“I’m guessing you didn’t take it further than the kiss.”
“Absolutely not. I’d been there taking care of his knee, and even though he seemed into it enough to go farther, I didn’t trust him to not freak out after.”
“I can see that,” Sam said thoughtfully. “Though . . . Kit Baker’s good people.”
“Oh, he’s the best,” I agreed heartily. “You should see how he is with his folks out at the dude ranch. I know he runs a ton of other businesses, and I bet real money he runs them all the same. He’s been great at helping me get this business spun up. I just . . .”
I huffed out a breath, annoyed and leery of going into my sordid past. Sam was cool, but I wasn’t sure he wasthatcool.
“You just what?” he asked kindly.
“I have a history of being into guys who can’t commit for one reason or another.”
“Oh?”
“Let’s just say my type liked me to look pretty on their arm and keep my mouth shut.”
“Huh.” Sam looked me up and down. “I wonder if your history has any similarity to my history.”
I crossed my arms, debating.
Ah, fuck it.
“Anyone ever call you a sugar baby?”
“Nope. Rest stop hookers and Only Fans stars get called sluts,” he said, pointing to a faint scar that ran from the corner of his lip all the way up his cheek.
He saw my face and then patted the air. “Sorry, it was all very dramatic, but that life is in my rearview. I’m an upstanding citizen now, can’t you tell?”
“Yeah, me too,” I said, then we looked at each other and cracked up.
I had indeed found a new friend.
13
KIT
Lukeand I reminisced about the old days as we made our way out to the stallion barn.
“My husband still doesn’t understand how I could ride with a broken hip,” he said, laughing to himself.
“You know, I’m sorry you felt like you had to hide yourself all those years on the rodeo circuit. Oh, and a broken hip is nothing. Try riding with a broken collarbone.”
“Truth,” he said, half-smiling, half-grimacing. “I’m glad there’re more kids on the circuit now, living more openly, and if I had anything to do with that, then I’m proud. But I loved being a bronco rider. Even with the closet.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Those were some of my most favorite years. Cyn and I were barely scraping by with me on the circuit, her in college, and a kid with special needs, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
“Me either.” He scrunched his nose. “Gotta say, I always thought those judges had it out for you. Some of those second-place finishes shoulda been first place buckles.”
“Maybe.” I couldn’t help my proud smile. “But I only needed a couple of buckles for seed money. Got my first business up andrunning and never looked back. Plus, at least the two of us got out before the rodeo completely destroyed our bodies.”
“Speak for yourself.”
We laughed and then walked—gingerly—into the stallion barn. The Rebel Sky Ranch had two award-winning stallions, but they also kept their rescue horses here as well. I walked up to a quarter horse gelding with half an ear missing and rubbed his nose.
“Seems like a sweet guy,” I said, looking over my shoulder at Luke.
“Yeah, he does.”
