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Chapter 5
Kyra woke to a soft knock at the door. She didn’t want to move from her warm safe spot in Brock’s arms.
Brock.
Her eyes shot open as the memory of her meltdown accosted her and she immediately rolled out of his hold.
“Why are we in my bed?” she asked belatedly, realizing where they were.
“Well, when you fell asleep I tried to lay you down, but you wouldn’t let go, so I had no choice but to join you. You needed the rest, and it was the only way I could make sure you got what you needed.”
“Oh. Thanks,” she replied lamely. What else could she say to that sweet gesture?
“Were you expecting someone?” Brock got out of the bed and went to the door.
“Yeah, Sadie. She’s going to take me out to visit the horses and she said we could go for a ride.”
“Not alone you won’t,” Brock said as he opened the door.
“We won’t be alone. There are people everywhere all the time.” Kyra crossed her arms over her chest combatively. “Right, Sadie?”
The brunette stood at the door wearing an adorable riding outfit that included a worn pair of blue jeans, a pink and blue plaid western shirt with pink ribbons holding her hair in two pigtails, and even a pair of adorable pink cowboy boots.
Sadie nodded her head in agreement. “Yeah, there’s security all over plus the ranch hands will be around, and Mr. Travis, one of our main ranch hands since Jagger moved to his own ranch, the Double L, is ready to take us on a trail ride. She’ll be safe with us, Mr. Brock. I promise.”
“That’s good to hear, Sadie, thank you. However, protecting Kyra is my job, no one else’s, so if the two of you want to go riding then I will be coming along.” He turned to Kyra. “Choose. Either I go with you, or you don’t go.”
Kyra wanted to sass, wanted to brat and throw a fit, but she really didn’t want to make herself look bad in front of her new friend. She settled for a dramatic eye roll. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“I’m doing my job. Choose,” he repeated gruffly.
“Fine, whatever.”
His job. Why did those words sting so bad right then? Before she fell asleep he’d said such sweet things and had made her feel so safe, and now he acted like she was just a paycheck. At least, that's what it felt like.
“Wouldn’t want to get in the way of you doing your job,” she grumbled, pushing past him and out into the hall where Sadie still stood.
“I love your outfit,” Kyra said. “Are there any cowboy boots here that I can buy? I have some, but they aren’t pink.”
“Of course! In the main store of the lobby they have all sorts of colors and a new pair just came in with butterflies on them, and I really, really want them, but my Daddy says I have to wait. Do you want to get a new pair now? I can wait here while you change.”
“I guess I can wear my own for now, but I do want to look at the ones with butterflies later! Wait just a sec and I’ll go get some jeans on. Be right back, ‘k? And, Brock, I guess you’d better put on some riding clothes, too, since you’re insisting on coming with us.”
She didn’t wait for his reply. She was still a little miffed at his “job” comment. She went to her room and quickly changed into her blue jeans, her black cowboy boots and a sleeveless baby blue western shirt with pearl snaps that she loved. It wasn’t quite as cute as Sadie’s, but it would do for now. Her nicer ones were just to wear on stage.
When she came back out Brock was ready to go, standing there with his arms crossed. And even still miffed, she couldn’t help but notice the muscles in his forearms peeking out from under the rolled cuffs of his shirt. He sure did have nice, strong arms. Nice, strong everything.
Nope. Not thinking about that!
Instead, she grabbed Sadie’s hand and started pulling her down the hall, not bothering to wait for Brock. If he wanted to come then that was fine, but she wasn’t about to wait around for him.
“I really do love your whole outfit,” Kyra told her. “I definitely need to go shopping and get some cuter stuff.”
“Thanks, I like to dress for the occasion.” She smiled. “Should we wait…?”
“Nope, he’ll catch up.”
Kyra continued to drag Sadie down the hall and toward the main entrance. The lobby was a lot fuller than it had been early in the morning, but Kyra didn’t care. Ducking her head and not making eye contact with anyone, she all but ran out of the building with Sadie in tow.
