And Then You Dare (Crested Butte Cowboys Series Book 5) (17 page)

“If you’re about to say I’ve wasted my time, I’ll stop you
right there. I’m in love with you, and the last thing we’re doing is breaking
up.”

Bill raised his eyes and looked into her smiling ones. He had
no idea what she was thinking, but if it meant she was still his girl, he
couldn’t wait to hear about it.

Their week was coming to an end. Tomorrow they’d leave the
ranch, and go back to their respective lives. Her time had been more productive
than she could’ve dreamed. She was leaving with twice as many designs for Lost
Cowboy and her new venture than she initially anticipated.

She also felt ready to discuss her ideas with her daddy. Deep
down she knew he’d support whatever she wanted to do. Being in Colorado gave
her time to think it through, and realize it was ridiculous believing
otherwise.

Each day Bullet became a better bull rider. Without the
distraction of everyday life, his focus was intense. Buck was an intuitive
trainer, and managed to pick up on Bullet’s areas of weakness, and get him to
work straight through them. Depending on how much time Flying R gave him to
compete, it was conceivable that he could earn enough to make regional finals
this year. Buck believed he could go further than that.

The rodeo season would be fully underway inside of two weeks.
They’d both be busy traveling the circuit. Until Bullet knew his schedule with
the rough stock, there’d be no way they could plan when they’d see each other
next.

When he brought it up, and she told him that, Bullet sulked.
He pressed her to tell him when she’d be in Crested Butte again. He asked her
if she could come to Black Forest. When she said she didn’t know, he pulled
away, and told her he’d see her later. He slammed her cabin door behind him on
his way out. When he came back an hour later, he apologized. When she tried to
explain where she was coming from, he shut her down, but this time, he used his
mouth on her body rather than argue with her.

She looked over and watched him sleep. Bullet had intrigued
her from the moment she met him in Liv and Ben’s hot tub. On one hand, he was
the epitome of a bull rider. Arrogant, cock-sure of himself, and an experienced
handler of ladies. Even now Tristan wondered how much of that was for show.

Conversely, his actions toward her were of commitment and
caring. He was relentless in pursuing a long-term relationship with her, yet
there was still a part of her that believed he’d forget all about her the
moment she boarded her flight home.

She had no choice but to be realistic. She understood all too
well how much temptation he’d face once he was out competing. Instead of
allowing herself to think about it, she girded herself for the inevitable.

He wasn’t like Walter, that wasn’t it. Walter’s actions were
intentional, premeditated. He declared his love for her all the while knowing
that tomorrow he’d be in someone else’s bed, likely making the same
declaration.

Bullet didn’t intend to be with other women, but he would be.
And there was no reason he shouldn’t. Their week had been spectacular. She’d
been able to put her past hurt behind her, and enjoy a hot and torrid affair
with him. That’s the way she saw it. Tristan didn’t see them ending up
together, not in the way Bullet insisted they would.

Without her stating it emphatically, he sensed the way she
felt, and that was when he became surly. Instead of spending the day arguing
with him, Tristan decided to go along with whatever he wanted today. Tomorrow
he’d come to his senses all on his own.

***

Tristan was sitting up in bed, her back to him. If he had the
ability to read her mind, he wouldn’t allow himself to. Bullet knew what she
was thinking, and it made him mad. Furious, in fact. But not at her, at
himself. He’d stupidly believed he was winning her over, but instead, he was a
nick in her bedpost. The irony would make him laugh, if his gut wasn’t burning.

How many women had he done this to? Sure he’d tell them they’d
see each other again real soon. Meanwhile, he’d already forgotten their name. A
week with any one woman would’ve been unheard of, except for Callie. He’d spent
more than a week with her, but even then, it wasn’t just her he was with. He
never thought himself capable of committing himself entirely to one woman.
Until now.

She didn’t come right out and say it, but he’d been on her side
enough to know she was biding her time. Once he delivered her to the airport
and she was safely on the plane, she’d breathe a sigh of relief that she’d
dodged him. This time he was the bullet, not her.

The question now was how would their day play out? If he
pushed, he might not spend it with her. If he didn’t, he might be able to spend
the day in her bed, and in her body.

