Heartless: A Small Town Single Dad Romance(58)

There’s something mesmerizing about watching Cade. He knows what he’s doing. So sure. So cool and collected. He’s insanely capable, and I’ve never found that as attractive as I do now.

Capable in the ring.

Capable at the ranch.

Capable around his house.

I can’t help but let my mind wander into the gutter, wondering if he’s just as capable in bed. I decide he must be. No man walks around unaffected by people’s opinions of him unless he knows he packs a serious punch.

It’s that quiet confidence that has me crossing my legs and squeezing my thighs together, gripping the edge of the wooden bench beneath me.

His forearms ripple in the sun when his gloved hands squeeze on the reins. The tendons in his tanned neck flex as Blueberry cuts and dekes, her head drawn low, eyes laser-focused on the cows trying to get past her.

She has a mean expression on what is normally a sweet face.

It’s hard to see Cade’s expression from under the brim of his hat, but I suspect it’s a mirror image of hers. All focus.

I’m not familiar with this sport, but I am familiar with other equestrian sports—enough to know that nothing about Cade and Blueberry looks outclassed.

They’re living proof that working a ranch every day is all the practice they need. Watching him work gives me goose bumps and has me brushing up and down on my arms, even though it’s warm out.

Before I know it, they have two cows squared away in the pen and just the one is left swerving around Lance.

Cade reaches forward and swoops a hand over Blueberry’s muscular neck before loping to his aid.

And I want to be that horse. I want his hands on me. His weight on my back.

It’s pathetic to be jealous of a horse—but here I am.

I need to get over this. Stat. Pining is not my MO. Especially not over a guy who doesn’t want me.

“Oh! There she goes!” Luke squeals and shoots out of his seat, pointing down into the ring where Blueberry cuts low, haunches braced as she spins, her mane trailing in the air she quickly left behind.

“Get ’er, Cade!” Rhett shouts, up on his feet too.

I watch Cade. He’s poetry in motion—smooth and balanced—as Blueberry heads off the cow and guides it straight into the pen with the others.

I don’t know how the scoring works, so I don’t know if it was good or not, but I’m impressed, and that’s good enough for me to shoot up and cheer with Luke. The little boy beams up at me, beyond excited for his dad.

“Wasn’t he good, Willa?”

“Luke, he was the best! And did you see Blueberry? She’s perfect! We did good.” We fist-bump, and I catch Rhett tossing a questioning look at me, but I ignore it. I don’t know how much Summer tells him, and I don’t need everyone and their dog knowing I’m head over heels for Luke and well on my way to being the same for his dad.

“Can we go back and see him?”

“Of course, we can. You guys coming?” I ask Rhett and Jasper.

“For sure,” Rhett says. “Let’s go give the old man some ass pats for putting on such a good show.”

“He’s probably going to need a massage tomorrow,” Jasper tosses back.

“Willa can do that for him,” Luke slides in casually.

And we all freeze.

Rhett looks like a goddamn dog with a bone. “Oh yeah? Have Willa and your dad been swapping massages?”

“No. Just beds.”

I make a choking sound, and Jasper holds a fist up over his mouth.

“I got a stomach bug and Cade gave me his room for one night so I’d be near a bathroom,” I explain.

“Yeah. But wasn’t he massaging you that night you guys danced in the kitchen?” Luke says it so innocently, but my eyes bug out all the same.

“It’s . . . that’s . . .” I stare down at Luke.

“What?”

I feel my chest flush as I wrap a hand around Luke’s shoulder and turn him away from his uncle, who is enjoying this far too much.

Moving my hand to cover Luke’s ear, I lean toward Rhett. “Watch it, Eaton. I know where you live.”

“Yeah? What are you going to do? Come over and drink a bottle of champagne on my back deck?

Braid your hair and have a pillow fight with Summer?”

“I’ll braid your hair. Then I’ll cut the braid off and wear it as a necklace for you mocking me.”

He chuckles. “You’re vicious, Willa. I like that about you.”

I shake my head and turn away, trying and failing to restrain the smile on my lips.

We cut down the bleachers and follow the fence line to the staging area. The guys are still on their horses, but beers are cracked and they’re all chatting and chuckling.

The minute Luke catches sight of him, he surges forward. “Dad!”

Cade’s face breaks into the brightest smile as he reaches down and hauls his boy up into the tack in front of him. He gives him a tight squeeze, and my heart clenches in perfect synchronicity as my eyes fall to the swell of his biceps and the way they flex.

“Great work out there,” I say, offering a small wave to the other guys.

Rhett and Jasper stride in behind me, offering handshakes that clap with their force and back slaps that appear borderline painful.

“You all coming out tonight to celebrate our win?” Lance asks with a smile.