All's Fair Page 4

Sol laughed. "Oh, yeah. I'm better than okay. How's next Saturday work for you?"

  She stroked the bruise on his face. "No. No more concussions. I don't want you getting hurt."

  "Then how about I come by after I ride next week?"

  Damn him. He couldn't just let her bask in the afterglow. He had to bring up the one thing guaranteed to ruin her mood.

  The alarm she'd set earlier went off. Like she needed the reminder to wake up and come back to reality. Sol rolled away from her so she could turn it off.

  "God, I'm insane."

  "What's wrong, honey?"

  She swung her legs off the bed and reached for her robe. "This shouldn't have happened."

  "Really?" he growled.

  "Of course not. We're divorced. And you—" She turned and poked a finger into his chest. "You wouldn't even slow down and put on a condom."

  "I've never worn a condom with you." His tone was aggressive.

  How well she knew that.

  "Dammit, Sol. What if I got pregnant?"

  "You're not on the pill?"

  "That's beside the point."

  "So what you're really saying is, what if I give you an STD?"

  Georgia flushed. How ironic. He understood her better now than he had when they were married.

  He glowered at her. "I've told you before; I don't take those kinds of risks. You're the only one I ever wanted kids with."

  The anger drained out of her. She loved this man, but she couldn't be with him. Every time he got on the back of a bull, a piece of her grieved as if she were watching him die.

  "I can't do this, Sol."

  "Is it Mike? You know he ain't good enough for you."

  God, he was like a junkyard dog with a bone. "And you know that how?"

  "You're a smart woman. You deserve someone who ain't an idiot."

  "And you think you're smarter than Mike?" She couldn't quite keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

  A self-satisfied smile twisted his lips. "I'm smart enough to tell George from Georgia." He reached out and curled a lock of her hair around his finger. "Only an idiot would ever think you weren't a woman right down to the marrow of your bones."

  Georgia wanted to be pissed off, but the tender light shining in his eyes made it impossible. He slipped his hand around her neck and pulled her close for one of his gentle kisses.

  She couldn't help thinking, if only . . .

  In the middle of the kiss, she started giggling.

  Sol pulled back and gave her a questioning look.

  "I think maybe I like you better concussed," Georgia said with a smile.

  Sol grinned as he pulled her back down beside him.

  ###

  The next morning, when Georgia said, "We're not getting back together. You know that, right?" he wasn't surprised.

  "Yeah, I know." He hadn't expected her to drop everything she'd built in Dallas and come home to him. At least, he hadn't thought he did. The twinge of dashed hope said differently. Sol pushed the disappointment down as she turned back to the bag she was packing with her version of egg McMuffins. They'd spent a few nights together since the divorce, but not for a long time. He should be grateful with what he had. And what he had was confirmation that the feelings she'd once had for him weren't completely dead. That was no small thing.

  A horn honked outside.

  "There's Terry." He grabbed his canvas bag. "I gotta go." They had to make a rodeo in West Texas. Would she object if he kissed her goodbye? He decided that might be pushing his luck, so he headed for the door.

  "Hey!"

  Sol turned back.

  "Here." She shoved the paper bag into his hands. "There's enough for Terry, too. And, Sol—" She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "Be careful, okay?"

  That was all the encouragement he needed. He slung one arm around her and pulled her into him for a sweet, lingering kiss. "I promise," he said when he broke the kiss.

  "Ain't it a beautiful day?" Sol said as he got in Terry's truck, grinning like ten kinds of idiot.

  Terry just laughed. "You're second place winnings are in the glove box," he said as he put the truck in gear.

  "Second place, huh?" Sol hadn't even thought about where he'd finished the night before.

  "Yup. But there's always tomorrow and who knows? Maybe down the road, a championship buckle."

  "Yup. There's always hope." Sol smiled. But he wasn't thinking about the rodeo.

  Other Works by Suzie Quint:

  A Knight in Cowboy Boots

  Soon to be Released:

  Knight of Hearts

  You can contact Suzie at Suzie Quint's website. She loves to hear from readers.