He chuckled and pushed off the fence, one eye on the exit gate closest to where Andra was gathering her rope up. “I’m already cooking up the start to the stories he’ll be telling about me in a year or two. If I get too wild, I might have to take that favor you owe me in the form of a bond out of the county jail in the morning. For now, though, I’d better get ready to beat Curt in tie-down roping.”

“Beat Jason, too, and I’ll go raise some hell along with you,” she called after him.

He tipped his hat to her, his eyes already wandering toward the arena. Andra rode toward the exit, her hat brim angled down but not quite hiding the smile tugging at her lips. He wanted to pull her off that gorgeous mare into a hug and tease her until he kicked that smile all the way loose. What he should do was go and get his borrowed horse ready.

She wasn’t his girlfriend. She didn’t seem like she was in a place for a serious relationship, and she wasn’t the kind of woman he felt “just casual” about. Besides, he was still the out-of-towner trying to earn his way into the inner circle of the Lawler Ranch. But if there was one thing he’d learned from growing up in the cliquish neighborhoods of New Orleans, it was that you don’t start to belong without acting like you already do.

LJ headed for the arena.

•   •   •

Energy sizzled up through Andra’s legs and burst out through her mare’s jigging trot as they left the rodeo arena. A dozen horses of all different colors waited while their riders unrolled cuffed chaps and adjusted their saddles, or stacked their lariats over and over again, trying to get the loops to lie smoothly.

In the chaos of the waiting area, Andra caught sight of a pale gray hat and the slash of a familiar, brilliant smile beneath it. Gracie’s nose turned that way before Andra fully made the decision.

“Hey, hey, Rodeo Queen.” LJ grinned. “What was that pretty little rope trick you just pulled?”

She rolled her eyes. “I knew once you saw these freaking glitter chaps, you’d never stop calling me that. I was nineteen, and I loved dressing up and fast horses, all right? Besides, Dad thought it would be good advertising for the ranch.”

“Uh-huh. And what was the excuse for the teen tiara?” He arched an eyebrow, struggling to hold back a smile.

“Same thing. Only three years more naive.”

LJ lost the battle against his smile. “I bet.” He came closer and laid a hand on Gracie’s neck. The horse blew out a breath and finally stopped dancing. “How about that time, huh? You and your daddy make a hell of a team.”