she’d cast off last night. She nearly brained herself on the corner of the cheap hotel dresser but somehow caught herself.

“Joy!” More thunderous banging. What time was it?

She made it to the door and attempted to look out the peephole but her sleep-filled eyes weren’t working properly. Giving up, she opened it to see a very angry Ryder standing in front of her.

His eyes looked like two red holes burned into a blanket. Beyond bloodshot into painful-to-look-at. She opened the door the rest of the way.

His gaze dropped to her breasts, free beneath her camisole. Suddenly her panties felt too small.

Stepping around the side of the door to shield herself, she said, “What are you doing here?”

He didn’t respond at once. Then he pushed past her into her room, his phone in his hand. “Do you know anything about that news clip this morning?”

“What?” She shook herself. He was in her room, too close and looking luscious after her sexy dream. Her panties were already damp with want for him.

Again, he raked his gaze over her state of undress. “God help me,” he muttered, scrubbing his hand over his face. “Get dressed. I can’t talk to you looking like that.”

She reached for the nearest discarded clothing, which was a cardigan sweater. She pulled it on and wrapped it across her front. It didn’t cloak her bare legs from his gaze, and he latched onto them for a long heartbeat before thrusting out his phone.

“What am I looking at?”

He tapped a few screens and a video appeared. One of the sports reporters for ESPN that spent a lot of time covering the rodeo scores—as well as the Calhouns.

“A scandal has broken out with reports of barrel racing extraordinaire Wynonna Calhoun having an affair with reality show production manager Ethan Bellasi. Bellasi has been working with the Calhoun family since last summer when the show Rope ‘n Ride began filming. Apparently during this time, Wynonna has gotten close to the manager. Now the couple is reported to have split. Will this cause trouble for the Calhouns? Will their show be cancelled? Whatever takes place, you know it will be something to tune in for.”

“Ethan,” she whispered. “Damn, she was sleeping with the manager?”

Ryder’s jaw set and his brows drew down, punctuating his anger. He looked good enough to eat up, and she wanted to tumble him back into her messy bed and have her way with him.

“I didn’t believe it when Wynonna said you’re the one who told the media about her and the manager. Fuck, Joy! I can’t believe it.”

She blinked, all her lust burning off, leaving her cold and empty in front of a man who was pissed off—at her.

“You don’t think I did this, do you?”

“Yeah, I do. Not many knew about it.”

“Why would I tell? I didn’t even know he was the manager. Wynonna only told me about some guy named Ethan she wished she hadn’t gotten tangled up with. I’m beginning to feel the same.”

“Dammit, I’m nothing like Bellasi. For one, I’m not ten years older than you.”

“No, but you’re stupider. Thinking I’m the source in this scandal?” She wagged her head, a hand set on her hip.

“I must be stupid because I want to turn you over my knee and spank you—and then plunge my fingers into your wet pussy and make you scream my name,” he shot back.

Heart lurching, she stared at him, trying to keep up with his sudden change. “What?”

He took a step forward. “You heard me. If you don’t confess, I’m going to actually do it.”

“And if I don’t? I’m not guilty, you know.” She stepped back.

He kept coming, his broad chest filling her vision. “Then I’ll still spank you and make you scream in pleasure.”

A rough breath left her, and she found herself up against something soft. The mattress.

In a blink, Ryder was on her. Sailing into the covers with her, his mouth on hers and his denim-clad thigh shoved right against her pussy. She couldn’t stop herself from wiggling against it, grinding and taking what she’d been aching for even in her dreams.

He wore a leather vest, and the scent dizzied her senses. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back with everything she had inside her.

“Jesus, you’re soaking wet, Princess.”

“I was dreaming,” she murmured between heated kisses.

He fell still. “About who?”

She searched his gaze, saying nothing.

“Me?” he rasped.

She nodded.

A growl escaped him, and he was on her again, tongue delving into her mouth, his thumb on her nipple, nudging it back and forth until it couldn’t get any harder.

Need rocked her. She ripped his vest off his shoulders. He braced himself on one arm and then the other to let her peel it off him. The shirt beneath had far too many buttons, and she bit his lower lip in frustration.

He rolled with her, dragging her on top of him to straddle his fine hips and bulging jeans. “How did this happen?” she panted. “You come here to yell at me and accuse me of outing Wynonna and now I’m on top of you?”

His gaze scorched her. Easing his hand between their bodies, he stroked her swollen clit with his thumb. Through her panties, it was the most insane sensation she’d ever known. She didn’t want to admit it, but her head might have fallen back and his name might have been on her lips, just as he’d suggested would happen a few minutes before.

As he pressed her clit into her body, he hooked his hand around her nape and drew her down for a kiss. Without opening her eyes, she gave in to him. What was the matter with her? She was still sleep-drunk from that dream. Or she’d been bewitched by the gorgeous bull rider.

Or I just want him more than I’ve ever wanted anything.

A shudder ran through her as he worked her nub. Her panties were drenched, but she was far from caring. The pad of his thumb against her bundle of nerves was too good. Memories of his expert tongue doing the same thing the previous day made her insides clench.

“So responsive. I want you, Princess.” He eased inside the leg of her panties. She cried out when his warm hand met her needy flesh. Without hesitation, he thrust two fingers deep into her channel while circling her clit with his thumb.

Shaking, she held onto him for dear life. “Ryderrrrr.”

“Come for me, Princess. Say my name again.”

She couldn’t breathe let alone formulate syllables. She writhed against his hand as the knot in her core stretched tight—and snapped.

Contractions struck, stealing her mind. She was wild in his arms as he stroked the release from her with nothing but his fingers and soft, urging words. These fireworks were better than any she’d seen at the end of a rodeo.

Collapsing atop him, she became aware of his lips moving over her hair and his hand on her ass.

“I didn’t…tell anybody about Wynonna. How could I…when I didn’t know what was even going on?” She panted for air between her words.

“I believe you,” he said at once.

She pushed back to look at him, and saw something hot and intense in his eyes, like he’d been plugged into an outlet. Lit up from the inside.

“Do you?” she asked.

“I don’t think you’re able to lie to me.”

“How do you know?”

“Your reactions to me are so pure.”

Heat climbed her neck and face. He gave her an adorable crooked smile and kissed her lightly on the forehead. She snuggled against him, ignoring her own mind’s protests about him being all wrong for her.

Because deep down, she was seriously thinking about more with Ryder.

“I’m sorry Wynonna’s going through this. Will it be okay?” She inhaled his scent, aware of the bulge still against her. Why hadn’t he gone on with the lovemaking?

He bundled her hair off her face and nibbled her ear. “We’ll stand strong together. But I’ve gotta go. There’s a meeting with the press and I can’t be late.”

She levered away from him to look into his eyes. “You’re…leaving? Like this?” She pushed against his erection, and his eyelids closed.

He reopened his eyes. “I’ve got what I need for now.” He brought his fingers to his nose and breathed deeply before sucking them into his mouth.

She blushed hotter, and he chuckled, easing her off him and into the twisted sheets.

She lay staring up at him as he put on his shirt and vest again. Feeling frustrated. Wanting him and hating herself for it. She wasn’t the type to chase a man or beg for his attention.

He stopped to lean over her, his hat shading his eyes but his warm, minty breath washed across her face. “We’re having a family baseball game before the rodeo gets rolling this afternoon. You know the dirt patch just outside the south end of the grounds?”

She nodded.

“Meet me there.” He planted a hard kiss on her lips, almost branding her. Then he straightened and brushed his fingers under his nose again. “Don’t leave me hanging.”

With that, he went out of the room, leaving her to wonder what the hell had just happened. Had it all been a dream? No, the little aftershocks in her body were testimony that he’d actually been here in this room with her.

She flipped onto her side, thinking of him and his family members believing she’d been the one to cause the news report. If Wynonna had been caught up with this production manager, chances were she hadn’t been totally cautious about hiding it. Love did that.

Not that Joy would know—she’d never been in love.

But she was so entangled with Ryder that if he grabbed her right off the fairgrounds and kissed her senseless, she wouldn’t give a damn who was watching, including her father.

Throwing a glance at the clock, she calculated how much time she had to get showered and head down to meet her father and the two cowboys riding bulls under his tutelage today. Would she have enough time to meet Ryder? Did she dare stand him up?

He was bold enough to come after what he wanted—and that turned her on like nobody’s business. But if his family believed she’d played a role in hurting Wynonna, how welcome would she be?

* * * * *

Ryder led off with his boot off the makeshift home plate, which happened to be an old pizza box dropped into the dirt. Lane was pitching and Ridge was at the ready, shifting from side to side, prepared to catch the ball and get Ryder out on first.

They sometimes had games like these—it took their minds off scoreboards and anything with four hooves. After the story had come out that morning, they all needed it.

Three-on-three with film crews all over the playing field. A crowd was slowly gathering on the sidelines, but Joy wasn’t here. If she stood him up, he wasn’t going to forget his promise to spank her ass.

The thought of her sweet behind under his palm made his balls clench. He tamped down on his desires—he couldn’t run to second base with a stiff rod in his Wranglers.

Thinking of bases sent his mind whirring, though.

She’d been so out of control this morning, wriggling and writhing against his fingers to take what she most needed. He could still hear her little squeaks and her scents still lingered on his fingers.

“Ghost runner stole home!” Ridge called.

Buck straightened. “What? There aren’t any ghost runners on base.” If they didn’t have enough players to bat and run, they often put “ghosts” on base. “You’re always making up ghosts, Ridge.”

“No ghost runner!” Lane was on Buck’s side—always.

“I swear I just saw him streak in and slide.” Everyone laughed at Ridge’s craziness, including the production crew and the first few rows of pretty girls watching from the side.

“Just get back to the game,” Lane said. Buck pitched, West swung, and before the ball cracked the old Louisville Slugger they hauled in the back of the truck, serving double duty as a weapon if they were ever set upon, Ryder took off.

He barely rounded second, making toward third, when he caught a flash of dark hair from the corner of his eye. He scrambled for purchase, his boots slippery in the fine dust. Damn this Cheyenne dirt. Of course, it had nothing to do with Joy looking on.

“Stop Jell-O-necking and move your ass, Ryder!” West hollered.

Ryder’s ball was still rolling too far out for anybody to streak after it that fast. Wynonna tried her best, though, long legs pumping and hair flying. Several cameras followed her progress.

Ryder hit third, and a whoop went up. He turned and flashed West a grin before facing Joy.

She stood on the sidelines, separate from the crowd. Though she was quite friendly, he saw her as a private person who walked her own path. Right now he wanted her to walk straight to him.

“Joy’s on my team,” he called. “We don’t need a ghost batter.”

They all froze. Wynonna had jogged back in time to hear this, and her eyes shot flames. Good thing there wasn’t any dry brush around or they’d have to call in the smoke jumpers.

“Why’d you invite her?” Wynonna asked.

Joy didn’t move, just folded her arms. But he could tell by her expression that she was wondering the same thing. Hell, he’d hardly been thinking about the predicament of earlier that day—he just wanted her with him.

He glared at his sister. “You don’t really want to air this right here and now, do you?” He swept his hand out to the onlookers.

Wynonna hustled to third base. She was nearly as tall as he was, with a hotter temper and unlike him, almost never played by the rules. If they solved this issue right here on the field with thirty of their biggest fans as witnesses, she wouldn’t care.

“You know it was her,” Wynonna said.

“How could it be? She didn’t even know what was going on. All you did was tell her the guy’s name.”

“She must have Googled it and put two and two together.”

On the side, Joy jerked forward as if to come out and resolve this herself but Ryder’s instinct to protect her rose up. Wynonna was a force to be reckoned with when upset—like a fire tornado, singeing and destroying everything in her path. Not that he didn’t believe Joy had a will of steel, but he didn’t want things to start this way.

He wanted his family to like Joy as much as he did.

Placing his hand on his sister’s arm, he ducked his mouth toward her ear. “She had nothing to do with it. If you weren’t careful about being seen or overheard—”

“We were very careful,” she said in a low, intense way.

“So deny it all. Nobody has any proof.”

She turned her head aside, and all the skin on his neck prickled. He tightened his grip on her arm, and she wrenched it from him.

“Nobody has any proof, right?” His mind galloped ahead, imagining sex tapes and incriminating Instagram pictures.

Wynonna met his gaze. Her eyes welled with tears, and this time his protective instinct kicked in full-blast.

“Oh fuck.” He took her in his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder, trembling with suppressed tears.

“What the hell’s going on? We playing ball or what?” West heckled.

“You just wanna score. Your team never wins,” Lane said.

“That’s because Ryder’s always out on third base hugging some woman. This time it just happens to be our sister,” Ridge drawled.

Ryder released Wynonna and twisted in time to see Joy’s back. Ramrod straight, her long ponytail swaying as if hardwired to her brain and running on volts of anger.

“Why would you say that?” Ryder took off after her. He didn’t give two fucks about the game or who saw him go after Joy. This could be his last chance with her. He wasn’t letting anybody screw it up.

“Joy!” he called.

She continued to speed-walk away from him, but his legs were longer. Throwing a desperate glance over her shoulder, she attempted one last sprint. He caught her around the middle and hauled her off her feet, dragging her between two parked trucks. One belonged to his biggest competitor.

“Let me go,” she huffed, kicking at him.

He planted her boots in the dirt and turned her firmly to face him, keeping hold of her. “What Ridge said back there—it isn’t true.”

Her gray eyes sparked with anger and something much deeper—hurt. But they also did something to him. “Do you know when you look at me that way it’s like you’re seeing all the empty spaces inside of me?”

She blinked up at him, her ripe red lips falling open.

“Dammit, Joy. I like you. Probably more than like. Don’t listen to a word my family says.”

She looked past him, and he twisted, expecting a camera. He wasn’t wrong.

“Shit fucking goddamn hell,” he muttered. It was the same guy who Ryder had attacked the previous day. He couldn’t do it again or he’d be off the show for sure. And he didn’t want to display that kind of behavior to the woman he wished to keep in his life.

Drawing a deep breath, he entangled his fingers with Joy’s and turned to face the camera guy.

“Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. I was out of line.”

The young guy nodded and smiled, obviously not holding a grudge. No doubt he thought this was a fun gig—filming a pissed-off cowboy who happened to ride bulls to supplement his income.

“It’s fine, dude.” He held out his hand, and Ryder gave it a hard shake. With all smoothed between them, the camera guy said, “There was word that the first event is starting early. Something to do with a time slot screw-up. Calhoun circle is in five minutes.”

“Crap. Thanks for letting me know.”

As if understanding he shouldn’t press his luck and stick around to film more interaction between him and Joy, the guy walked away. At least she hadn’t signed a consent to film form. Any footage couldn’t air. But anything recorded could wreak hell on them later. He prayed Wynonna wouldn’t be caught in something terrible, but her tears spoke volumes.

Ryder squeezed Joy’s fingers and looked into her eyes. He hadn’t been lying earlier—she could see into him more deeply than anybody in his life.

