Learning the Ropes (18 page)

“Then don’t. Don’t do this to me. It isn’t fair.” She didn’t need to pour her heart out to him. He had to see the need in her eyes, the love she’d been trying to hide for years. “If you’re my friend, then stop playing this game with me.”

Still shaking, Alicia slipped from his arms, leaving him by the truck and hurried to the rodeo secretary, intent on collecting her check, now. The sooner she had her money, the sooner she could get her priorities and her heart back on the right track. She didn’t need a man who would toss her away without a second thought.

Chapter Twelve

“I
HOPE YOU
haven’t been waiting too long.” David leaned over and kissed her cheek, sliding into the booth beside her. She’d gone ahead and gotten them a table while he waited at the rodeo grounds for his brother to meet up with them. “It took longer than I expected.”

“It’s fine.” She smiled at him but he could see something in her eyes. There was a hesitation that wasn’t usually there and a sadness that hadn’t been there earlier.

“Are you okay?” He narrowed his eyes. Something was wrong but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Yeah,” she said, a little too quickly. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long weekend.”

“This is where you bring us for dinner?” Colt slid into the booth across from Alicia as his brother sat beside him. His father reeked of stale beer. “You’d think you could afford something a bit nicer after that win.”

“Stop, Dad. This place has great steaks so just figure out what you want.” David’s brother leaned closer to Colt’s ear. “Behave,” he ordered.

David shot his brother a rueful glance before turning toward Alicia. “Ali, this is my brother, Christian.” His brother stood and leaned over the table to shake her hand.

“I’ve heard a lot about you. That was a great run today.”

“Thanks. It’s nice to meet you,” she said quietly.

She bit her lower lip and studied her menu. This wasn’t like her but David didn’t want to question her in front of his dad. Maybe she was just uncomfortable around his father. God knows, she had every reason to be after what he’d said earlier. He slid his hand to her thigh and lightly squeezed. He saw the flicker of humor in her eyes as she shifted and reached her hand down to meet his, twining her fingers between his to stop him from squeezing the ticklish spot near her knee.

It was a glimpse of her usual fun-loving personality and calmed his worries, but only slightly. The waitress appeared to take their orders and David ordered grilled steaks for him and Alicia while his brother ordered an Angus burger. His father slapped the menu on the table irritably.

“I don’t even know what to order. Nothing looks good.”

David shot the waitress an apologetic glance and she smiled down at him sympathetically. “Dad, just try the steak.”

“No,” he argued, waving his hand. “It’s too expensive.”

First his father complained that the restaurant wasn’t expensive and ritzy enough and now he was complaining about the prices of the food? There was no pleasing the man. David clenched his jaw. “It’s fine, Dad. Order whatever you want.”

Colt shoved at Christian’s shoulder. “Oh, look at him. One win and money’s no concern but he doesn’t have anything to save the ranch.”

“Dad,” David muttered. “Not now. We’ll talk about this later.”

“It’s always later with you.”

“Sir,” the waitress apologized, “why don’t I just give you a few more minutes?”

David shot his brother a glance, pleading with him to help shut their father up, and glanced over at Alicia. She looked uncomfortable as Colt leaned toward her, narrowing his eyes.

“Maybe you’re the reason he can’t afford to keep the ranch that’s been in our family for three generations. You realize he’s as close to broke as they come, right?”

The color drained from her face and she looked around as if trying to find something to explain Colt’s attack. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Colt planted both hands on the table and leaned closer. “I’ve been around rodeo longer than you’ve been alive. I know how you bunnies try to worm your way into our wallets.” He jerked his thumb toward David. “Well, this one’s got nothing.”

“That’s enough, Dad,” Christian said, reaching for his dad’s arm, pulling him back toward the seat. “You don’t even know her.”

“I don’t have to.”

Alicia’s eyes flashed with fury as she cocked a brow on her forehead and laughed at Colt, surprising them all. “You’re a sad, pathetic excuse for a cowboy.”

“You can’t talk to me like that.” David watched his father’s face redden with fury. “I’m Colt Greenly.”

