Read Online Crockett's Seduction by Tina Leonard - Free Book Online Page A

housemates, Valentine had to admit to feeling very uncomfortable. She had never sat on Delilah’s side of the stands before, and though she was with her new family, she felt exposed. Her life had changed so much since she’d lived in Lonely Hearts Station. For the better, she knew.
    Last loaded up in the gate and Annette watched her daddy in big-eyed wonder. Bad-Ass Blue burst into the arena a moment later and did his level best to rid himself of the cowboy without success. Last jumped off triumphantly, waving to the crowd.
    Then he jumped up into the stands and gave his daughter a big kiss. “You brought me luck!”
    Over her daughter’s head, Last caught Valentine’s eye. “And I’m sure you did, too.”
    She blinked, startled. “I doubt it. You didn’t seem to need luck.”
    “Every cowboy needs luck.”
    Was he flirting? She didn’t think so, but…“Congratulations. You got a great score.”
    He didn’t even glance at the judges. He just stared at her, his eyes questioning. “You’re never going to like me, are you?”
    Her heart stopped. “ Like you?”
    “Be friends. The way you are with my brothers.”
    She winced. “It’s hard.”
    After a moment, he nodded. “I understand.”
    He left, and next to her, Mimi rolled her eyes. “Don’t fall for that.”
    Valentine turned to her. “What do you mean?”
    “The Jefferson men pursue when they want to and ignore when they want to. But they never, ever do something halfway.”
    “I really didn’t understand what he was asking,” Valentine admitted. “Is he talking friendship, or something else?”
    Mimi sighed. “He is generally confused. Last’s a pleaser. He wants everybody around him to be happy. That’s great, but you don’t want to be confused by it.”
    “So he’s not—”
    “No.” Mimi shook her head. “A Jefferson male in hot pursuit is not easily mistaken. You’d know .”
    Valentine wasn’t comforted. Crockett certainly hadn’t been after her in hot pursuit.
    “Be guilt free. I sense that he feels bad for the way he’s handled things with you.”
    “Oh.”
    Mimi shrugged. “Then again, those boys are not always true to form. You do know about the Curse of the Broken Body Parts, don’t you?”
    “Crockett mentioned something about it.”
    Mimi’s light brows rose. “Really? Well, then it’s on his mind, isn’t it?”
    “What’s on his mind?”
    “The thing they all dread the most. The pain,” Mimi said conspiratorially. “Crockett’s loading up on Bloodthirsty Black, and no one has ridden that bull to the bell yet. Ever! So in just a minute, we’ll all get to see if he’s cursed. I have to say, as a close female friend of the family, I do enjoy watching them be afraid of something .”
    Valentine didn’t want Crockett to get hurt. Her fingers squeezed together; she felt a nervous ache in the pit of her stomach. What if he really was injured?
    The what-ifs were too awful to contemplate.
    A second later, the gate shot open. Bloodthirsty lurched out, snorting and throwing hooves as if he had fire on his back and was determined to put it out. Crockett hung on, his head snapping, his body coiled with unbearable tension as he was flung back and forth. Valentine felt faint, but she squeezed Annette’s hand to try to keep her daughter from being worried.
    The buzzer sounded, and Crockett jumped to the ground. Clowns rushed the still-kicking bull toward the breezeway. The crowd was silent for a stunned moment, then they burst into a hurrah and applause and a standing ovation.
    Crockett waved his hat to everyone, but when Valentine thought he might come over to get congratulations from his family and friends in the box, he turned and left through a small door instead.
    Valentine felt her heart shrivel up inside her.
    “That was strange,” Mimi said. “He didn’t even wave over here. He didn’t look hurt to me. Did he seem hurt to you?”
    “No, he wasn’t even limping.”
    “Well.” Mimi turned to look at