When Roses Collide

Chapter Sixty

"Thanks." With a practiced hand, she clipped up her hair into place. Smoothing out her skirt, he caught the glance she sent his way out of the corner of her eye. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Travis tore his stare away from how the silky material clung to her breasts long enough to cock an eyebrow. "Are you complaining?"

She snorted, shaking her head. "Hardly." Taking a step towards him, her fingers brushed his skin as she started fastening the buttons of his shirt. "I was just going to call you."

"You mean you were finally going to answer the twenty or so messages I left you?" Travis looked down to see his chest exposed nearly down to the waist. When the hell had she done that?

Her gaze flashed up to meet his before skittering away. Biting her lip, a little scowl marred her cute forehead as she concentrated on the buttons. Taking pity, he helped, which only slowed things down when their fingers became tangled together.

"I...uh...was not in the mood to talk." When she finished the last button, she let her fingers linger for a moment or two before she stepped away.

"And are you in the mood to talk now?" Travis asked, tucking his shirt into the waistband of his jeans, wincing as his hand accidentally brushed his still overly eager cock.

She turned to him, her eyes glittering with determination and her mouth set in a stubborn line. "Depends." Harley crossed her arms over her chest, a move that pushed her luscious breasts out towards him like a tempting treat, and he almost groaned. A blush still reddened her cheeks, and he didn't know if it was because of the passion they had just shared, the embarrassment of pawing each other in a packed bar, or if it was because she was still pissed. With a slight eye roll to himself, he guessed it was probably a combination of all three.

"Okay, I'll bite. Depends on what?" Travis kicked a boot up against the wall and leaned back watching her. Now that he was getting a better look, she appeared tense...and tired. Worry weaved its way through his gut. Gone was the woman he had kissed senseless a moment ago, and for the life of him, he couldn't think of a thing to say to her. On his way down to the Longhorn, he had rehearsed several different speeches, but now...he didn't have shit to say.

"Depends on if you are going to support my decision or not," she whispered.

"The rodeo," he bit out flatly. That event was becoming a real pain in his ass, charity or not.

"Yes."

He let out a long, frustrated sigh, scrubbing a palm over his face. "Come on, let me buy you a drink."

Harley opened her mouth to demand an answer, but she never got the chance to sputter a word before he grabbed her hand and started dragging her towards the table where Becca sat. Her blue eyes were popping wide, and her mouth gaped open as she watched them approach.

Woo-boy. Harley glanced around the crowded interior of the bar, seeing multiple pairs of eyes watching them. Some wore knowing smiles, while others leered with smug smirks and a few blew wolf whistles as they walked by. "Shit," she muttered under her breath, ducking her head as one cowboy gave Travis a thumbs up and slapped him on the back in congratulations.

What had she been thinking? Wasn't it bad enough she was already the talk of the town? Did she really need to feed the gossip grapevine like a shot of Miracle-Gro by acting like a hussy for everyone to see? Averting her gaze away from the crowd, they landed firmly on Travis's backside as he continued to drag her through the throng of people. A slow smile curved her lips at the way his Wranglers cupped his butt.

She couldn't help but admire the view. He was far more muscular than the normal rodeo cowboys she'd been accustomed to seeing over the years. Travis was built like a weight lifter, solid...powerful...and all hers. So what if she had practically molested him in public? She tilted her chin up a fraction as she sat in the chair Travis pulled out for her. If Cyndi was right, and the town was busy wagging their tongues about them having split up, then by God, they can just let everyone know they were definitely back together. It might not have been her finest moment, but it sent a clear message for Cyndi and the others. Travis Montgomery was her man, and officially off the market. For good...if things went her way tonight.