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So where should she go from here? Shane had left that up to her. His kiss had had her almost begging for more. But there were two big, red flags against any kind of relationship with the man. First of all, he was working for Brock Tolman, and no matter what he told her, she couldn’t afford to trust him. Second, he was a bull rider—and by his own admission, the dangerous sport was his life. After watching her brother die in the arena and seeing how Cory’s accident had affected his wife and most likely his marriage, she had sworn that she would never go down that path.
There was only one right decision here. This evening, she would watch Shane ride Whirlwind in the arena. Whatever the outcome, she would congratulate him on a good ride. And then she would walk away, for good.
In daylight, the room looked even shabbier than it had the night before. Lexie got up, hurried to the bathroom, and rinsed off in the rusty shower before dressing in clean underwear, jeans, and a white western-style shirt from her duffel.
She had combed her hair, dabbed on a little makeup, and was organizing her bag when she heard a knock. That was probably Shane. But in this neighborhood, she’d be smart to ask before opening the door.
“Who’s there?” she called out.
“Me.” The voice was Aaron’s. “Are you decent?”
“Come on in.” She opened the door. He was clean-shaven and dressed in fresh clothes.
“Your friend knocked on my door about an hour ago.” He gave her a disapproving look. “He told me he had business in town and couldn’t stick around. But he made me promise that I wouldn’t leave this place without you.”
“Thanks,” Lexie said. “This motel was a bad choice. Did you manage to sleep through the racket last night?”
“Racket? What racket? I didn’t hear a thing.” He sat down to wait while Lexie finished packing. “Not that it’s any of my business, but I feel responsible for you. And that cowboy looked like a man who could turn a girl’s head.”
“Nothing happened, Aaron. He stayed in the room to keep me safe. That was all.”
Aaron’s forehead wrinkled in a frown. “That’s what he said, too. I just wanted to make sure. I don’t know what your sister would think about your spendin’ the night with a strange fellow.”
“She won’t think anything if we don’t tell her.”
Aaron pondered her words for a moment. Then his weathered face lit in a mischievous grin. “What’s my keeping mum worth to you?” he asked.
“How about breakfast—my treat, anywhere you want?”
“Sounds good. There’s a cozy little diner just down the street. Let’s go.”
He picked up Lexie’s duffel and followed her outside.
CHAPTER SEVEN
AFTER SHOWERING AND CHANGING IN THE TRAILER, SHANE TOOK A cab to the Hotel Albuquerque, where Brock had arranged to meet him for breakfast. He wasn’t looking forward to their conversation, but at least he could count on some good food.
He found Brock having coffee at an outdoor table on the patio. The boss was dressed for the rodeo in a light blue denim shirt, Wranglers, and custom-made boots that had probably cost more than their waitress made in six months. His silver-mounted turquoise bolo clip was authentic old pawn, a hand-made Navajo treasure from the early 1900s.
Shane pulled out a wrought-iron chair and sat down. He’d already weighed the question of how much to tell Brock about his night with Lexie in the motel. The answer: nothing.
“So how’s it going?” Brock set down his coffee cup and passed Shane the menu. “Did you make arrangements to ride that bull?”
“I did. It wasn’t hard. New bulls aren’t in high demand. Too unpredictable.”
“Do you think you can ride him?”
“I plan to try like hell. Somebody needs to end his buck-off streak. It might as well be me. I just hope he gives me a decent score.” Shane stirred creamer into the coffee the waitress had brought him. The conversation stalled for a moment as she took their orders and left.
“And what about the fair Miss Champion?” Brock asked. “Any progress on that front?”
“None worth mentioning. She was parked next to the trailer last night. We . . . exchanged a few words. I invited her in for pizza, but she didn’t stay long. The lady’s not going to change her mind. That damned bull is like family to her.”
“People have been known to sell out family members. It happens all the time.” Brock sipped his refilled coffee. He liked it black and strong enough to strip paint.
“So when do I get to meet this wonder bull up close and personal?” Brock asked.
“I know where to find him. I could take you there after breakfast. But if Lexie’s around, she might run you off with a pitchfork.”