“Come to the circle with me.”

She shook her head and withdrew her hand, leaving him feeling cold and empty. “Coming to the ball game was a big enough mistake. I won’t interrupt the circle.”

“Please.” His voice was rough. He snatched her hand back into his. “I want you there, Joy.”

“Why?”

He skimmed his finger over her cheek, and she nuzzled his hand like a lost kitten. Did she even realize what a dead giveaway her body’s reactions were? “I want you there,” he repeated.

When she moved enough to skim his finger with her lips, he couldn’t take it another minute. He yanked her against him and kissed her.

* * * * *

For three solid minutes Ryder explored her mouth. She went on tiptoe and her arms had a mind of their own as they spun around his neck. She didn’t know what to believe when it came to rumors of Ryder’s womanizing, but right now she wasn’t denying herself the pleasure of kissing him.

Especially when her own flavors lingered on his lips. A shudder gripped her, and he held her tighter, hitching her against his erection.

“If I had two extra minutes, I’d have you right here against the side of Yank’s truck.”

“Yankee Carter wouldn’t be too happy to hear you took me against his truck. He’s been trying to get me into his bed for two years.”

Ryder stared down at her for a long heartbeat, the passion cooling in his eyes and hardening to jealousy. “He can’t have you. Shit, we’ve gotta go. How fast can you walk?”

“As fast as you.” He was already taking off, and she kept pace, though she had to jog a little.

He shot her a playful glance. “I was hoping you’d say you couldn’t keep up, because I was gonna throw you over my shoulder and carry you.”

She almost moaned at the thought. What spell did he have on her? She never lost her head over a man. Reason always prevailed. But with Ryder, she threw caution to the wind and watched it scatter like dandelion fluff.

In two minutes of flat-out run-walking, they made it to the stables. The Calhouns were all gathered already, and Ryder let go of her hand and jumped into the ring. They bowed their heads.

Joy watched Channing, Buck’s wife, do the same and ached to be standing in the circle. Buck’s partner was there too, along with his little girls. One hurled herself at Ryder’s thigh and hugged it tight. Then she slid down to sit on his boot.

Buck said a small prayer, and they all repeated the words, “For you, Dad.”

When Ryder looked up at Joy, she hoped he didn’t see the tears in her eyes. His expression changed in a blink—going from intense to happiness. He swung his leg upward, launching the little girl seated on his boot. She clung for dear life, and he did it three more times before ending the “ride.” Her sister was next.

Joy could barely look away from the moment, but she felt a stare on her. Wynonna.

Drawing a deep breath, she walked up to the woman. “I’m not responsible for that news feature. I’m sorry you’re being hurt by it.”

Wynonna gazed at her for a minute. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to be watched at all times?”

She’d gotten the impression that Wynonna loved the spotlight, but maybe she’d figured wrong. She opened her mouth to say no and stopped. Nodding, she said, “My father is very protective of who I’m hanging around with. He doesn’t like cowboys or want me with one.”

Wynonna arched a long, auburn eyebrow. “Doesn’t he know about you and Ryder?”

Pushing out a breath, Joy answered, “Not yet. He’s bound to find out if I don’t break things off.”

“But you like my brother.”

She shot a wild look past Wynonna at Ryder. He seemed to be engaged in a discussion with West. Was she imagining that his ear was cocked just right to catch her answer?

“I’m taking a risk by being here, aren’t I?”

Wynonna smiled, and Joy felt as if a weight had been eased off her shoulders.

“Does this mean you believe I didn’t have anything to do with your news story?” Joy asked.

As if uncommitted to a decision, Wynonna shrugged. “Don’t know what to believe. But I do know I’ve never seen Ryder this happy, and I don’t think it has anything to do with Cheyenne.”

* * * * *

The walls of the chute didn’t just rattle when the bull Ryder had drawn brushed against them. No, the steel practically splintered as it violently tried to unseat Ryder from its back before the horn blast.

Joy wrapped her arms around herself and watched from her father’s VIP seats. The Calhouns were a few seats away, leaning over the rail, hooting and hollering to cheer Ryder on. Even the little dark-haired girls were hooked around their middles and allowed to lean as far out as possible, small hands stretching.

“He’s got one hell of a prime bull. That thing should be in the PBR.” Her father’s low drawl filled her ear. Admiration sounded in his tone—she knew he’d been heavily pursuing Ryder as his next prodigy. He had high hopes for Cody and Tucker, but he was far from awestruck as he was with Ryder.

She fixed her stare on Ryder’s back. The number twenty-seven swam in her vision, and she realized she’d quit breathing.

Dragging in a deep breath, she waited what felt like a full minute but in reality was a second or two. The horn sounded. The chute opened.

And Ryder lurched forward on the back of the meanest bull she’d seen in a long time.

She couldn’t stop the cry from escaping her. She hung over the rail like the Franklin girls.

The animal whipped right and then left. Ryder was far from a helpless rag doll, though. God, he was sheer beauty up there, and her body loved it. Her nipples hardened and the ache between her thighs that hadn’t vanished since early this morning when she’d come all over his fingers came to life again.

“Ryder! Ryder!” The crowd had given up on using the name Calhoun, because there were too many of them. The whole world was in love with the family.

And Joy was more than a little smitten.

She cupped her hands over her mouth as Ryder was pitched forward. His head dipped too far but he righted himself. Probably using those amazing steel abs of his.

“Damn fine,” her father was saying.

Ryder compensated for the bull’s three-sixty spin and simultaneous wild buck. The eight-second buzzer sounded, and he tossed his hat off his head before his boots had even hit the ground.

“Fantastic. That’s gotta be a ninety-two on the scoreboard,” her father said.

The Calhouns were going wild. One of the little girls nearly escaped her father’s grip and toppled headfirst into the arena, but he hauled her back up by the waist of her pants.

Joy glanced up to see Ryder coming right for her. Her heart skidded out of control. What was he going to do? She wanted to back away but the seat hit the backs of her knees and there was no place to run, hemmed in by her father’s big body and another on her right.

Ryder’s gaze struck her and seemed to peel the clothes right off her body. If they were alone, it would have. She’d be standing here naked as a jaybird and burning for him.

She swallowed a huge lump in her throat as he veered to the side and high-fived each of his family members and the posse that was part of the Calhoun crew. Cameras got in his face but he grinned and let them record the moment.

The whole crowd seemed to fall silent, waiting for the score.

Joy didn’t know where to look—at Ryder’s handsome face or the digital numbers. She swung her gaze away from the board to see Ryder wasn’t even looking at his score. He was looking at her.

Her heart gave a violent somersault as the crowd erupted.

They tore their gazes from each other to look up at the two little numbers that would easily keep Ryder Calhoun in the top runnings of the PBR—ninety-two point five.

“Boy’s just earned himself a damn good paycheck.” Her father applauded for Ryder as if Cody and Tucker didn’t matter at all. But he excused himself to move past Joy and head down to the chutes because Cody was riding sixth.

As soon as her father’s black hat had disappeared, Ryder gave her a look. A long, smoldering demand for her attention that she couldn’t deny.

She hurried from the stands and made her way down. The minute she spotted Ryder, she was also in his arms. He yanked her flush against him, gazed into her eyes and kissed her.

Every ounce of resistance she might have still possessed faded like shadows did at dawn. And she put her arms around him and kissed him back with all the fervor in the world.

He worked his warm hand up under her hair to cradle her skull, making her feel delicate and precious and loved.

Loved? No. Lust for sure.

She pulled free and they stared at each other, chests rising and falling as if they’d sprinted a mile in the time it had taken to kiss.

“Good ride, cowboy.”

Amusement tipped the corner of his lips but he narrowed his snapping eyes. “Just good?”

“Yeah, because I’ve seen what else you can do.”

His grin widened as he hovered over her, his lips a scant inch from hers. “And what kind of score do I get for that performance?”

“I’ll need another round out of you before I can decide, but I’ll give you twenty points just for those fine chaps,” she teased, running a forefinger over his shirt buttons all the way to his waistband. The belt holding up his signature chaps emphasized his state of need.

His abs flexed under her touch and he released a throaty noise that puckered her nipples harder than ever. “You’ll get it, Princess.”

Reality jolted her. “Cody’s up soon. I can’t miss it.”

“Gonzales?” He straightened away from her.

“Yes, if I miss it, my father will know I’ve been…distracted.”

Ryder made another noise that sounded like a grunt. She clasped the sides of his leather vest and yanked him against her at the same moment she went on tiptoe. Brushing her lips over his wasn’t enough—not by a longshot.

She left him standing there and hurried to watch Cody’s ride. Her father’s shoulders were tense. “What are you doing down here?” he asked her without glancing away from his rider in the chute.

“Cheering.”

“You’ve never come down here before.” His accusatory tone reminded her of every time he’d ever told her to stay away from rodeo men. She shot a glance at Cody. Did he think she had a thing for the bull rider? Daddy was shooting for a target, all right, but his aim was off.

She wanted to look around for Ryder. Her skin still tingled from the rough scratch of his five o’clock shadow. But she didn’t dare miss the chute opening because her father would ask her opinion about Cody’s shoulder set, his grip, the position of his legs. How a man left the chute often dictated his entire ride.

Cody had it all, though. He moved with every whip and turn just as he’d been shown for weeks on their ranch. But he was no Ryder Calhoun. Everything about Ryder—from his vintage chaps to the crown of his Stetson screamed champion.

From behind her, she heard a deep throat-clearing noise that raised the hairs on her spine. Was he standing right there? She issued a shaky breath just as Cody completed his eight seconds.

That’s not a ride that will beat Ryder’s. Was it terrible that she hoped it didn’t? Ryder’s run would forever be emblazoned on her mind. Long after they stopped this insane thing they were doing, she’d draw on that memory and recall his strength and skill in everything he did.

She remembered to open her mouth and cheer and clap for Cody as he came off his bull. He did a victory dance that entertained the crowd before falling to one knee in a prayer of thanks.

She knew from the Rope ‘n Ride show that the Calhouns all did this in private—together—after the closing events.

She glanced to the side to see them all clustered around Ryder. With only the tip of his hat visible, she had no idea what was going on—until the bodies of two cameramen parted and she was given a look at his straining shoulders and stiff spine.

Oh no. Now what?

His rumbling tone reached her even over the din of cheers for Cody. Then Wynonna and Lane turned and looked straight at her.

Heart dropping, she nearly swallowed her tongue. What was going on?

Before she could think, Cody was standing before her. Without asking first, he took her in his arms and yanked her off her feet. The toes of her boots dangled, and it felt as if every eye in the place was on her.

Please don’t let that be on the rodeo highlights later.

When she pushed away from him and he set her back on her feet, her face burned. Daddy was staring at her, and as soon as they were alone he’d blister her ears for something that was only going on in Cody’s mind.

Then she looked over to see Ryder swiping the camera down and away from him just as he shot off toward the exit.

More than a few Calhouns were looking at her. Great, now they think even worse of me.

This whole attraction between her and Ryder had to end. She wasn’t strong enough to withstand the Calhouns’ ire, let alone her father’s. She hated drama—did everything in her power to avoid it.

Their non-relationship was like Romeo and Juliet’s, a twisted mess of family intrigue, and going against their wishes wasn’t worth it. Or was it? Being with Ryder was…

Well it felt like standing on a cliff edge, scary and exhilarating at the same time. While she was on the ledge, she never wanted it to end. And like an adrenaline junkie, she would risk almost anything to get back to that spot.

She met Wynonna’s gaze and saw the disgusted curl of her lip before the woman turned away and disappeared with her family. Leaving Joy looking between a beaming Cody Gonzales and her father, who’d gotten his name for more than his bull rides. She wasn’t about to just experience the thunder and lightning but a whole super-storm.

* * * * *

“What the hell’s going on with that woman?” Buck demanded.

When Ryder didn’t respond, he clamped his fingers on his shoulder and forced him around. Ryder had barely held it together back there when Gonzales had locked Joy to him and pulled her off her feet in a victory hug. Only his siblings had kept him corralled like a wild animal. He still felt out of his head, deranged by jealousy.

In the back of his mind, he had a good glimpse of Joy’s feelings when she’d learned about a past lover who’d tried to foist her baby on him or his brother’s teasing that he always had a girl on third base with him.

He was only going so crazy because he liked her so much. And maybe…

Maybe she feels the same.

He blinked at Buck, his mind focused for the first time in several minutes.

“Are you sleeping with Thunder Humphries’ daughter?” Buck asked.

“Do I really need to say it? You know me better than anyone.”

“Hell, Ryder. She’s so off-limits she practically has an armed guard. You’ve heard all the stories, seen the documentaries about him.”

“Yeah.” The word came out as a challenge, which was on par with how he was feeling. He wanted Joy Humphries, and he’d do almost anything to have her. “I have to find her.”

When he pushed by his brother, Buck grabbed him by the arm. They stared at each other. “Look, I can tell you have feelings for her. I’ve never seen you this way—ever. What you do is your business, except when you’re out of control and threatening the crew or doing things that will end this show for us.”

Ryder twisted his arm from Buck’s hold. “I got it.”

Buck snatched his arm back, fingers steely and bruising. “Do you? I need this money, Ryder.”

“What’s so important about money?”

“It’s what money will do for my family.” His voice broke and he let go of his arm, falling back a little. The slump of his shoulders and the look of total despair on his face stopped Ryder dead.

“What’s going on, Buck?”

“The baby…they think something’s wrong with it.”

Ryder shook his head. “But it’s early. No one can tell.”

“Channing’s far enough along that her preliminary numbers came back wrong. The baby could have a defect but we won’t know more until later.”

“Jesus.” Ryder’s throat closed.

Buck pressed his lips together, holding back a dam of emotion. First their father, then their fight for the land, and now a battle for the health of Buck’s child?

“You can have all my earnings. I only need enough to get to the next venue.”

Buck bowed his head, throat working. “Without insurance, who knows what we’re facing. But I can’t take your money, Ryder.” Finding insurance to take this on now would be difficult—if not impossible.

He hooked his brother around the shoulders. “Can and will, dammit. I won’t take no for an answer. And I swear I’ll keep my temper under control. You need this show—we all do.”

Buck met his gaze. “Don’t tell anybody about this. Especially Wynonna or Ma.”

“You got it. Just take care of that family of yours and let me know if I can bear some of the stress for you.”

“There’s actually something you can do,” Buck said.

“Anything. What is it?”

“Take Asher’s hellions off Channing’s hands for the night.”

* * * * *

“Ryder.” The shock wasn’t concealed in Joy’s tone as she came face-to-face-to-face-to-face with Ryder and two little imps hanging off him. The older Franklin girl sat atop his shoulders while the younger one hung upside down, knees hooked over his strong forearm and her long black hair nearly skimming the ground.

“Joy.”

