Chapter 7

"What the heck was that?" Kaylee burst out as soon as Vin approached her.

Vin looked down at her. Kaylee started trying to swing her legs over the side of the reclining lawn chair, struggling with her arm still in a sling. He moved to help her.

"What?" he asked.

Kaylee flung a hand toward the arena, though it was the bullriders out there now, the steer wrestling event done. "Ezra riding with you," she huffed out. "Why was I riding for you when Ezra's that good?"

Vin shrugged, unconcerned. "Ezra don't compete anymore. You do."

"Why wouldn't he compete? Why'd he stop?" frustration rose in her. The way held her at a distance, refusing to reveal anything about himself, that he had seen her at her weakest when she was lost in a nightmare about the past, and now depending on him for help for the most basic tasks. She saw him standing in a crowd of bullriders and started heading that way.

Vin quickly looped an arm around her waist to take some of the weight off her leg.

Ezra said something to Chris Larabee that made the lean cowboy smile slightly and nod toward the man getting ready to ride. Ezra was about to say something else, but Kaylee saw him look her way, his posture stiffening when he saw her approaching with Vin.

"Miss Timms," he said with a slight nod.

Kaylee pointed a finger at his chest. "You can ride," she accused him.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, I can."

"Why didn't I know that you could ride like that?" she demanded. "Why wouldn't you tell me? Why don't you tell me anything?"

Ezra's face shifted from unconcerned amusement, to the unreadable poker face. "And what, pray tell, would you like me to tell you?"

"Ezra," Chris said under his breath, a warning in his tone.

Kaylee went to plant her fists on her hips, but only one hand made it there, the other held captive in the sling. She gave her left arm a couple awkward moves, irritation at the restriction adding fuel to the fire. "You could tell me anything, Ezra!" she exclaimed. "Anything about yourself! Like that you used to haze for Vin. Or why you stopped. Or why you do nice things like get me a chair and make sure Buck brings me an ice pack, but you don't want anyone to know you're a nice guy." She pursed her lips, tears burning in her eyes, and she blinked quickly. "It's…" her voice was strangled with emotion and she took a breath, tried again. The words came out quietly past the lump in her throat. "No one's ever tried to take care of me before. And I don't know why you are."

Ezra stood, clearly uncomfortable at her outburst. Kaylee was already regretting it, getting ready to apologize and go hide in the trailer and hope she could avoid Ezra until they both forgot about this.

Ezra took a step closer to her. He cautiously reached out a hand and put it on her, taking over steadying her while Vin looked away and tried to move off to give them a hint of privacy.

"I don't know why I am, either." He looked straight down at her, unwaveringly honest. "I didn't think I had it in me to…care…about another. But I do. Care about you, that is."

Kaylee looked at him for a beat, then launched herself forward to wrap her arm around him in an impulsive hug.

Ezra caught her as she threw herself off-balance, holding himself stiffly, then wrapping his arms carefully around her, sending little butterfly wings through her stomach.

Kaylee tilted her head back to look up at him. The tortured look on his face as he held her made her laugh, washing away the storm of frustration.

"It's ok to like me," she teased. "Even to care about me."

She thought for a second she had pushed too far, but Ezra looked like he was about to say something.

"Well, now, what's this?" Buck's drawl interrupted. "You settin' up a kissin' booth, Kaylee? 'Cuz I'll be first in line."

"Nope," Kaylee said. "Just letting Ezra know how much I appreciate him."

Buck looked between the two of them speculatively. At Kaylee's happy smile, Ezra's pained expression, but the way he kept Kaylee close.

"Well, then, you just feel free to let me know you appreciate me any old time you want," Buck said with a wink, and a raised eyebrow for Ezra, before heading over toward Chris and Vin.

"You want to walk me back to the trailer before you go find your poker game?" Kaylee asked.

Ezra looked down at her, a hesitant softening in his eyes. "Perhaps tonight I'll allow the others to keep their money," he said. "I think I'd prefer to stay back at the trailer."

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Ezra helped Kaylee into the trailer, easing her down onto the couch. Even in the dim light that came in through the windows, he could see how she looked up at him like there was no one she'd rather be with right then.

He knelt down in front of her, helping her get her boots off and set them aside. He was about to rise, to go turn on a light, but she stopped him, taking hold of his hand and keeping her there in front of him.

