Rough Rider (Hot Cowboy Nights, #2)(34)

He raised his brows and turned his palms in an innocent I-don’t-know-what-you-mean gesture.

“Are there strings attached?” she prodded.

“No strings.” One corner of his mouth turned up. “But I’d be more’n happy to use some rope if you’re inclined.”

“Ropes and spurs? Is that all part of your repertoire?”

His face split into his full coyote grin. “Only by special request.”

She considered him for a long beat. “What time does it start?”

“Eight.”

“No can do, Grady. I’m working the chutes, and won’t even be done here by then.” There was no shortage of work to occupy her. With seventy-some riders and just as many bulls, she’d be glued to the chutes for the long haul. She told herself it would get easier as the days passed due to rider attrition from injuries and no turn out, but tonight she sure could use a hand.

“Even if the rides are all finished,” she said, “I still have to take care of the bulls and then clean up. I won’t go out reeking of the stock pens.”

“Then I’ll come by and help you settle things for the night. That’ll give you time to pretty up for me.”

“Pretty up, eh?” She laughed. “Maybe your expectations are a bit high. But even if you do help me out, I still won’t be done in time for the start of the show.”

“Probably not, but there’s always a warm-up before the headliner anyway. Worst-case scenario, we’ll catch the second half. Truth be told, I’m as interested in the company as I am the music.”

That remark took her aback. Janice gave him a bemused look. “That’s probably the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

He shrugged with a flash of his cocky grin. “I can talk real sweet when I want to.” His gaze roamed slowly over her. “Just give me half a chance and I’ll sweet-talk those jeans right off you. I’ve a powerful hankering to feel those mile-long legs wrapped around me.”

Janice rolled her eyes with an exasperated huff and then pushed off the pen. “I got work to do.”

He’d said no strings, but she wasn’t naive enough to think he’d do anything without an ulterior motive. She turned to walk away but then looked out at the arena where the queens were pairing up and filing out. For weeks she’d waited, hoping for some sign from Dirk, but now Rachel was back in the picture. Grady was right. It was past time to give up and move on.

She was fed up with waiting. Tired of only being thought of as one of the stock hands. Sick of being alone. Maybe Grady wasn’t perfect, pretty far from it actually, but at least he was interested. He’d been good-humored about all of her prior rejections, mainly because he didn’t need her company, but now maybe she needed his.

On a sudden impulse she spun back to him. “All right, Grady. I’ll go with you.”

His smile widened. “I’ll come back around when my ride’s done.”

Janice watched him swagger off with mixed feelings. He wasn’t her dream come true, but she really wanted to have some fun for a change. It’s why she’d gone to the Outlaw the night before, to have a drink or two, maybe dance a little, and just unwind, but she hadn’t even finished one drink. The last time before that had been the after-party in Casper—an even bigger disaster.

Thinking back to the party, she recalled how embarrassed she’d been at not have anything decent to wear. Last night the rodeo queens had looked down their noses at her just like they’d done at the Plaza Hotel in Casper. She might not be in their league, but she wasn’t about to set herself up for that kind of humiliation again. Although she despised shopping with a fiery passion, she wondered what it would feel like to look like a girl for a change.

She consulted the rodeo schedule. And then her watch. There were at least fifty bareback rides before the first section of bulls. If she left now, maybe she could find something to wear in one of the boutiques. Without giving herself a chance to rethink and back down, Janice checked the water buckets in her bull pens, grabbed her purse from her trailer, and headed over to the Frontier Village.

*

Janice was in the third shop, a high-end boutique, and growing more frustrated by the second. She stepped out of the dressing room to the three-way mirror in a brown broomstick skirt and blousy floral top. She turned one way and then the other, chewing her lip in indecision. She should have known the clothes would be expensive. She didn’t mind paying if she could make some kind of a fashion statement, but couldn’t help thinking she looked more like her mama on a church social day. She turned back to the dressing room ready to give up and just buy a new pair of Wranglers when a feminine voice stopped her.

“You’re Janice, right?”

She spun around to find herself face-to-face with Rachel Carson.

“I thought that was you,” Rachel continued. “Weren’t you at the party in Casper?”

Janice was almost too stunned to respond. “I was there,” she replied. “But not for long. I left once I knew the mischief Grady was up to.”

“Grady Garrison?” Rachel’s expression darkened. “Mischief?” she huffed. “That’s putting it mild, don’t you think? His raunchy karaoke routine ruined the party and then he started a brawl. He’s lucky we didn’t call the cops. You aren’t seeing him, are you?”