Rodeo Queen (8 page)

“’Course,” he agreed amiably.

Before she knew it she was flipped upright, waiting for her feet to hit ground that never arrived. Suddenly, water splashed overhead and she found herself seated in the livestock trough.

“Now, that would make a fun picture.” Scott stood with his fists firmly planted on his hips, not even trying to contain his laughter as she swiped wet curls from her eyes. He reached down to pluck a piece of alfalfa from her hair and she swatted at his hand.

“Ass,” she muttered under her breath.

“Is that any way for a lady to talk?” Scott leaned close and grasped her hands, helping her out of the water. “Besides, you’re repeating your insults.”

She glared at him as she stepped out before shoving him out the way, ignoring his laughter as he walked behind her back to the trailer. Jake led the way and stepped through the doorway, but stopped so suddenly that Sydney ran into his immobile form. He let out a low whistle as he looked inside the trailer.

He turned and faced them both. “Does this mean I’m heading out to pick up breakfast?”

Sydney’s eyes met Scott’s, and neither bothered to contain the laughter that burst from within.

“J
AKE, GET THOSE
horses in the trailer.” Scott’s shout echoed across the empty rodeo arena.

Sydney rode up on Dakota. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come along?”

“No, we need those other horses exercised before we head out.”

“Fine,” she answered tersely as she turned the horse and rode toward the arena.

Scott shook his head as he watched her departure from his side mirror. He’d thought that after this morning they’d be able to call a truce, but she hadn’t spoken to him while they cleaned up the mess in the trailer. He knew he was partially to blame. He’d allowed himself to get carried away this morning. But she looked so tempting in nothing but a t-shirt, her long legs bare to her shorts. He knew she was nervous about meeting everyone on the ranch later, and he probably should’ve allowed her on this first trip and gotten the instructions over with, but it was taking every ounce of control to be around her without kissing her senseless. And he was doubtful that being locked in a truck with her for the five-hour round trip was going to help any.

This morning after a sleepless night on the couch, he’d tried to do something nice and make her breakfast, but that only ended up with him needing a cold shower. Not that he’d entertained any ulterior motives like crawling into bed with her. He barely contained a groan at the thought. It was worth it for just a moment when he held her body pressed against his. He hadn’t realized how a punishment could be so doubled-edged until he decided to give her the dunking she deserved. She’d looked so tantalizing as she stood from the water, her shirt clinging to her, he could just imagine how it would feel to hold her without the barriers of clothing. He shook his head to rid him of his reckless thoughts.
The last thing I need
, he thought adamantly,
is to get involved with someone like her, like Liz.

Just the thought of the tall, waifish blond brought back the pain of her betrayal. He found out sooner than most cowboys that a rodeo queen’s beauty, especially Liz’s, was only skin deep. Looking back, he could see where she’d manipulated him. It had been easy, since he’d been so taken in by her looks that he’d forgotten how spoiled Mike’s daughter had become when she returned to the ranch after college.

All he’d seen was her emerald eyes and long silken blonde hair; she was like an angel on Earth. Before she’d headed off to school, she’d always been the annoying girl that constantly pestered him and his best friend, Kurt. Once she’d returned fully developed after her first year, both men had vied for her attention. She had mastered the art of flirtation, but Scott was attracted to her vulnerability, as if only he could shelter her from the rest of the world. He liked being her knight. And the first time they’d made love had been initiated by her desire for him to hold and protect her. With professions of love, they were soon engaged. Everyone on the ranch was happy; it finally looked as if the two families would join in more than just business. Even Kurt was happy for them—or so he thought.

Arriving home from a trip to purchase cattle a day earlier than planned, he’d hoped to surprise Liz. He searched the house for her, and when he didn’t find her he’d assumed that she must have gone shopping with his sister, maybe making more wedding plans. Scott made his way out to the barn to get some work done until she came back home. Entering, he could see that someone had left a light on in the office. The horses whinnied at his arrival, and he could hear voices over the sounds but couldn’t make out words until he reached the doorway.

As if someone else were controlling his body, and with a calm his heart wasn’t feeling, Scott cleared his throat. Kurt and Liz, caught in the middle of their lovemaking, looked up to see Scott in the doorway.

