A Wild Ride Read Free Page B

own. He might have been unsure of himself in some social situations, but when it came to men he knew were interested, Ryan more than held his own. He nodded toward the rack of balls, and Dante slowly began to move around to the side.
    Ryan kept his eye on the other man, studying him. “So what do you do?” Ryan asked, watching Dante walk.
    “I ride bulls,” Dante answered briskly, and a light went on in Ryan’s mind. He’d just seen this man ride and come in second by a hairbreadth. Dante had leaned over the table and now he straightened up again, his gaze filled with challenge.
    “So do I,” Ryan said, and Dante paused, the pool cue between his fingers.
    “You’re way too big,” Dante said.
    “How do you know how big I am?” Ryan retorted, and Dante took his shot, nearly falling forward on the table. The balls skittered across the surface with no force and none dropped. “Go ahead and rack them up again. That wasn’t sporting.” Dante didn’t move, and Ryan saw him swallow hard. Ryan grabbed the frame out of its holder and reracked the balls, letting Dante take a proper shot. A ball fell in the far corner pocket, and Dante continued playing.
    “I meant you’re too tall and broad,” Dante said.
    “I didn’t say I rode the same kind of bulls you do. I’m a stockbroker,” Ryan clarified. He loved that he’d been able to fluster a man who sat on top of a ton and a half of mean, bucking, spinning death. Dante missed his next shot, and Ryan looked over the setup. He found his shot and lined it up, tapping the cue with just the right amount of speed. The striped ball fell in the side pocket, and the cue ball stopped just where Ryan wanted it to.
    “Are you a hustler?” Dante asked. “Because you won’t—”
    Ryan smiled and put his hand up. “When I was in college, there was a pool table in the dorm. I played whenever I needed to release steam.” Ryan was having a good time, and the flirting was harmless enough. In fact, it made him feel damned good. “Now I do other things.” Ryan moved to Dante’s side of the table and leaned forward, giving him a good view before taking his turn. Ryan swore he heard a soft gasp, but he ignored it and made his shot.
    They continued their banter, and more than once Ryan had had to adjust things when he had the table between him and Dante. He nearly ran the table, but missed a shot for his last ball, which gave Dante a chance.
    “How are you doing?” Jacky asked, coming up beside Ryan to watch Dante shoot. “Do you know who that is?” Jacky asked in a whisper of near complete awe. “Damn, if I would have seen him better, I’d have come over myself.” Jacky smiled and then looked over at the table, where the cowboy Jacky had been talking to smiled back at him. “That’s Randal, and he wants to take me back to his place. Do you think you can find a ride home?”
    Ryan glanced at Dante, who took his shot and missed. Sure, they’d flirted and stuff, and the bull rider was definitely his type in so many ways. “Jacky….”
    “Come on, live a little. The monk routine is wearing a little thin,” Jacky whispered and then walked around the table to where Dante had just straightened up.
    “I’m Jacky, your biggest fan.” Jacky shook Dante’s hand. “I was wondering if you’d be nice enough to make sure my friend gets back to his hotel tonight in one piece.” Ryan was about two seconds from either smiling or slapping Jacky silly; he really wasn’t sure which. The man would say just about anything to anyone.
    Dante slowly lifted the gaze beneath his hat, tilting it upward slightly. “I think I can do that,” Dante said, his eyes darkening with undisguised lust. The intensity seemed almost overwhelming, but Ryan held his ground and met that gaze with one of his own.
    “Be sure to get his autograph,” Jacky whispered so only Ryan could hear.
    Ryan glanced at Jacky for a second. “On what, my ass?” Ryan whispered back, and Jacky grinned and mimed