Read Rodeo Blues for Free Online Page B

"Well…let's blame this," she waved her hand in front of
her, "on the drinks Whisper and Buddy supplied us with." Or had
they been doing the buying? She wasn't sure. But a vision of her
making a toast with champagne came to mind. She shook her head,
which proved a big mistake since the room spun from her
efforts.
    "Okay," he said slowly as he stared at her
with those big amber colored eyes – bloodshot, but still
gorgeous.
    "I have to go," she continued to ramble as
she took a step away from the bed. "I have a booth out at the
fairgrounds. I need to be there. The summer help can't be there by
themselves." She chuckled and tucked a wayward hair behind her
ears. "You know… I'm selling souvenirs and all."
    "Okay," he said again with a tilt of his head
and leaned forward to rest his well-muscled arms on his thighs.
    Her eyes shifted to his dark hair mussed and
sticking up as if she'd run her fingers through the strands over
and over again. She had a hunch she had. His chin sported a five
o'clock shadow, giving him a rugged edge, while his lips pouted,
begging her to kiss them. She tore her gaze away. "I have to
go."
    "Okay."
    She swung around to face him once more with
one hand on her hips as she tried to keep the sheet around her with
the other. "Is that all you have to say?"
    "Well darlin', you seem determined to sneak
on out of here. I guess I won't stop you, but—"
    "You won't stop me. Typical. Sleep with me
and waltz out again. It's a bad habit of yours."
    "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're the one
leaving."
    She harrumphed then pursed her lips.
She didn't have time for this…this…whatever this was. She grabbed
her panties and jeans from the floor and sat down on the edge of
the bed. She could feel Tye staring at her back, but she wouldn't
let him get to her. She managed the panties without dropping the
sheet, but she had to let it go to wiggle into her jeans. Glancing
around the room, she spotted her other clothing haphazardly thrown
here and there. She stood and strode over to the dresser and yanked
her bra from the lampshade and her blouse from the TV.
    Please, oh please, let Tye
just remain silent. He at least owed her that much dignity.
Once her bra was secure, she shoved her arms into the sleeves and
did a poor job of buttoning it. Tye came up behind her. She felt
the heat of his body, before he wrapped his arms around her waist.
She stiffened, but it didn't stop him from nuzzling a kiss between
her neck and collarbone.
    "What I was going to say," Tye said, "you go
do what you need to do, but I'll come looking for you after my
event is over."
    The warmth of his body surrounded her like a
blanket, comfy … familiar, and she melted against him. She squeezed
her eyes shut. "I can't do this, Tye. Please… I…"
    He turned her around and captured her lips in
a long searing kiss. All thought fled her mind and she wrapped her
arms around his neck.
    Only when she'd been thoroughly kissed did he
let her come up for air. His fingers brushed a wayward strand away
from her face as his gaze latched onto hers. "Much better." He
smiled then lifted her hand to his lips. "Good mornin',
darlin'."
    She opened her mouth to tell him to
stop…whatever he was doing, but her gaze landed on her ring finger.
"What the…" she pulled her hand away from his and stared at the
makeshift ring fashioned out of cherry stems.
    "It's a little fuzzy," he said, admiring the
cherry-stem ring, "but I believe I made that for you."
    Some of the night came back to her in a flood
of embarrassment. Laughter, clinking their glasses together, and
downing drinks. Tye proposed to her and she… "Oh God."
    "I believe you said yes," he said.
    Great, he remembered too. She backed
away and put her hands on her hips. "I was three sheets to the wind
and you believed me?"
    "Well, since I was in the same condition –
yes."
    She shook her head and backed up another
step. She had to get out of here. Now . She
searched for her boots. Finding them, she hopped on