Ride Me Cowboy #3 (The Cowboy Romance Series - Book #3) by Alycia Taylor Read Free Book Online

know you love that rodeo boy… Don’t let this go
to your head…but I rode with some of the best in my time and probably in
another year…two at the most, you’ll be right up there with Lane Frost. You
stay close to your rope and a lot of guys can’t do that. Ninety percent of the
guys get bucked off because they don’t react quickly enough when the bull
turns. You react…I’ve seen you .   You do it so well that you make it
look boring almost. Now, with that being said there’s a
couple of things you gotta consider. One of
them is that at some point in your life, you have to decide what you love more.
If it is the rodeo, then I say follow your heart. But don’t try and tell a
woman you love her more and then refuse to give it up. The other thing is that
even the greatest rider needs to have a plan for his “second life.” I know you
already got pins in your knee and you’ve had so many concussions you probably
lost count by now. What happens when the injury is too great for you to be able
to go on riding bulls? You gotta have a back-up plan,
especially if you’re planning on having a family one day.”
    “You didn’t say a single thing I wanted to hear
Bob,” I told him with a grin.
    “You’re welcome, boy,” he said with that raspy
chuckle of his.
    On the ride back to the ranch I thought about
everything that Bob said. A few years ago in one season I had at least five
concussions. I can’t afford to pay for the expensive medical insurance when I’m
in the off season and Dad took me off his when I got out of college and refused
to go to a four year. The “Year of the Concussion” as I call it, I spent almost all of the close to $100,000 I earned on medical
bills. But…I still can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s the only thing in my
life I feel real passion for…or it was, before I met Lexi….
    ********
      I found Lydia
in the kitchen when I got back. My dad was there too, but as soon as he saw me
come in one door, he walked out the next. Lydia watched him go and shook her
head. She looked back at me then and said, “You look like you’ve had a long
day. Are you hungry?”
    “Starving.”
    She smiled. “Well then, you’re in luck! You’re Dad
cooked tonight. I have some pot roast and potatoes and carrots and homemade
biscuits for you. Go sit down and I’ll bring it in.”
    “You don’t have to wait on me, Lydia. I don’t mind
fixing it myself.”
    “I know you don’t, but I really don’t mind.”
    “Thanks. Where’s Lexi?”
    “She’s upstairs. She’s going to meet her friend Samantha
in the city tonight for a girl’s night out. I told her not to drive back so
late tonight so she’ll be back tomorrow sometime.”
    “Oh, good.” Damn it! I want to ask her to go to the rodeo with me this weekend. I was going
to wait until morning when I was rested and she had one more day to get over
being mad at me…but I guess I’ll have to do it before she takes off tonight.
    Lydia brought me my dinner and then she sat with me
while I ate it. I think she’s starting to feel sorry for me. I’m sure she’s
probably hoping that someone will tell her what’s going on…but it’s not going
to be me. Her company is nice. It’s been a really long time since I’ve had a
maternal kind of influence in my life, and she does a great job of it. I hope
that Lexi knows how lucky she is…I’m sure she does.
    “Thank you Lydia,” I told her when I finished. “That
was great.”
    “Well, you’ll really have to thank your father for
that,” she said.
    I smiled. Maybe you could pass that on for me.”
    She smiled too, but sadly as she shook her head. “I
wish the two of you could work whatever this is between you out.”
    “Me too,” I said, honestly without offering any
explanations. She insisted on taking my plate and cup and washing them, so I
went up to bite the bullet and ask Lexi about the rodeo. I hesitated when I got
outside her door. My hand was shaking. Finally, I raised it