Summer yelled out, “Five point six two, but you broke the barrier.”
“Dammit.”
Eli held the reins for the bulldogger’s horse and waited for him to trot to the end of the arena. He pushed the steer through the back gate before he mounted up. The guys were lost in conversation and hadn’t noticed her, so Tanna didn’t interrupt.
They exited the arena, returned to the chutes and did the practice run four more times until Summer was out of steers. Something about the bulldogger seemed familiar. His fluidity on his horse, the determination in his repeated attempts. She’d eat her hat if the guy wasn’t a pro. She couldn’t see his face, but like most bulldoggers, he was a substantial guy.
Not as big as Fletch, but few guys were as supersized as the veterinarian.
Finally Eli sauntered over, talking animatedly to his bulldogging buddy. But Summer yelled at the mysterious guy and Eli cut toward her.
“Hey, Tanna, how long’ve you been here?” Eli asked.
“A while. I thought I’d get an early start on whatever torture you had planned for me today.”
Eli laughed. “I haven’t planned nothin’. To be honest, I musta got my days mixed up. I wasn’t expecting you this morning.”
“Really?” That explained the bulldogger.
“But as long as you’re here, got someone I want you to meet.” He whistled loudly and the guy started toward them.
The bulldogger kept his eyes on the dirt as he wandered over. He raised his head. Beneath the brim of his hat was one of the most beautiful men Tanna had ever seen.
Holy. Fuck. Somehow she kept her tongue in her mouth when the guy thrust out his hand.
“Tanna Barker, right? I’m Sutton Grant.”
His gigantic hand dwarfed hers. “Hi, Sutton. Good to meet you.” Sutton Grant . . . why did that name sound familiar?
“You probably don’t remember me,” Sutton said, “but we have met before.”
Her eyes took in every detail of his stunning face. His eyes were an exotic shade of bluish-green usually seen in the water on a tropical beach. Dark eyebrows. Bone structure that might seem feminine if not for the wide expanse of his chiseled jaw and the ruggedness of his facial features as a whole. Then he smiled. Yep. He even had two dimples. “Not to contradict you off the bat, but, darlin’, I surely would’ve remembered meeting you.”
Sutton laughed. “Probably not. I was a little shy. A little intimidated by your championship buckles and the guys flocked around you.”
“When was this?”
“The season after your second win. We ended up at a couple of the same meet-and-greet after events.”
She didn’t remember all the guys she’d slept with—most of them—but there were a couple of nights where the veil of alcohol masked her hookup’s face.
“Jeez, Tanna, you looking at him like that is making me uncomfortable,” Eli complained.
“Sorry. I’ve had some wild times, and a few . . . ah, meet and greets that aren’t crystal clear.”
Sutton grinned. “No worries. I would’ve been too shy to approach you anyway, even if I hadn’t been in a relationship at the time.”
Summer shouted for Eli and he took off, leaving her and the compellingly sexy Sutton staring at each other.
“So, are you from around here?” Tanna asked. Talk about lame.
“No. I’m from Colorado. Eli’s been a family friend for years and he’s helping me.”
“Helping you do what?”
“Choose a new horse. I’ve narrowed my choices to two.”
Finally his name clicked. “I’ve been off the circuit, but you won the CRA steer wrestling championship last year, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Where are you in the standings this year?”
“Third. There’s a wide gap between fourth place and the rest, so I’m feeling confident of my chances of making it to the CRA championships.” He studied her. “Are you healed up enough from your injury to compete again?”
She shrugged. “According to my physical therapist? Yes.”
“But?” he prompted.
Don’t tell him. You’ll look weak. Washed up. Pathetic.
Tanna offered him a dazzling smile. “But nothin’—”
Sutton put his hand on her arm, as if to assure her she didn’t have to lie to him. “Have you even been on a horse since the accident?”
Indignant, she snapped, “Did Eli tell you—”
“No. You know he ain’t the type to break a confidence or you wouldn’t be here, would you?”
She shook her head.
“I asked because I read about your wreck online. I knew you’d disappeared off the circuit for rehab. Sucks, huh?”
“Ya think?” She bristled. “And how would you know that, youngster?”
“I know because I’ve been there. The year you won your third championship.”
“Sorry. I just get a little defensive when people tell me they know what I’m goin’ through. What happened to you?”
Sutton cocked his head. “How about if we have a seat and swap stories?”
Something about his eyes urged her to trust him. “Okay.”
He flipped over two plastic feed buckets.
Tanna sat, sinking her heels into the dirt and resting her forearms on her thighs. “You go first.”
He squinted at her. “Why?”