the confrontational tone.
And taking a bit of the wind from her sails along with it.
“Well, I don’t have much spare time to train given my schedule.” Some days she ached so much from the physical grind of the labor she did, she could barely force her arms to shovel food in her mouth before showering and heading to bed. “I take as many hours as I can to make ends meet.”
She lifted her chin, daring him to find fault in that. There was no shame in hard work.
The country band playing nearby launched into a crowd-pleasing favorite, eliciting whistles and shouts from the dancers on the other side of the Ferris wheel. Neon lights blinked in varying shades as the spokes of the ride spun past them.
“I don’t want you in that arena tonight,” Xander informed her, his eyes utterly serious.
She reminded herself she worked for him. That she didn’t want to land on the wrong side of the powerful Currin family. But damn it, who did he think he was to call the shots for her tonight?
“That’s too bad,” she found herself saying anyhow, “because I’m not on the clock now, which means you can’t order me around.”
Xander glanced away from her and then back again. More gently, he asked, “Can you tell me why it’s so important to you to enter an event so fundamentally dangerous?”
Something in his voice compelled her. So she decided to be honest.
“I’m working hard all the time trying to earn enough money to put myself through veterinary school, and I don’t get many breaks.” She forced herself to unclasp her folded arms. To stand up straighter and own her thoughts and feelings. “And when I heard about the Texas Cattleman’s Club Flood Relief Gala, I thought that was the kind of break I’d love—something fun and different that would let me have a glimpse of the life I’m working toward. A chance to see the reward with my own eyes to keep me on the path. You know?”
Xander cocked his head like he didn’t quite understand.
“You want to go to the Flood Relief Gala,” he said slowly.
“I do. It’s healthy to give yourself some tangible rewards in the process of working toward a big goal,” she explained, sharing an insight gleaned from a college counselor who’d helped her figure out how to start on a path toward achieving her big dreams. “And the prize money tonight will give me enough to afford a ticket to the gala.”
The loudspeaker blared a call for the competitors in her event. Nerves fluttered in her stomach.
Because of the upcoming ride or the man?
“I’ve got to go.” She took a step forward, but he stepped in front of her.
“You can’t enter, Frankie. I mean it.”
How had she missed all the signs that her boss was this bullheaded? “You can’t fire me for being in the rodeo when you’ve got five other employees entering.”
Eyes on the arena, she didn’t want to lose her spot. She started forward again.
“Then I’ll make you a deal,” Xander offered, his voice deep. “If you don’t set foot in that arena tonight, I’ll take you to the gala as my guest.”
She stopped. Turned back to look at him. Gauged his expression.
“Since you can’t fire me, you’ll take me to the gala as your...guest?” She found that hard to believe. Xander Currin could have his pick of beautiful, accomplished women. “Why would you do that?”
Her heartbeat sped in a way that didn’t have a damned thing to do with nerves or the competition about to begin. Her racing pulse had everything to do with Xander’s blue eyes on her. And the potential of what he offered.
“You said you wanted a ticket. I’m offering you one.” He sidestepped her question neatly. “Be my date tomorrow night.”
“What’s in it for you?” She knew better than to think her boss wanted to date her.
“I’ve got two tickets.” He spoke clearly enough, but sure didn’t explain. “Would you like one or not?”
She couldn’t argue. Not when she knew her chance of nabbing that prize money was small with the level of competition here. Furthermore, how many times had she indulged fantasies about this man? An evening with him would be...exciting. To say the least.
“Very well.” She swallowed back the surge of feminine awareness. She couldn’t believe she was going to be her boss’s date at such a huge, important event. “I will go to the gala with you.”
“Good.” He didn’t look happy so much as relieved. “Now let’s get out of here. I’ll take you back to the ranch.”
Disappointment stung a bit, but she told herself to be happy for the unexpected opportunity she’d just won.
“You don’t want to see how the guys do tonight?” she asked, hating to leave and not support the rest of the ranch team. The guys at Currin Ranch were her only family now.
Living on-site at the ranch made the group close-knit.
“I’m not taking any chances you’ll change your mind.” Xander palmed her back, briefly, steering her toward the exit. “My truck is right through this gate.”
The one marked VIP. Of course.
His touch stirred her senses. She tried to hold on to her frustration with him, but it was tougher to do with the memory of that brief caress between her shoulder blades still warming her through her shirt.
“You don’t have to take me home. I can catch a ride with the guys.” She didn’t want them to worry about her. “Reggie will wonder what happened to me—”
“I’ll text him.” He withdrew a phone while they walked out of the fairgrounds into the parking area. He made a few taps on the screen and then shoved it back in his pocket. “There. Done.”
She wondered what it must be like to be a Currin and have the world ordered to your personal preference at all times. She’d fallen right in line, too, unable to argue with someone who could fulfill her wish for a ticket as easily as he had.
All her life she’d struggled. Hard work and grit were her keys to making things happen and getting ahead in life. She didn’t regret that, either.
Still, she wondered how the other half lived.
“I can’t believe you don’t already have a date for the gala.” An awful thought occurred to her. “You’re not canceling on the blonde just to keep me out of the rodeo, are you?”
Although, remembering the way the woman had peeled out of the driveway with no regard to poor Carmen, Frankie found it hard to empathize with her.
“Blonde?” He sounded genuinely perplexed as he gestured toward his big black pickup.
“The one who startled my horse,” she reminded him as he opened the passenger-side door for her. “Not that it’s any of my business.”