When he leaned over and ran kisses down her spine, he was
rewarded with a heated smile telling him she wanted to spend their last day at
the ranch the same way he did.

He should be the happiest man on earth. He was riding better
than ever, and Buck Bishop told him he’d called Bill Patterson and said Bullet
worked harder than any other rider he’d trained. He went on to tell him how
proud Flying R Rough Stock should be to sponsor him, and his prediction that
he’d be their top rider this year.

Instead of walking on air, he was downright miserable. Tristan
had been at breakfast when Buck came in to report on the phone call. She was
happy for him, smiling from ear to ear, congratulating him, even gave him a big
hug and kiss.

But the two things he wanted to hear her say, she never said.
Other than telling him how happy she was
for him,
there was no
mention of either a Lost Cowboy sponsorship, or any talk of when they would see
each other again.

There were twenty times on the way from the ranch to the
airport that he thought about bringing one or both up, but he stopped himself.
He already felt like a fool, no need to make himself look more pathetic.

Other than getting into her bed, Bullet hadn’t succeeded in
changing anything in their relationship. When he asked the day before about
visiting her in New York, she said “maybe.”
Maybe?
How much more
of a brush-off could there be?

Before breakfast that morning he asked if she knew her
upcoming travel schedule, and she responded that nothing was determined yet.
She didn’t even know when she might be back in Crested Butte. Not that he would
be.

His mood only got worse after he dropped her at the airport in
Edwards, particularly given her goodbye. It seemed as though she couldn’t care
less that their week together was at an end.

When a fella decided to tailgate him on the highway, Bullet
slammed on the brakes, and sent a slew of curse words in his direction that
would make a hard-core rocker blush. When he stopped to fill his gas tank and
get a snack, the flirty cashier only annoyed him. Instead of wishing her a nice
day too, he snarled, grunted, and walked back to his truck.

If he didn’t improve his attitude, he’d have a lot of
explaining to do to the people who’d made it possible for him to have the week
at the ranch.

***

As much as she didn’t want to, Tristan missed Bullet. She’d
been home several days, and no matter how hard she worked, she couldn’t fend
off the distraction that came when her mind drifted to something he’d said, or
they did.

Bullet had an unexpected way of looking at life. He often
surprised her with his views on a variety of subjects. Sometimes he’d play
dumb, but if she pushed the conversation, his acumen would show through.

He’d been the first to predict her daddy already knew what she
was up to in developing a new clothing line, and he’d been right. Her granddad
told her that his son had been sneaking peeks at her designs for weeks. When
she confronted him about it, he scowled, but wouldn’t own up to his espionage.

Her weekly phone calls with Liv resumed when she returned from
the ranch. While she would admit the role she played in suggesting Tristan’s
daddy send her to the ranch for some much needed time off, she insisted she had
no idea Bullet Simmons was going to be there at the same time.

Liv pressed her on when she’d be back in Crested Butte, and
how plans were coming for the new line. Tristan told Liv her daddy said he’d be
happy to support her new venture with seed money, but he thought it best if she
developed the brand separate from Lost Cowboy, which led Liv to suggest a
meeting of potential investors.

“You could hold an informational meeting in Black Forest, and
invite the women I already know are interested in investing. Depending on what
you’re looking for, we could open it outside of our Flying R circle as well.”

Tristan smirked at Liv’s suggestion even though her friend
couldn’t see the look on her face. “Black Forest huh? And yet you insist you
had nothing to do with getting Bullet and me together at the ranch.”

Liv held firm, saying the reason she suggested Black Forest
was because that was where most of the key players lived. “It will be easier on
everyone if we meet there. I’ll have to travel, and so will you, but everyone
else is based there.”

With no choice but to relent, Tristan began planning the first
investors’ meeting for the new clothing brand,
McCullough
Cowgirl.
The name was a hit with everyone she told, almost all of
whom suggested the line would soon grow to include McCullough Home, McCullough
Cowboy, even McCullough Kids.

She’d been tempted several times to call Bullet, or text him.
But since she hadn’t heard from him, she feared her prediction had been
correct. He’d forgotten all about her. Out of sight, out of mind. Too bad that
wasn’t working for her.

