Read Online The Last Cowboy Standing by Barbara Dunlop - Free Book Online

soft female voice as a blond woman sauntered over to him. At a nearby table, a brunette closely watched the exchange.
    “I’m Sandy,” she introduced.
    “Travis,” he returned. “Nice to meet you.”
    The men’s room door banged shut behind Corey. Then a smile lit his face as he approached the pool table.
    “Corey,” he introduced himself to the woman, holding out his broad hand.
    “Sandy,” she repeated. Then she turned to look at the brunette. “My friend is Linda.”
    “You gals from around here?” asked Corey.
    She grinned. “We ‘gals’ are from California. San Diego. You?”
    “I’m a bullfighter on the pro bull riding circuit.”
    “You’re one of those guys with a red cape and a tight, gold-tassel-covered jacket?”
    Travis coughed out a laugh at the image.
    “That’s in Spain, not in Nevada. I’m the guy in blue jeans who saves the cowboy’s ass when the rangy brahma bull bucks him off and threatens to gore him or trample him.” He gestured to Travis. “Guys like him. I saved his life on Saturday night.”
    Sandy looked to Travis. “That true?”
    “It’s true,” Travis affirmed as he racked up the balls.
    Linda rose from the table and wandered over. “You’re a bull rider?” she asked Travis.
    “I’m a rancher. Eight ball?” he asked Corey.
    The waitress returned with Travis’s beer, and Corey ordered one for himself. “Eight ball it is,” he said to Travis. “So, what do you women do in San Diego?”
    “We’re caterers, mostly weddings, but corporate parties, too.”
    “Isn’t that a coincidence.” Corey took the break, hitting the racked balls hard and sending them shooting across the table. None went into a pocket. “We’re planning a party right now.”
    “What kind of a party?” she asked.
    “Bachelor party,” said Corey.
    “So, you’ll be down on the Strip?”
    “Part of the time,” said Corey.
    Travis called solids and took his first shot, putting away the six ball.
    Corey gave a groan at the nice shot. “We’re also doing paintball and dune buggy racing.”
    Travis couldn’t help but hope Corey didn’t mention their plans for lunch here. The women seemed nice enough, but this party wasn’t going to be about pickups.
    “Is one of you the groom?” asked Linda.
    Corey grinned as he shook his head. “We’re the party planners.”
    “The groom is a friend,” said Travis. This time he sank the four.
    “Am I being hustled?” asked Corey with obvious good humor.
    “Does the groom live in Vegas?” asked Sandy.
    “Colorado,” answered Corey.
    Travis missed the three, and Corey chalked his cue.
    Sandy moved away from Corey, bringing her closer to Travis.
    “So, Mr. Bull Riding Rancher, are you—”
    “Would you like to order lunch?” The waitress’s question interrupted.
    Relieved, Travis turned his attention to the woman. “I’ll take a cheeseburger.”
    “Same here,” called Corey as he lined up on the ten ball. He pulled back his cue and made a perfect shot.
    “Who’s hustling who?” Travis joked, moving from the pool table to their dining table to take a drink of his beer.
    He hadn’t wanted Sandy to finish her purring question. He wasn’t in the mood to flirt. His mind kept slipping to Danielle, wondering where she was, if Randal was with her, if he’d made a move on her.
    Corey sank two balls in rapid succession. Then he missed, leaving a promising-looking table for Travis.
    Conversation between Corey and the two women swirled around him, with the occasional burst of laughter. Travis worked his way through the rest of the solids, earning cheers from the women as he made a particularly tricky bank shot to sink the seven.
    He easily finished up the eight ball to take the game.
    “I guess you’re buying lunch,” he said to Corey as the waitress arrived with their burgers.
    “You’re the one with the good payday,” Corey countered. “And I did—”
    “I know. I know,” Travis cut in. “You saved my life.”
    Travis