The closing ceremonies had awarded a huge prize to Ryder, and Cody had taken second place. For an hour afterward, she’d had to listen to her father give Cody a pep talk that finally turned to the lecture she’d been expecting. Of course, she’d denied any relations with Cody, and her father had reluctantly let it go.

“This looks…fun.” She couldn’t help but smile at the upside down face and the googly eyes the little girl was making.

He swung the child down and set her on her little pink cowgirl boots. A short tutu stuck straight out from her hips and her unicorn T-shirt had a red blot down it that looked suspiciously like she’d had a cherry snow cone.

Ryder’s intense gaze was on hers. Unsmiling. Joy sobered too.

“We need to talk.”

Both girls watched them.

With a noise in the back of his throat that sounded like tearing, Ryder drew the older child off his shoulders and set her on her feet too. They leaned against Ryder’s legs.

“This is Maddie, and this is Montana.” He pointed from younger to older.

Joy smiled at them. “Nice to meet you. I’m Joy.”

“We know who you are. Uncle Ryder’s been talking about you,” Montana piped up.

Joy blinked.

“Like I said, we need to talk.” He looked around. The fairgrounds weren’t remotely empty yet. People were enjoying the carnival food and a few rides. He twitched his head toward the carousel that Joy had passed earlier, thinking the faces of the animals on the ride were something off a creepy movie.

“Do you girls want to ride the carousel?”

“Yes, yes!” Maddie jumped up and down and Montana bobbed her head so violently that her ponytail, which had slipped to the side, flicked like a horse’s tail.

Ryder’s gaze smoldered beneath the brim of his hat. “Will you come along?” he asked Joy.

Her stomach hollowed out. A stampede of bison couldn’t stand in her way. She nodded, and Ryder rounded up the girls and herded them in the direction of the carousel.

When they passed a booth with balloons and darts, Montana asked if they could play that too. He responded with a “maybe later.” With every step they took and every word he said to the girls, Joy fell more and more for Ryder. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do.

Except make her father happy. At least not as her boyfriend.

Not boyfriend—lover.

Her errant thought sent a ripple of heat through her. They reached the ride and Ryder bought not one ticket but four for each girl. He and Joy helped them choose which animal they wanted to sit on. Maddie chose a defunct-looking horse, kicking her little boots into the bloated sides, and Montana picked a cross-eyed seal balancing a ball on its nose.

As they stepped away and the goofy music began, Ryder passed a hand over his face. “God, how do parents do it?”

She gave a small laugh. “I suppose it’s easier if they belong to you.”

“Do you want kids?” He suddenly turned to her.

“Well yeah. I guess. I’m far from that point, though.” She thought of that Buckle Bunny and how she’d obviously put the cart before the horse with some cowboy. Not that there was anything wrong with it—Joy just wanted the ring and the picket fence first.

“I do. Or I did.” Redness worked upward from his throat.

She put a hand on his arm. Beneath her fingers, his muscles flexed, his flesh warm from the sun. “What’s the matter?”

“It’s Buck. Channing’s expecting, and he told me today something might be wrong with the baby. Numbers coming back wrong or something.”

She knew little of things like that but her heart went out to them. All of them. Such a problem would hurt the entire family.

“Don’t say anything to anybody.”

She drew her brows together. “Surely you don’t think I said that about Wynonna.”

“No,” he said at once. “Deep down my family doesn’t think so either.”

“What was going on earlier, after your ride? You seemed…tense.”

He threw her a look and then waved at a squealing Maddie as she circled by.

“Is there something going on between you and Gonzales?”

Ah, she’d known that moment would get under his skin. She shook her head. “No. I have no idea what possessed him to hug me after his ride. Daddy didn’t like it at all.”

Ryder’s mouth had brackets around each corner. “I didn’t either,” he said quietly.

“Ryder—”

The ride slowed. Kids got off but the girls remained on, Maddie bucking on her horse like a mad child.

He turned suddenly and trapped Joy’s hands in his. “Do you care what my family thinks about you?”

Staring into his dark eyes, she thought hard. “I do care. I like your family and respect them a lot. I don’t want them to dislike me.”

“Same goes for your father. But we can’t live for either of them. Only for ourselves. Joy, I haven’t known you long but damn, you drive me crazy. I think about you while we’re apart, and I’ve never looked forward to the next rodeo so much.”

Something sweet and small broke open inside her, flooding her with so much want that she could barely restrain herself. She inched closer, squeezing his fingers. “We have one more night here.”

He shook his head. “That’s just it—I have the girls tonight. Buck asked me to give Channing a break. And they don’t behave at all for Asher. They stay up till all hours and he’s too exhausted to give his all at the next event.”

Joy pushed out a breath. “They’ll be staying in your room?”

“Yes. I wish it were you.”

Uncaring of the camera guy that swooped in from the side and zoomed in on her, she lifted her hand to Ryder’s square jaw. The rasp of hair under her knuckles turned her inside out.

“If I come by and help out, will it torment you more?”

“Hell yes. But I want you to.” Some of the worry around his mouth and eyes trickled away, leaving a gleam in his stare. He leaned into her stroking fingers.

“Then I’ll be there. We’ll get the girls off this ride, give them a minute to stop being dizzy and then take them for dinner,” she suggested.

“Or a nice dose of Benadryl.”

She burst out laughing and waved at Montana as she went past on her seal.

“You think I’m joking.”

She pinched his jaw between her thumb and forefinger, leaning on tiptoe to brush her lips over his, uncaring who saw. When a smile formed under her mouth, Joy couldn’t stop the happiness from flooding each corner of her heart. She loved that she could do that to him.

“The worst will be keeping my hands off you,” he told her.

“They have to sleep sometime, right? Maybe we can steal a kiss or two.”

* * * * *

“Turns out Asher Franklin’s kids don’t need sleep. Ever. They’re weapons of mass destruction. If the government clones them, they could create a child army that could destroy everything in their path, living solely on Doritos.”

Joy doubled over laughing at Ryder’s words, but he wasn’t kidding. When were they going to sleep? It was past midnight. At one point Montana had nearly fallen asleep on his lap and he’d tucked her into bed, heavy with fatigue, where she’d lain for all of two minutes before bouncing up.

“What do you think about the outcome of the bull ridin’?” Yeah, he was fishing for compliments. He wanted everything he could get from her.

She smiled, her teeth flashing white in the golden tan of her face. “You did great and you know it.”

He brushed his knuckles on his shirt front. “Yeah, I did.”

“I’m glad I got to see it.”

“I’m glad you’re glad, Princess. I’ve never done so well here in Cheyenne.”

“Are you suggesting it’s due to my presence?” Her eyes danced.

But he was dead serious when he nodded. “I’m a better man all around with you here, Joy.”

Their gazes locked, and warmth wove through his system. That look she was giving him—it was all he needed for the rest of his days.

“What happens once your father has Gonzales and that Tucker kid ready for the big-time?” Ryder hardly wanted to hear it, but he had to know what to expect.

She glanced down, picking at a thread on the cheap hotel comforter. “I’ll be going on with them.”

He pushed out a breath. “Don’t you do anything for yourself?”

Her gaze flashed to his. “I’m doing it right now.”

A squeal sounded, and they both looked toward the corner of the room. Joy had both girls settled at the table with their coloring books. The pair chattered about silly things—the color of a real unicorn’s hair and who could burp louder. But when Maddie mentioned her mother, Joy’s gaze flew to his.

“Where is she?” she asked him softly.

Ryder was settled on the bed, legs crossed, leaning against the headboard with Joy stretched at the bottom, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders. He wanted to bring her up and get things started.

He maneuvered to lie at the bottom of the bed next to her. Her body heat lured him like nothing else. If the girls would at least fall asleep, he could have Joy in the bathroom with the door closed, balls-deep in her.

“She’s an addict and she took off.” Spilling all the family—and non-family—secrets only made his heart that much closer to hers. He brushed the hair off her temple. She rested her head on the crook of her arm, staring at him through half-lidded eyes. Chances were they’d both fall asleep long before the girls did. He’d dead-bolted and chained the hotel door, though. They weren’t going anywhere.

“Such a sad story. Sort of like my own, except my mother just took off with a cowboy.”

“And that’s why you aren’t supposed to be with one.”

She gave a small nod and curled closer to him. He wrapped an arm around her middle, loving the feel of her body. “I kind of made that call on my own too. Daddy wasn’t completely responsible.”

“What do you mean?” He couldn’t stop touching her. Hair, waist, running the pad of his thumb across her lower lip.

“I had a fling with a rodeo guy once. I swore them off.”

“Not all of them.” Their gazes connected, held.

“Not all.” She inched forward until her forehead rested against his. The intimacy of the moment struck him. This could be their room and their kids keeping them up till all hours. And dammit, tomorrow she’d be gone, driving off with her father and Cody Fucking Gonzales while Ryder headed home with the film crew and his insane family.

“Stay with me an extra day in Cheyenne. We’ll let them all go home and steal a day for just us.”

She moved back to search his gaze. “You’re serious?”

“Dead.”

“I don’t know, Ryder. How will I get home?”

“I’ll drive you.”

At that, she laughed. Montana raised her head from her coloring and looked their way before resuming with a bright orange crayon.

“I’m not joking, Joy. I want you all to myself. And I want to take you home to see how you live.”

Her eyes fluttered shut and then she opened them again. “I don’t know, Ryder.”

He kneaded her waist, obsessed with the dip. He wanted to kiss and lick it for hours before moving on to her sweet pussy. Tongue-fucking her until she couldn’t support her own body weight and then lying her down and sinking into her tight body.

“Stop giving me that look,” she said.

“What look?” He arched a brow.

“That I’m-going-to-eat-you-and-spank-you look.”

His lips twisted upward. “You know me pretty well.”

“I’m starting to.”

She flicked her eyes upward, almost rolling them, indicating the girls were still a roadblock.

“At least think about staying another day with me, Princess.” He pulled her tighter in his hold.

“I won’t make any promises.”

“It’s all I can ask for. Besides, there’s always Bryce Canyon.” The next venue was too far off. He couldn’t last a minute let alone a week.

She snuggled closer with her head on his chest, right over his heart.

When he woke his arms were empty but both little girls were smashed against him, dead to the world.

Dammit, she left me. Guess I’ve got my answer about that extra day.

Chapter Six

Dealing with the fallout of a night spent in Ryder’s arms doing nothing more than sleeping and cuddling was worse than being kicked by a mule. Joy’s whole body felt bruised and sensitive.

She ached for him in ways she didn’t know possible. And he wouldn’t leave her head. If she was eating breakfast, she wondered if he liked eggs. When she saddled her horse for a long ride, she thought about his preferences in saddles and tack.

She knew a lot about Ryder but not nearly enough.

“Joy.” Her father’s call drew her out of the seventh episode of the Rope ‘n Ride series. She hurriedly switched off the TV and looked up.

“Did you need me?”

“I was going to have you help me with Cody’s grip. No matter what I do, he won’t keep his pinky next to the bull’s backbone.”

She shifted to her feet and pulled her tank top down over her middle. It had ridden up while lounging on the sofa. She’d also imagined what the gorgeous bull rider on TV would have done with that exposed skin.

“I’ll gladly help. I’ve been lazy long enough.”

Her father gave her a sharp look. “You seem distracted lately. Everything okay?”

She stepped up to her father with a smile and a hug. “Everything’s great.” Except I want Ryder with everything in my being and you would never accept him as anything but an apprentice.

As if hearing her thoughts, Daddy shot a glance at the black TV screen. “Were you watching that show of the Calhouns?”

“Yes. They’re funny.” In this episode, Wynonna and Ridge had been making a cake from scratch for their mother’s birthday. Which had ended in a mess in the kitchen and a flat cake. But Ryder had saved the day with a big tub of ice cream, bought from their local shop.

He seemed to do that a lot—save the day. With Buck by giving up his time and money to help him and his family. And with Asher Franklin’s girls.

“Damn good stock, they are too. The Calhouns,” Daddy added when she gave him a puzzled look.

“You think so?” She didn’t want to get her hopes up, because there was no point. Her father wouldn’t change his mind. He was hell-bent on her marrying anybody but someone in a hat and boots. He always said she could love a business tycoon just as easily as a man with callused hands.

But she liked those callused hands.

She started out the door. “Let’s see what we can do about Cody’s grip.”

“I was thinking I’d try one last time to get Ryder to train with me.” Her father’s words stopped her in her tracks. She tossed a look over her shoulder.

“Really? He seems set on staying where he is.”

“Yeah, but he has so much potential. I haven’t seen talent like his in a decade.”

She smiled at that. When Ryder heard, she imagined he’d puff out his chest and preen like a peacock.

Her father leveled his stare at her. The smile fell from her face. She didn’t like that look. It was the old where-have-you-been-why-are-you-late-who-were-you-with look.

Exactly why she couldn’t have stayed in Cheyenne with Ryder. She wasn’t ready for the inquisition—or the aftermath it would cause for her. She’d be worse off after spending a whole day and night in his arms.

“I thought you’d spoken to him about training with me,” her father said, halting her thoughts.

“Uhh, no.”

“But you have been speaking to him.”

Damn, did the man ever stop being as sharp as a tack? Surely at his age, he should start slipping a bit.

“A little but not about apprenticing.”

“What about then?”

She wished for some distraction. Where was Cody when she needed him? Or one of the ranch hands needing Daddy’s advice on some problem? Anything to get his attention off her.

She was old enough to make her own decisions, so why was she so worried about his opinion anyway? Ryder’s smart, witty and a great lover. I’m falling in love with him.

If the words in her mind hadn’t snapped her attention back, nothing could. She gave a light shake of her head. “Ryder asked my help and advice with Asher Franklin’s kids.”

Her father’s eyebrows went up. “Franklin’s?”

“Yeah, he’s raising them alone and the Calhouns take turns helping out with them. So we took them into the fair for rides and food until we wore them out.”

Which had been halfway through the night. She’d awakened to find both little ones flattened next to Ryder or draped on top of him. Joy’s heart had nearly burst with affection for all of them. To keep from letting those feelings run rampant, she’d made her escape.

“I see.” Her father didn’t sound as though he really did, but he didn’t ask why Ryder would ask her for advice on handling children.

Thankfully, at that moment Cody did come to her rescue. He appeared at the screen door, smiling widely. And she and her father walked out of the house and down to the paddock where Cody worked on a bucking bronco instead of a bull, trying to get his grip down.

He wasn’t good with his hands, but she’d seen Ryder’s grip while on that bull back in Cheyenne, and his was perfection.

Damn, she had it bad.

* * * * *

Ryder cursed as his shovel handle busted. He’d broken plenty in his lifetime, but today he’d hit his snapping point. He raised the handle over his head, swung it like a samurai and hurled it.

It flipped end-over-end and stuck in the ground twenty feet away. A chicken squawked, even though it was nowhere near the object, and skittered away.

Ryder stared down at the blade still stuck deep in the manure. Damn it all, he wasn’t in the mood.

