Rodeo Standoff by Susan Sleeman

Author:Susan Sleeman [Sleeman, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781489263360
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2018-01-15T05:00:00+00:00

TEN

“Do you always get VIP treatment like this at events?” Braden asked in the arena barn as Tessa braided Copper’s mane. There weren’t enough stalls for every contestant, so most of them kept their horses tied to their trailers.

“I shouldn’t have to tell you about the perks of being a celebrity.” She turned to smile at him. “Granted I’m only a local celebrity, and this is only a stall, but you get what I mean.”

He did indeed, and he wanted to play along with her good humor and say something funny, but he couldn’t relax. How could he when Ingram might be after her? If the creep hurt his own grandmother, what might he do to Tessa?

“It’s time, fella,” she said to Copper.

Braden wished he could let her go without reminding her of the danger before her run, but he couldn’t. “Remember, once you finish your run, head straight back here to minimize the threat to your life.”

Her smile evaporated. “I got it.”

He hated seeing her upset and the desire to kiss her cheek and tell her everything would be okay was nearly overwhelming. Not a good idea for so many reasons, but most important, kissing her now was guaranteed to distract her even further—the last thing she needed with the competition and a felon gunning for her.

He stepped aside, and they exited the deserted barn. Tessa was the last rider of the evening. Many contestants, and even some fans, had already left for the night, making it easier to scan the area for Ingram and Falby.

Braden nodded at the volunteer guarding the gate to the barn area. He was dressed in the usual cowboy fare and had a tough demeanor. Not that people would likely challenge him to access the barn without permission, but Braden was glad to know this guy manned the gate.

As they crossed the street, and then the large parking lot, Braden searched between trucks and trailers. Through groups of contestants sitting by campers. Through groups of fans chattering excitedly as they collected autographs.

A wave of melancholy hit Braden. He could easily get caught up in the rodeo excitement if he didn’t have Tessa to protect, but she was his top priority. He didn’t relax, not even when they safely reached the participant entrance guarded by two volunteers. They wished her well and she mounted Copper. She urged him forward to a side chute next to the alleyway where two racers waited ahead of Tessa. She came to a stop behind them and sat back in her saddle. The announcer’s voice echoed through the night, his tone fevered as he tried to excite the crowd.

Braden always loved it in the arena when the crowd was with him, but right now their cheers might cover threats he needed to hear, and he didn’t like it. At all. Thankfully, he’d gotten permission to at least escort Tessa inside the arena and watch from a nearby viewing area.

The first racer took off, her horse’s hooves kicking up the soil.

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