Ryder (Rope 'n Ride Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

will do. You have long arms.”
    She waited for him to mention other long appendages and when nothing followed, she relaxed. Whether she’d adopted her father’s opinion of cowboys or finally formed her own, she expected every one of them to be a cocky jerk. Cody and she would get along fine, it seemed.
    Half an hour later, she and her father had him on the metal bull, going through the same motions again and again, the repetition teaching him to react the same when he felt the animal move a certain way.
    After two hours, they all broke for lemonade. And her father clapped Cody on the back. “I think you’re ready for Prescott, son.”
    Joy’s eyebrows shot up. Prescott, Arizona was one of the bigger venues for all rodeo events. Cody would be up against some big names, including Ryder Calhoun.
    Her father touched her shoulder as he passed her on the way back to the house. “Pack your best boots, Joy. Prescott awaits.”
    * * * * *
    “Ryder, c’mere!”
    He’d normally keep walking when a female poked her head out of a hotel room and called to him, but he recognized Channing’s voice. Then a high-pitched squeal that could only be Asher’s daughter. Channing often took care of them while their father was busy rodeo’ing, and she always had her hands full.
    He saw her looking disheveled, her long blonde hair hanging in what appeared to be dreadlocks. Upon approach, he realized the girls had braided her hair. Sparkly barrettes dangled from the ends.
    “Will you please keep an eye on these little shits—I mean angels—while I go to the vending area?”
    He eyed the darkness of the hotel room beyond her as if it were a cave of bats. “I can go for you. What do you want?”
    “That’s the thing—with this morning sickness, I don’t know if I need antacid or to fulfill my salt craving.” She threw a harried look over her shoulder. “Please, just sit with them for a few minutes? I could really use a break.”
    “All right, but they’re not getting near my hair.”
    She laughed and plucked the barrettes out of the ends and then finger-combed the mess. It didn’t help much but she didn’t seem fussed. She practically shoved him into the room and sprinted down the hall. The door banged shut, and Ryder faced the two little dark-haired, dark-eyed imps standing before him.
    “Hiya, cowboy,” Maddie said, sounding older than her four years.
    “Would you like to sit for a spell and have some sweet tea?” Montana drawled.
    He fought a smile and settled on the chair they offered. They’d dragged along a tea set from home, and he was given a small pink cup with a sticker on the side. “Why thank you, ladies. It’s mighty genteel of you.”
    “What’s genteel?” Maddie asked.
    “Is that like an eel?” Montana added.
    “It means you are very polite and respectable,” he answered, taking a pretend sip of the tea.
    Montana, the older of the two, gave a mock curtsy that bent her all the way to the floor. “Would you like some cake?”
    He patted his stomach. “Not today, miss. I’ve got a big ride coming up.”
    For the first time in ages, his stomach had butterflies when he thought about this performance. Prescott was a big venue with big award money. If he took some home, he’d have a nice start on a down-payment for a construction loan. He had visions of a simple house on the top part of the ranch with a wide front porch where he could sit and stare out at the land he loved so much.
    But the money wasn’t the only thing that had him nervous. He’d heard through the pipeline that Thunder Humphries was in Prescott. Which meant Joy was too.
    For a week he’d been rehearsing what he’d say to her, but none of it stuck in his brain. When he saw her again, he’d probably blurt a bunch of unintelligible crap that would make her think he was an idiot.
    Again, he wondered why it mattered what she thought of him. He didn’t care what any of the people who watched him ride bulls or on TV thought. Somehow,