The arena still smelled of dirt, sweat, and firework smoke as the last of the bulls were led off and crews swept across the churned ground. Up in the stands, the music shifted into a celebratory hum, and beneath it all there was a buzz—an electric current that clung to the air after Ryder’s ride.
Through the concession corridor, Isobel and Rose hurried like women chasing salvation. When Ryder caught sight of her darting down the steps, he left the circle of fans and press without a second thought. His stride broke into a run.
The instant she reached him, he swept her up, strong arms crushing her against his chest, her feet lifted clean from the concrete. Setting her gently down, he framed her face in both hands and kissed her with the ferocity of a man who’d tasted mortality and come bac
