Champion (Studs in Spurs) by Cat Johnson Read Free Book Online
Authors: Cat Johnson
Cooper’s place. She’d drop him off and pick him up, but she’d never been there while he’d been in the practice ring.
Thank God, it had been a picture-perfect ride and the kid hadn’t wrecked. He hadn’t even hit the dirt but had landed dead on his feet like a damn Olympic gymnast or something.
Still, Cooper should have considered Hannah and her feelings about watching her only child in that situation. He should have had her up next to him by the chute so he would be with her for this first time.
This was why he didn’t keep women around long enough for them to mean something to him. He was no good at it. They’d only end up getting hurt or scared like Hannah had.
“I’m sorry, Hannah. I should have been there with you for his ride and I wasn’t.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. Skeeter needed you far more than I did. He needed you to pull his rope and make sure he took his wrap properly and check his foot position…”
Even as bad as he felt, he let out a laugh at her laundry list of pre-ride tasks. “I see you’ve gotten the full bull-riding tutorial already.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “You have no idea. There’s a running commentary of him explaining things to me every time it’s on television. And when you come on screen—well, I’d better not dare breathe too loudly or he might miss something the announcers say about you.”
He shook his head but couldn’t help his grin as he pictured the scene. “Sorry about that.”
She dismissed his concern with a wave. “No problem. I don’t mind watching. At least it’s one thing we can do together. I can’t teach him to ride like you do, but I can sit there with him and watch and make the appropriate comments. Besides, it’s more fun watching now that I know the sport better…and that I know you.”
The damn woman latched her teeth onto her lower lip like he’d seen her do before, and of course, Cooper couldn’t help but notice. He wrestled his focus back to her eyes, but that didn’t help because she had that look on her face—hungry yet innocent at the same time. It made him want to lay her on her back with him above her.
Seeing her in real clothes instead of a uniform wasn’t helping the situation either. Her jeans hugged her with just the right amount of tightness. Her shirt too. To top it all off, the heel on her cowboy boots accentuated the sexy curve of her ass and the enticing sway of her hips as she walked.
He’d tried not to notice, but hell if he didn’t. He needed to get laid and knock any ideas about him and Hannah being together that way right out of his head.
“So, I made Skeeter’s favorite dinner for tonight. If you wanted to come over and join us at the house, you’re more than welcome. I’m sure he’d love to have you there.”
A good meal cooked at home by a beautiful woman was a very tempting offer, which is why Cooper had to say no. “I got something planned for after, but thanks for asking.”
“All right. Maybe next time.” Hannah nodded.
He tried to ignore the disappointment he imagined he’d heard in her voice, and knew he was lying when he said, “Sure. Next time.”
His gaze cut to where the pretty young thing had been hanging around near the rail watching him. She was still there, but not looking very happy now that Cooper was talking to Hannah. He nearly laughed at that. Little did the girl know that today was her lucky day. She’d get to add a world champion bull rider to her roster of sexual conquests if she wanted. Cooper would quench his own hunger, while Hannah went home for a nice quiet celebration dinner with her son. Win-win for all of them.
It would be safer that way for everyone involved. That didn’t mean Cooper wasn’t running that dinner scene in his head. Him, Hannah and the kid, all sitting around a table in a kitchen he imagined being painted a bright, sunny yellow and smelling of the fresh flowers on the table and the hot food on the stove.
Usually when Cooper
Thank God, it had been a picture-perfect ride and the kid hadn’t wrecked. He hadn’t even hit the dirt but had landed dead on his feet like a damn Olympic gymnast or something.
Still, Cooper should have considered Hannah and her feelings about watching her only child in that situation. He should have had her up next to him by the chute so he would be with her for this first time.
This was why he didn’t keep women around long enough for them to mean something to him. He was no good at it. They’d only end up getting hurt or scared like Hannah had.
“I’m sorry, Hannah. I should have been there with you for his ride and I wasn’t.”
“No, you shouldn’t have. Skeeter needed you far more than I did. He needed you to pull his rope and make sure he took his wrap properly and check his foot position…”
Even as bad as he felt, he let out a laugh at her laundry list of pre-ride tasks. “I see you’ve gotten the full bull-riding tutorial already.”
Hannah rolled her eyes. “You have no idea. There’s a running commentary of him explaining things to me every time it’s on television. And when you come on screen—well, I’d better not dare breathe too loudly or he might miss something the announcers say about you.”
He shook his head but couldn’t help his grin as he pictured the scene. “Sorry about that.”
She dismissed his concern with a wave. “No problem. I don’t mind watching. At least it’s one thing we can do together. I can’t teach him to ride like you do, but I can sit there with him and watch and make the appropriate comments. Besides, it’s more fun watching now that I know the sport better…and that I know you.”
The damn woman latched her teeth onto her lower lip like he’d seen her do before, and of course, Cooper couldn’t help but notice. He wrestled his focus back to her eyes, but that didn’t help because she had that look on her face—hungry yet innocent at the same time. It made him want to lay her on her back with him above her.
Seeing her in real clothes instead of a uniform wasn’t helping the situation either. Her jeans hugged her with just the right amount of tightness. Her shirt too. To top it all off, the heel on her cowboy boots accentuated the sexy curve of her ass and the enticing sway of her hips as she walked.
He’d tried not to notice, but hell if he didn’t. He needed to get laid and knock any ideas about him and Hannah being together that way right out of his head.
“So, I made Skeeter’s favorite dinner for tonight. If you wanted to come over and join us at the house, you’re more than welcome. I’m sure he’d love to have you there.”
A good meal cooked at home by a beautiful woman was a very tempting offer, which is why Cooper had to say no. “I got something planned for after, but thanks for asking.”
“All right. Maybe next time.” Hannah nodded.
He tried to ignore the disappointment he imagined he’d heard in her voice, and knew he was lying when he said, “Sure. Next time.”
His gaze cut to where the pretty young thing had been hanging around near the rail watching him. She was still there, but not looking very happy now that Cooper was talking to Hannah. He nearly laughed at that. Little did the girl know that today was her lucky day. She’d get to add a world champion bull rider to her roster of sexual conquests if she wanted. Cooper would quench his own hunger, while Hannah went home for a nice quiet celebration dinner with her son. Win-win for all of them.
It would be safer that way for everyone involved. That didn’t mean Cooper wasn’t running that dinner scene in his head. Him, Hannah and the kid, all sitting around a table in a kitchen he imagined being painted a bright, sunny yellow and smelling of the fresh flowers on the table and the hot food on the stove.
Usually when Cooper