Rodeo Queen (13 page)

S
COTT ROUNDED THE
corner and noticed the crowd at the corral. His foul mood after seeing Sydney and Derek together had only grown worse after listening to the two of them joking while rounding up animals yesterday. He’d managed to avoid them both this morning, but he knew his luck would run out eventually. Seeing the hands standing around with so much work to be done lit his already too-short fuse.

“What in the hell is going on here?” he demanded as he walked up to Clay. “And why is everyone just standing around?”

Clay pointed into the corral. Scott’s eyes followed, and for the first time he noticed Sydney walking around the pen with the filly following behind like an obedient dog. He could hear Sydney’s voice, calm and soothing.

He hushed his voice, his tone still betraying his apprehension. “What is she doing with Cougar?”

“She’s going to ride her,” Clay stated. “Or, at least that’s what she says.”

Scott clenched his teeth. “No one can ride her. She’s going to break her damn fool neck.” He looked around him at the various men, frustrated that they were all allowing this nonsense, especially knowing what the filly had done to most of them. “And why is she in there alone? Dammit!” Scott cursed as he headed toward the gate on the other side of the corral, prepared to order Sydney out.

“Scott.” Mike’s tone stopped Scott in his tracks. “Give her a chance to do her job.” Mike walked over to where Clay stood, the other men moving to allow him a front row seat for the coming excitement.

“You can’t be serious?” Scott pulled his hat off and ran a hand through his hair, frustrated that no one else seemed to be thinking clearly when it came to this woman.

Mike grunted and both men stood at the fence to watch. Sydney stepped up to the left of the saddle and snapped the stirrup against Cougar’s side. The filly turned and looked back at her but turned her head forward when Sydney began talking to her again. Scott held his breath as she reached for the reins and put her left foot into the stirrup. With excruciating slowness, she stood with all of her weight in the left stirrup, still talking to the filly calmly. Scott could hear the collective intake of air from the men watching as she bounced lightly in the stirrup. The filly’s ears twitched as she listened to Sydney’s voice but appeared completely at ease otherwise.

Cautiously, Sydney swung her leg over the filly’s back and sat lightly into the saddle. Sydney sat still on her back, allowing her to walk wherever she wanted in the corral, all the while rewarding Cougar with nothing more than her voice and strokes along her neck. Scott watched as she was able to get the filly to begin following the guidance of the snaffle bit in her mouth and finally to stop and back up. He looked around at the seasoned hands surrounding the pen. They were as transfixed as he was at watching her break the filly. With this one ride she’d managed to earn their respect simply by proving she was worthy of the chance Mike had taken in hiring her.

Scott watched as Derek stepped into the arena, taking the reins as Sydney dismounted Cougar.

“Sydney,” Mike said, beaming. “You are one amazing horsewoman.”

She looked around the arena as if noticing the crowd of cowboys for the first time. A modest smile graced her lips. “Thanks Mike. She’s a nice filly.”

“You ready for the next one?” Derek asked, leading Cougar back to the barn.

Scott tipped his head toward her as their eyes met, hers practically sparkling yellow. “Bring it on.”

D
EREK WATCHED AS
Mike and the other hands wandered off to what they’d been doing, most of them talking about how Sydney had been able to do what none of them had. In spite of his embarrassment at Sydney riding a horse he hadn’t, it was even more fun to watch Scott being taken down a peg in front of the other hands. He brought a sorrel two-year-old gelding in to Sydney. He watched as she began to repeat the process.

“So, this is the new bimbo daddy hired?” The feminine voice purred behind him.

Derek glanced behind him and saw Liz approaching. He had been at college when she and Scott had been dating, but he’d been around the ranch enough to know that Liz had slept with most of the ranch hands right under his brother’s nose, not to mention several of the cowboys on the rodeo circuit.

“You might want to watch who you’re calling a bimbo, Liz.” Derek jerked his chin at Scott, who stood near the corner of the barn, still watching Sydney and oblivious to Liz’s arrival. “Especially since Scott seems to have a thing for her.”

“Really?” She turned her emerald eyes toward the barn. “But will she give him what I can?”

Derek laughed. “What? Leftovers?”

