Ryder (Rope 'n Ride Series Book 2) by Em Petrova Read Free Book Online

We’re all here.”
    She nearly fizzed with excitement. Her brown eyes, so much like his, shone. “Thunder. Freaking. Humphries.”
    He shook himself, both at her use of the word freaking and the name of the man. “You’ve been hanging out with Wynonna this morning, haven’t you? Never mind. Did Thunder say what he wanted?”
    “All he said was he was looking to talk to you. When he knew you weren’t nearby, he said he hoped to see you at the next venue.”
    Cheyenne—they were headed to Cheyenne. Thoughts of sunny days, warm nights and scorching kisses from a certain little cowgirl flitted through his head. If this continued, he wouldn’t be looking for the ride—but seeing Joy.
    And then the ride.
    God, he hadn’t had blue-balls for a woman this bad since Katie Ryan back in his senior year. He’d never gotten a chance with her but that hadn’t stopped his fantasies.
    Joy was a million times better, though. Or worse depending on how you looked at it.
    He gave his ma a nod and walked past her into the kitchen.
    She trotted behind him. “Aren’t you gonna say anything, Ryder?”
    As he opened the fridge door to get at the iced tea, he had to nudge a cameraman aside. Foregoing the glass, he tipped the jug to his lips and drank for a long minute. Dammit, he needed time to process what was going on in his brain, and he refused to do it in front of his family—or the cameras.
    He put the jug back in the fridge and his mother made a tsk ing sound. “Is that how you’re going to leave things?”
    He didn’t know if she meant the jug or the conversation. “One of my brothers will be by for a drink next—the jug’s fine.”
    “And what will you do about Thunder? You know why he’s calling you, right?”
    I’m sure it isn’t to hook up with his daughter.
    His balls clenched at the mere thought. “I know fine.”
    She followed him back to the front of the house. “And what’s your decision? Will you go pro with Thunder Humphries at your back?”
    He paused with the screen door open partway. A fly buzzed by his head and into the house. “I need some time, Ma.” He looked into her eyes and saw worry mingled with happiness at his opportunity. On impulse, he leaned in and pecked her cheek. “You’ll be the first to know, okay?”
    Hell, she, his family and America would probably know before he did.
    * * * * *
    Joy wasn’t feeling it today. The long drive to Cheyenne in the back seat of the truck, listening to her father’s rising star, Cody, sing to old Waylon Jennings songs on the radio set her on edge.
    Stiff from sitting, she crossed and uncrossed her legs, wishing she’d brought her own entertainment and earbuds. Typically, she and her father had companionable conversation or quiet on their drives. They didn’t usually have a third party in the vehicle with them, but Cody had a case of the jitters and her father thought it best to bring him along. Driving alone, Cody would just overthink everything.
    She stared out the window at the passing landscape. Nebraska was one of the more boring states to drive through. As a child, she’d saved all her coloring books for the ride through this state and hardly looked up until they’d crossed the state line.
    Now with no distractions, her mind was free to wander, which was more dangerous. She would see Ryder at this upcoming event. She could almost feel his lips on hers and his hard ass under her hands. The rasp of his five o’clock shadow still seemed to sear her skin, and his scent…
    She closed her eyes and rested her head against the seat. What would happen when she saw him again? She couldn’t deny the attraction between them. She’d never experienced such a pull to a man. But her head knew better than to mess around with him. In her experience, rodeo guys were players.
    Besides, she’d heard plenty of rumors about him being a Casanova between the sheets.
    All he wanted was a one-night stand anyway.
    He’d probably forgotten her by now, moved on to