Turn and Burn (Blacktop Cowboys 5)

So his jaw dropped at seeing Tanna racing across the dirt at what looked like normal competition speed—not the turtle pace she’d bemoaned in the last week.

So what had changed? And when had it happened?

That’s when Fletch saw Sutton Grant sitting on the fence, watching Tanna’s every move.

Jealousy hit him like a hoof to the gut.

So he hung back out of sight.

After the run ended, Tanna focused entirely on what Sutton told her. Then she was back at it, lining up and racing into the practice arena.

It was bittersweet, watching the woman he loved reconnect with a part of her that’d been missing. A part that defined her. A part of her Fletch had known was there, but hadn’t seen in action. And it was amazing to watch her doing what she was meant to do.

After another run, Tanna loped off into the pasture, giving the horse time to graze and cool down.

He walked along the back side of the corral. Upon reaching Sutton, he draped his forearms over the fence. “Hey.”

“Hey, Doc. I didn’t know you were here. Pull up a section of fence.”

“You plan on pushing me off for bein’ a little hotheaded the last time we saw each other?”

“Nah. If bein’ pissed off at me made you take action with Tanna so she can do that?” He pointed to the pasture. “Then it was worth it.”

Fletch climbed up on Sutton’s right side. “How’s she doin’ today?”

“I can’t believe how well. I figured she’d ease into it. But she’s been hell-bent for leather.” He scratched his chin. “She’s still pulling back on the second barrel, but that’s understandable. And Mickey is a good horse, but he’s not a great horse. He’s certainly nowhere near the caliber of barrel horse Tanna is used to.”

“So what changed today that sent her from zero to sixty?”

Sutton couldn’t hide a smug smile.

“What did you have to do? Threaten her? Or bribe her?” he said lightly, trying to keep sharpness from his tone.

He chuckled. “I knew you weren’t dumb, but your intuitive side does surprise me.”

“Animals rarely verbalize anything so it’s my job to be intuitive.” Now that had come out sharp.

“Christ, you’re touchy. Alls I’m saying is most men would look at the whole picture—Tanna getting back to barrel racing—and not break it down pixel by pixel. You knew something had to happen to encourage her to kick up the pace.”

Fletch looked at Sutton. “So it was just your influence that did it?”

“You’d hate that, wouldn’t you?”

“Goddamn right I would.”

Sutton offered another smile. “Not blaming your jealousy on something else—yet another surprising thing about the good doc. But the truth is, I dangled an opportunity in front of her. The horse breeder I use is interested in having her try out one of their prime barrel horses.”

“No shit. They told you that?”

“Of course they want her. Tanna is a proven champion. So I relayed the info to Tanna. She bitched about bein’ a has-been and some other bullshit about why they couldn’t possibly trust her with high-end horseflesh. But the whole time she was denying it, I saw the wheels spinning. Mostly she made the choice on her own to get back up to speed. Literally. So how long have you been here watching?”

Fletch shrugged. “Long enough.”

Sutton adjusted his hat. “You pissed off that in trying to get her lined up with a new horse means she’ll be leaving here?”

“Never was a question that she’d leave here. Just what kind of shape she’d be in when she did.” Tanna had been more broken when she’d arrived than anyone had known—including him. As proud as he was that she’d come full circle, he couldn’t stop the melancholy feeling.

“Does she know you’re in love with her?”

That jarred him. “More’n likely. I haven’t come out and said it, but she can’t be around me and not know how I feel.”

“Jesus, Fletch, why don’t you tell her?”

Rather than snap off, none of your damn business, he said, “Because she’ll run. She’s never had what I’m willing to offer her.”

“Which is what?”

“Everything.” He hopped off the fence. “I’ve gotta check on a horse,” he lied.

“Don’t leave without letting her know you were here,” Sutton warned. “This was a big day for her. She’ll want to share it with you.”

Fletch didn’t respond. He walked to the horse barn and performed a quick check on the three horses just for the hell of it. One was a former wild mustang that Eli wanted to breed with Blue, a docile mare who became a fierce mama. That feistiness might translate into good bucking stock. He’d already suggested to Renner that investing in a few wild horses would be a good place to start. Although Renner couldn’t use horses bought from BLM auctions for rodeo stock, he could start breeding them with his existing stock.

He killed thirty minutes before he returned to the corral. Tanna was outside the gate ready to start her run.

Her hair was flying as she burst onto the dirt and urged Mickey to haul ass. They cleared the first barrel, no problem. He did hold his breath as she started around the second barrel. He saw her pause for a second—and knew that second hesitation could cost her . . . possibly seconds. They sped toward the third barrel. Mickey turned sharply enough that Fletch feared horse and rider would hit the skids, but she retained control. She rode him hard until the end.