Long Hard Ride (Rough Riders #1)(14)

Channing smiled and tugged his hat back in place. “Now that’s what I call a kiss.”


Edgard said, “If you two are done sucking face, we need to get a move on.”


“Quit bein’ an *, Ed. Give Channing time to use the can and get a snack.” Trevor waited for him to snap off another smart retort.


Instead Edgard scowled and skirted the front of the truck and climbed in the passenger side.


As Trevor watched Channing saunter into the convenience store, he knew Edgard was going to be a problem where she was concerned.


Problem was, Trevor didn’t know what to do about it.


Colby materialized from the shadows and leaned against the concrete pillar beside the pump. “Everything all right?”


“Yeah.” Trevor couldn’t meet Colby’s gaze. “She’s something, isn’t she?”


“Yep.”


“I think you like her way more than you’re lettin’ on. So does that mean you’re gonna have a problem sharin’ her with me, Colby? Actin’ all pissed off if Chan and I spend time alone together? If you see me kissin’


her?”


“Nah, buddy, there’s enough of her to go around. This is what she wants and I think it’ll work well for us. But we both know I ain’t the one with the jealous streak.” Colby pushed away and reached for the windshield cleaner, scrubbing away the bugs and grime with the spongy side, before using the squeegee to slick away the filthy water.


By the time the windshield was clean and Trevor had checked the horses, Channing had returned, looking as fresh as a daisy. She rubbed a shiny red apple across her chest before she took a big chomping bite.


Juice dribbled down her chin.


“That apple actually looks good,” Trevor said.


“Want a bite?”


She held the fruit to his mouth. Instead of taking a bite, he leaned over and licked her sticky-sweet chin, then swept his tongue over her lips and dipped it into her mouth. “Mmm. I much prefer tasting the apple from you.”


Her cheeks were flushed from his attention, but Channing recovered and rolled her eyes before she jumped into the truck.


After they pulled into Limon, they found a cheap, slightly seedy motel close to the fairgrounds. Edgard and Trevor unloaded the horses, unhooked the trailer, and Colby drove Channing to the Hinky Dinky grocery store outside of town.


She loaded up on fresh fruit, a few veggies. Whole-grain cereal and bread. Lunch meat. Diet soda. And canned soup.


Colby’s contribution to the cart was an extra large box of condoms, four cans of Skoal and a case of Bud Light.


Every time she added a new item, her gaze strayed to that box of condoms, extra large, extra ribbed for her pleasure, and she tried not to panic.


She browsed the butcher block and pointed to a chunk of beef. “See?


If I had a big crock pot I could toss meat and potatoes in it in the morning, and by the time we stopped, dinner would be done.”


Colby brushed a kiss across her forehead. “As much as I’ve said I don’t want you goin’ to no trouble for us, slow-cooked beef and potatoes does sound tasty. I miss home cookin’. My ma is a helluva good cook.”


Channing bit the inside of her lip. Did she confess to him she really wasn’t much of a cook and have him compare her efforts to his mother’s?


Colby loaded the grocery bags and talked on his cell phone. They picked up a bucket of fried chicken and all the trimmings and ate the meal in the picnic area outside the motel. It was a beautiful night, not a breath of wind, the humidity tolerable and a silver moon hung low in the sky.


Several other contestants, Brian, Jeff and JJ, all sometime roping partners with Edgard and Trevor, stopped by and the beer disappeared quickly. Just in that short amount of time she realized that these people traveling the circuit were like one big family. Fighting, laughing, fiercely loyal to one another. Not that she’d experienced anything like that in her family life.


Trevor and Edgard returned to the arena to practice roping and Colby tagged along, needing to run his horse.


Channing stayed in the room and indulged in a shower. After she’d shaved and coated her body with lotion, she wondered what would happen when her cowboys returned. Was she supposed to stay naked?


Would they prefer another strip tease?


Did she really know what she’d gotten herself into?


The sound of a lock in the door sent her pulse tripping. She shoved the books in her satchel and flipped the page on her notebook.


Colby entered the room first, followed by Trevor. Edgard brought up the rear and he immediately went into the bathroom and the shower kicked on.


Trevor flopped on the queen bed against the wall. “I’m tired.”



“I’m not,” Colby said. His gaze traveled from Channing’s bare toes all the way up her legs to linger on her face. “I’m feelin’ very energetic tonight.”


Yowza.


“Who’s sleeping in the trailer?” she asked.


“Edgard,” Trevor said.


Did that mean he wouldn’t be joining them again? Channing was almost afraid to ask. She was secretly worried Edgard regretted having her along, or worse, that he didn’t find her attractive.