“You are a washed up, worthless ex-champion who expects his sons to put up with petty complaints at every turn. If you’re so amazing, why aren’t you still on the circuit? If you’ll excuse me, David. I refuse to sit and listen to this abuse.” She scooted out of the booth, past David, and hurried for the door, leaving all three men staring after her, speechless.

Christian was the first to speak. “Uh, David, you should probably go after her.”

“Don’t you dare!” His father bellowed, rising and slamming a hand on the table. “Let her go. She’s trash and making you lose focus. You need to keep your eye on the Finals and leave the whores for someone else.”

David jumped to his feet and leaned over the table, into his father’s face. “If you ever talk about her that way again—”

“What?” Colt sat back down and leaned back in the booth. “What are you going to do?”

“Go find her, David,” his brother muttered.

David watched Ali hurry from the restaurant, wondering how everything had changed so quickly. He’d gone from being ready to tell her he was falling in love with her to trying to subdue one of his father’s tirades in a matter of minutes.

“A
LI!
” A
LICIA TURNED
to see David running toward her. “Wait.”

“David, I don’t think we can do this.” She shook her head and continued toward her truck. After her confrontation with Chris, she couldn’t take any more today.

“Do what?”

“Us, this.” She dug through her purse looking for her keys. “Your father hates me, and it’s just making things harder on you. I’ve heard him, David. He thinks I’m nothing more than a bunny, trash, just after you for your money.”

“What money? I don’t have any.” He reached for her hand and drew her against his chest. “He wants me to save the ranch from foreclosure. Other than giving the family yet another NFR title, that’s all he wants me for.”

“I get that he thinks he’s looking out for your best interest.” She’d been so intent on getting out what she wanted to say she’d barely heard him admit the pain his father was inflicting on him. Her eyes registered her shock.

David ran his hand through his hair, his face revealing his frustration. “I’m nothing more than a meal ticket to him. My brother, too. He wants us to be like him so we can provide for him.” The words spilled from gritted teeth as if he couldn’t bear to say them. “He’s got a gambling problem. Not to mention that he can barely stay sober most days. Even when he is, he’s popping pain pills for his leg.”

David sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I’ve never told anyone about all his issues, not even Chris. This isn’t about you, Ali. This is who he is. He ran our mother off years ago, practically chased her from the ranch. He’s a mean son-of-a-bitch but he doesn’t have anyone left but the two of us.”

She laid a hand on his chest. “He’s your father but you have to understand why I can’t subject myself to his insults and bigotry.” She turned back toward the truck.

“Ali, what do you want me to do? He needs me. Don’t ask me to choose between you.”

She paused, taking a deep breath, with her hands on the door handle before returning to him. “I’m not asking you to but I
am
going to make this easy on you.” She laid her fingers against his jaw. “I like you but this isn’t going to work, David.”

She climbed into her truck and pulled out of the parking lot, trying not to look in the mirror to see David standing alone, staring at his hands as if they had the answers to what had just happened. As much as she regretted hurting David, she didn’t regret the decision. She wouldn’t subject herself to Colt Greenly and, unfortunately, he was part of the package that a relationship with David offered.

C
HRIS BANGED HIS
fist against the door, jarring it with his intensity.

“Cristobel?” Jessie answered the door, wiping her hand over her sleepy eyes. “What’s wrong? Is it your sister?”

“I need to talk to Ali.” His words came out slightly slurred, as if his mouth was full of cotton.

“What?” Jessie rubbed at her forehead as if she hadn’t understood him.

“Ali. I need to talk to her.”

“Are you—”

“He’s drunk, Mom.” Ali appeared at her mother’s shoulder. “And, apparently, he wants to wake up Dad so that he can come out with his gun. Go ahead and go back to bed. I’ll take care of this.”

“I am not,” he protested, but leaned back against the porch railing to keep his balance as the world continued to shift off kilter.

Ali brushed past her mother and stepped onto the porch, closing the door behind her with a soft click. “What do you want, Chris?”

She looked so sweet with her hands tucked into the front pocket of a hoodie, with her flannel pajama bottoms on, her pink toenails peeking out from underneath. The sight of her painted toenails was so utterly feminine it stole his breath away and scattered his thoughts. Her hair was mussed, as if she’d climbed out of her warm bed because of him and it didn’t take much for him to imagine her there, his body pressing her into the soft mattress as he made love to her.