Reaching into the thick crap, he yanked the blade free and threw it too.

Of course all of this was caught on film. Adrianna made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, and he leveled his glare at her, silencing her.

Ridge came out of the barn, a bag of feed over his shoulder.  As Ryder looked on, the bag split and feed poured over his shoulder and down his chest.

“Son of a bitch,” he drawled, dropping the whole mess on the ground a few feet from Ryder’s shovel.

“What the hell happened here?” Ridge pointed at the shovel blade.

“New lawn ornament.” Ryder jumped off the manure pile and whacked his gloved hands together to loosen any crud there.

“Maybe Ma won’t mind adding this to the display. Why don’t we plant a posy or two and call it good?” Ridge sounded chipper but Ryder knew him, and that crease between his brows meant he was barely holding onto his temper. He was likely performing for the cameras.

Which was a load of horseshit bigger than that pile Ryder had been shoveling. They weren’t even acting like themselves anymore. Over the past few months, Ridge had suppressed his true self the most. It was only a matter of time before he snapped.

“What the hell’s this?” Buck asked as he came out of the barn. He paused in his stride and looked at the feed everywhere and the broken shovel. Before they replied, he shook his head. “Never mind. I’ve got five sick cows on the ridge. C’mon.”

Adrianna jogged with her camera to keep up with them. When they jumped into the truck, they automatically made room for her. As they bumped across the field, nobody spoke.

“There’s Lane,” she said from the back seat.

“What’s he doing out here? I sent him to town for a tractor part,” Buck almost snarled.

“That old rust-bucket’s broken down again?” Ridge sounded just as irritated, since he was the grease monkey of the family. He often lay under farm equipment late into the night trying to get it running for the morning work.

Buck gave a nod, his gaze fixed on Lane galloping toward them. He stopped the truck and Lane reined up, his horse flipping its head. Throwing a glance into the back seat, he offered Adrianna a nod.

A nod that was far too familiar. Ryder threw a look at her over his shoulder but she’d turned her head away—the action more telling than anything. Damn, had Lane learned nothing from Wynonna’s indiscretion with the production manager?

Hands. The hell. Off.

Ryder issued a groan under his breath, but Buck heard and threw him an I-know look.

Leaning to speak over Buck, Ryder said to Lane, “What’s the trouble? We thought you were going to town.”

“Haven’t made it yet. West’s holding off an oil rig on the top field.”

“Oil r—?” Ryder’s words never made it out of his mouth because his teeth met on his tongue as Buck slammed on the gas. The truck barreled across the field.

“Hold on, Adrianna,” Ridge said. “Might want to set down your camera for this.”

“Are you kidding? I can totally see this footage making it into an episode.” She was obviously the happiest person in the truck, and no wonder.

“What’s the episode called—the Crappy Attitudes episode?” Ryder said. Nobody laughed at Ryder’s words.

Separately all the mishaps of the day so far were equivalent to a mosquito bite, but added together it made for a big headache that two pain pills couldn’t touch.

On horseback, Lane streaked by, gaining a few feet of lead on the truck. Most likely showing off for Adrianna. What sort of crap would they be dealing with between those two? Accidental pregnancy or another huge blowout over a case of jealousy?

Ryder was leaning toward the pregnancy—he’d seen how Lane looked at Adrianna.

“Oil rig?” Ridge said from the back. “I thought we got Ennis off our backs months ago.”

“Apparently we missed something,” Ryder said through his clenched jaw. “Knowing Ennis, he’s found some loophole in the will and is coming in through that window.”

“Slimy fucker. We could end him under the wheels of a tractor and use the digging attachment to bury him.” Buck’s words shocked them all.

Ryder wanted to laugh but all the tension inside him prevented it.

“Wow, remind me not to get on your bad side,” Ridge said.

“Sorry—make sure you erase that, Adrianna. I’m just edgier than normal.”

Ryder exchanged a look with Buck. He didn’t know much about the trouble with his and Channing’s baby, but his guess was an appointment was upcoming and Buck was freaking out. Who wouldn’t be?

If it were Ryder, he’d go to the ends of the earth to ensure his family was safe and whole.

Joy popped into his head—not that she’d ever left. He’d been burning with a need to blister her ass for leaving him in that hotel room. And leaving him with the Franklin hellions. He’d awakened with a numb arm, a face caked with lip gloss and his hair sticking up at all angles and held by various rainbow clips.

At least he’d finally found out what a unicorn’s hair really looked like.

But Joy… He’d felt a true connection to her and thought she had too. They’d shared a lot of hopes and dreams while sitting in that hotel room managing the kids. And he’d believed she’d stopped caring about her father’s say in her life.

Yet here he sat without her. Hell, he didn’t even have her cell number to text her.

When Buck guided the truck to the crest of the ridge, Ryder not only spotted the five sick cows dotting the landscape, left behind by the roaming herd, but the tall, intrusive oil-drilling equipment.

The metallic gleam against the natural beauty of the land sickened him.

Buck floored it. They hit a hole and the truck dragged.

“There goes your exhaust.” Ridge twisted to look behind them. In the side mirror, Ryder saw a pipe laying in the grass.

“I hardly care about the truck, Ridge.” Buck’s tone held a note of deadly calm that worried Ryder more than anything. He’d seen Buck flip out, and nobody wanted that. Besides, today Ryder didn’t know if he was capable of holding back either. Two Calhouns unleashing their fury on the world?

They’d end up in jail.

But it’ll make a good episode.

The truck stopped several feet away from the rig. West stood there with arms crossed and legs braced wide. Nobody was getting through him.

All the truck doors slammed and Lane made it a second later, leaping off his horse and letting it walk itself to cool down. It started a slow trot away from the group.

“Who the hell are you?” Buck demanded of the rig driver.

The slim man rubbed a knuckle under his nose, looking a little alarmed to see the posse who’d come for him. Ryder and his brothers closed the circle around him.

“I’m a friend of Ennis Calhoun.”

The brothers exchanged a look. “This land doesn’t belong to Ennis. He’s signed papers to verify it,” Buck said.

“He sent me up to check on something.”

Ryder took a step closer to the guy. “We don’t want any trouble. So you’d better be on your way.”

“If you know what’s good for you.” Ridge moved forward too.

“You can’t lay down threats,” the driver retorted.

“We can if you’re trespassing, which you are.” Lane stepped forward, and Adrianna revolved around him like a satellite, probably catching the chiseled lines of his jaw as he threatened the rigger.

“Just when were you contacted by Ennis to come ‘check on something?’” Buck was the last to take a step in—West was already a mere foot from the driver.

The guy held up both hands. “I don’t want any trouble here. I’m just doing what I was paid to do.”

“Which is?” Ryder folded his arms just to keep from punching the guy. In what universe did people take money to drill on someone else’s land without all the correct permits in place?

“Ennis Calhoun has asked me to tap one of these veins that heads off the Calhoun ranch.”

“Then go tap it on the other side of the border. It’s about a half mile that direction.” Ryder pointed.

He pulled a paper from his shirt pocket and unfolded it to reveal a hand-drawn map of the Calhoun land. Of course the borders were all wrong and in Ennis’s favor, since he actually did own the adjoining piece of property.

Small and worthless as it was. Landlocked and without water, it couldn’t even be sold. Most likely without oil too. Otherwise, he’d be drilling there already.

Buck eyed the paper before snatching it from the driver’s hand. He crumpled it in his fist and handed it to West, who pulled out a lighter he always carried in case of emergencies and lit it on fire.

“That’s what we think of your map. Tell your boss to keep his people off the Calhoun land. Next time we see you here, it will be down the barrels of our shotguns.” Ryder spat at his feet and turned to Buck’s truck.

West kicked the ashes at his feet with a motion that swept them toward the driver. He grinned at the man and gave a shrill whistle. His horse came running, along with Lane’s.

“We’ve got cows to tend,” Buck said. They all got into the truck, not bothering to wait for the driver to get into his rig. A few minutes later it rolled out.

All afternoon they played ranch vets. After worming the cattle and giving them extra water, they seemed to have sparked up a bit. But Ryder couldn’t shake the thought of that rigger having been so close to the cattle.

“You don’t think Ennis caused this sickness, do you?” he asked Buck, low.

His brother glanced at him. “You mean laying out poison or something?”

He shrugged. “Wouldn’t put it past him. Hell, he’d come into the house and carry off Ma if he thought he’d get what he wanted. This is all we need—another battle. We’re in Bryce Canyon next week.”

“Y’all will be. Channing and I won’t.”

Ryder studied him. “Getting checked?”

“Yeah. She’s far enough along to see more of the baby.”

“No matter what happens, things will work out. We’ll take care of everything.”

“I know.” He sounded choked. “I feel bad about Asher, though. He needs the win as much as I do.”

If Asher wasn’t going to the rodeo, neither were his girls. It was terrible of Ryder, but all he could think about was having Joy nearby without the little Franklin girls standing between them.

Talk about the Crappy Attitudes episode. This wasn’t him—not by a longshot. At least the camera was pointed away from him at the moment. With luck, they’d leave him alone at the next venue too, because he was going after what he wanted.

And that was Joy.

Chapter Seven

For the past few days, Joy hadn’t been sure she was even coming to Bryce Canyon, Utah. Boy, was she glad she had. She adored the area. The scenery stole her breath away.

But someone else was stealing her heart.

Damn it all, Ryder Calhoun wasn’t leaving her mind anytime soon. Which was why she’d had her stuff packed and loaded into the truck before her father had even mentioned the trip.

Lucky for her, she had a clear view of the object of her desire. She stared at his broad shoulders and hard back that led to this trim waist. His trademark pony-skin chaps hung off his hips and his hat was set back on his head in such a way that she knew whoever he was speaking to could see right into his eyes.

For once she didn’t think about him schmoozing some Buckle Bunny. Now that she knew him better, she realized he was beyond that kind of behavior. And he hadn’t made her question even once that he wanted her. At his side. In his bed.

If she caught his attention, he’d be all over her regardless of who looked on.

She wanted to call out to him but didn’t. She just watched him covertly until he moved off into the crowd with his brother and a cameraman. A burning sensation in her chest that she could only call longing made her turn away from the site where he’d disappeared.

Only to find Wynonna a few paces off, holding court to a group of fans, men and women alike. This particular rodeo was a big deal in the barrel-racing world, and she was letting everyone know she was a queen. Standing tall, shoulders thrown proudly back and a dimple riding in her cheek, she used her hands to talk. She wore a T-shirt that said “Education is important but barrel racing is importanter.”

Joy burst out laughing. The sound carried, drawing Wynonna’s head up. She dimpled further and waved Joy over.

When they were together, some of the crowd dispersed, and they were able to talk.

“You all ready for your event this afternoon?” Joy asked.

“I don’t have any nerves, which is a good sign.” Wynonna had some of the same mannerisms as Ryder, and that longing came back with a vengeance. “Have you seen Ryder yet?”

“Seen him, yes. Spoken to him, no.” She had to look around to make sure he wasn’t standing behind her or something. Disappointment steamrolled her.

“We love Bryce Canyon. Brought our camping gear and we’re set up already.” Wynonna grabbed Joy’s arm. “You should come to the campsite with me.”

“I couldn’t do that.”

“Sure you can. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Joy eyed her. “Are we?”

Wynonna snorted. “I’m over the whole Ethan thing.” She lowered her voice to say his name. But a shred of pain crossed her beautiful features. “Besides, I know you had nothing to do with that story, and thankfully it died out as fast as a Brittany Spears’ hit. You can meet me at the concession stands and we’ll walk to the campsite from there, okay?”

What was she going to say? She wanted to go. Even if she weren’t dying to see Ryder, she was drawn to the whole family. Just being in their presence filled an emptiness she hadn’t known she had before. The hole was probably from a lack of family herself. She’d always wanted siblings, and Wynonna and she had struck an instant friendship. While she hadn’t hung out with the Calhoun brothers, she suspected they’d tease and pick on her like a sister. They were that kind of family.

“Okay, I’ll meet you at the concession stands.”

Wynonna hugged her and there were a few clicks from various cameras taking in the moment. She had no doubt tomorrow their embrace would be all over the papers.

By the time she’d survived several events including Cody’s terrible ride and subsequent show of temper, she was ready to escape to the Calhouns’ campsite.

“Those judges burned me bad,” Cody ranted.

Her father had moved away to give an interview, leaving Joy to deal with the surly cowboy.

“You can’t always have a perfect ride. There are no guarantees in this sport.” She scoured the crowd for Ryder. He’d given his all—again—and come out on top of his own ride. But he hadn’t looked her way. He seemed distracted.

Or done with me.

She dragged in a deep breath. “Look, Cody, it’s not the end for you yet. Tomorrow will be better. And you can show everybody then.”

Apparently she’d said the right thing, because he smiled at her.

At the very moment when Ryder made his appearance. Joy’s body came alive at the sight of his rolling gait—swinging arms and the jiggle of fringe on his chaps more alluring than anything in the world right now.

Her breath caught and her nipples hardened to sharp points. She locked her gaze on his face and wished she hadn’t.

He wore a thunderous expression that made her wonder why he hadn’t earned his own nickname of Thunder. She took a hasty step his way, but he turned and went back into the crowd, leaving her to stare after him and wonder if leaving him back in Cheyenne had ended things before they’d started.

Cody was talking about his chances tomorrow, but she couldn’t hear him anymore. She rested a hand on his arm to stop him. “I have to go. If you see my father, tell him I’m with friends.”

Without waiting for him to react, she went after Ryder. She made it to the concession stands but didn’t see him anywhere. Wynonna was waiting for her, though, and she felt a kernel of hope behind her breastbone.

“Ready?” she asked.

Joy nodded. The walk to the site was long but took longer because too many people stopped them to chat. By the time they made it there, Joy was losing her patience. And she had a lot of patience, so that was saying a lot.

The scents of wood smoke and hot dogs greeted them. Several of the brothers looked up with surprise before offering their smiles of welcome. West and Ridge were having an argument about who banked the fire better.

She couldn’t help but search for Ryder, though.

“Here have a hot dog. Ketchup and mustard are on the table.” Lane flashed his pearly-whites. A young woman was near him, filming. Joy wondered if they ever got used to the intrusion in their lives. Ryder didn’t like it, she knew that much.

She squirted a strip of both condiments down the center of her dog and settled on a lawn chair in front of the fire.

“So your dad’s Thunder Humphries,” Ridge said, his own mouth full of hot dog.

She nodded and took a bite.

“Musta been weird growing up in the rodeo.”

The Calhouns had grown up on their ranch and only gotten involved in the rodeo later. She nodded. “It’s like going to a big family reunion all the time. You know everybody and catch up, but you never really get close.”

He nodded. “Not the easiest, I imagine. Have you ever competed?”

“I used to barrel race in high school but I wasn’t very good.” She threw a look at Wynonna, who had made herself a mountain pie and was juggling it onto a plate West was holding.

