God, was she back to him again? Would her thoughts ever be free of him?
She shook her head and sighed. Not as long as she kept sleeping with him, they wouldn’t. She knew something else as well.
She’d continue sleeping with him. For as long as he’d have her.
She mounted Ladybird and took her place at the head of the parade with the grand marshal, who happened to be Dallas McCray.
“Hey there, rodeo queen,” Dallas said, his dark eyes crinkling at the corners. He was handsome, no doubt. He and Zach resembled each other. They looked like their mother, Laurie, who’d had the jet-black hair. Chad looked more like their late father, Jason McCray, whose hair had been dark, but a shade or two shy of black. Jason’s had never grayed. Even when he’d passed on ten years ago at the age of seventy, his hair was still that warm dark brown, like Chad’s. Dallas had been graying for years, and now Zach had started. It worked on them. But not Chad. Course he was younger, but Catie secretly hoped he’d remain gray-free forever. She loved the walnut warmth of his hair color. The way it felt when she ran her fingers through its silkiness. How it whispered against her thighs when his head was between her legs.
Did she really taste like raspberries?
“You gonna answer me?”
She jerked in the saddle. “What?”
Dallas chuckled. “You were a million miles away, rodeo queen.”
Her cheeks warmed. Good thing he couldn’t read her mind. She was having some very lascivious thoughts about his baby brother. “I’m sorry, Dallas. What did you ask?”
“I asked whether you had any big plans after the parade. Annie and I are having some people over. We just threw it together this morning.”
“Oh. I…uh…” Chad hadn’t said anything about getting together with her. Likely he’d be at his brother’s house. “No, no, I don’t have any plans.”
“Then stop by. Annie’d love for you to be there.”
“Sure, I’d love to.”
“Great. Just come by after the parade. It’s a pretty casual affair. Annie ordered up barbecue from Dixon’s this morning.”
“Mmm. Sounds yummy.”
“You seen Chad this morning?”
Catie’s pulse jumpstarted, and she hoped the warmth that she knew reddened her looked like nothing more than summer heat. She cleared her throat. “No, I haven’t.”
“Okay. I need to tell him about our shindig.” He tipped his Stetson and trotted off on his gray gelding. “See you later. I’m off. Judy’ll tell you when to go.”
“Okay. Thanks, Dallas.”
Behind her, the band was tuning up. Among the discord and din of voices, Catie heard Amber trot up next to her.
“Hey there,” the other woman said.
“Amber. Hi!” Catie was genuinely glad to see her. “Are you in the parade, too?”
“Yeah, they asked me. I’m supposed to ride up here with you.”
“That’s great. I’ve been gone for a while, but I’m glad they’re letting the first runner-up ride. That’s awesome.”
“Didn’t they do it before?”
“Honestly, I never paid much attention. The last parade I attended was five years ago.” She laughed. “I always paid more attention the horses than the people riding them.”
Amber laughed, and her smile seemed genuine. Maybe they would be friends.
Judy motioned for them to go, and Catie and Amber trotted along behind a few floats. Amber was incredibly good at this. She waved and smiled and didn’t look out of place at all in her first runner-up sash. Catie felt like a fish out of water. Amber definitely should have won the contest. She might not be the horsewoman Catie was, but she had the poise thing down. Catie was glad she didn’t have to walk in the parade. She’d likely trip over someone’s banana peel or something.
* * *