you.” The woman hurried off.
Ash checked her watch. The opening ceremony for the rodeo would be starting in five minutes. She was supposed to get pictures. She hesitated. “Maybe we should go give her a hand.”
“I’ll go,” Jasmine offered. “You go on in. I’ll meet up with you later.”
“Thanks, Jazz.”
Jazz took off after the young mom, walking briskly to catch up. A stingy something-or-other reverberated inside Ashley’s chest. How was it possible to both like someone so much but also resent them, too? Jasmine was her best friend, and Ash—well, she just had to say it—she was jealous of her. Thoroughly, bitterly jealous.
Always had been.
With a shake of her head, she entered the rodeo grounds, showing her press pass to the ticket takers at the door. And what does she do about her juvenile jealousy? Does she own up to it? Oh, no. She goes and makes up a boyfriend to deal with it. Stupid.
“Ash, up here.”
As the chair of the Fair Committee, her father was sitting on the stage behind the announcer’s podium. Ash climbed up to join him.
“This’ll be the best spot for the opening ceremonies.” He checked his watch. “You were cutting it close. It’s starting right away.”
“Then I’d say I was just on time.” She took a quick pic of her father and the other board members, all wearing white hats. Then got a picture of the announcer, Hal Roberts, just as he welcomed everyone to the kickoff of the rodeo.
The opening procession commenced with the flag bearers on horseback, carrying the county, state and American flags. The rodeo princesses followed, then judges and competitors until the ring was filled with people on horses, stomping impatiently, picking up on the nerves of the competitors.
Before the national anthem could begin, there was a commotion just below the announcer’s table.
Shit!
A little boy wearing a Superman shirt had slipped between the bars separating the ring from the stands and was now walking among the legs of the already nervous horses. His face was red, and he was crying loudly.
Hal’s voice rose in a panic. “There’s a young child in the ring. Can everyone please remain—”
Before he could finish, a cowboy slid down from his horse, jogged over to the kid and scooped him up. He carried him toward the stage and handed him over to Hal, saying, “You’re okay, kid. Everything’s fine.”
That’s when Ashley realized two things.
First, she’d been on automatic pilot, watching the entire thing unfold from behind the lens of her camera, capturing the scene, frame by frame.
Secondly, and more importantly, it had been Colton Cross who’d jumped down to save the kid.
WHILE THE COMMOTION settled down after the boy’s panicky mother hurried onstage to collect her son, Colton glanced up to find Ashley Ozark—his pseudo girlfriend—staring at him, her camera pulled close to her chest like she was protecting it from stampeding hooves. He beckoned her closer.
Hesitantly, she moved forward, hunkering down at the front of the stage. “Yes?”
He grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her in for a kiss. Possessing her mouth. The little gasp she made was rather satisfying, he had to admit.
“What was that for?” she whispered breathlessly.
His gaze flicked to the left side of the stage, where her friend was watching. “Just putting on a show, as commanded.”
“Is that what all of this was?” She indicated the ring and the crying child with a sweep of her hand. “A show?”
Colton frowned. “No. The kid was about to be trampled, that was instinct. The kiss was for show.” Though he’d be a liar if he said there wasn’t a certain amount of instinct involved in wanting to kiss the uptight Ozark sister, as well. Though she was looking a little less uptight in her short shorts and tiny top.
“Okay.” She pulled back, smiling awkwardly. “That should do it.”
“Really? See, I’m not so sure.”
“What do you—”
He yanked her down for another kiss. It was fun shutting her up with kisses. Partly because he wanted to teach her a lesson for thinking she had control of him, but mostly because the second their lips met, hers gave in: softening right up and parting for his tongue. Her lips meshed with his in a deliciously juicy way.
“Okay, okay,” she panted against his mouth.
Colton grinned.
This time he let her pull away. She stood, crossing her arms in front of her belly, which was too bad because the little shirt she was wearing showed off her tummy, all nice and trim with the cutest little belly button. He wouldn’t mind tracing that sweet little navel with his tongue later...
Whoa. Where had that come from?
“What time is your ride?”
“Three.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.” Colton rubbed the back of his head. Maybe he was taking this fake boyfriend thing too far. “You gonna watch?”
She raised the camera. “I’m paid to watch.”
“What time are you done?”
“Five.”
“Okay. Meet me by the gate to the stockyard at five-fifteen.” He stretched his back. “Then you can show me how much you appreciate me.”
Her gaze narrowed.
He saluted. “Later, babe.” Colton said the last part extra loud so that the friend would hear.
There. He’d done his part. Now he could go concentrate on his ride. Later he’d see if the Ozark girl would make good on her end of the bargain.
* * *
OF ALL THE harebrained schemes, this one had to be the worst. Colton Cross had just made sure everyone in Half Moon Creek saw them making out. At the announcer’s stage, no less. And he’d done it after heroically saving a kid from being trampled by horses. Though whether he’d done it to be a good man or whether he’d done it to make himself look good, Ashley couldn’t decide.
Probably the latter.
“Thank God for Colton,” Jasmine said from behind her.
Ash didn’t turn. Instead, she watched as Colton leisurely jogged back to his horse. He grabbed the reins before gracefully swinging up onto the animal’s back, and as he rode past, he tipped