“Not many are as good as she is. Too bad she knows it. Her head won’t fit in the tent.”

She chuckled, the hot dog halfway to her mouth, when she spotted Ryder. He rounded the tent.

Shirtless.

Her muscles reacted instantly, and she jumped to her feet. His hair was wet and a few drops of water lingered on his shoulders. She wet her lips.

“Joy.” Her name came out choked as he strode toward her.

He caught her hand and removed the dog from it. He passed it to his brother, who shrugged and added it to his plate. Joy blinked in stunned reaction as Ryder grabbed her by the waist and kissed her.

A few whoops from his family sounded, but Joy was oblivious to anything but the man holding her. She made a noise of surrender, and he growled in answer. Angling his head to thrust his tongue deeper. Working his fingers on her waist, spreading across her lower back and hitching her against his warm, steely body.

“Get a room!” Wynonna called.

Laughing, Joy broke away. Ryder didn’t give her a second to think before he wrapped his fingers around her wrist and hauled her to his truck. Battered black with a crack in the windshield, it showed he was far from a man who flaunted himself.

He stuffed her into the passenger seat.

“Where are we going?” she asked the minute he jumped behind the wheel.

Through thick lashes, he gave her a smoldering glance. “Away from here. And don’t argue. I won’t listen.”

“I’ve missed you.”

Her quiet admission almost brought the truck to a halt. It rolled as slow as a snail riding the back of a turtle. He stared into her eyes, and there was no use in her pretending she hadn’t fallen in love with him.

She’d known it for a week.

Issuing a shaky breath, she said, “You’d better step on the gas if we’re going to get wherever we’re going today.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up and he stomped on the gas, leaving a cloud of light dust hanging over the campsite.

* * * * *

If he didn’t get Joy away—far away—from his family, he couldn’t account for what he’d do in front of them. He’d been this close to fucking her on the picnic table. Walking into camp and seeing her had torn away the last thread of his control.

“I didn’t know if you’d come,” he said, turning onto a road that would lead them deeper into the canyon. Red cliffs and dusky blue sky above them. Joy’s gray eyes burning with emotion that he dared not to hope meant more.

He’d take what he could and live in the moment.

“Wynonna and I ran into each other and she invited me to the campsite.”

He nodded. “Maybe my baby sister isn’t such a pain in the ass after all.”

Joy doubled her fist and punched him lightly on the biceps. “Are you saying she did you a favor in finding me since you weren’t going to look?”

He shot her a look. God, could she be any more gorgeous? He wanted to devour her starting with her swollen lips and ending between her legs. He ran his tongue over his lower lip and when she tracked the action, he groaned, low.

“I had all intentions of finding you, Princess. I was just taking care of business earlier or you’d already be hoarse from crying my name.”

She shivered, and he planted his hand on her upper thigh. A scant inch from her pussy. Body heat enveloped his fingertips, and his cock bulged painfully against his fly.

She wiggled down in the seat until the seam of her jeans met his fingers.

“Hell, Joy, I’m going to pull over and have you right here.”

“Good. I’ve been thinking of little else.”

Moaning, he caught sight of a small spot where he could pull off. The canyon park had a lot of visitors right now, but overall they were alone. It would have to do because he wasn’t waiting another minute.

He threw it in park so fast that the truck jerked forward. She fell into his arms, and he yanked her across the console and right into his lap. As soon as her round ass hit his groin, his lips were on hers.

Her flavors and scents sent him reeling out of control. He hadn’t felt so out of it since his first few times on the back of a bull. He clamped onto her hips and ground his cock into her.

“The truck bed,” she whispered between sweeping passes of her tongue through his mouth.

He nodded and reached for the door handle. They tumbled out, clutching each other to remain upright. He was afraid to let her go. He didn’t want her disappearing from his life again. He’d do anything, even tell her what was in his heart, to keep her with him.

She tangled herself around him like a boa constrictor as they made slow progress to the back of the truck. He popped the tailgate and lowered it. She scrambled up and in, shoving a drink cooler out of her path.

“Lucky you have all these sleeping bags here as cushion.” She whipped off her shirt, sending her dark hair flying around her breasts.

His cock expanded, and he couldn’t stand it another second. “I want you under me all night, but I can’t go slow. Not this time, Joy.”

Her eyes darkened a shade as they stripped each other with all haste. He stopped to lick her nipples but not for very long. He didn’t want to embarrass himself, and if he didn’t get inside her fast, then he would.

When she cupped his balls and drew him to lie between her splayed thighs, he thought he’d die a happy man.

“Fuck, condom.” He pushed onto his knees and dragged his jeans closer to rip one from his pocket and fumble it onto his erection. She stared up at him, her nipples hard pink points and her folds wet with desire.

“Hurry, Ryder.”

“I fucking love my name on your lips. Say it as I enter you.” With the condom in position, he poised his cock right at her drenched opening. His balls tightened with the need to blow.

“Ryder,” she gasped as he shoved his full length into her in one fast glide.

* * * * *

Need exploded in her, shooting spears of lust to each corner of her body. She cried out as he withdrew, kissing her slowly, deeply, and pushed back in with equal slowness.

Having her under him again was like a dream. And her admission that she’d missed him gave him a heady feeling of power. He could take on the meanest, baddest bull right now and come out with a record-book score.

Joy’s eyes glowed. “Ryder.”

He kissed her softly while jerking his hips in a slow rhythm that couldn’t last long. In another second he’d be galloping out of control.

He ran his hand over her breast, loving how her nipple hardened for him. Her inner walls gripped his cock tighter. A low groan escaped him.

“Wrap your legs around me. Let me in deeper.”

She did, and he slipped in another fraction.

“You’re driving me crazy,” she gasped.

“Do you need to come?”

“Yes. Ryder, please!”

He churned his hips. “Squeeze me tighter.”

“Oh God.” She clamped down on him so hard that it sent them both sailing over the edge. Her pulsations drove spurt after spurt from him. He continued to pump into her until he couldn’t even feel his feet anymore. He was numb except for his cock.

Gathering his wits, he kissed her. A long, wild kiss that made him instantly hard again.

She arched a brow, eyes glistening with laughter and happiness.

“A cowboy gets back up on his horse,” he rasped.

She cuffed him in the ear, making it ring, and they wrestled until he allowed her to mount him. She rubbed against his still-sheathed cock, her long hair trailing over his hands at her waist.

“I’ve never had sex in the back of a truck. This is hard on the knees,” she said.

He tugged a few articles of clothing up around his ears. “Come kneel here where it’s softer.”

They shared a heartbeat staring at each other. Then he urged her up until she straddled his face.

As soon as her sweet scents filled his head, he moaned.

“You’re…vocal.” She sucked in a gasp when he stroked his tongue over her slippery folds.

“Mmmm.” He curled his tongue around her clit, teasing it until it was a hard pearl. Her juices coated his tongue, and he wanted more. With another noise to prove she was right about how vocal he was, he delved his tongue deep into her channel. She threw her head back. Rolling her hips and grinding her pussy against his lips.

He zigzagged his tongue up the seam to her hard bud again. Opening his mouth wide and settling her firmly over his jaw so his stubble drove her wild in the right spot. She locked her fingers in his hair and screamed.

Who’s vocal now?

Good thing they were in the open with nobody around, because she was a wildcat. Taking what she needed from his lips and tongue until her arousal wet his face. He watched her expression shift as he whipped her into a frenzy. Passion flared inside him. He never wanted this to end. Somehow he was going to convince her that she needed to give him a chance—in the open.

They weren’t exactly hiding but he wanted every camera recording the moment when he told the world, “This woman is mine.”

He sucked on her pussy as if it were a ripe fruit. She stiffened. Taking her nipples between his fingers, he pinched lightly.

“Harder!”

Oh so his little wildcat had a darker side. He issued another primal noise and squeezed her nipples just as her orgasm hit.

With each contraction around his tongue, his cock grew into harder steel. He wasn’t nearly finished with her.

* * * * *

“We have to get out of this truck bed soon.” Ryder kissed a line down Joy’s shoulder all the way to her elbow, raising goosebumps in his wake.

She curled into him. “Why?” If she had her way, she’d sleep here under the stars. Night had fallen, and that bite of hot dog she’d taken before Ryder had rudely removed it from her hand was long since worn off. Maybe he was just as hungry as she was.

He pushed his erection into her hip. “I’m out of condoms.”

“You only had two in your wallet?”

“Uh-huh.” He bit her shoulder lightly.

“You need a bigger wallet. Maybe a man purse.”

“That’ll go over well with the fans.” Amusement tinged his tone.

“As long as it matches your chaps, it’ll be the new trend.”

This time he did laugh. God, that rumbling sound did things to her insides. Melted, puddled, whatever she wanted to call it, he did it to her. She stared at the bright sliver of moon hanging low in the sky, soothed by the sound of the insects and frogs around them. In the daylight the canyon was a glory to behold but at night with a beautiful man in her arms?

She bit back the love words laying on her tongue. They still didn’t know each other that well. Or maybe they knew just enough. Either way, she couldn’t stop the wild horses of her emotions. The gates were opened.

“Can’t we stay here, though? We don’t have to make love.” A blush sounded in her voice. Make love sounded so naïve, but he didn’t comment on it.

“We can always get creative. But Princess, we’re going to have to figure out birth control if you’re my woman. I want you bareback more than anything.”

She twisted to look at him. His features set in total seriousness. She could say she wasn’t going to be his woman, but the thought made her too warm and filled her stomach with butterflies.

“I have some creative visions.” She wrapped her fingers around the base of his erection, pulling a moan from him.

“So do I.” He flattened his palm over her pussy, sending sparks through her core. She couldn’t get enough of him. When he placed his lips at her ear, she waited for dirty words. What she got instead made her start.

“Let’s stop pretending this isn’t a relationship. We both know it is.”

“Is…that what you want?”

“Hell yes. The idea of guys like Gonzales hitting on you because they don’t know you’re mine makes me want to punch shit.”

She’d laugh at his expressive choice of words if his hot alpha attitude wasn’t zinging her to another stratosphere. She drew his face down to rest on her breasts. He could probably hear her heart thumping out of her chest.

“There’s no reason to be jealous, you know. I haven’t felt this way about anybody before.” Her admission came out so quietly, it might have been lost under the chatter of the cicadas.

He heard, though. Raising his head, he pierced her with his dark, burning gaze. “Never?”

“No.”

His breath came out in a rush over her skin. “Me either. So now that we’ve got that ironed out, we just need to figure out the bit about your father hating cowboys and my very strong desire to keep you away from the cameras that plague me.”

“That’s a tall order. Maybe we should just run away.” She was only half kidding.

He picked up on it. “Canada’s a great place to rodeo.”

Too easily she pictured a life with him, traveling and enjoying each other. She loved this lifestyle as much as he did.

“You know I’m not that afraid of my father’s opinion. I just…” How to say she was unsure of her own feelings and how serious he actually was?

He stared into her eyes. “You feel these sparks?” His insinuating tone heralded his arousal even if his hard cock against her thigh hadn’t alerted her.

She rubbed against him nice and slow. Then she twisted her lips against his skin. Tasting salt and musk. Kissing and licking a path downward, she learned every swell of his pecs before heading for the treasure of his abs. A light dusting of hair trailed down the center, pointing toward the prize.

She flicked her eyes at him as she parted her lips over his swollen tip.

“Helllll.” He cradled her face and watched as she swallowed him. When he was seated in the back of her throat, he groaned as loud as an animal. Hot lust controlled her as she drew on his length.

She’d rarely performed this act in the past, but it was high time, and with this man. Since the moment she’d set eyes on him she’d wanted to eat him up. The camera didn’t lie when it came to Ryder. Oh no, he was just as yummy off-screen as on. More so.

“Slide your finger between your legs. Let me know how wet you are,” he urged.

She lapped a circle around his cock and ran her tongue down the underside. He grunted.

“Touch yourself,” he said again.

Easing her fingers between her thighs, she found exactly what she expected—soaking wet folds. Her clit straining. She traced the seam up and down, up and down, and then Ryder took hold of her wrist and drew her hand to his mouth.

Shock gripped her as he suckled her fingers right to the knuckles. She hollowed her cheeks and drew on him as they drove each other crazy.

“Again,” he rasped, releasing her hand.

She moved her fingers to her pussy again, wetter now. She let go of his cock and mouthed his sac, raising a louder groan from him. But when he had her fingers between his lips again, she couldn’t hold back another second.

Raising onto her knees, she twisted around to straddle his face.

“God, this ass.” His hot breath caressed her a heartbeat before he plunged his tongue deep.

She cried out and wiggled back for more even as she sucked him. The world blurred as pleasure stole her senses. Ryder’s scents flooded her brain, along with his noises and the feel of his hard body beneath her and his scorching wet tongue on her pussy.

When he sucked her clit into his mouth, she doubled her efforts to make him come. For some reason, a simultaneous explosion in the sixty-nine position seemed the best idea in the world.

He planted his hands on her hips and dragged her tighter to his face. She ground on him, taking everything she needed to reach that tall peak. His cock stiffened further, stretching deep into her throat. She swallowed automatically.

“Fuuuuck. I’m there, Princess. Can you swallow me?” He jerked his hips upward, his words and actions sending her off the cliff. Pressure burst in her core as her body shivered through wave after wave of her release. At the first pulsation, his first spurt hit the back of her throat.

They writhed together for a long minute before tumbling apart, each breathing heavily. She opened her eyes to see the blaze of stars smeared across the sky. “I’ll never forget this minute.”

He looped his arm around her calves and kissed her ankles. A squeal left her, and she wriggled from his grasp.

“Ticklish?” His rumble was something she wanted to hear every day for…well the rest of her life.

And that scared the hell out of her. She was no commitment-phobe but she had to make sure what she was feeling was real. She’d always believed her mother had fallen for the excitement a bull rider had to offer, but when it came down to it, she couldn’t put up with that sort of life.

Joy could. That wasn’t the trouble—she needed to ensure her feelings were as genuine as a hand-tooled leather saddle. No cheap rhinestone love for her. No way.

“What happens when the sun comes up?” she asked quietly, her voice strange in the night.

He kissed her ankle again, more gently this time to keep from tickling her so much. “I take you back to camp with me and feed you some breakfast.”

For now, that was good enough.

* * * * *

The Calhouns were off their game today. Lane took sixth place. Ridge didn’t make it two hops on his bronc before he was tossed on his ass. He’d come out of the arena limping, which had caused a lot of tension in the family and crew. They all knew the risks and took them anyway, but they’d gotten away with few injuries this past year.

Ridge had his ankle braced on each side and a thick bandage immobilizing it. He glared at his leg as if sheer will would get him on another bronc later today.

“Take it easy, bro.” Ryder clapped him on the shoulder just as stomping sounded.

They looked at each other and said, “West,” at the same time.

As a kid, West had started his habit of clomping when angry after one of the goats had butted him into the dirt. He’d come in stomping-mad and had never stopped since.