She raised her slim, manicured hand to slap him, but he easily deflected the blow. “Want a word of advice, Liz? I don’t know why you came home, but Scott isn’t the guy you left anymore.”

She tilted her head to the side, her blonde curls falling forward. “I came home for Daddy, of course.”

Derek narrowed his eyes. “Why, now, after all this time?”

Liz flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder. “I don’t owe you an explanation. I’m not even sure why I bothered to say hello to you.”

“Whatever,” Derek mumbled as he turned his back on her. “But I’d leave Sydney alone if I were you. She could probably tear you apart.” A broad smile spread across his face as he chuckled at the thought.

“Now I remember why I never liked you much Derek,” Liz hissed. “Because you’re nothing more than a little boy trying to imitate his big brother.”

S
COTT WATCHED AS
everyone left and headed back to work. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Sydney. She had a way with the horses like he’d never witnessed before. He’d never seen anyone so patient breaking them. Not only was she rewarded with their trust, but they craved her attention. He could understand how they felt; he fought the desire for her attention himself. He wanted to feel her hands on him, to hear her voice go soft and languid again.

He barely caught a glimpse of blonde hair before the voice erupted from the other side of the corral. “Scott!” The smile that formed on Liz’s lips never reached her eyes as she ran around the corral and threw herself into Scott’s arms, squealing as she pressed her lips to his. Scott cringed at the thought of her touching him, but who knew what kind of scene she would create if he pushed her away?

Scott heard Sydney’s voice and tore himself away from Liz. He hurried to reach the corral, leaving Liz standing by the barn.

“Whoa! Easy boy!” Sydney pulled the colt’s head to the right until it touched her knee as he continued to buck seconds before rocking backward on his hind legs. He dropped back to his front, throwing his hind legs into the air, dropping his head, and twisting the rest of his body. He spun wildly in circles as Liz began to whoop from the shade of the barn.

“Whoo, ride him!”

The other hands, hearing the commotion, hurried back to the corral. Scott watched with terror as the colt stopped suddenly, snorting loudly before rearing again and stumbling backward. As the colt lost his balance and began to fall onto the saddle, he saw Sydney jump off. She hit the ground roughly, managing to roll a safe distance from the horse’s feet just before the colt twisted his body and fell onto his side. He rose unharmed and shook himself then stood in the center of the arena. Scott and Derek jumped the fence from either side of the corral.

“Sydney?” Scott asked, dropping to his knees next to her. “Are you okay?”

“Don’t,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “Don’t even touch me.” Scott could see where her tears had streaked her cheeks through the dust.

“Sydney, you need to lay still.”

“Just go away, Scott.” She shoved him with her palm.

Derek put a hand on Scott’s shoulder. “Scott, go grab the horse. I’ll take care of her.”

Scott shot his brother a burning glare before turning back to Sydney. A stab of jealousy shot through him as she reached past him for Derek’s hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

“Both of you, out!” Sydney ordered. She turned her back on them and made her way back to the colt. As she mounted him again, amidst several objections from Derek and Mike, Scott could see the determination in her eyes. Surprisingly, the colt acted as if nothing had happened and walked calmly around the corral. Sydney took him around a few more circles before dismounting.

Liz giggled as she made her way to the fence where Scott stood watching Sydney. “Looks like someone needs a riding lesson.”

“If your coyote howl hadn’t spooked him, he would have done fine,” Sydney answered.

Scott saw Liz’s jaw drop in shock before her eyes glittered like dark jewels. “If you were any good, you’d have been able to ride him down.”

Sydney handed the reins to Derek, who led the gelding toward the barn, and turned to face Liz. “I saved that horse’s life by getting off when I did, and if you had even half a brain in that bleach-blonde head of yours, you’d know not to run around horses screeching like a hyena.”

“Why, you little . . .” Liz rushed the fence, ready to leap over, but Scott grabbed her by the arms. He wondered if Sydney even noticed that Liz had four inches on her.

Derek held the gelding, so he would have been no help separating the two women. But, even if she was shorter, his money was on Sydney.

“I think maybe now is a good time for a break,” Scott suggested to Derek.

“Sure,” Derek agreed, chuckling. “Come on, Sydney, let’s leave the lovebirds alone.”

