Page 59 of Buck ’Em Cowgirl

“Dalton and I usually go out after the events—bars, restaurants, whatever. It’s not like those are places to meet someone serious. Dating someone while being a professional bull rider is hard. Most guys don’t bother trying.”

I leaned back against the counter, crossing my arms. “Why? Because it’s too much work?”

He shook his head, a low chuckle escaping. “Because you’re never home. Because the job’s dangerous as hell. And because most people don’t get it—why we do what we do.”

His tone was matter-of-fact, but there was an undercurrent of something heavier, something unspoken. I didn’t press, but it was easy to see how his world didn’t leave much room for anyone else. It made sense, even if it didn’t make it any less sad.

“I saw plenty of girls at the event who ‘got’ it.”

He hummed as he set the plate on the drying rack. “Nah. Most girls just want to hook up with a bull rider so they can say they did. It’s fun for a night, but when it comes down to the distance, the travel, and the time away? Nobody actually wants to deal with that long term.”

I tapped my chin thoughtfully. “You work all year round, right?”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “During the summer, after the world championship, we shift into team season. It’s more structured, like being on a professional team. We have a coach, training schedules, the whole deal. It’s a different kind of pressure, but still nonstop.”

“Sounds exhausting,” I said, watching the way his shoulders rolled back.

“It’s the life,” he said simply, but something in his tone shifted. His shoulders seemed to sag slightly as he turned to look away, his gaze landing somewhere in the distance. He shook his head and then glanced back at me, his face unreadable. “Want me to drive you back?”

I nodded, unsure of what to say, and followed him out to his truck.

Beau quietly drove the short distance back to my little guesthouse, the hum of the truck filling the silence. As we rolled to a stop, he pointed toward the sky, the clouds thick and dark, a storm clearly brewing.

“I’ll drive you tonight. Looks like a storm’s coming, and the road to Roger’s can get flooded.”

I shook my head. “I’m perfectly capable of driving myself.”

The corner of his mouth lifted into that damn smile. “I know you are, baby, but let me be a gentleman and drive you.”

I sighed dramatically but couldn’t hide the laugh bubbling up. “Fine,” I said, hopping out of the truck.

As I walked toward the house, the wet ground sucked at my sneakers. It had rained earlier, and the mud seemed alive, determined to take me down.

I stepped forward, only to feel the earth grip my foot with an iron hold. It wasn’t just mud—it was like the ground had grown hands, wrapping around the legs of Beau’s oversized sweats. I yanked hard, but as my foot came free, the pants didn’t budge.

My momentum carried me forward, and suddenly, I was on the ground, pantsless, with only my ass hanging out for the world—and Beau—to see.

“Oh, this is embarrassing,” I muttered, too mortified to even check the damage yet.

From behind me, I heard his low chuckle. “Well, Cowgirl, if you wanted to give me a show, all you had to do was ask.”

I turned just enough to glare at him, my face burning. “Not a word.”

“Not even a little one?” He teased, leaning casually against the truck, arms crossed, as if this was the highlight of his day.

I stomped up the steps, ignoring the squelch of mud between my toes, and slammed the door behind me.

Inside, I didn’t rush to wash my hands. Instead, I flopped onto the couch, letting out a long breath. As ridiculous as it all was, I couldn’t stop the small, silly smile that crept across my face. The absurdity of the morning, the freedom of leaving those stupid pants in the mud—it all felt strangely liberating.

Emotion swelled inside me until I could do only one thing. I let myself laugh.

19

Beau

“Fuck,” I grumbled as I grabbed the hay I needed and brought it inside the barn for the horses.

My employees had already been here to help, but I wanted to get everything prepared for the week. I needed to get everything prepped because I needed to use my hands and get out after the morning I had.