“Scott,” she cried. Tears instantly welled in her eyes as she pushed away from Kurt. She tried to gather her clothing around her and ran toward Scott. “He tried to . . . I mean . . . he . . .”

Scott wondered what possible excuse she was going to try to make. “What, Liz? Spit it out.” His voice was tight, and he felt like he could barely get the words out. His mind was beginning to cloud over with rage, and he wanted to beat someone senseless.

“Scott, he raped me,” she whispered.

Scott’s eyes met those of the man who had been his friend, or so he’d thought. Kurt was pulling his pants up and buckling them. Had Kurt feigned disbelief, anger, or even denied the charge, Scott would have believed her. Instead, Kurt leaned back on the desk, almost bored, and Scott knew this was another performance designed to reel him back into her web of deceit. For her to even claim something so audacious, she must not have realized how long Scott had been standing at the door. Long enough to hear her passionate words for Kurt and insults toward Scott, who was “too stupid to see what went on in his own office.”

Scott wanted to hurt her, hurt them both, as he’d been hurt. He looked down at her and removed her hand from his chest, where she was trying to cuddle up against him. “I hate to be blunt, but you were riding that pony willingly.”

The slap sounded like a gunshot in the small room. Liz shook her hand, but Scott refused to react. Instead, he looked at Kurt. “If I ever see you around this ranch again, if I ever see you on the circuit again, under any circumstances . . .”

“Don’t threaten me, Scott.” Kurt’s gaze was dangerous yet slightly glazed. “You can’t do anything. We both know I’m bigger, faster, and stronger.”

“If I ever see you again, you will lose your card.” Scott saw Kurt’s eyes narrow. “I will report your drug use without a second thought.” Kurt reached for his shirt.

“You bastard!” Liz spat at him. “If you’d really loved me, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Scott was struck by the absurdity of her words. His fault? Between him and her father, this woman had never wanted for anything. He looked down at her tearful emerald eyes, now glimmering with fury at not getting her way. He would never give her the satisfaction of knowing that she had ripped his heart out.

Scott turned on his heel, chuckling, and left the barn. He immediately loaded his truck, intent on heading out to the first rodeo he could find. Throwing himself into his work had proved to be his only distraction until the pain of her betrayal had been buried deep enough that it didn’t rise up. And any woman who decided to flirt with him usually ignored the bitterness that tinged his intimacies. He’d been able to avoid any sort of emotional tie, until Sydney.

Liz had disappeared after that final confrontation. Scott never told Mike what had happened, but he hadn’t needed to. When he returned home, Mike informed him that she had taken off that same day with Kurt, saying she had decided to “ride the circuit.” Scott wasn’t sure if Mike was more hurt because of the way Liz had treated him or because she had once again abandoned Mike and the ranch to run away.

“She acted like it was an adventure.” Mike withdrew an envelope from his pocket. “She left this for you.”

Scott reluctantly tore it open, its contents spilling into his hand. Mike picked up the engagement ring and held it up. “It just didn’t work out, Mike.”

Scott could see that Mike wanted to ask more questions but that he also wouldn’t want to hear the truth. “So, how’d the rodeo go?” Scott’s respect for Mike grew as he allowed Scott his privacy.

Scott had tried to focus on the endless stretch of road, watching for exits, leaving behind the highway for a road banked by lush, green pastures. They’d been lucky that Liz had stayed away the past two years. She’d only kept in contact with her father in short letters and emails with an occasional phone conversation, usually begging for more money, which Mike always sent her. The further away Liz stayed, the better off everyone was, Scott decided.

As Scott made his way down the driveway to the main corral, he saw bodies pour from the house. Mike led the way, followed by Clay, Scott’s huge brother-in-law. He questioned whether the man had been lifting weights in his absence again. He saw his sister following behind and wondered again how the two of them could have such similar personalities and ethics, yet Derek, who hadn’t even shown up, could be so different. Silvie, short and heavyset, with her apron still tied around her waist, brought up the rear.

“Scott,” Mike yelled as he turned off the truck engine. “I didn’t expect you here so soon.”

Scott headed to the back of the trailer. “I wanted to get started since we’re making two trips today.” He opened the back gate and, unclipping the first two horses, backed them out together.