Scott shot his brother a glare before grabbing Liz by the arm and dragging her toward the barn. He pulled her inside and slid the door shut behind him.

“So eager to be alone with me again?” She slid up to him, pressing herself against the front of his body.

“Don’t kid yourself. I hoped to never lay eyes on you, again.”

“Oh, Scott.” She pouted, winding her arms around his neck. “You haven’t forgotten everything we shared, have you?”

Scott reached behind his neck and grasped her hands, pulling them away from him. “And everything you shared with everyone else?”

“A misunderstanding,” she clarified, her hand snaking out from his hold and grasping the front of his shirt. “You loved me once.” Liz stood on her toes, her lips a mere fraction from his. “Don’t try to tell me that, deep down, you don’t still love me.” She snuck her tongue out to lick his lower lip.

He leaned back against the barn wall. “Just let me know when you’re finished.” Liz pulled away from him and looked up at his face, feigning innocent seduction. “What we had was nothing but a lie. I’m not playing your games anymore. Whatever you’re here for, get it and leave.” Scott brushed her off and headed for the door.

“Don’t turn your back on me, Scott,” she threatened, her innocent act forgotten. He turned back to look at her. “I can make your life a living hell.”

Scott laughed. “Liz, you don’t matter to me one way or another. You’re no different than any other buckle bunny on the circuit.” He slid open the barn door as she let out a frustrated scream. The hay hook crashed into the door and dug into the wood, bouncing in the air as it lodged mere inches from his head.

“You missed,” he observed as he left the barn laughing.

D
EREK HAD HEARD
most of the argument between Liz and Scott. He heard Liz curse and kick one of the stall doors. He chuckled when she spun at the sound of hooves on the concrete floor. “Didn’t go the way you planned?” Derek laughed.

“Go away, Derek.”

“Well, I guess you can’t get your way all of the time.” He just couldn’t rouse any sympathy for her. “So now you want Scott back?” He opened the stall and led the gelding inside.

“What I want is to get rid of that little . . .”

“Watch it,” he warned. “And she has nothing to do with Scott rejecting you. Again,” he added suggestively.

Derek knew his little jibes would find their mark. Liz had never taken any sort of rejection well, even as a child. It actually drove her to pursue something with even more determination. And she certainly didn’t seem to be enjoying Scott’s rejection of her advances now. But he also realized that something was brewing between Sydney and Scott. There was a tension there he wanted to see disappear. If Liz could distract his brother long enough, then it would give him that much more opportunity to try to win Sydney over. Not only would he not be bested by his brother again, but Sydney was a mighty fine woman, and he was certain that they could have something special together. A plan began to take shape, but he’d need Liz’s cooperation.

“How long are you planning on staying, Liz?”

“That depends. Why?”

“Maybe we can work out some sort of arrangement.”

She arched a brow at him, cocking her hip to the side. “I’m listening.”

“I’m not sure what has you rushing home to Scott after all this time.” Derek paused, waiting for her to fill in the blanks. When Liz simply crossed her arms, refusing to fill him in on her motives, he continued. “But it’s pretty obvious that you want him and I want her.”

“Wow, genius! Did you come up with that one all on your own or did you get some help?”

Derek wrapped a hand around the bars on the stall door and squeezed, briefly imagining it was her neck. “You know what, you’re right. You seem to be doing just fine with Scott on your own. Forget needing my help.” He turned and started down the horse barn’s aisleway.

“No, wait.” Liz reached for his shoulder. “What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll do my part in keeping Sydney away from Scott. They can’t be in the same room right now anyway without a war breaking out.” He pushed her hand from his shoulder. “But you need to keep Scott distracted. Keep him away from her as much as possible. Keep the rift between them growing.” Derek gave her his most charming smile. “You just do what you do best: destroy relationships.”

Derek left her standing in the aisleway, staring after him as he stepped back into the sunlight. Sure, he felt a little guilty about misleading Sydney, but he wasn’t really lying. He was just stacking the deck in his favor where she was concerned. The less she was around Scott, the more one-on-one time he could have with her. And the more time they were together, the more likely their attraction could become more substantial.