Page 9 of In a Cowboy's Arms

“Trust me, I don’t believe at all that you’re one of those girls.”

Shit. Jordon. She remained very still.Did I really bring him here last night? Oh my god, I never do that. This is horrible.

Lacey heard the bed move and her insides cringed. She was so embarrassed after the way she’d treated him since the night she met him there in her apartment. All along, she’d complained that he was just another cowboy and what had she gone and done? Dang, she was just another buckle bunny and no better than her girlfriends. How the heck would she live this one down? There weren’t enough clothes on her body to allow her to turn and bolt out of her apartment and run to her parents.

It was dark, mostly because she hadn’t opened her eyes fully but she could feel him standing in front of her, invading her personal space. Her hands covered her face but she quickly flashed a peek to see whether she was covered at all and then to see if he at least had pants on. She felt like a schoolgirl peeking through her fingers. Lord, she was an idiot and totally embarrassed.

Whew, he was covered, or at least the important part of him, and he smelled really good. His fingers wrapped around her wrists and pulled her hands from her face.

“Lacey, open your eyes and look at me.”

She was afraid to after what she’d done. She couldn’t avoid him while he had ahold of her, though. She was just worried about the ridicule she would see in his eyes. Would he think the same as her—that she was just another lame cowboy chaser? No time like the present to face the music, so to speak.

But when she finally looked at him, his eyes were a soft baby blue and more full of tenderness than mockery.

“Hi, there.” And he was just nice. He didn’t seem at all like the other cowboys she’d known over the years.

“Hi.”

* * *

Just when hedidn’t think she could get any more adorable. “Why are you embarrassed?”

Her shoulders slumped and when he let go of her hands, she sat down on the end of the bed. “Jordon, I really feel horrible about this. This, all of this…” she swung her arm to encompass the both of them and the bed. “I just— I’m not like this. Ever.”

“Lacey, we had a good time last night, right?” He’d sat down beside her on the bed. “I know I did.” When she gave him a horrified look, he clarified the last night part.

“Okay, I meant at the rodeo and then at the bar. Technically, that was my first rodeo—no pun intended.”

She giggled a bit and then looked at him. “I— err, we—did have fun. Thank you for that. I know the night didn’t exactly start out particularly good. I stopped going to rodeos because it was more embarrassing to be around Jenna and Mandy while they tried to hump every cowboy that walked by. It was kind of refreshing to actually be able to sit and watch the entire rodeo without getting dirty looks all the time from the wives of some of the cowboys.”

“Wow, that does sound bad.”

“Trust me, it was. I grew up in this town so it was doubly embarrassing to be seen by the people that are friends with my parents. I do feel bad for your friends, though. Didn’t look like they were getting much action last night.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about those two. I’m sure they fared just fine. Sounds like they are pretty similar to your friends. We were better off without the four of them last night.”

“Agreed. So, what about the elephant in the room?” She did like to get straight to the point.

“I don’t know about you, but I only see two half naked friends sitting on a bed having a nice conversation. Pretty simple if you ask me.”

“So, you don’t remember what happened last night?”

Oh, I remember every minute and every single inch, but should I really mention that?Better part of valor says no, unless she brings up something specific.

Chapter Nine

“Ido remember drinking a lot of beer then trying badly to learn the line dances that you were fantastic at.”

“Not fantastic.”

“Oh, yes. Fantastic, stupendous, and gorgeously performed. Even sexy at times.”

Oh, damn. Might not have wanted to say that.

“Sexy?”

“Well, yeah.”Might as well spill the beans. As it appears, we went a little past the casual acquaintances level last night anyway.