Their brother’s head appeared around the curtain separating Ridge from the other patient cubicles in the makeshift triage area.

“Fucking rope snapped.” West practically yelled this.

Ryder’s eyes bulged. “What?” That was unheard of unless…

“Someone tampered with it. No other reason. You know I check my ropes twice before the tie-down.” In the tie-down roping, a cow was released from a chute and West took off after it on horseback. As soon as the lasso settled over the cow’s head, he leaped off and rushed to tie its legs together—one front and one back.

West swiped at a stack of magazines, sending them skidding onto the floor. “As soon as the rope got taut, it broke and the calf ran.”

They looked at each other.

“What could have happened to the rope? Just didn’t check it well enough?”

He was shaking his head before Ryder had finished speaking. “No way. I think someone cut it while I was in the chute.”

“Are you serious? Who the hell was around you?”

“I hardly noticed, honestly. Bunch of handlers. Andrew on camera. Who the hell knows?”

“Why would someone want to sabotage your ride? The only person that would benefit is a competitor.” Ridge seemed to have forgotten his ankle and swung his legs over the cot. As soon as his feet hit the floor, though, he winced.

Ryder mentally scoured the list of West’s competitors. West was at the top of the pack with ten grand in winnings so far this season. A good start, and this loss would hurt his overall standings.

“Let’s get out of here,” Ridge said.

“How are you putting on a boot? Your ankle’s too thick,” Ryder noted.

“I can’t just sit here while my family needs me. We messed up the Calhoun circle or something. Didn’t say the prayer right without Buck here.” Ridge’s words reminded Ryder of the stress his older brother was under at home. With any luck, the news would be good. One of the Calhouns needed some magic, and the rest of them could fail miserably as long as it was all heaped on Buck, Channing and their baby.

“Take these.” West came around the curtain with a set of crutches. They were too short for Ridge’s tall Calhoun height, so they adjusted them to fit him.

“Where the hell’s the girl who wrapped my ankle in the first place?” Ridge grumbled before they handed him the crutches. It took him a few steps before he got the hang of them. But soon they were moving through the arena.

“Four Calhouns down, two to go. You’ve gotta pull off this win, Ryder.” West threw him a glance.

He tightened his lips. He didn’t want to let down his family in any way. All proceeds supplemented the ranch normally, and Ryder’s dream to save for a place of his own was on hold. With Buck needing the funds, he had to pull this off.

“I got it,” he said.

“Hope so.” Ridge entered the crowd on his crutches, and a cheer went up. Cameras surrounded them, and Ryder suddenly realized they’d been absent while Ridge was getting patched up.

Then he saw why. Wynonna was holding the flag, ready to make the half-time show ride that was a ritual here in Bryce Canyon.

When her gaze settled on the three of them, she grinned. As if she was ready to go on now that they’d made the family connection, she jumped into her saddle and positioned the flag pole to stand upright before her.

As soon as she galloped out, the screams were deafening. “How many Calhoun fans do we have here tonight?” the announcer blared, and the crowd stomped and hollered.

Ryder suddenly wanted Joy at his side. She’d left the camp this morning with a lingering kiss and a promise to see him as soon as she took care of things her father needed done.

When he scanned the front seats her father usually had, Ryder didn’t see her there. He turned his attention to the center of the arena where Wynonna was standing in her saddle, the flag whipping, her auburn hair streaming and the fans wild. She was by far the star of Rope ‘n Ride.

A tap on his shoulder had him swinging his head around. Only to spot Thunder and his pretty little daughter—who just so happened to have spent the night in the bed of his truck screaming Ryder’s name.

“Good show.” Thunder tipped his jaw toward Wynonna, who was circling a brass band while they played the Star Spangled Banner.

“She knows how to work a crowd.” Ryder smiled at Joy. Her cheeks grew pinker, barely noticeable unless you knew her well. And he did.

“So do you, young man. I’m coming to make my offer one more time. I’d like to work with you and get you in the professional status.” Thunder’s level gaze was so like Joy’s. Ryder liked the man even more now.

“Dad, he already said he wasn’t interested in the bigger playing fields.” Joy’s voice held a hint of worry.

Ryder zeroed in on her. She didn’t want him to accept because that would mean they’d be in cozy proximity to each other, not just seeing each other at the next venue. If he trained with Thunder, Ryder would be staying at their ranch just as Gonzales and that young Tucker guy did. Joy couldn’t escape.

“I’m hoping to persuade him this time around,” Thunder said with a smile.

The song came to a close, and Joy’s agitation was palpable—at least to Ryder.

Her gaze skittered away. The din was too loud to be heard. Ryder’s heart pounded. As soon as the noise died down, he stuck out his hand to Thunder.

“I accept your offer.”

Joy’s eyes bugged out and her father pumped his hand. She opened her mouth as if to speak but gave a light shake of her head instead.

He caught her stare and offered her a crooked grin. She narrowed her eyes at him, and he nearly laughed. He’d seen her feisty side before, but he had a feeling he was going to learn it firsthand.

A blinking light caught his attention, and he realized the whole moment was caught on film. To be aired to all of America. There was no going back now. They didn’t need to know he didn’t have any interest in being a professional bull rider—he just wanted to be closer to Joy.

She was fuming, and it was cute as hell.

Thunder latched onto Ryder’s shoulder and steered him away from the noisy arena. “We have a lot to discuss and arrangements to make. How soon can you get away?”

“I can leave Bryce Canyon and head straight for your ranch. I have no obligations and my brothers can handle the work back home. How long will I be working with you?”

Thunder eyed him, and Joy did the same, except under drawn brows. Her dark hair seemed to come to life, the flyaways dancing around her pink face. He had a feeling when she got him alone, he’d get an ear blistering. And he was looking forward to it.

That and seeing her every day.

“Great news. Really great,” Thunder praised with another grin. “We’ll hook up after the bull riding event and draw up some plans.”

“Sounds perfect. I look forward to it.” Ryder shook his hand again. And then he thrust his hand out at Joy. She stared at it as if he’d just handed her his cock. Not yet.

She either had to take his offered handshake or risk her father’s questions. When she closed her fingers around his, he brushed her knuckles with his thumb. She jerked back and stormed into the crowd.

Half an hour later, after he’d just given one of the worst performances of his life, he figured he was headed to the right place. Maybe he could use Thunder’s instruction, after all.

Chapter Eight

Joy groaned. Having Ryder around the ranch was driving her crazy. She’d barely slept, always waiting for her door to open or a tap on her window. Lying awake for hours, burning for a man wasn’t like her at all.

But she’d already come to the conclusion Ryder was different.

And boy, was he. In about five minutes he’d become a favorite among the ranch hands and the cook was half in love with him.

Breakfast had been a test of her control when she’d settled at the long table across from Ryder. While he and her father and a few other guys, Cody Gonzales included, talked bulls and the ranch operations, she’d picked at her waffle. Even the strawberries and whipped cream tormented her because she could just imagine what was going through Ryder’s head. It went something like:

I’d like to put that whipped cream to good use.

What about the strawberries?

I’ll decorate your body with them and then find each and every one. I’m into nutrition.

She’d nearly laughed at the daydream of Ryder. And in real life, he was funny as hell. Making everyone around him enjoy themselves.

He’d traveled here with a camera guy, a young man named Nigel. The kid seemed set on catching her in the worst possible moments too. After bending over the horse trough to dig some hay out of the bottom, she’d straightened to find the camera aimed at her backside.

Too easily she imagined all the laughs that would get on national TV. Then the wind had gusted hard across the ranch, throwing dust into her eyes. Just as she’d raised a hand to clear it, her hair had been folded straight over her face. Once she’d pushed it back and was able to see again, she’d found Nigel right there. No wonder Ryder was always so irritated.

But the camera seemed to love him, along with everyone else. Ryder was the ideal guy for the job of ranch hand—amusing enough to entertain and make them all feel as though they weren’t working so hard or for so long.

After sharing another meal with the man she either needed to get insanely closer to or further away, she needed some space. “I’m riding into town. Anybody need anything?”

Ryder’s stare was on her. Her breasts ached and her pussy throbbed. Why had the ass agreed to come here? He wasn’t fooling anybody with his I’m-going-into-the-big-league act. From beneath the low brim of his hat, he fixed her in his smoldering gaze. He was just waiting to get her alone.

A shiver passed over her.

Cook came out of the kitchen with a short list of supplies, and Cody offered to ride along with her.

“We got some work to do,” her father said at once, shutting him down. “Maybe Ryder’ll offer a few pointers.”

Cody didn’t look very happy about that.

“Actually, I’d like to run into town with Joy if that’s all right with you, sir.” He took out his cell and passed his thumb over the screen. “I don’t have any service here and I’d like to check in on my family.”

Her heart jumped into her throat. He couldn’t be serious. Everybody had service here—the ranch was smack in the middle of two cell towers so tall they almost reached the space station.

She met her father’s heavy stare, and her heart pounded harder. He knew.

She tried to relax her shoulders and not let on that anything was up with Ryder—that she hadn’t spent hours loving him the past few times they’d met. Or that deep down, she felt he was maybe the most important person in her life.

Her future.

When her father gave a slow nod, she gulped out of surprise.

“There’s some construction on the highway so take the back way.”

She blinked. The back way took longer, was more secluded. Her thoughts raced.

After a minute she realized she’d been standing there doing and saying nothing. She said her farewell and headed to one of the many trucks in the driveway. Ryder strode beside her, his long legs eating up the space. When Nigel tried to get in with them, Ryder gave him a look that would shrivel the balls of most men. The guy backed off with a nod.

She got behind the wheel. He slipped into the passenger seat and shot her a grin. “Haven’t had a moment alone with you to see what you think about all this.”

She rounded on him, her hair tumbling into her eye. “There’s a reason for that, Calhoun! We can’t be alone together here.”

His crooked smile widened. “Oh I’m Calhoun again. Last time it was Ryder, I’m coming!”

She batted him, knocking his hat off. He shook with laughter, reached for it and planted it back on his head.

“I can’t believe you agreed to come. You have no interest in going pro. When are you gonna tell my father? After your training or when you skip out on the first PBR event?”

His expression darkened and he nodded at the windshield. She glanced out to see not only her father staring at them but Cody and two ranch hands. With a groan, she started the engine and put the truck in drive.

They bumped down the driveway, and she thought she might brave the construction on the main highway rather than be alone with the sexy hard-bodied cowboy on a back road.

He reached across the console and trapped a tendril of her hair between his fingers. She twitched her head aside.

“You seem upset.” His drawl burned her alive. Damn, she wanted to shimmy down his body and show him how a real cowgirl could ride.

Throwing him a look, she turned onto the back road. They bumped along in silence.

He pulled her hair.

She punched him in the arm.

“Pull over, Princess.”

“What? No.”

His eyes were dark orbs leveled on hers. “Pull. Over. It’s not a request.”

Not one to be ordered around, especially by a man—even if he could practically make her come with a single look—she stomped on the gas.

“Have it your way.” He leaned across the console and began to nibble her neck. She gasped, her traitorous body zinging to life. Gooseflesh covered her arms and bare shoulders, and judging by the way he latched onto her nipple with his fingers, he’d noticed other parts standing at attention.

“Ryder!”

“Mmm?” He continued to lap at her earlobe, sending shivers of warmth through her whole body.

“You’re gonna make me wreck!”

“That’ll be too bad if we’re stranded alone along the road.” He bit her earlobe, raising a gasp from her.

She didn’t realize she’d let off the gas until the truck slowed. She barely gathered enough wits to keep driving. “If you don’t stop, I’ll turn around and take you home.”

“Oh that’s far worse. Where there are beds, sofas, the kitchen table…” He ran his tongue over the corner of her lips. “And a wall.” His dark tone did her in, and he knew it. Her breaths came fast. “Pull over, Joy.”

The instant the truck was safely on the side of the road, he was kissing her, his hands all over her. She clambered over the console and straddled him where he sat. The minute her crotch robbed his bulging erection, a delighted rumble escaped him.

In a blink, he had the door open. They made it into the fresh, open air, and he shoved her against the side of the truck. Kissing and grinding against her, kneading her breasts until she was a live wire about to spark.

She fumbled with his belt, and he helped her, using quick movements that accentuated the cords and veins in his strong forearms. He narrowed his gaze at her, eyes burning.

“Turn around.”

“Why?” she asked, breathless.

“For now, this is our wall.”

Gasping for air, she turned and braced her hands on the truck. A second later she heard his zipper lower and a paper tearing.

“Good thing we’re headin’ to town, Princess.”

“Wh-why?” She practically quivered in anticipation.

When he slid his cock head into her from behind, she cried out. He sucked on her neck right below her ear and murmured, “Because I don’t think the box of forty-eight condoms I bought is gonna last long.”

* * * * *

He couldn’t get deep enough. Her ripe body enveloped him, squeezing him so tight he could barely hold on. His balls clenched tight, and he skimmed her nipples with his palms as he shoved into her sheath again.

She bit off a scream, and he urged her head back, cloaking her body fully so he could kiss her. She bucked into him. He slid his tongue between her lips, and she sucked on it as he filled her with a sharp thrust.

Lifting her onto tiptoe to receive him. He had no intention of walking away from her again, not without telling her what was in his heart. After that night with her, he’d awakened to see her sleeping face pillowed on his arm and his heart had gone haywire. Jolted by the electric fence current of loving Joy.

Passion flared inside him as he locked her body to his and gave himself up to her command. She contracted around his length as if milking him. As soon as he felt her start to stiffen, he thumbed her clit.

Back and forth. Around and around. Painting her bud with her own slick juices as he thrust into her body. She came first with a throaty moan that wrung him dry. He exploded with a vicious growl. Latching onto her neck and sucking as his hot seed burst from him.

He ground into her for several more seconds before pulling free. She pivoted herself, clinging to the truck to stay upright. He caught her in his arms, staring into her dilated eyes.

“I’m in love with you, Princess.”

She went still.

He couldn’t believe he’d blurted it like that. What the hell? Talk about smooth. But when it came to love, he was a rookie and this his first rodeo.

“Ryder…” Her voice broke.

This was the part where she tried to let him down easy and suggested he tell her father he’d made a mistake and was going home.

But she trailed her fingers over his roughened jaw and blinked rapidly against tears. They sparkled on her lashes. Then her cheeks. And finally ran into the corners of her pouty lips. “I feel the same,” she choked.

His heart gave a wild staccato beat, like hooves on the prairie. Catching her tears on his thumbs, he held her face and kissed her.

“When did you know?” she whispered between sweeping passes of his tongue.

“After the campout. You?”

“After Cheyenne. I saw the whole picture then—the real Ryder.”

He kissed her long and deep. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he never wanted her to let go. His life had been good so far, but with Joy it was going to be heaven.

“Let’s tell your father. Together.”

She pulled away, lifted her gaze to his. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“You said you don’t care about his opinion.”