***

“What the hell do you mean she’ll be in Black Forest tomorrow?
How long have you known this?”

“There isn’t any reason to yell at me, Bullet. I got the call
from Liv day before yesterday. How was I supposed to know Tristan didn’t tell
you?”

Here he was in Montana. He wasn’t due to leave for Black
Forest until Friday. Today was Tuesday. Tristan would be long gone by the time
he got home.

He was so angry, he felt like putting his fist through
something. Too bad the only thing close was the side of the trailer. The last
thing he needed was to break the bones in his hand, and the way he was feeling,
that was how hard he’d hit it.

“Steam’s comin’ outa your nose and ears Bullet.”

Billy Patterson was the last person Bullet wanted to have a
conversation with right now.

“What’s got ya all fussed?”

“Nothin’.” Bullet walked away, but Billy followed.

“Renie told me there’s a big meeting goin’ on at Patterson
Ranch tomorrow. Somethin’ about a new business she wants to invest in. You know
anything about it?”

“Nope.”

“I heard Tristan McCullough has somethin’ to do with it. That
ring any bells?”

It was looking more and more like Bullet was going to punch
something, and if Billy didn’t back off, it would be
someone
instead.

“I said no. I meant no. Now leave me the hell alone Billy.”

“Okay then. I’ll call Renie back and tell her to expect me home
tonight. And here Jace and I were gonna offer to drive this load of broncs to
Black Forest so you could be the one to leave early.”

“Wait, what?”

“But if you don’t know anythin’ about it, and don’t care to
know, then I guess ol’ Jace and I will get to see our wives a few days earlier
than planned. Okay by me.”

“Shit.”
Bullet couldn’t hold back any longer. At
least now the closest thing for him to hit was the side of the barn. It still
hurt like hell, but he doubted he’d done any real damage to his hand.

“What the hell was that all about?”

Bullet wanted to wipe the shit-eating grin off Billy’s face.
He knew damn well what it was about. It was why he’d spent the last five
minutes giving him grief.

“She doesn’t want to see me,” Bullet muttered.

“What’s that? I couldn’t hear you.”

“Fuck off Billy. You heard me.”

“I don’t know about that. Bree told me she overheard Tristan
ask whether you were around.” Jace was sitting on the fence near the barn,
chewing on a piece of straw.

“You two tag-teamin’ me now?”

Billy put his hand on Bullet’s shoulder and squeezed. “We’re
old and married son. And both our wives are pregnant. We gotta live vicariously
through someone.”

“I’m married, but I’m not old Patterson. You’re the old one in
this crew. And Bree isn’t anywhere near as pregnant as Renie is. What’s she
goin’ on, month fifteen?”

Billy rubbed his hand over his face. “Sure as hell feels like
it. Thirty-six weeks is what they’re sayin’.”

Bullet felt for the guy. He remembered when Callie was in the
last month of pregnancy with Grey. She was
miserable.
He doubted
Renie was the same way though. She didn’t seem like the miserable sort.

“Your time’s comin’ asshole,” Billy glared at Jace.

“That why you’re offerin’ to let me be the one to go back
early? You don’t wanna be around your pregnant wives?”

As much as Billy knew he was getting under Bullet’s skin
teasing him about Tristan, Bullet knew exactly how to push Billy’s buttons. If
anyone ever said a single thing about Renie that could be construed in a
negative way, Billy went near ape-shit. Bullet smiled at him and winked.

“You think you’re so damn smart, don’t ya?” Billy snarled.
“But I ain’t the one punchin’ the side of a barn.”

***

“Let’s have a girls’ night,” suggested Liv.

“We don’t have much choice, Billy and Jace are in Montana,
Tucker’s off at a watercolor workshop somewhere in New Mexico, Ben is on tour
with the band. Who does that leave?” asked Renie.

“Dottie’s Bill, Paige’s husband Mark, and my dad and brother,”
answered Lyric.

“Mark and your dad are with Ben and the band,” said Liv.

“Just like my family not to tell me anything,” sulked Lyric.
“Does anyone know where my mom and Gram are?”

“At Bullet’s,” answered Dottie, walking in Renie’s back door.
“I came over to ask if we should invite them to the meeting tomorrow.”