Page 25 of One Reckless Moment

Paige and I danced for a while before joining Buck and Tweety at a table. We drank and laughed, and it all felt natural. I was surprised the guys didn’t have any opinions when they watched the whole situation go down at the bar, but they didn’t even bat an eye.

I was waiting for the comments about how it had taken so long, and had to pray no one had a loose tongue when we got back to the ranch. Not that anything had happened, but it definitely looked a certain way.

Paige announced she was going to the bathroom and disappeared into the crowd. It was my turn to get a round, so I sauntered up and leaned against the bar. The bartender started preparing our drinks when someone sidled up next to me.

“Hey, man.”

Another rider, Brian Cook, leaned against the bar.

Over the past month, I had made friends with the familiar faces of the riders who I was competing against. It was almost always the same group of guys, and you learned who was good, who was an asshole, and who to completely steer clear of.

“Hey.” I reached across to shake his hand.

“Hell of a run you got going for a first timer,” he said with a laugh.

“I’m trying my best.” I shrugged.

“You got potential, that’s for damn sure.”

A group of girls passed by, waving at me and giggling.

Brian chuckled and patted my shoulder. “Too bad you got a girl. A face like yours would go far out here.”

“I don’t have a girl.” I laughed.

“No? I swear I just saw you pee on one that Gold tried to get for the night.”

“Oh, Paige? Nah, man. She’s my buddy’s little sister. Figured the easiest way to make sure everyone stays away from her would be to put my mark on her. It’s a little pathetic that it had to come to that.”

The words felt wrong coming out of my mouth, but I couldn’t admit how much I liked seeing Paige in my hat. I couldn’t admit it to anyone else, and I couldn’t admit it to myself.

Brian’s eyes went a little wide as he noticed something over my shoulder. I whipped around and froze. Panic seeped into me as Paige Brooks stood directly behind me with glassy eyes.

“Were you going to pity fuck me, too? Show me exactly why I don’t go for cowboys?” she asked as she took my hat off and slapped it against my chest. Paige turned on her heels and rushed to the exit with her head down.

I ran after her, bursting through the door and looking around in every direction to see where she went. I couldn’t let her leave like that without explaining myself.

Paige was standing at the edge of the parking lot, looking at her phone. I marched up to her and snatched it out of her hand.

“Get away from me, Cash,” she snapped, reaching up to try and get her phone back.

“No,” I barked back at her.

“What do you want from me? I didn’t want to be here. When you’re around, I can’t have fun. You switch from flirting with me to hating me fast enough to give me whiplash.”

“I don’t know.” I gripped the back of my neck with my hand and blew out a breath.

“Well, you need to figure it the fuck out. I’m not playing this game with you. If you’re too much of a coward to admit you want me, then that’s your problem.”

Paige swiped her phone from my hand and stormed down the street.

I just stood and watched her go. Wanting Paige Brooks wasn’t the problem. I’d wanted that girl for as long as I could remember. The problem was what was at stake if I went after her, and the amount of people I’d hurt in the process. Walker and Mr. Brooks would have my head. I wouldn’t be able to look Gigi in the eyes. I’d lose the only stability I’d ever known.

Even more important than that, Paige deserved more than a few nights in my bed. I wasn’t the type of man who would be a good husband and give her everything she wanted. Paige was smart and funny—fucking beautiful. She was the total package, and I was a ranch hand who drank too much and slept around. I had nothing to offer her—outside of the bedroom.

Even knowing that, I despised that I hurt her. She wasn’t supposed to hear me say what I said. It was supposed to be a dumb comment so rumors didn’t start about me and my sponsor’s daughter. Most people didn’t know who she was, but one reporter sniffing where he shouldn’t and the rumors would fly.

I sulked back into the bar and sank into my chair next to Tweety and Buck.