“How many horses did you end up getting?”

“Seven, plus the stud is coming back, too.” He passed the lead ropes to Clay, who took the horses to the corral. Before he could say anything else, he heard Jennifer squeal as she threw her arms around his neck.

“Oh, I’ve missed you, little brother!”

Returning her enthusiastic hug, Scott laughed. “I’ve missed you too. But you’re choking me,” he teased.

Silvie looked around. “So, where’s Sydney?”

“She’s working the rest of the horses. I’ll bring her later today when we bring the rest of the horses back.” He hugged Silvie as he caught the I-told-you-so look she shot Jennifer.

“So what did we get?” Scott was thankful for Clay’s interruption. He didn’t want to answer the women’s questions about his leaving Sydney behind.

“Four geldings and three mares. Plus, Sydney’s got her stallion.”

Clay raised a brow. “A stallion she uses in the rodeo?”

Mike laughed. Using stallions in rodeos was unusual due to their unpredictable nature. It was the same reason riders tended to use geldings instead of mares most of the time. “This isn’t an ordinary stud, Clay. Trust me.” Mike turned to Scott. “The mares are for breeding?”

Scott nodded as he handed Clay the lead ropes of the horses he had unloaded. “You should see the bloodlines, Mike. They’ll throw some nice foals, especially with that stud.” He closed and locked the back of the trailer.

“Okay,” Silvie interrupted. “Let Clay finish with those horses. You get into the house. I just finished making lunch, so let’s all hurry up and eat while it’s still hot.” She shooed them toward the house.

Scott leaned toward Jennifer as they headed toward the house. “Where’s Derek?”

“Um.” She stalled. “He was here just before you pulled in.”

“He headed to the lake again,” Clay answered as he came up behind them.

“What?” Scott couldn’t believe how worthless his brother was on the ranch.

“Well,” Clay said, matter-of-factly. “He was no help with the cattle, so he left.”

Scott clapped him on the back. “How did we ever get along around here without you?” He was genuinely fond of his brother-in-law and had respected him as one of the best pick-up men in rodeo even before he and Jennifer had become a couple. He’d been thrilled when they had worked out their differences so that he was able to stand at Clay’s side when they were married.

“Scott, Derek will come around. He’s still young,” Jennifer scolded.

“Derek is twenty-two years old. If he wants to be treated like a man, he needs to learn to act like one. Besides,” he continued, “he’s far older than we were before we started working rodeos with Mike, and he can’t even handle the work around here.”

Scott blamed himself for his brother’s lack of responsibility. He and Jennifer had babied him after they’d lost their parents, and Jennifer had always been his valiant defender in every situation. Derek had always run to her for protection from their brother and had never hidden his dislike of Scott. Scott knew that Derek had always felt as if he came in second place, but that was usually because he wasn’t willing to put in the hard work Scott had. Derek, like Liz, wanted everything handed to him.

“Scott,” Jennifer pleaded. “Just don’t say anything. I’ll talk with him tonight.”

“Jen, he’s got to . . .”

“Please,” she interrupted. “I promise. When you get home tonight, he’ll be ready to work hard, okay?”

“Somehow, I doubt that.” Scott didn’t want to argue with his sister about their brother.

As they circled the kitchen table and sat for lunch, Mike didn’t waste any time asking about Sydney. “Was she okay with the sleeping arrangements?”

Scott shrugged. “We worked it out. I took the couch.” He didn’t miss the knowing look his sister shot Clay, nor the smile that Mike tried to hide behind his glass. “Give me a break. There is nothing going on and there isn’t going to be.” He felt a slight twinge of guilt at the lie.

“Scott, if half of what Mike said about her is true, you should think twice. It might be good for you to date someone again.” Jen tried to appear nonchalant without much success.

“And you think dating someone who works with us would be a good option?”

She shrugged. “All I’m saying—”

“Scott,” Mike interrupted. “All Jen is suggesting is that you don’t rule out the idea of dating anyone. Sydney’s the type of girl we hope to see you settle down with someday—honest, strong, determined. And the fact that she’s pretty doesn’t hurt either.” He chuckled.