Free Love & Rodeo by Paisley Cruz Page B

laughed at her as she sat down at the table. She watched them eat for a minute before she cleared her throat demanding their attention.
    “ Did Levi explain the sleeping arrangements to you?”
    Kallie shook her head and looked at Levi. “I plan on staying in my trailer.”
    “ Oh, nonsense, Kallie! Now I know you guys sleep together in that trailer out there, but Levi you’re home, and I won’t have any kanoodling going on under my roof.”
    Kallie felt her face flush. She looked at Joan. “I assure you, Levi has been nothing but a gentleman in that area.”
    Joan looked surprised. It took her a moment to wipe it from her face. “Well either way, Kallie, you’ll sleep in Mark’s old room while you’re here.”
    “ Thank you, ma’am.”
    “ Call me Joan.”
    Joan smiled warmly at her and Kallie smiled back. She finished her grill cheese and washed her plate in the sink before heading out to her trailer. Levi came out soon after. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her waist.
    “ Emma really likes you. After you walked out, all she talked about was your barrel times.”
    Kallie smiled and he leaned in to kiss her. His lips were soft, gentle and invited her in for more. About that time the trailer door swung open and Joan walked in.
    “ There’s no time for any of that.” She looked around. “Oh this is nice. I understand why you didn’t stay in the hotel now.”
    “ Thank you. I won it last year at the National Barrel Racer and Bull Riders World Championship.”
    Joan looked around a little more before turning her attention back to Kallie and Levi. “Where’s your laundry? I know you have some.”
    Kallie looked at Levi. He moved past her to the bedroom. “What are you standing there for? Go get your laundry!”
    “ Oh, Joan. I’ll do my own laundry.”
    She felt Levi at her back. “You better do as she says,” Levi told her.
    Without questioning, she went to the bedroom and grabbed her laundry. When she returned Levi and Joan were standing outside. She handed Joan her laundry bag.
    “ All right. Well, you better tend to your horse.” Joan started for the door.
    “ His name is Blaze, Mama!” Emma yelled to her mom.
    Kallie laughed, and about that time Emma shot off asking question after question as Levi unloaded Blaze.
    “ Emma, we’ll be here all week. Ease up on the questions,” Levi told his sister.
    Kallie laughed and took Blaze from Levi.
    “ Just one more question.”
    “ Okay.”
    “ Who trained Blaze for you?”
    Kallie tensed. “Um, me and my Daddy actually.”
    “ Oh.” Emma quieted after that.
    Kallie looked back at Levi. “Where to?”
    Emma cleared her throat. “Kallie, I’m sorry for asking that.”
    “ What? No. Don’t be sorry. I like talking about my Daddy. He taught me everything. Well, him and my Mama.”
    “ So you trained Blaze with your Daddy?”
    “ Yep. Blaze’s mom was a brood mare on our ranch in Houston, so I’ve had him ever since he was a baby.”
    “ That’s so cool.”
    “ Yep. You want to ride him to his stall?” Kallie asked.
    “ Could I?”
    “ Sure.”
    Kallie gave her a leg up and she was sitting on top of Blaze. Her smile stretched from ear to ear and she reminded Kallie of herself at that age.
    Levi fell in beside Kallie. “She loves you already,” he told her as they walked.
    They made it to the end of the barn aisle and Emma slid off. Kallie walked Blaze into the stall where water and hay were already waiting.
    “ Daddy and Doug got the stall ready this morning,” Emma told her.
    Kallie closed the door and watched as Blaze took a big bite of hay. He was at home already.
    Levi spent the next thirty minutes giving her a tour of the ranch. There were four large barns in total. One was for boarders, while the other was used to house horses that were being trained. The third barn was the hay barn. It held all the hay for the animals on the property. There was hay stocked in the top of the barns as well. The remaining barn