He took a quick step forward and cupped her jaw with his hands, seizing her mouth in a kiss meant to brand her. His lips teased her, stealing any reluctance on her part as they caressed hers in a primal dance. He slid his fingers into her hair, holding her against him, her soft curves cradling him as his other hand slid to her waist, pulling her against him, his arousal evident against her. Her fingers curled in the front of his shirt but, instead of pushing him away, she pulled him closer, her hand sliding up the back of his neck to cup his nape as she opened her mouth to him, willingly giving him all he wanted to take. Chris swept his tongue against hers and heard her gasp of surprise.

He wanted her, every inch of her, writhing beneath him. He wanted to taste her skin, to feel her fingers trailing over his flesh. He wanted to hear her cry out his name, to bury himself into her, to see her arch her back as he brought her pleasure. He wanted to hear her say she loved him.

The realization hit him like he’d been kicked in the gut by a steer. This wasn’t him being drunk. This wasn’t jealousy. He didn’t want to date Ali. He wanted her to be entirely his, to make sure no one else ever touched her again. He wanted her with him in the morning, to fall asleep holding her in his arms, to watch her bear their children. He wanted the entire fairytale—happily ever after. He was in love with Ali and he was finally ready to admit it.

He broke off their kiss slowly, his fingers trailing over her cheeks, letting his gaze travel over her sleepy eyes and kiss-swollen lips. He rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “Ali, we have to talk.”

She sighed and laid her forehead against his chin. He kissed the smooth skin of her brow. “I don’t want to talk, Chris. All we ever do is talk. I’m tired of talking.”

Chris tipped her chin up, leaning down and sipping from her lower lip. “Have something better in mind?”

“That depends,” she whispered, her voice husky as his mouth found the curve of her throat at her jaw. She gasped as his hand slipped up the back of her sweatshirt and tripped along the skin at the top of her thin camisole shirt.

She shivered against him and he felt the blood pooling in his loins, aching for release, and he groaned against her throat. His hand moved over her ribs as his thumb brushed the soft cotton covering her breast, causing her nipple to pucker. She arched against his hand, filling his palm with her, and cried out softly. His fingers sought the hem of her shirt, slipping below, intent on the prize of her heated skin beneath.

“Ali, you drive me crazy, you always have.” His need burned in him, making every part of his flesh tingle with icy fire. He wanted to confess the thoughts flitting through his mind like kids playing tag but his desire had hijacked his brain, making it impossible to think about anything but how good she felt in his arms. “I’ve waited for this for a long time.”

“For what?” she whispered hesitantly.

Chris let his hands fall to the curve of her rear and pressed her against him. “I need you, Ali. I can’t get you out of my head.” His fingers found her waist as he squeezed her slightly. “It seems like I’ve wanted you forever.”

C
HRIS’S WORDS PENETRATED
the fog of her desire. “What?” She pressed her hands against his chest as he tried to cover her mouth with his.

It didn’t seem to deter him as he pressed his lips to her jaw, nibbling at the tender skin of her neck. She fought against the shiver of delight that raced down her spine, twirling magically in her belly before curling through her limbs. Her fingers twitched, itching to slip under his shirt, to feel the expanse of muscled flesh she knew was underneath. Her mind and body warred with one another until her heart was able to be heard above the deafening pulse racing through her ears.

You deserve to be loved, not just wanted.

Alicia didn’t want to be Chris’s flavor-of-the-week, especially when the smoky scent of whiskey still clung to him. She couldn’t allow her desire to rule her. No matter how badly she wanted to give in to her needs, no matter how much her heart wanted to believe he cared for her, he only wanted her body. He’d as much as admitted his need for her was purely physical. Allowing this to go further would only make her exactly what Colt Greenly had accused her of being—a buckle bunny.

“Stop, Chris. I don’t want this.” She shoved against his chest and he stumbled backward, looking dazed. “I’m not some itch you can scratch.”

He frowned at her. “I didn’t say—”

“You didn’t have to.” She ran her fingers through her hair, ashamed of the way she’d let him touch her. What was she thinking? “Did you think I’d just jump into the back of your truck with you?”