his wallet lying on the ground. A thought struck him. A thought that caused his heart to freeze in his chest.
He prayed as he grabbed the wallet and flipped it open. “Please let it be gone. Please let it be gone.”
The condom was still there.
Chapter Two
“Hey, Little Girl, you need some help carrying that saddle?”
Maisy glanced at the cowboy sitting on the railing with his buddies. She really wanted to wipe the smirk off his face—off all their faces—with her fist. But that wouldn’t do anything but make her look even more childish. So she ignored the statement and grinned widely. “I think I can handle it. You just concentrate on your own saddle . . . and keeping in it. From what I hear, Rowdy, you didn’t even clear the gate your last ride before you were on your ass. While my last ride, I stayed on the full eight seconds.”
The other cowboys laughed and one socked Rowdy in the arm. “She does have a point, Rowdy.”
Rowdy’s face grew as red as his hair. “That’s because she’s riding in the women’s rodeo and everyone knows they don’t give those girls the best bucking horses. She wouldn’t stand a chance on the broncs we ride.”
“I guess we’ll find out today,” she said with smug satisfaction.
Rowdy’s eyes widened. “You’re ridin’ today?”
“I sure am.” She shouldn’t be acting so cocky. It was a fluke she was getting to ride. Women didn’t usually get to compete in men’s professional rodeo events. But one of the sponsors of this rodeo had seen her ride in Waco and was impressed enough to give her the opportunity to ride here in Houston. This was her chance to prove she was just as good as any man. But until she did, she’d have to put up with male ego.
“That’s bullshit,” Rowdy said. “Women don’t belong in a man’s sport. Go home, Little Girl, and ride your rocking horse.”
Before she could tell him where he could stick a rocking horse, someone answered for her. “Fuck off, Rowdy.”
Sawyer Dawson stepped up next to her. She didn’t pay much attention to the hitch in her breathing or the extra beat of her heart. Sawyer had always had that effect on her—more so now that she’d seen him naked and felt all those fine muscles pressed against her. Of course, it had all been a mistake. Or as he’d made perfectly clear, a bad decision he wanted to forget.
His reaction to finding her in his shower had hurt much more than Rowdy saying women didn’t belong in rodeo. Rowdy had made an ignorant generalization. Sawyer’s disgusted reaction had been much more personal. And she still felt hurt about it. As hurt as she’d felt when he’d started avoiding her whenever they ran into each other. At one time, she’d thought they were friends. Sawyer was one of the few cowboys who treated her like an equal . . . just not a woman.
“Mind your own business, Sawyer,” she said. “I don’t need anyone fighting my battles for me.”
He completely ignored her and continued to glare at Rowdy. “Apologize to Maisy.”
“Apologize?” Rowdy laughed. “Why would I apologize for stating the truth? You said yourself that you didn’t think women should be riding roughstock. Now suddenly you’ve changed your mind?” He paused, and his eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute, are you screwing Little Girl, Saw? I thought you liked your women to act like women.”
Before Maisy could blink, Sawyer jerked Rowdy off the fence and shoved him up against the railing. “Don’t fuck with me, Rowdy. I’m not in the mood today. Now apologize or I’m going to kick your ass from here to Mexico.”
Maisy wouldn’t mind seeing the two men beat each other senseless. But if she was caught in the middle of a fight, she could lose her chance to compete. And she wasn’t about to let two arrogant cowboys ruin this for her.
Dropping her saddle, she hurried over and grabbed Sawyer’s arm. “Stop it, Sawyer, before you get us all kicked out.” When Sawyer didn’t release Rowdy, she grabbed his ear and pulled like her mama used to do her when she refused to pay attention. He didn’t seem to care about the pain, but he did care when she knocked his cowboy hat off. Most riders had lucky hats and were superstitious about them touching the ground before a ride. He let go of Rowdy’s shirt to catch it, but once he did, he didn’t relent.
“Apologize to Maisy.”
Rowdy held