Beauty and the Bull Rider (Hotel Rodeo #3)(24)

“Okay,” Zac replied. “I’ll call you with an update on everything once I get back to the ranch.” He flipped the phone shut with a disappointed groan. Damn. He wasn’t looking forward to two more days of driving. The highway to El Paso was also one of the longest and loneliest Zac had ever experienced. Although he’d lived the better part of his adult life on the road, he’d always had traveling buddies. It was the cowboy way to share a ride, a room, and even a can of beanie weenies if someone faced a dry spell between paychecks. He’d long ago tired of eating out of those cans and drive-through burgers, and yearned for the day he’d sit down every night to a home-cooked meal.

Lately, he’d begun to fantasize about eating those meals with Delaney. Was she a good cook? Hell, he didn’t even know, but truth be told, he didn’t care. He’d live on a diet of hot dogs and Cheerios if he could wake up to her beautiful face every morning. He was really looking forward to that dinner with her, but as it stood, he’d only have a day to spend with her before he’d have to leave again for Vegas. That was not the way to win his Delaney campaign. So much for the promise he’d made her to be there. He just hoped to hell she’d understand.



It was mid afternoon when Delaney noticed a missed call from Zac. Was he back already? She quickly realized that was impossible even if he’d driven straight through. Why had he called? Rather than wasting time in speculation, she hit redial instead.

“Hello, Zac? It’s Delaney. I just saw you called. You aren’t back already, are you?”

“Nope.” Zac’s deep baritone vibrated warmly in her ear. “I just left Laredo.”

“Was it worth the trip?” she asked.

“It was,” he replied. “Picked up four respectable bulls at a good price. They’re older but should still have a few good years left in them.”

“So you’re headed back home now?”

“I only wish,” he replied dryly. “That’s what I was calling about. I just got a call from Ty asking me to go to El Paso. Seems an old compadre of Tom’s has decided to sell his ranch. He offered Ty first pick of all the livestock so I’m heading out there to check it out.”

“What kind of operation is it?” Delaney asked.

“Mainly rodeo stock contracting, but he had his hand in a little bit of everything. He has some longhorns, a bunch of ranch horses, and some bucking stock. He used to have some decent bulls back in the day, so I’m gonna be gone a lot longer than I thought. My little jaunt just turned into an eighteen-hundred-mile trip.”

“Oh, Zac! I’m so sorry!” Delaney said. “That must be hellish to drive all that way alone.”

“I’ll survive it. It only makes sense to kill two birds with one stone. It saves me six hundred miles to do it in one trip instead of two, but that’s why I called. I’m not gonna make it back for that dinner I promised you tomorrow night. Any chance you’d give me a rain check?”

“You really have to ask?” she said.

“I’ve learned not to take anything for granted when it comes to Delaney McCall.”

“As well you shouldn’t,” she replied with a laugh.

“It’s good to hear you laugh,” he said. “I’m hoping to hear a lot more of it.”

She didn’t know how to reply to that. “So when do you think you’ll be back?” she asked.

“I’ll be in El Paso by suppertime tonight. I’ll probably spend the better part of the day tomorrow shootin’ the shit with those guys before we get down to any business. So I expect I’ll get back sometime Thursday afternoon.”

“Then how about Friday?” she suggested.

“What time?” he asked.

“How’s six?”

“Sounds good to me. You just gave me something to look forward to.”

“Ditto, cowboy. See you Friday.” Delaney hung up the phone with a lingering smile.

She spent a second restless night, thinking about all that had passed between her and Zac McDaniel. She still didn’t understand his doggedness. Was he the type to stick it out, or would he get tired of waiting? That possibility stopped her in her tracks.

She didn’t understand how or when it had begun, but something was growing between them. It wasn’t just the physical attraction that she’d been fighting all along, but something warm and genuine. Zac didn’t judge her life or actions. He just seemed to “get” her when nobody else ever had. She was in real danger of falling hard for Zac McDaniel, but if she were to let go, would he really be there to catch her?



True to his word, Zac called two days later. “Are you back already?” she asked.

“Yeah. Got in early this morning,” he replied, sounding exhausted. “Are you still free for that dinner tonight?”

“Don’t you at least want some time to rest?” she asked.

“I wish I had that luxury, but I don’t,” he said. “I have to drive to Vegas tomorrow to meet with Ty. That’s why I drove through the night . . . in hope we could spend some time together.”

His invitation couldn’t have come on a busier day, but Delaney wasn’t about to refuse. “I’d like that, Zac,” she replied. “Is six still good for you?”