"How come you stopped competing?" she asked. Her capricious mood out by the arena had swept by, the fury and the teasing both gone, leaving only a sincere curiosity. Her eyes were gentle, a hint of concern.

Ezra wanted to brush off her question, as he would with anyone else who asked. But her hand was soft holding his, she was looking at him like whatever his answer was wouldn't disappoint her.

"Because there are no guarantees in a competition," he answered, his voice quiet in the dark. "Supplying the rodeo stock is a sure bet, it brings in money no matter who wins."

Kaylee was searching his face, for what he didn't know. He fought the urge to draw back, and the stronger urge to pull his mask into place.

"But money isn't everything," she finally said softly.

He couldn't hold back the laugh, tinged with hard-won bitterness. "Money is the only thing that will never disappoint," he said.

Anyone else, even the men he called his friends, would have had a look of disappointment at his answer. But Kaylee looked like she understood. However she challenged him quietly.

"But some times it's worth risking the disappointment," she said. "Leaving what you know behind, to get away from…everything, just because the risk is worth it, even if you end up with nothing at all."

He wanted to ask her what she had left behind, what she was willing to have nothing at all for. His hand reached up to cup her face, his thumb running over her smooth skin on her jawline.

"Like right now," she whispered. "If I wanted to risk everything and kiss you…" her voice wavered, but she didn't look away.

"It would be worth the risk," he said, his own voice husky. He leaned forward, finding her lips, soft and willing, an impetuousness and daring that was who Kaylee was. He lifted his other hand to find her satiny hair, brushing it back, tangling in the loose waves.

It was entirely worth the risk.

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Kaylee searched the cabinets of the trailer, leaning heavily against the counter, but not in nearly as much pain as the morning before. Of course, that may have had something to do with the kisses from Ezra the night before. Her lips tingled at the memory and she could still feel the warm brush of his hands across her face.

She didn't bother to hold back her smile.

She opened a cabinet to find a neat row of organic, healthy cereal. She shuffled past them one-handed, to see if there was any less disgusting option. Way in the back, she found a box of Lucky Charms, just as the bedroom door opened.

She turned to Ezra with a grin, holding up the box. "Breakfast of champions?" she asked.

Ezra plucked the box from her hand and looked down at her. "You weren't supposed to find that."

Kaylee cocked her head. "Because no one can know you have a weakness? A kids' cereal isn't some deep, dark secret you have to hide. It's not going to make you vulnerable." Her smile kept her words light.

"My affinity for sugary breakfasts is not my only weakness," he said, setting the box on the counter and pulling her closer to him.

"Really?" she asked, feigning ignorance.

Her breath caught as he lowered his head for a kiss. Thank goodness he was holding her up because, between her bruised knee and the other one going weak with his kiss, she wouldn't have been able to stay standing.

There was a knock on the door.

Kaylee and Ezra broke apart. He wasn't quite able to put his poker face on and Kaylee grinned over at him as he called for the visitor to come in.

Nathan stepped up into the camper. "'Mornin'," he said.

Kaylee glanced at Ezra and reached for the Lucky Charms. "Morning, Nathan." She got down a bowl and poured the cereal.

"How's your shoulder?" he asked.

Kaylee tentatively lifted it, and grimaced. "Better," she said.

"I thought you could start some exercises to heal it up," the athletic trainer and paramedic said.

Ezra cleared his throat. "I'll leave you to your morning, then."

Kaylee grabbed his hand as he started toward the door.

Ezra's face may have looked unreadable to anyone else, but Kaylee saw the subtle shift in the shade of his eyes, moving from less hazel to more green. He gave her hand a squeeze and exited with a nod to Nathan.

Nathan got out the milk for Kaylee, helped her get her bowl to the table.

Another rap at the door, and Buck stuck his head in.

"Everyone decent?"

"Come on in, Buck," Nathan said.

Kaylee took a bite of cereal and Buck spotted the box on the counter.

"Ezra showed you his stash of Lucky Charms?" he asked. He and Nathan exchanged looks.

Kaylee didn't answer.

"He show you anything else?" Buck asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Buck," Nathan warned him.

Kaylee couldn't hide her grin, or the slight flush she felt on her cheeks.

Buck's grin widened. "Good for you," he said. "Not many people get a chance to know Ezra. The real Ezra. He's a stand up guy."

Kaylee didn't need anyone to tell her that. Though she was starting to get the feeling Ezra was the only one who didn't know what a good guy he was.

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