wanted to make certain all the equipment was on right.
After the equipment check, they went through the drill once slowly, mimicking the speed they’d have to travel in a muddy arena if it did indeed rain the next day.
“Now, ladies,” Linda bellowed after the run through, “do it that way tomorrow.”
“Shall we do it again?” Ronnie called.
“Good heavens, no.” Linda looked horrified. “We don’t want to risk jinxing ourselves.” Linda smiled tightly, then dismissed the team.
Once at her trailer, Liv removed Beckett’s bridle, put on his halter and tied him before heading off to use the facilities before the drive home. A few minutes later Susie breezed by her, going into the restroom as Liv came out.
“You have a visitor at your trailer,” she said brightly. “Matt Montoya.”
Liv’s first instinct was to race back to reclaim her horse, but instead she walked. Rapidly. She slowed her pace as she rounded Margo’s trailer, which had up until that point blocked her view. Sure enough, Matt was standing next to her trailer, rubbing Beckett’s ears and talking low as the big sorrel leaned into him. She instantly sensed a familiarity between man and horse, a bond, and she didn’t like it one bit.
“What are you doing?” She spoke calmly, considering the fact that she wanted to order Matt away from Beckett.
Matt simply smiled at her. That crooked, make-the-knees-go-weak smile he used so well. Well, it wasn’t going to work. “I’m early for the roping.”
Liv put a hand on Beckett’s neck without conscious thought. It was only when she felt his solid muscles beneath her palm that she realized she was in essence claiming him.
Matt, taking the hint, stepped away from the horse and then gave Liv an exaggerated once-over, taking in the red silk shirt with the long white fringe, shimmering jeans, giant sparkly belt buckle. He smiled slightly but didn’t make a comment. She was glad she wasn’t wearing the hat with the tiara—only because she’d forgotten the tiara in the truck, much to Linda’s displeasure.
“So the big day is tomorrow.”
“Yes. And I’m nervous, which probably seems stupid to someone like you who’s spent so much time in front of crowds.” There. She was making conversation. She was in control.
“I’m always nervous.”
“You have more at stake.”
“Yeah...” Matt fell silent, but he had more to say. Liv waited, acutely aware of the now familiar stirring inside of her. He was hot, as Etta said, and that hotness was a threat—mainly because she didn’t know how to handle it. If he came on to her, she had to say no.
She didn’t want to.
People rode by, someone knocked against the far side of Liv’s trailer, but she barely noticed. She needed to move, get out of there. Instead, she said, “How’s the knee?”
“I’m doing my exercises.”
“Are you roping?”
“I am.”
“Ill effects?”
“None so far.”
“Try to keep it that way. Don’t push things.”
“Is that the professional talking?”
“Of course,” she said with a cool half smile. She could do this, hold her own against Matt.
“Tim asked me to take you to dinner the other night.”
The smile instantly evaporated, as did her cool demeanor. “My father asked you to take me to dinner?” Matt nodded and even though it seemed improbable, she believed him. “But you didn’t take me to dinner,” she pointed out, struggling to regain her composure.
“Would you have gone?”
“Maybe.”
“Want to go to dinner, Liv?”
“No.”
He laughed and all Liv could think was “Please do not ask why,” because she didn’t have an answer. Not one she could articulate, anyway, so instead she changed the subject—back to his knee.
“Have you gone to see McElroy?”
“No.” The laughter faded from Matt’s eyes. Liv wanted more, like a cross-your-heart promise not to support a drug-dealing charlatan, but it wasn’t her business and the last time she’d poked her nose into his affairs, she’d caused herself trouble.
“I need to unsaddle my horse,” she said.
“Is that a hint for me to leave?” Again he gave her the smile that made her feel as if...something...was about to happen between them.
No, it wasn’t.
Matt reached out to rub Beckett’s ears before she could say anything.
“I’ll see you around, old son,” he murmured to the horse. “You, too,” he said to Liv, who stood planted to the spot, unable to move without taking an awkward side step.
“Looking forward to it,” she said, trying for casual, managing husky.
Matt had barely walked away when Andie came out from around the trailer.
“I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Nothing to interrupt,” Liv said. She pulled the cinch loose and started unsaddling her horse,