Ridge by Em Petrova Read Free Book Online Page A

optimistic force.
    The song ended and a more upbeat one began. She pointed at the radio where the artist’s name had popped up on the digital screen. “I hear he’s coming to Tulsa in two months.”
    “Yeah? I don’t follow concerts much. Have you been to any lately?”
    “Not since…” She cut off, not wanting to talk about when and who she’d gone with.
    Ridge gave her the eye again. “You keeping more secrets from me?”
    “No, but you know him, and I don’t want any weirdness between you.”
    He gave a huff of a laugh. “Why would I get weird about who you dated in the past?”
    “Okay, it’s Jake Rawlins.”
    He gripped the wheel with both hands, his knuckles turning white, but he didn’t say anything.
    “Ohhh, I knew this was going to make you tense. He’s your competition, for God’s sake.” So she’d been trying to fulfill her craving for a certain bronc rider by getting close to another, and he lived in Tulsa City, and well…
    He still wasn’t speaking. She leaned forward to try to see under his hat. “Ridge?”
    He exhaled and relaxed his grip. “I didn’t know. When were you seeing him?”
    “Just before he was injured and quit the tour for the year.”
    “Hm.”
    What did that noise mean? She was fluent in Ridge—interpreting most of his grunts and groans easily. But this was new.
    “We lasted about nine months.”
    “That’s a long time.” There was an edge to his voice, and she wondered if he was thinking of his own whirlwind relationship with Anna. What had they said on the Rope ‘n Ride show—he’d been with her four months before his intention to pop the question?
    She lifted a shoulder in an awkward shrug, wishing to hell she’d never raised the topic of concerts. It was difficult finding a safe zone with Ridge when he was so volatile. She couldn’t even mention a puppy for fear he and Anna had planned to adopt one from the shelter, sending him into a stampede of destruction.
    The song ended, and she prayed for something they could both sing to and ease the tension in the truck. But it was the country music news break, and they got started with—
    “Jesus Christ, I can’t get away from this shit.” The female voice was giving the latest dish on rumors of Taylor Swift proposing marriage to reality TV and rodeo star Ridge Calhoun.
    He groaned. Kashley gave a little snort of laughter. “I thought I let Tay-Tay down easy, but I guess not. I’ll have to log in to Twitter again and look for another Tweet about you.”
    “This is getting ridiculous. The only reason we signed on with the show was to get enough money to buy the ranch out of my cousin’s hands after the fuck-up with the will.” He choked to a halt as his name was mentioned again.
    “…rumored to be on probation with the hit TV show for punching a fan after a preliminary run, where he was also reported to have fallen off his bronco after only two seconds.”
    Ridge’s hand flashed out, and he smacked the radio button off. A ringing silence followed.
    Then without warning, he veered off the highway, taking an exit ramp too fast and sending Kashley leaning hard into the console. “Where are we going? You’re not turning around, are you?”
    “I’d like to hunt down that reporter and tie her tongue in a knot, but I won’t waste my time. I need some coffee and fresh air.” He drove out of the turn and came to a stop sign, launching Kashley forward against her seatbelt. He had the grace to give her an apologetic glance. “Sorry.”
    “You either need to stop driving so recklessly or get the holy shit handle replaced. I can’t keep being tossed around this way, Ridge.”
    He grunted, which to her meant okay, I’ll try harder. She sat back again, satisfied. When he pulled into a coffee shop, she was happy to get out of the truck for a few minutes, though they’d been on the road less than half an hour.
    He got out and looked around.
    “What are you searching for?” she asked, approaching from the