The Bull Rider Meets His Match

“And that’s all you wanted to see?” Again his gaze dropped to her lips, and Lex started to get the very strong feeling that she was being hit on. By Grady.

It had to be a power play. There was no other explanation. He was trying to unnerve her. When she met his eyes, he smiled at her, his cheeks creasing in a way that no doubt made the buckle bunnies swoon. Even she felt like swooning a little. Grady had charisma. In spades. And right now she felt herself responding to that charisma, which would put him firmly in the driver’s seat as they dealt with each other.

Wasn’t going to happen.

Lex took her keys out of her pocket, jingled them in her hand as she debated. Then she raised her gaze, deliberately locking it with his. When the questioning frown started to draw his eyebrows together, she stepped closer and slid her free hand around the back of his neck, pushing her fingers into his hair in a smooth caress, smiling a little as she did so. He stilled and she could read the what the? in his expression. She loved it.

His skin was warm beneath her wrist. A little damp from the late-afternoon sun, a little dusty from the arena. She registered the sensations in a fraction of a second—registered, too, that she liked those things. Then she pulled his head down and kissed him.

Grady’s eyes widened as their lips met. Even though her movements had been slow and careful, she’d taken him by surprise and she made it a point to end the kiss before he got his equilibrium back. Which was no easy trick, because once she’d had a taste of him, incredibly, she wanted more. It was all she could do to paste a careless smile on her face as she took a step back. Her heart was beating almost as hard as it had been during his ride.

“What was that?” he asked gruffly.

“That was me winning this round.” She moved past him to pull open her truck door, realizing only then that she’d been gripping the keys so tightly that there was an indent in her palm.