Free A Cowboy's Claim by Marin Thomas Page A

avoided eye contact with Vic and walked out of the diner.
    * * *
    â€œL ADIES AND GENTLEMEN , it’s time for the saddle-bronc competition.”
    Vic crouched in front of Alex and looked him in the eye. “I need to you to sit there and not move until I come back for you.” He pointed to the folding chair behind him in the cowboy ready area. A few minutes earlier he’d gotten up the courage to approach two buckle bunnies ogling the cowboys. He’d planned to ask if Alex could sit with them while he rode, but as soon as he made eye contact the women turned and hurried away.
    As a last resort he’d given twenty dollars to an old man named Roy who watched the gear bags for the cowboys. Roy promised to make sure Alex sat in the chair until Vic returned.
    â€œI’ll be back after my ride.” He walked Alex to the chair and lifted him onto the seat. “If you wait here and don’t move, I’ll buy you a treat before we leave today. Okay?”
    Alex looked at him but didn’t speak. Last night Vic had lain in bed and stared at the ceiling wondering how he was going to find a therapist for Alex when he didn’t stay in one place more than twenty-four hours.
    â€œHey, Vicario! You better hurry or you’ll scratch!”
    â€œDon’t move.” Vic hustled to the chute and climbed the rails, then straddled the bronc. For a split second he’d forgotten the horse’s name. Duster . Worrying about Alex was messing with his concentration. He threaded the rope through his fingers and tried to push everything but him and the horse out of his mind.
    â€œLet’s see if Duster can live up to his namesake and toss Vicario in the dust,” the announcer said as the fans stomped their feet. “Don’t count on it, folks. This cowboy puts up a good fight. Vicario is looking to fill a spot at the National Finals Rodeo in December and he needs a win this afternoon.”
    Vic nodded to the gateman. Duster sprang from the chute and attempted to dislodge him with a vicious buck but didn’t succeed. Vic counted the seconds in his head and eased up on his grip when he reached eight—only the buzzer didn’t sound until a second later. By then Vic had already slipped in the saddle and the mistake would cost him first place. He dove for the ground, then rolled to his feet and jogged back to the chute.
    His gaze swung to the folding chair in the corner. Empty. His heart dropped to his stomach. He glanced at the stall Roy had been sitting in front of, and the old man was gone, too. Panic held him immobile. He grabbed the shirtsleeve of a passing cowboy. “Have you seen a little boy wandering around here?”
    The man yanked his arm free and scowled. “No.”
    Vic hurried through the cowboy ready area, keeping his eyes peeled for Roy or Alex. He found them outside by the calf corral. “Alex!” Vic shouted. He joined the pair, his heart slowly inching back into his chest.
    â€œI told you to stay in the chair, Alex.”
    â€œJust showin’ the kid the cows,” Roy said.
    Angry that he’d had the crap scared out of him, Vic grabbed Alex’s hand. “C’mon.” They returned to the chute area to retrieve his gear bag and then Vic pulled Alex aside and squatted in front of him. “You have to do what I say or this isn’t going to work. When I tell you to stay—” he sounded as if he were talking to a dog “—you can’t wander off no matter who says it’s okay. Do you understand?” He didn’t want to scare the boy with stranger-danger stories, but damn it, he needed Alex to realize his safety was serious business. “I was worried when I couldn’t find you,” he said. “I thought something bad might have happened to you.” He ruffled the mop of black hair in need of a cut. “Don’t do that again. Okay?”
    Alex nodded, reassuring Vic that he got the warning.