“The universe needs to lower its voice.” I slump in my seat. “And that’s not even the biggest part.”
“What could be bigger than that?”
“Last night, Carter marked me, bonding us forever.” I cover my face with my hands. “He even wrote me this poem, and I was feeling all these things, and he asked about my heat, and one thing led to another and I literallyasked him to bite me, Sophia. I begged him to.”
“Holy shit.”
“I know.”
“So you’re mated. Like,permanently bondedmated.”
“Yep.”
“To one of the hottest men I’ve ever seen.”
“Appears so.”
“And you’re upset about this because…?”
I drop my hands to my lap and stare at her. “Because they leave town soon! The circuit moves on, and they go with it. What am I supposed to do? Leave everything behind and follow them?”
Sophia says, gently, “Didn’t you tell me something similar once?”
“What do you mean?”
“When I was panicking about Cash, Walker, and Ridge. When I kept making excuses about why it couldn’t work, why I should go back to Chicago.” She tilts her head. “You told me to stop being scared. That they obviously adored me. Thatsometimes you have to take a leap and trust that someone will catch you.”
I groan. “I hate it when my own advice gets used against me.”
“Tough.” She grins. “The point is, maybe it’s time to take your own advice. Why are you holding back?”
The grand-entry music starts, cutting off my response. Riders begin pouring into the arena on horseback, flags waving, the crowd cheering. I spot Seth first, leading the pack on a gorgeous bay horse, then Kai on a chestnut mare, then Carter bringing up the rear on a black stallion.
Seth’s father stands in the center of the arena with a microphone, welcoming everyone to the Wildfire Star Rodeo. He explains the five-day event, the various competitions—bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, roping events—and the process of elimination leading to the final showdown.
“Big congratulations to our defending champions,” he announces. “Seth Benton in bareback riding, Carter Storm in saddle bronc, and Kai Kahele riding the bulls!”
The crowd roars. I lift my camera, snapping photos as the riders circle the arena. Seth catches my eye and tips his hat in my direction. Carter blows me a kiss that’s probably visible from space. Kai winks, slow and deliberate.
I’m blushing so hard my face might catch fire.
Sophia laughs beside me. “Yeah, they’re definitely not into you at all.”
“Shut up.”
“Just calling it like I see it.” She bumps her shoulder against mine. “So? What’s the answer? Why are you holding back?”
The riders exit, preparing for the first events. I watch them go, my three cowboys, my fated mates, disappearing behind the scenes.
WhyamI holding back?
Because I’m scared, and I’ve been hurt before. Last time I trusted someone completely, it nearly destroyed me, not to mention my trust in others. And loving people means giving them the power to leave, and everyone always leaves eventually, just like my parents did.
Sophia is watching me, waiting.
“I don’t know,” I finally admit. “I’m just… scared.”
“I get it.” She takes my hand, squeezes. “But sometimes the scary thing is the right thing. Trust me on that one.”
