And just like that, with the look in his eyes, the confidence and excitement came flooding back into me. I raised myself on my toes to give him a fast kiss, because I could never kiss him enough, before I bolted and ran to the arena entrance, where, yes—they were waiting for me. And as soon as that mic was handed over to me, as soon as the crowd cheered, the last five minutes ceased to exist.
Steam wafted from the bathroom the second I opened the door, already dressed in my shorts and tank with my fingers working to braid my hair in record time. This shower seemed to do the trick; the other one months ago didn’t. It washed everything away, including the giant weight that was pressing on me.Everything that had been building and building the past six months didn’t seem as heavy, and where I knew the shower and telling off my mom wasn’t the answer, for now, it worked. For now…I felt different.
My phone had been going nonstop since we got back to the hotel. First, my dad called to congratulate me. Thankfully, he didn’t mention my mother, which meant she hadn’t talked to him about it yet, or he simply stayed away from the topic. He was followed by Abi and Cash, Stetson raving about how he was so excited to see me in the Hartwell Rodeo next month. Kyla and Rhett sent me messages as well, and others followed from sponsors, to fellow riders, to older friends from Montana, and my heart was so full. I didn’t think it could get any fuller, but then I saw him. The one person who I never thought would make me feel like my heart was buzzing, already relaxing.
Wyatt was on the bed with his hair wet from his own shower, his legs crossed and head resting on his arm, scrolling on his phone as he patiently waited. Earlier this week, when he scrolled through that Google tab to find the words that described Quinn Compton, he called me fucking perfect—but now, that was him.
I climbed over him, gaining his attention as he raised his arm for me to slide on top of him, resting my head on his chest. I heard his heartbeat, steady and calm—the exact rhythm I needed to fully relax to.
“Hey,” he said softly, kissing the top of my head.
I hummed. “Hey.”
“You broke a record today.” Even with his voice soft, I could hear the euphoria that settled there.
I rested my chin on his chest. “I did.”
“And you won the Reno Rodeo Finals.” He beamed with pride.
“I did.” A broken whisper filled the air, a soft laugh I tried to contain.
“You brought home your biggest check yet, and”—he turned his phone to me—“you’re number one in the standings.”
“Wait, what?” I pushed myself up and off of Wyatt, grabbing his phone from his hands. There was my photo, my cheesy photo that’s required when you enter the PRCA, larger than the others below me, with my home and hometown right above my earnings. “Oh…whoa.”
“That’s not the reaction I was expecting.” Wyatt leaned up on his elbow, his fingers running up and down my arm.
“No, that’s a proper reaction. I never got this high last year.”
“I think breaking a rodeo arena record twice in five days would do that.” He kissed my shoulder, and the small zing it created radiated down my arm. “How do you feel about it?”
“Is this real?” I asked him, meeting his gaze, those baby blues piercing into me. “This isn’t real, is it?”
“It is. You won. You stood your ground and proved to the entire world that you really are—”
“Don’t say it.” I smiled, giving him a side eye.
“Barrel racing’s princess.”
I rolled my eyes. “I hate that nickname.”
“You love it.”
“I think I preferred it when you called me ‘Compton.’”
“I can still call you Compton, but I’ll take full credit for your official nickname.”
“It better not stick.”
He kissed my shoulder again. “I hope it does.”
“Wyatt.” I tossed his phone onto his chest.
He chuckled, moving his phone to the floor before he turned and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me down to the bed and to him. I giggled, scooting closer to him, feeling his arms settle against me, his nose rubbing against mine. He began to study me, his gaze moving from my shoulders as he moved my braid to my back, his fingers making lazy circles once my skinwas bare, to my eyes, and finally to my lips. He inhaled, held his breath for a beat, then exhaled, slow and steady.
“Please tell me you’re going to kiss me now.” I wiggled against him, sliding my hand under the hem of his shirt.
He shivered under my touch but didn’t hesitate. Kissing me, slow and sensual, he acted as if he had unlimited time. Every inch of me that he touched began to tingle. When his fingers moved, I could still feel the heat they caused, like his fingerprints were etching themselves into my skin, staying there for as long as I’d allow them to. The slow heat began at my toes and climbed all the way to my stomach, lingering there until my core couldn’t take it. It fluttered up into my chest, spreading the warmth carried through every piece of me. All with his kiss, my body hummed. My chest swelled, ultimately making me stop to catch my breath. I gripped onto his shirt and rested my forehead on his chest.
