“Pull over,” I told him again, and he finally did.
When the truck was in park, I unbuckled my seatbelt, and I jumped on him. My lips crashed into his. His mouth welcomed mine as I scooted closer to him. I was straddling his lap, and my ass was pressed up against the steering wheel. I rolled my hips as we kissed, his tongue invading my mouth. He let out a groan.
Then I broke the kiss.
“None of it was fake for me, either. I spent this whole time dreading the day you would want to fake break up, knowing that I would have a real broken heart,” I told him.
He was silent as his eyes darted between mine. He’d read the sincerity there.
He kissed me again briefly before breaking the kiss again.
“Emma, will you go out with me, for real?”
“Yes, cowboy. I think I will.”
My heart unclenched, and it felt happy. For the first time in seven years, it felt comfortable in someone else’s hands.
I kissed him again, taking my time, slowing things down. Headlights from a passing vehicle flooded the car.
“Maybe we should go home?” I asked.
“I think so,” he said.
I scooted off his lap and climbed back into my own seat. I buckled up, and Riley pulled us back out onto the road.
Riley wore a stupid grin the whole way home. I had a feeling my face mirrored his own. My heart felt even lighter than before. It felt victory to its very core.
We continued to hold hands the whole way home.
Sixteen
Emma
When Riley and I came home from the club the other night, he asked to come inside the trailer, but I told him no. We were both cracked out on hormones, and while I like him, I didn’t want to rush things. Like the gentleman he could sometimes be, he took it in stride.
Now he and I were pulling into the rodeo with Athena in the trailer behind us. We were driving a small RV, which was where we would be staying during the three-day event. Barrel racing was only one day, so I didn’t understand why we would be staying the whole time. Riley just mumbled something about barrel racing not being the only event he would compete in.
We parked in our designated spot, and then I jumped out of the passenger seat. I opened the back to pull out Athena and get her settled into her stall. The fairgrounds where the rodeo was taking place had several stables for competitors to use.
After taking the time to get my horse situated, I took a moment to wander before returning to the RV. I picked up two corn dogs from a food vendor and headed back to the RV.
There were some bull riders waiting on standby for their turn in the ring with a raging beast. Parents were walking hand in hand with their children. There was even a clown making balloon animals. I stayed far away from him. I was not a fan of clowns.
When I returned to the RV, I gave a corndog to Riley, and he looked at it like a half-starved dog.
“Thank you,” he said, taking it from me and eating the thing in two large bites.
I gave him a smile in return.
I sat down on the bench with my legs draped along the length of the seat. Riley picked my legs up, sat in their spot, and then pulled my legs on top of his lap.
“So, roomie, what do you want to do first?” he asked.
“When do you compete?” I asked.
“Tomorrow at five.”
“Good, I would like to sleep until then.”
