Roped Tight (Ryker Ranch #4) - Kim Loraine Page 0,30

about I take over and escort you around, and we get in a nice sunset ride?"

They looked to me and I just nodded. I wasn’t getting in the middle of those two. As they rode off, I let her words sink into my head. I didn't know what to do about Tucker. Maybe I needed to find someone else, someone who would take my mind off of him. Didn't they say the best way to get over someone was to find someone new? I was sure I heard that somewhere.

Maybe tonight. I’d go to The Silver Spur and wait for someone to show some interest. But I knew the truth. I spent ten years trying to forget Tucker Weston. Used plenty of willing participants in my search for closure. No one had ever made me feel the way he did. And dammit, did I hate him for it.

10

Sam

Teaching these soft, tender-footed city boys how to cowboy was not easy. I had six of them all at once, just learning how to put on chaps and spurs. I couldn’t imagine how hard it was gonna be to get them on top of a horse. Tucker wasn't faring any better. Some of these guys didn't even know how to tie a knot, let alone use a lasso. Hell, I was pretty sure they didn't know how to tie their own shoes.

There was one, he told me his name was Greg, who spent more of his time looking at me than actually trying to buckle his spurs. He was flirty. More so than any of the men I had spent time with in the past.

I’d always kept things quiet. Never done anything obvious for fear of possibly being found out. Not after I went pro when someone from my sponsor had pulled me aside and given me a little friendly advice. His words to me had been kind but direct. "You can be whoever you are, but just remember, if they know, that's all your name will be about. You will always be known as the gay bull rider rather than the world champion. Do you want to be known for what you can do, or who you fuck?”

I was a private guy. I always had been. But something about Hazel’s conversation had shaken me. If I was going to be open about my sexuality, I needed to be open with my family first.

Greg grinned at me and called my name, his voice pulling me out of the memory of one of the first times I'd been made to question when and where I spent time with someone.

“Can you help me with this, Sam? I think I put them on backward."

I chuckled and walked over to Greg, who had indeed put his spurs on upside down. In his defense, the knob on the back of those spurs didn't make it easy. "Yeah, you gotta flip them right side up. Let me help."

I bent down and began to unbuckle each spur from around his ankle, then flipped them over, reattached ‘em, and patted him on the calf. "There you go, all set." I took a little time to really look at him. He was handsome. Hollywood handsome. Chiseled perfect, with teeth white enough to blind you when he smiled. "You ever been on a horse?" I asked dubiously.

Playfulness sparkled in his brown eyes. "We had basic horse training before we came. Something about not wanting us to get here and immediately end up in the hospital. So they required us to go to a sort of cowboy boot camp for a week before we arrived."

Cocking a brow, I stared at him. "You went to cowboy boot camp, and yet you don't know how to put on spurs?"

His cheeks turned pink. "I may have just wanted you to come over and talk to me."

He was flirting. He was definitely flirting. "You don't have to dumb yourself down for me to come talk to you."

"Really? Can I talk to you later tonight?"

Shit, he was direct. "I'm sorry, we're not allowed to spend time with guests outside of normal business hours."

"I won’t tell."

Wow, but he was relentless. “Sorry, but no."

He put on a pouty face that I think he thought was cute, but really, all it did was serve to turn me off even further. "Well, I’m in cabin four, if you change your mind."

Nodding, I tipped my hat at him and walked away without another word, then looked over my shoulder to where Tucker was helping