Thrown: Studs in Spurs, Book 6 Read Online Free Page A

and father to a girl for all these years. Who knew?
    She sighed. It was a shame he was so protective, and intimidating, because Skeeter Anderson really seemed to be an honest to goodness nice guy. Even so far as putting his own misery aside as he tried to hold a polite conversation with her now.
    Maybe her father would like him better if he got to know him outside of this crazy circuit where every rider became a media celebrity and life seemed so surreal. If only there was a way she and her father could see Skeeter away from this tour—
    An idea struck her hard and fast from out of the blue. Maybe she and her father would see Skeeter outside of this tour. “Hey, you know how we’re heading into that long break?”
    “Not we anymore since I’m out.” Skeeter snorted. “But yeah, I know the tour is going on a mid-season break. What about it?”
    She regretted her word choice but it was too late to change it now, so Riley moved on. “I know. I’m sorry. But what I was thinking was, Dad likes to try out some of the younger bulls at the—” Riley stopped herself just in time from saying the words lower level events , “—um, smaller local competitions. Maybe we’ll see you at one of the touring pro events.”
    “That would be cool. It would be nice to see a familiar face since I’ll likely be traveling alone.” His sadness showed through his words, clear as day. She understood. He was not only leaving the tour, he was leaving his friends too.
    “Why don’t I put my cell number in your phone? That way you can text me with where you’ll be riding and I can see if we’ll be there too.”
    “All right.” He nodded and looked excited for the first time since getting on Renegade. It made her feel so much worse that it had been her father’s bull that had bucked him off, though he didn’t seem to blame her for that. And he looked a little happier now that she’d suggested they might see him at some of his events.
    It was shameless, giving him her number. Her father would likely be angry if he ever found out, but too bad. Riley couldn’t help herself. She kind of had a little crush on this guy.
    All right, not kind of and not little .
    There was definitely something about him that drew her. She wanted to find out what that was. The thought of never seeing him again made her nearly as sad as Skeeter was about getting thrown off the tour. Of all the guys she knew from working here, of all the riders she wasn’t allowed to be friendly with, forget about date, Skeeter was the only one she felt any regret about.
    It was as if she could see his spirits rise as he popped up from the bench. He stood and dug into his front jeans pocket like his life depended upon it. He finally wrestled the cell out and thrust it at her. Riley took it and punched in the digits. It was innocent enough, her giving him her number in case he was riding where they’d already be. Right?
    Her father wouldn’t see it that way. But what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.
    Riley had just handed him back the phone when Aaron Jordan walked through the door. He came to a stop at the sight of her. “Oh, hey.” His gaze cut to Skeeter. “Just wanted to check on you.”
    “I’m fine.” He did seem better. Lighter. Less depressed. His shoulders didn’t droop anymore as he stood a little straighter.
    But now his traveling partner was here and her time alone with Skeeter was over. It was time for Riley to go anyway, before her father missed her and came looking. Then there’d be all kinds of questions about why she was in the riders’ dressing room where she had no reason to be.
    “So, I’m gonna head back in. Gotta help Dad with the bulls.”
    “All right. Safe trip home.” When Skeeter’s sky-blue eyes focused on her, so intense and sincere, it was all Riley could do to remember she’d been about to leave.
    “Thanks. You too.”
    He tipped his head. “Thank you.”
    Drawing in a deep breath, Riley forced herself into action. Under