Free One Night With a Cowboy by Cat Johnson Page B

herself inexplicably jealous of the attention
     he was lavishing on both mother and child.
    “We’re doing good, Tuck. Great ride. Perfect, as usual.” Cassie beamed up at Tucker,
     and Becca’s frown got a bit deeper.
    He laughed. “Not exactly, but thanks.”
    “The judges were blind. You should have scored higher.”
    “Nah, I could feel his spin was kind of flat and even. I dressed it up the best I
     could, but I knew it wasn’t going to be a winning score on that bull. He wasn’t getting
     any height in the rear with his bucks.” Even though Tucker was still mostly talking
     to Cassie, he reached out and ran his hand up and down Becca’s arm before turning
     his attention back to her.
    They stood so close, she could absorb all the changes in him since the ride. There
     was a bright, almost manic look to his eyes and a tension that radiated from every
     muscle in his body. His hand trembled just a bit as he’d reached out to touch her.
     If she’d seen these symptoms in a student, she would have assumed it was from drugs.
     Seeing them in Tucker, she knew—he was on an adrenaline high. Suddenly she understood
     the appeal of this crazy sport. Why the riders got so addicted to it. Why a young
     guy like Dillon would risk life and limb and use the money he needed for food just
     to ride.
    “Cassie, did you meet Becca and her sister Emma? They’re from New York.” Tucker smiled
     at Becca.
    “I sure did.” Cassie produced a knowing smile, and Becca couldn’t help wondering how
     many of Tucker’s women Cassie had stood next to during these kinds of events.
    She tried to push that thought aside and be cordial. “Cassie was kind enough to explain
     things to me.”
    “Good. I’m glad. Sorry I couldn’t be here—” His steel blue gaze was focused on her,
     chasing away any suspicions or doubts.
    “Don’t be silly. You had to ride. We were fine here.”
    “Good.” Tucker glanced over his shoulder to where Jace perched on the railing next
     to where Dillon straddled the top of the chute, about to climb in. “I should go help.”
    “Of course. Go.”
    With a parting smile, Tucker ruffled Cheyenne’s hair and spun away. Becca watched
     him go and then realized Cassie was watching her watch Tucker. She couldn’t help herself,
     she had to know. Becca glanced at Cassie. “So, uh, Tucker. He’s uh . . .” Once she’d
     started, she didn’t quite know how to finish.
    “Yeah?” Cassie kept her eyes on her husband, all while jiggling the baby in her arms.
    “He seems nice.” Jeez. No one would ever know Becca had a doctorate in English the
     way this conversation was going.
    “He is.” Cassie turned to her and smiled. “A girl could do way worse than Tucker Jenkins.”
    Next to her, Emma cleared her throat. The sound had a distinct I-told-you-so tone
     to it. She didn’t need her sister telling her what she already knew. If she was going
     to have a fling—one night with a cowboy—she doubted she could do better than Tucker.
    All that adrenaline running through him with no outlet—God, what would sex be like
     with a man who literally vibrated with energy the way he was now?
    Explosive. Unforgettable. The exact opposite of how sex with Jerry had been.
    Becca realized that, against all common sense, she was dying to find out.

Chapter Seven
    “C an you see the end of the line yet?” Angling his head so the rodeo fan in front of
     him wouldn’t hear, Tuck whispered the question to Jace.
    “Anxious to get out of here, are ya?” Jace grinned.
    “What do you think?” He turned away from Jace to smile at the young boy and scribble
     some semblance of his signature on the program the kid had thrust toward him.
    It was nearly killing Tuck, having to stay the extra time after the competition ended
     to sign autographs for the fans with the rest of the guys. He glanced up from the
     next random item he’d been signing and found Becca watching him. It ramped up his
     need to be alone with