“I don’t.”

“Then what’s holding you back”

She searched his eyes for a long minute. “I’m not sure. Before it was not knowing your feelings and trusting my own.”

He swallowed a growl. Like hell she was backing out. “And now?”

She raised a shoulder and shrugged. “Nothing holds us back, but… You know how important timing can be.”

He did. In bull riding, a split second could make or break you. In his world, nobody would care about his decision to have Joy in his life. His family had embraced her like a sister.

She threaded her fingers in his hair. Long ago his hat had fallen off. Mashed under his boot at one point in the throes of bliss.

With her beautiful gray gaze locked with his, she said, “We’ll know when the time’s right. We have all the time in the world.”

“I don’t like keeping you a secret.”

“You said you aren’t ready to let the cameras interfere in our relationship either.”

“Nigel’s testing my patience.” He pressed his lips together, fighting back more derogatory comments about the kid.

She pinched his backside hard enough to pull a yelp from him. Her laugh was worth the stinging pain, though. Tucking her under his chin, he kissed the top of her head. She smelled like fresh hay and vanilla shampoo. “We’ll wait. Like you said, there’s no hurry.”

She drew away from him. “Except to get to town and back. We’ve wasted too much time as it is.”

“Scared your dad will get suspicious?”

She chewed her lower lip in an adorable way that made her presence in his heart grow. “I think he already does. Did you see the way he looked at me?”

No, he hadn’t. And he wasn’t afraid of Thunder. In fact, he couldn’t remember anything ever scaring him at all. But now he had something big. Losing Joy wasn’t an option. If that meant hopping on a few bulls for her father and getting on his good side, then Ryder was ready to ride.

* * * * *

Joy looked on as Ryder and Buck strode up to each other and embraced as though they hadn’t seen each other in a decade, even though it had only been a few weeks. While on the Humphries ranch, Ryder texted with his brother, usually in the evenings when they’d finally collapse into porch chairs.

At last they had this rodeo to reunite.

Cameras and people bustled by, noting the Calhouns’ moment.

When they broke apart, she noted the crease between each of their brows and the strain on the other siblings’ faces. They must all know about Buck’s baby.

A hand on her arm drew her head up. “C’mon,” Wynonna said to her. “You’re family—you deserve to hear what’s going on.”

Joy started to shake her head, but Wynonna tugged her along, her strength a force that was undeniable. Joy couldn’t dig in her boots for anything.

Ryder drew her to him with a single look, and she came to stand next to him.

“Well?” he asked.

Buck waved his hands so they could all gather in. Channing wasn’t there, which made Joy fear the worst. What if the outcome was really terrible? She couldn’t bear it for the couple—or for the rest of the family.

Once they were gathered in the circle, Buck looked at each of them, including Joy. She was humbled to be part of this.

“Preliminary tests look fine.”

Joy blinked. Ryder stirred beside her, his sleeve brushing her bare arm. “Fine?” he echoed.

Buck gave a nod, his expression still tense. “Sometimes the dates of a pregnancy can be off and throw off all the numbers. But the ultrasound shows the baby seems to have all his parts.”

Wynonna gave a big, exaggerated gasp. “His?”

Joy smiled.

Buck nodded, and for the first time, his face relaxed. Ryder released a slow breath as if hesitant to believe his unborn nephew was going to be all right.

“It’s a boy. We’ll name him after Dad if all goes well.”

“You mean name him after yourself,” Ridge teased, and they all laughed. His ankle was okay now, and he was off the crutches though still he put his weight on his opposite leg.

“Yeah, Buck Calhoun the third.”

“Throw in Aloysius and you’ve got a fine man in the making,” Ryder quipped.

As the whole party collapsed into laughter, Joy eyed Ryder in confusion. He grinned and said, “I’ll tell you later.”

“So yes, the future isn’t a hundred percent certain. But right now, the baby looks all right,” Buck said.

“Where’s Channing?” Wynonna asked.

“At home with Ma. She’s been exhausted lately and didn’t want to make the trip. They were going to film a country cooking episode for some food TV show.”

Several brows shot up at this news. “Are you serious? Now we’re moving into food TV? Do we end up with merchandise like bobble heads of ourselves and T-shirts with our ranch brand on it?” Ryder put in.

Buck wagged his head. “Who knows where this ends. We could be out of our contracts in a year after ratings tank. Unless we can hold them with another weddin’.”

They all stared directly at Ryder and Joy. Heat climbed her neck and exploded in her cheeks. She broke a sweat, which increased when Ryder grabbed her hand for all to see.

“We don’t know what the future holds, but I’ll officially tell you guys that I’m proud to call Joy mine.”

“So you’re just going pro with Thunder to get the girl.” This from West, who was grinning broadly.

Ryder hedged. “I wouldn’t say that. There’s a lot of money to win in the pro class.”

Joy was just as surprised as the rest of them. He’d never expressed these thoughts to her.

“What do you need all this money for?” Ridge challenged.

“Might want to move out of the ranch house sometime and stop picking Wynonna’s hair out of the bathtub drain.”

Ryder’s words made everyone laugh, since they were all quite familiar with this problem. Some of the tension flowed away. Wynonna bundled her long auburn hair and shook it in his face. He sputtered and finally yanked it to get her away from him.

Joy’s heart was overflowing with affection for all of them. She could easily see a future with Ryder and his family. But leaving her own world scared her too. She and Daddy had only had each other for so long. Would he survive on his own? Sure, he had a cook and ranch hands, and on the ranch she wouldn’t be missed. But when he sank into his chair after a long day and discussed his worries with her…

Ryder traced her lower lip with his thumb, making her snap out of her thoughts. “I guess I’ve announced it sooner than we thought. I’m sorry.”

She clutched his hand where it rested on her cheek. “Don’t be. The timing was right.”

“Guess now we only need to find the right time to tell your father.”

She began to ask if he was serious about turning pro when several security guards rushed past. The film crew looked at each other and then to the production manager, who was never far from Wynonna even though they were definitely finished, by her lack of attention.

The cameras all went in search of the ruckus, and Ryder turned to her again. “Guess we’re outed to America as soon as this goes to final production.”

She smiled softly. From the corner of her eye, she saw Buck whip out his phone and hold it to his ear. His face transformed to shock and then fury.

“Ryder.” She nudged his attention to his brother.

Oh God, don’t let it be Channing or the baby.

“What’s going on?” Ryder demanded.

“Ennis sent that oil rig out to our land again, and Ma and Channing are there dealing with it. Channing’s on the phone wanting to know what to do.” He brought the cell to his ear again.

“Tell them to get the sheriff out there and nab him for trespassing.”

Buck listened for a second. This was bad. Joy didn’t know much about their struggles with their cousin, but with the guys so far away from home right now, all the trouble fell on the women of the family.

Which, over time, she might be one of.

The siblings crowded together to hear what Buck was saying to them and Channing in turn.

“She’s called the cops.”

“Is Ennis there? That little rat is seriously going down when I see him next.” Ridge clenched his fists.

Buck shook his head, still listening to his wife. “What the ffffuuu—” He cut off the expletive with a violent breath. He looked to Ryder. “He says there’s an inconsistency in the map when it comes to the land borders. That they’re drilling on his land.”

Ryder ripped off his hat and shoved his fingers through his hair. “No. He’s wrong.”

“I know he is. And he waited until none of us were home to play this game. I knew I should have put him in a hole while I had the chance.” Buck’s mouth was set in the same way Ryder’s did. When Joy looked from face to face, she saw them all wearing the same furious determination to swing this in their favor—and end it.

She didn’t believe their threats held any weight—they were just blowing off steam. But she wouldn’t want to be Ennis either, not when they wore that look.

Buck ended the call and gazed at his family. “We need these wins because we’re using every penny to take his ass back to court.”

“A coffin’s cheaper,” Ryder rumbled.

Joy blinked. Then an inappropriate little giggle escaped her. She clapped a hand over her mouth and stared at him as his gaze settled on her. “Sorry.”

Wynonna laughed next, and then Ridge. Pretty soon they were all laughing. Because what else was there to do? They were miles from home and had a job to do, and that was to perform their best here in Arkansas.

“Joy Humphries? We’re looking for Joy Humphries.” The raised voice came to her loud and clear, sending goosebumps skittering down her arms.

She and Ryder turned toward the person barreling through the crowd in search of her. Her heart hit her boots as she thought of those security guards running past. Daddy.

Had he had a heart attack? Collapsed?

“Your father’s looking for you. Come with me.” The tall cowboy in all black gave her a solemn look, and her heart did a wild flip that left her weak and nauseated.

Ryder gripped her elbow. “Show us where.”

They strode after the man, weaving between groups of people standing around talking or fans getting autographs from their favorite rodeo star. Joy had no memory of walking anywhere, but she was glad Ryder was with her.

* * * * *

When Ryder spotted Thunder seated in a chair holding an ice pack over his eye, his confusion and worry were replaced by anger.

“Who punched you?” he asked Thunder.

Joy opened her mouth, a tiny noise leaving her. She rushed forward, bending to peer at her father’s face. Cut, bruised, swelling.

“Fucking Gonzales,” Thunder growled.

Joy snapped her head toward Ryder, and he saw something there that filled him with the instant need to take action even as he fell in love with her more.

She relied on him to take care of this.

“Where is he?” he asked Thunder.

“Piss-ant ran off to the trailer.”

“God, Daddy, what happened? He did this to you?” Joy’s soft tones of concern only pissed Ryder off further. He’d never trusted Gonzales, and apparently his gut instinct not to like him went beyond his interest in Joy.

Ryder exchanged a look with her father and nodded. Then he turned and walked off toward the parking lot and the trailers as fast as possible.

Luckily, he knew exactly where the Humphries were parked, so he wasn’t searching row after row of truck and trailer combos. When he hit the gravel lot, he lengthened his strides. Itching for a fight. He could kill two dirty buzzards with one punch right now—taking out his frustrations over Ennis on the man who’d caused harm to his love’s father.

Seeing Cody Gonzales’ black hat waved a flag to Ryder. He rolled up his sleeve on the right very slowly. Then the left as he continued walking toward the man.

“Gonzales.” The word came out as a barking command. He spun.

They’d been hanging together on the Humphries’ ranch for weeks. Trained together. Given each other pointers. Shared meals, for God’s sake. And Thunder had taken him into his home and care, tutoring him in order to give him the best chances at success, and this was how Cody repaid him.

The guy turned and glared at Ryder, cradling his hand.

“You broke your hand? That’s your anchor hand, isn’t? You won’t be riding bulls today.”

Gonzales grunted. “Get away from me, Calhoun. You’re the golden one—don’t you have someplace to be?”

“Yeah, right here kicking your teeth in.” He stepped up to Cody, who smirked.

“I’d like to see you try. Your name might mean something to others, but I know you’re just a weakling inside. I’ve been watching you for weeks.”

“I have no interest in your opinions. I’m here to settle a score on behalf of Thunder.”

“Oh somebody beat up the old man, all right. Your girlfriend’s pretty unhappy, I bet.” The taunting tone only fueled Ryder’s anger. It was barely harnessed, the same as after Channing’s phone call. Now he felt like a tornado about to wreak havoc on a trailer park.

All of a sudden Andrew and Nigel were there with their cameras, prepared to record the moment. And for once, Ryder was ready to let them. He wanted the world to see that justice would be served.

“You’re just like him, you know. Think you’re better than everyone. Hell, even that brother of yours is a cocky bastard,” Gonzales spat.

Ryder went still. “Which brother you referrin’ to?”

“The tie-down guy.”

“West,” he bit off, putting the pieces together. At some point West had ticked off Gonzales and had his ropes sliced for it. Wait till he finds out. Gonzales will know the meaning of Calhoun anger.

Also, he saw the reason behind the man’s actions.

“You didn’t want to hear any more advice about your ride today, is that it?” Ryder drawled as he stepped closer to him.

He wasn’t bigger than Ryder. One punch, maybe two. He just had to make sure he didn’t fuck up his own hand. Now his money was going to attorney fees to fight Ennis’s crap instead of his own home.

At least it doesn’t sound as if it’s going to taking care of Buck’s baby.

With the good spirits inside him, he stepped closer.

Gonzales came at him with a roar. Ryder let his weight and the momentum carry them backward, which gave him the advantage when he flipped the guy into the gravel and rooted him in the gut with a fist.

A scream alerted him that Joy was here too, and damn, he didn’t want her seeing this. Seeing him out of control.

He moved to get off Cody but the guy caught him in the jaw with his fist, rocking his head. Anger dizzied him, and he felt like one of the bulls he rode, except instead of the tight rope around his midsection to make him buck, Cody’s fist had done the work.

He cocked his arm back and drove it into Cody’s nose. Blood spattered his knuckles and poured down the man’s face.

Then he was being pulled off him. He got his boots underneath himself and shook off the two camera guys. Joy popped up in front of him.

There seemed to be nothing to say to her, and she didn’t seem upset except for the rising bruise on his jaw. He shifted it gingerly. Nothing broken but it hurt like a mother.

“Why did he do this? Why did he attack my father?” Joy’s voice hitched, and he pulled her against his chest, still panting with exertion and anger.

“Guess he didn’t like being told what to do and felt as though he were being treated as an inferior.”

“Daddy said he only mentioned checking his ropes again before the event, and he snapped.”

Ryder smoothed his hand over Joy’s spine, feeling her slight tremors. She was so empathetic and giving to everyone she crossed paths with. From Wynonna to the littlest Franklin girl and big burley rodeo guys, she was always there. From what Ryder saw, she didn’t often search for her own goals. Her driving force was sharing her happiness and good spirits with those around her.

And he adored that about her.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he murmured against her hair.

She clutched him tighter. “Thank you for doing it.”

A rumble of a laugh bubbled up his throat. “Did you just thank me for breaking a man’s nose?”

Her own laugh-sob came out. “I guess I did. Daddy’s getting medical care right now, but we need to get you into those sexy chaps of yours. The bull riding’s coming up.”

He stared into her gray eyes fringed with heavy black lashes and hoped like hell they had a little girl who looked just like her. “Okay, but Joy?”

“Yes?”

“I can’t go to the PBR. I need to stay here with my family. It’s where I belong.”

“I know.” She rested her head over his heart. “I don’t care about that, and neither will my father. He’s happy that I’ll have the support of your family when we travel to these events.”

Ryder froze. Pulled back enough to see her face. “You mean—?”

She nodded a little shyly. “I told him about us. The timing was right.”

“Since you’re smiling, I take it everything was well-received?” Inside, he was flying high.

“Perfect.” She grinned and went on tiptoe to kiss him.

And boy did he kiss her back.

Epilogue

The Calhouns gathered with heads bowed, but this time not in their circle. They were seated at the long table in their home with a huge meal between them. Cooked with love by their mother and Channing.

