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

the next pretty girl wearing boots. He certainly had no lack of interest. With his looks, he could have anybody. And he was famous to boot, which meant he’d probably have a celebrity hanging on his arm by next year.
    Opening her eyes, she stared at the back of Cody’s head. He’d taken his hat off, and at one point his boots too, until the smell had filled the car and his father had asked him to put them back on. He was a nice kid and he’d finally given up hitting on her. One sharp look from her dad had ended any notions of romance in Cody’s head.
    Unfortunately, her own head was a mess. She liked so much about Ryder. She may not know him very well, but she felt as if she did after watching him on the Rope ‘n Ride show. Also, the Calhouns didn’t seem to be affected by being in the public eye. Everything they did seemed genuine. Their family circle touched her deeply. And Ryder playing with the little dark-haired Franklin girls…
    She shook herself. I’m just trying to find a reason to break my own rules about dating cowboys.
    Overall she was content in her life. She loved working on their family ranch as well as traveling with her father. Never one to get hung up in personal goals, she drifted along, happy to help others.
    But for the first time, she wanted something.
    A six-foot tall bull rider from Tulsa with a drawl like syrup and looks that set her on fire.
    She ran her tongue along her lower lip.
    Once, when she was little, she’d gotten poison ivy and spent several days itching herself alive. Now, whenever she even saw the plant that had caused her so much irritation, she started scratching.
    With Ryder, it was the same. She thought about him and her body reacted heatedly—her nipples were hard gems and her panties grew damp.
    Fidgeting a bit on the seat, she closed her eyes again and let her mind wander over long, deep kisses in a chute. The strangest place and yet it fit both her and Ryder perfectly.
    His deep voice filled her head as she let the truck movement lull her.
    I’m a rancher too. Do you do it with ranchers?
    No…ranchers.
    Then who can you do it with?
    Nobody wearing a hat.
    She still felt a thrill down to the tips of her toes thinking about him tossing off his hat, determined to win her in any way possible.
    Maybe it was time to have a little something for herself. Even a one-night-stand would give her memories to last a lifetime. When she was an old lady, did she really want to have stories about somebody else living it up while she looked on?
    They continued down the long road toward Cheyenne. Soon she’d be face-to-face with Ryder and have to make up her mind.
    * * * * *
    A camera loomed from both the left and right side of Ryder, with one panning across the line of Calhouns from the front. Hell, there was probably one trained on the back of his head too. Now that he thought about it, the hairs on his neck prickled.
    Twisting around, he expected to see a lens aimed at him. And was instead met with beautiful gray eyes.
    The breath punched from him. He turned all the way around to look at Joy. Shapely in a fitted black T-shirt bearing her father’s name. It appeared to be vintage and two sizes too small. Had it been a shirt from her childhood?
    His balls clenched as he scanned her tight body. Dark jeans that fit like a second skin and those adorable boots with a rhinestone pattern across the toes. As they stared at each other, her lashes lowered, giving her an irresistible shy girl look.
    He groaned, snagging his brother’s attention. Buck threw a glance over his shoulder and grinned.
    “When you gonna go after that?” Buck asked.
    Ryder didn’t answer, just tipped his hat to Joy. She responded with a little wave.
    Damn, seeing her palms made him think of her hands in his back pockets, kneading his ass. She’d be a wildcat in bed, he had no doubts. A woman that passionate couldn’t withhold a thing—not from him.
    He pinned her with his gaze for another long heartbeat before he