Read Online Learning the Ropes by T. J. Kline - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: T. J. Kline
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before speeding home. Alicia glanced at the clock as Delilah’s horse stretched out, running hard, and seconds ticked past. 15.39 . . . 15.40 . . . 15.41. The buzzer sounded, signaling a finish, and Alicia’s head fell forward.
“Damn it,” she whispered.
Chris and David flanked her on either side and she hated that they witnessed her disappointment, especially considering she was still in the money and they were going home empty-handed, but did she really have to come in second to Delilah again? Maybe Delilah was right and she was just out of her league.
“That sucks.”
David’s words summed up her feelings precisely. She’d hoped she’d be able to earn enough at her hometown rodeo to finally put an offer on the property. She was dying to tell her parents she’d bought them a house and to make her father’s dream a reality but apparently it wasn’t going to happen this weekend.
“Look at it this way, Ali,” Chris said, circling his arm around her shoulders and giving a quick squeeze to cheer her up, “it took a horse that cost nearly a quarter million to beat you.”
She rolled her eyes and frowned at him. “Thanks, that helps so much.”
David chuckled at her sarcasm but she could read the sympathy in his dark eyes. She sighed. “I’m going to get the horses home.”
Alicia made her way down the bleachers, hoping to be one of the first to the rodeo secretary to collect her check and avoid Delilah altogether.
David followed her. “Why don’t you come out with us tonight and drown your sorrows in a beer at the Ole Corner,” he offered.
Alicia turned and faced the two of them. “I should probably stay home. With Beast dropping his shoulder, I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me this week. I’ve got to make sure next week’s run is just as good or better.”
“Come on, Ali.” Chris bumped her arm with his elbow, playfully. “You’re the only one who won any money today. We’ll let you buy us a round.”
“Really, Chris? I can buy?” she feigned excitement, rolling her eyes skyward. “Such a gentleman.” She covered her heart with both hands before fanning her face. “Be still my heart.”
David arched a brow as she mocked Chris. “Nice to see every woman isn’t immune to your charm.”
“She wants me,” Chris countered and gave her a wink.
Alicia glared at him. His remark hit a little too close to the truth for her liking. Even as she fought the urge to melt into a puddle at his feet, she wondered, when he looked at her like that, if he didn’t suspect the truth. She might be able to joke with him and pretend she didn’t feel anything more than a casual friendship but that didn’t stop her from imagining what it would be like to be held by Chris again, or to kiss him, or have his hands . . .
Stop, she ordered her wayward thoughts. No sense even fantasizing since it was never going to happen. Chris had left a string of broken hearts behind him and she wasn’t about to have hers tossed into the battered debris.
“Look out!” a voice called.
David yanked Alicia backward just as a big sorrel barreled past, nearly running her over. “Watch where you’re going,” David yelled after the rider.
Delilah circled the frantic animal and looked backward over her shoulder. “Oh, so sorry. I was just so excited about my win . . . my head must be in the clouds.” Her voice was sickeningly sweet and made Alicia want to gag. Or throw something at her as she continued running her horse through the crowd.
“I really hate her,” Alicia muttered. “Why did it have to be her?”
“That’s exactly why you need to come out with us tonight,” Chris urged. “We’ll have so much fun, you’ll forget about bleached blonds with sugar-daddy aspirations. Besides, at least you didn’t lose.”
“Just leave her alone, Chris. If she doesn’t want to go, it’s fine.” David sounded enraged and she wondered at his intensity. “And we didn’t lose.”
Chris stopped and
“Damn it,” she whispered.
Chris and David flanked her on either side and she hated that they witnessed her disappointment, especially considering she was still in the money and they were going home empty-handed, but did she really have to come in second to Delilah again? Maybe Delilah was right and she was just out of her league.
“That sucks.”
David’s words summed up her feelings precisely. She’d hoped she’d be able to earn enough at her hometown rodeo to finally put an offer on the property. She was dying to tell her parents she’d bought them a house and to make her father’s dream a reality but apparently it wasn’t going to happen this weekend.
“Look at it this way, Ali,” Chris said, circling his arm around her shoulders and giving a quick squeeze to cheer her up, “it took a horse that cost nearly a quarter million to beat you.”
She rolled her eyes and frowned at him. “Thanks, that helps so much.”
David chuckled at her sarcasm but she could read the sympathy in his dark eyes. She sighed. “I’m going to get the horses home.”
Alicia made her way down the bleachers, hoping to be one of the first to the rodeo secretary to collect her check and avoid Delilah altogether.
David followed her. “Why don’t you come out with us tonight and drown your sorrows in a beer at the Ole Corner,” he offered.
Alicia turned and faced the two of them. “I should probably stay home. With Beast dropping his shoulder, I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me this week. I’ve got to make sure next week’s run is just as good or better.”
“Come on, Ali.” Chris bumped her arm with his elbow, playfully. “You’re the only one who won any money today. We’ll let you buy us a round.”
“Really, Chris? I can buy?” she feigned excitement, rolling her eyes skyward. “Such a gentleman.” She covered her heart with both hands before fanning her face. “Be still my heart.”
David arched a brow as she mocked Chris. “Nice to see every woman isn’t immune to your charm.”
“She wants me,” Chris countered and gave her a wink.
Alicia glared at him. His remark hit a little too close to the truth for her liking. Even as she fought the urge to melt into a puddle at his feet, she wondered, when he looked at her like that, if he didn’t suspect the truth. She might be able to joke with him and pretend she didn’t feel anything more than a casual friendship but that didn’t stop her from imagining what it would be like to be held by Chris again, or to kiss him, or have his hands . . .
Stop, she ordered her wayward thoughts. No sense even fantasizing since it was never going to happen. Chris had left a string of broken hearts behind him and she wasn’t about to have hers tossed into the battered debris.
“Look out!” a voice called.
David yanked Alicia backward just as a big sorrel barreled past, nearly running her over. “Watch where you’re going,” David yelled after the rider.
Delilah circled the frantic animal and looked backward over her shoulder. “Oh, so sorry. I was just so excited about my win . . . my head must be in the clouds.” Her voice was sickeningly sweet and made Alicia want to gag. Or throw something at her as she continued running her horse through the crowd.
“I really hate her,” Alicia muttered. “Why did it have to be her?”
“That’s exactly why you need to come out with us tonight,” Chris urged. “We’ll have so much fun, you’ll forget about bleached blonds with sugar-daddy aspirations. Besides, at least you didn’t lose.”
“Just leave her alone, Chris. If she doesn’t want to go, it’s fine.” David sounded enraged and she wondered at his intensity. “And we didn’t lose.”
Chris stopped and
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