A camera loomed over Joy’s shoulder, and she realized it was zeroed in on her ring finger and the big fat stone Ryder had put there and was crazy to buy. She wasn’t a bling kind of girl, but she had to admit that the diamond engagement ring was beautiful and she was proud as hell to wear it. Especially since he’d admitted to being so commitment-shy before meeting her.

He noticed the nearby camera too and squeezed her hand, playing it up.

“I’m so happy to have my family around me once again,” Mrs. Calhoun said with glistening eyes after the blessing Buck had said.

He had his hand protectively over Channing’s baby bump and Joy couldn’t be happier for them. The outlook for their baby was very good, but they were getting daily prayers from the entire family and everybody who knew.

Next to them, Ridge already had a buttery roll devoured and was reaching for another. Something about the hollow, distracted look he wore made Joy wonder if he was all right, but she didn’t feel close enough to ask him. Maybe she’d mention it to Ryder later.

Cameras buzzed around the table, but nobody seemed to care. They were all growing accustomed to the attention, even Joy. Although she did worry when the new season aired because of what her father would see. Probably Ryder and I tangled up in countless ways.

“I challenge y’all to a game of baseball following the meal,” Ryder drawled.

“Don’t we even get to let our food settle?” Wynonna wouldn’t have trouble with that—she had barely filled her plate. Like Ridge, Joy had some worries about the youngest Calhoun. Maybe she really wasn’t as great as she’d made out after the mess with the production manager.

From what she could see, Wynonna wasn’t being pressured by him, but she’d need to talk to her just to be sure. Ryder could handle the rest—he was damn good at throwing a punch, after all.

“Have some of this,” Ryder said, placing a spoonful of corn casserole on Joy’s plate. “You’ve never had it like Ma makes it.”

She looked up at Mrs. Calhoun. “Thank you for having me.”

In a flurry, their mother got up and bustled around the corner to give Joy a head-lock of a hug. She smelled good, of spiced cookies and a faint hint of leather like her children. Joy’s chest swelled with emotion.

“You’re part of us now, Joy. Welcome to the family!” She patted her and Ryder’s still-joined hands and returned to her seat.

Ryder glanced at her, brow arched and his eyes twinkling with a should-we-tell-them light.

“Timing,” she mouthed, but he released her hand and settled it on her lower belly where nobody would likely notice.

Joy had been shocked—but very happy—to learn that during one of their wild rendezvous that the condom had failed and another little Calhoun was growing inside her. When she’d told Ryder, he’d dropped to his knees, buried his face against her belly and whooped with delight for their baby. He was so loud that it was a good thing their baby couldn’t hear yet or he’d be deafened.

She didn’t protest when he added a second scoop of corn casserole to her plate. She’d been in a ravenous state for the past two weeks. So much so that she’d even swiped the Franklin girls’ potato chips once they’d finally passed out asleep back in Houston.

“How’s that new horse training up, West?” Ridge asked.

In his sport of tie-down roping, having a reliable and fast horse was key. West had won a lot of loot with his old horse, and the whole family had seemed upset when he’d recently sent it out to pasture, saying it was getting tired and deserved to munch sweet grasses for the rest of its life.

“Doing fine. He’s no Mighty Mouse,” he said about his old horse, “but he’ll do just fine.”

They tucked into their meal of roasted chicken and scalloped potatoes. The best was the dessert, though.

“Oh my God,” she said around a mouthful of what seemed to be ambrosia sent from the heavens, “this is so good.”

Several chuckles rippled down the table. “Our ma’s known for her desserts,” Wynonna said around her own bite. It was chocolatey and light but with a crunch in the crust of nuts and graham crackers.

“Didn’t you have dessert on your ranch, Joy?” Lane teased.

She shook her head. “Actually, not often. My father’s a meat and potatoes man. He doesn’t have a sweet tooth, and if I wanted something, I had to go into town for ice cream or the local restaurant for a slice of pie.”

When she’d polished off her last bite, Ryder quirked a brow at her, the pie server raised in question. She shook her head. She was going to weigh as much as a sow if he kept trying to feed her this way.

She rested against her seat back to “let it settle” as Wynonna had put it, when several chairs slid out. The guys got up and started clearing the table. Joy started to move too, but Channing waved her back down. “We cook, they clear up. That’s the way here.”

“Oh I could get used to that.” She didn’t say she wouldn’t be much help because she couldn’t cook. At their ranch, her father had always employed one and she’d had no chance to learn. But she figured she’d learn off the other Calhoun women. She was too sleepy to worry about it.

But she’d barely sat there for five minutes before the Calhoun boys had the table cleared, the dishwasher loaded and the kitchen counters wiped down.

“Wow, they work fast, don’t they?” she remarked when she found his mother staring at her.

“Had a lot of practice.” Ryder came to take her by the hand and draw her out of her seat. “Time for some fresh air.”

“More likely kissin’,” one of the brothers put in.

Ryder wagged his brows at Joy. “And kissin’.”

He led her out to the wide porch. The breeze washed over her, carrying the fresh tang of hay that had just been put up and the distant cattle.

Ryder turned her into his arms. She leaned close, loving the feel of him. And wanting so much more. That was another thing about her pregnancy—she was insatiable. Or maybe that was just Ryder. Either way, she wanted him morning, noon and night as well as afternoon and midnight snacks.

Judging by the bulge in his jeans, he was more than happy to oblige.

“We haven’t tried out the tool shed yet,” he rumbled against her ear.

They were having a hard time finding alone time, but so far they’d been pretty creative. The house was normally packed with people in the evenings, and Joy didn’t fancy screaming Ryder’s name for everyone to hear. And during the day, they were guaranteed to be sneaked up on. Every inch of the ranch would find Ridge, West, Buck or Lane working the cattle or fixing fence. Not to mention the ranch hands and a good amount of the production team.

They’d checked out the possibilities of a clean haystack, a copse of trees and he’d even bent her over an ATV after a long ride. “The tool shed sounds pretty good right now.”

“Mmm. C’mon.” He grabbed her hand and began towing her down the steps and across the yard.

A baseball struck the dirt in front of them, and Joy turned to see Ridge grinning. “Thought you wanted to play ball, Ryder?”

Ryder shot her a look of regret before saying, “Thought you had to let your chicken dinner settle.”

“We’re settled. Let’s play ball.” Ridge and the whole family stood on the porch. They descended into the yard and Wynonna started dropping empty feed sacks to use as bases.

“Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll catch up to you later.” Ryder brushed his lips over the crest of her ear, raising a shiver. Then he moved away to organize the game he’d called in the first place.

She watched his backside move away from her, thinking of clutching those tight buns and yanking him into her.

Jeez, I need to get a grip. All she wanted was a big bed with Ryder, though. They’d discussed at length their desire for a house of their own, and she knew her father would lend her the money for a down-payment, but Ryder would never go along with such a suggestion.

“You know you’re going to be asked to sign a contract soon,” Wynonna said as she strolled by Joy.

She tore her gaze from her husband-to-be’s butt and blinked at Wynonna. “Really?”

“Yeah, you’re going to be getting a lot of air-time. Besides, it seems the ladies of the family are gathering their own following. The cooking network has Channing and Ma doing video clips of some of their recipes. Have you seen the number of views they’re getting on YouTube?” Wynonna shook her head. “Makes me wish I was a proper girl who likes that stuff, but I like horses too much.”

Joy wrapped an arm around Wynonna and squeezed. “I don’t think the kitchen needs another cook. You’re perfect where you are.”

“And what about you? Going to try your hand with a soufflé?” Wynonna teased.

They pulled apart and watched the guys divide into two teams. Ryder waved her direction, and she knew he’d just recruited her to join his team along with Ridge and West.

“Actually…” Joy bit her lip, wondering how much to say about a hair-brained idea she hadn’t even mentioned to Ryder yet.

Wynonna picked up on the secret immediately. Her eyes tipped at the corners in a mischievous way that echoed her smile. “Tell me what you’re up to, Joy Calhoun.”

A thrill spiked through her system at the name. “I’m not a Calhoun yet.”

“Close ‘nough. C’mon, spill it. I’m your favorite sister-in-law.”

They both looked to Channing, installed in a lounge chair in the shade by Buck, with a cold glass of water at hand. Joy had to admit she was closer to Wynonna, but she had a feeling once her pregnancy started progressing she’d be seeking advice from her other sister-in-law-to-be.

“Okay, I’ll tell you, but you have to promise not to say anything yet. I haven’t run this idea past Ryder.”

Wynonna practically bounced, and her excitement was infectious. Suddenly, Joy could see the promise of her idea and how the extra income would help her and Ryder pack away a little nest egg.

“I’ve been thinking of running a youth program this summer. Of course, I’d never assume it would be here on the Calhoun ranch—that’s asking too much. But I know my father would go along with the idea because he loves to teach so much.”

Wynonna shook her by the arm. “Tell me!”

The guys were all staring at them now, and Joy turned away from the group a little after catching Ryder’s what-are-you-up-to look.

The freckles on Wynonna’s nose and cheeks stood out, making Joy lose her train of thought as she envisioned a freckled little girl in her arms.

Wynonna shook her again, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Ryder take a step toward them. At once the other woman released her arm. “Your fiancé’s getting his chaps in a bunch. I’d better stop trying to shake the information from you. Just tell me the rest.”

“To invite young people to train with horses and learn the skills you use in rodeo events—roping, tie-down, speed. Teach them how to care for the cattle and their equipment.”

As she talked, Wynonna’s grin spread, alerting Joy that her idea wasn’t so farfetched as it had sounded in her own mind. She felt her own smile widen and her ideas started flowing. Of course, she couldn’t share them all right now, and especially not since she hadn’t spoken to Ryder about it. She didn’t feel he’d mind her bouncing the idea off his sister first, though. She was a trusted friend to Joy, and more and more she was feeling as if she’d finally gotten that sister she’d always wanted.

She glanced at Channing. And now she’d have two sisters by marriage.

“Let’s play ball!” Ryder shouted. They all stretched across the yard. Wynonna was on the team with Buck, Lane and the camera girl, Adrianna.

When she and Lane started razzing each other about who was better, Joy noticed Ridge stalking farther away from them. Ah, so that’s what’s going on. Some sibling rivalry over a woman neither of them technically could have, at least not according to their contracts.

Ryder patted Joy’s ass as she took her spot in the batting lineup. “You’re going to tell me what you and Wynonna were whispering about.”

She nodded at once. “Of course. I’d never keep anything from you.”

“You didn’t tell her…?”

She shook her head. “No, that’s our secret.”

He gave her a wink and handed the bat to Ridge. He widened his stance and gripped it as if he was ready to knock somebody’s head off with it. She could guess whose—Lane was laughing and carrying on with Adrianna now.

“Buck’s pitching. Number one of the Calhoun family,” Joy automatically began commentating.

Everyone stopped to stare at her. She shrugged. “I grew up with boys and men as my best friends. I picked up a few things. Number three is up to bat, Ridge Calhoun.”

Laughter carried over the yard. She got a little more confidence, narrating Ridge’s moves as well as the fast or slow pitches Buck was throwing. “Ridge hits it big. It’s in the air!”

Ridge was blasting through the bases while Lane scampered after the ball.

“Safe on third!” Joy called.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” Ryder said with a slow wink.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

“Oh now I see some sass coming out too. I guess we’ve got a lot to learn about each other, but I’m looking forward to every year it takes to learn it.”

She smacked his behind, finally getting a chance to touch the hard muscle she’d been dying for. He yelped and took his batting stance.

“Number two chokes up. He’s serious about this game.”

He chuckled. “Not as serious as you are, apparently. I’ll think twice about suggesting the next game.”

She delivered a hard slap on his ass and rushed away before the pitch was thrown. He swung and missed. “This batter is distracted. Strike one!”

“You’re in for it later, Princess.” His dark promise only sent tendrils of heat through her whole body.

Cameras zoomed around them, but Joy hardly noted their presence. She was too busy watching her gorgeous bull rider run the bases. He made it to second and hunkered over, hands on his knees, prepared to steal the next base.

“One run for the Calhouns. Joy is up to bat.”

Everybody cracked up, and Buck threw a wild pitch that rolled away under the porch. A minute later one of the cattle dogs came out with it, dropped it at Channing’s feet and panted, waiting for her to throw it.

“Keep that up and he’ll walk you, Princess,” Ryder called.

Joy gripped the bat. “I don’t need walked.” She swung and connected. As she ran, she commentated her own play. “And she’s off. Running to first. Rounding the base. Can she make it to sec—ooomph!”

She collided with Lane as he tagged her out. Before she fell over, he grabbed her arm and righted her.

Ryder had forgotten about running to home and wheeled back around toward Joy. “Be careful! You could have hurt her.” Dust rose off his boots.

“I’m fine, Ryder.”

“She’s okay. It’s not a big deal.”

“It is a big deal,” Ryder bit off.

Uh-oh. She recognized that forceful look on his face. The one he’d worn before beating up Cody. She placed a hand on Ryder’s arm. “I’m all right. Really.”

“Is she made of glass?”

“No, but she’s carrying my child, dammit. Watch how you treat her.” He pivoted to glare at Wynonna too, obviously holding a grudge about her shaking Joy earlier.

The field went silent. Then from the sidelines, their ma jumped up from her chair and ran into the field.

“A fan is storming the field,” Joy said with a bubble of laughter. She shook her head at Ryder. “What about that timing, babe?”

“It ain’t always perfect, but I’ll always be right by your side, Princess.” He caught her around the shoulders just as his mother threw her arms around both of them.

Joy’s happy tears trailed down her face as she accepted congratulations from the family clustering around her. Ryder yanked her off her feet and kissed her with all the love inside him. She barely had a chance to respond to his caress when he set her back down and looked right into the camera pointed at his face.

“Guess there’s gonna be another weddin’ this season, folks.”

THE END

Em Petrova lives in Backwoods, Pennsylvania, where she raises four kids and a Labradoodle named Daisy Hasselhoff. Her dream is to buy an old pickup and travel small-town USA meeting people and hearing their stories. Her heroes are hardworking—in bed and out—and she is known for panty-scorching erotic romance.

Website

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Other Indie Titles by Em Petrova

Rope ‘n Ride Series

BUCK

RYDER

The Dalton Boys

COWBOY CRAZY Hank’s story

COWBOY BARGAIN Cash’s story

COWBOY CRUSHIN’ Witt’s story

COWBOY SECRET Beck’s story

COWBOY RUSH Kade’s Story

DOUBLE DIPPIN’

LICKS AND PROMISES

STRANDED AND STRADDLED

LASSO MY HEART

A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS

SINFUL HEARTS

LIPSTICK ‘N LEAD

COUNTRY RIDE MENAGE BOX SET

Also, look for traditionally published works on her website.

Table of Contents

- Ryder Calhoun would rather face down an angry bull than commit to a relationship. And that’s exactly ...

- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Epilogue

- Em Petrova lives in Backwoods, Pennsylvania, where she raises four kids and a Labradoodle named Daisy...