Chute Yeah

by Vale, Lani Lynn

  I was already scooting backward out of the bed, staring at Banks as I found my way to my feet.

  His eyes, however, weren’t on my face.

  They were on my breasts as they swung freely behind the t-shirt that was definitely not mine.

  “I wasn’t wearing this last night,” I found myself saying.

  He grinned wickedly at me.

  “You got some blood on your shirt,” he said. “And when I gave you some water earlier, you spilled half of it down your chest. And since I’m such a nice, caring man, I decided that I should help you out.”

  “By changing me into one of your shirts and ridding me of my bra?” I teased.

  His grin was wicked.

  “Maybe.”

  I stood up slowly and walked to the bathroom, all too aware that my ass was hanging out of the t-shirt.

  I felt his eyes on me the entire way.

  And when I got to the bathroom, I washed my face and brushed my teeth, so glad to no longer have tooth pain that I was almost giddy.

  That’d been the worst forty-eight hours ever.

  I would rather have my arm lopped off than ever have to go through that kind of pain again.

  “One of the best things ever is seeing you bent over my sink,” Banks’ rough, sultry voice said from behind me.

  I looked up from where I was brushing my teeth, allowing the foam from the toothpaste to dribble down my chin.

  “This is sexy to you?” I said, splattering the mirror with more foam and spit.

  He grinned, walked up behind me, and then cleaned the mirror off with a towel that he found by my elbow.

  The move made his hard cock press into my backside.

  “Does it feel like it turns me on?” he asked, pressing his hips against me and rolling his hips.

  I nearly choked on my toothbrush when I poked it too far into my throat.

  He laughed at my expression.

  I slowly closed my eyes and finished brushing my teeth.

  He didn’t stop grinding against me.

  I did manage to finish, rinse my mouth, and plant my elbows onto the countertop before he started to peel my panties down my thighs.

  I was looking at him over my shoulder, watching him look at his hands as he drug them up and down the length of my thighs.

  “Spread ‘em wide, darlin’,” he ordered.

  I allowed the panties to slip off my feet, then did as he asked, spreading them wide enough that he could see just how ready I was for him.

  “Sometimes,” he said as he looked at me. “I look at you and think, there’s no possible way that you’re mine.”

  I swallowed hard.

  “Sometimes I look at you and think, ‘I can’t believe I get to say Banks Valentine is mine,’ so we’re even,” I teased.

  “I am,” he said, his eyes moving up until they were on me. “I’m yours, for however long you want me.”

  I smiled then.

  “Forever,” I promised. “I want you forever.”

  His eyes went dark, and while my eyes were on his, he slowly lowered his zipper.

  The zziiiiipppp of his zipper going down sounded like a gunshot in the quiet bathroom.

  Still he kept his eyes on mine as he lifted himself free of his tight jeans, then slowly pressed his engorged cock head to my entrance.

  He didn’t once take his gaze off of mine as he circled my entrance, coating himself in the juice that was already leaking from me.

  “I love how wet you are,” he told me, pressing slightly inside.

  I swallowed hard and spread my legs just a little bit wider.

  He spread his wider, too, changing the angle as he slowly started to sink inside.

  It felt intense, feeling him fill me up as well as keeping my gaze locked with his.

  Then again, anything that I did with Banks Valentine was intense. Only this time, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience as he let me see the intensity in his eyes.

  Hands on my hips, he slowly started to rock his cock inside of me, back and forth, in and out, until I was on the verge of an orgasm.

  And, just when I started to get to the point of no return, he’d read it on my face and back off.

  After the third such time, I moaned and dropped my head to rest on the faucet.

  “Banks, no,” I whined.

  He laughed then, squeezing my hips with his big hands. “Look at me.”

  I rocked my head back and forth.

  “No,” I denied his request. “You’re teasing me. I don’t like being teased.”

  “Fuck yes, you do,” he said, one of his hands leaving my hip and fisting in my hair.

  Then I had no choice but to lift my head.

  He pulled a little harder than he usually would when I refused to open my eyes.

  I laughed when he growled my name.

  “No,” I snapped. “I don’t—can’t—do this. I need you.”

  He pulled out and slammed home then, my hips bouncing hard against the counter as he did.

  I cried out and opened my eyes out of pure shock.

  Gasping, I blinked rapidly a few times before saying, “Yes!”

  He grinned then, slowly pushing his cock into me before pulling it back out again, going as deep as he possibly could go.

  He didn’t back off this time.

  When I started to come, my eyes looking deep into his, he kept his pace.

  And when the wave of my orgasm washed over me, it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever felt in my life.

  A few seconds later, I watched him come, too.

  His cock jerked inside of me, and soon our coupling became much slicker with both of our combined releases easing the way.

  “Jesus,” he breathed when we were done. “You make me feel like a kid when I come that fast.”

  I grinned at him unrepentantly.

  “You make me feel like a queen,” I told him. “I’ve never…I never thought it could be like that. I guess, though, I should’ve expected it. The way I felt about you? I should’ve known that you’d give me everything that I needed.”

  His grin was smug as he pulled out and went to the towel rack.

  I stopped him with a hand on his arm.

  “Can we shower instead?”

  “Like I would ever tell you no.”

  An hour later, we were lying in bed, sated for a second time, and clean as a whistle.

  I was conveniently ignoring the annoying sound coming from the bedside table.

  “Your phone’s ringing,” Banks said, sounding amused.

  I rolled my eyes and went for the phone he was holding out to me.

  “I could hear it,” I drawled.

  Answering it, I pressed it to my ear and listened to the foreman on the Valentine project bitch and complain about something I had no idea about.

  I looked at my watch.

  “Listen, Joe,” I said. “It’s five o’clock. Why don’t you shut down for the night, go home, and let me look into whatever you’re having issues with on Monday. Meet me here around nine o’clock Monday morning, and we’ll discuss whatever it is you’re having a problem with, okay?”

  Joe huffed out a sigh.

  “Yeah, fine,” he said. “I’m just annoyed, I guess. I don’t like shit changing in the middle of a project. I would’ve gone about this a completely different way had I known.”

  Thinking that I really needed to figure out what he was talking about, I hung up and started to call my dad.

  I got about two numbers in before I felt Banks’ heated body line up against the back of mine.

  “What are you doing?” I asked curiously.

  His hands skimmed up underneath the t-shirt, rolled over my belly, until he could cup my bare breasts.

  “Nothing,” he lied. “Go ahead and make your call.”

  I snorted.

  As if I could make a call to my father with his hands on my breasts.

/>   “You just had that,” I snapped, slapping his hands.

  He laughed and let me free, but only long enough to curl me into his body.

  I rolled with him, then placed my call, leaving my head directly where he wanted it.

  All the while, I wondered if this was just my life now.

  Because if it was?

  Someone needed to pinch me.

  Chapter 21

  Every day men leave their homes with no water bottle, no purse, no Chapstick, no hand sanitizer, and no sweater in case they get cold. Just keys and a wallet. How do they live like that?

  -Candy to Codie

  Candy

  I bit my nails down to the cuticle as I watched bull rider after bull rider absolutely nail their rides.

  With Banks missing his ride last night, there would be no way that he could catch up today with only one freakin’ ride.

  But, then again, if anyone could do it, Banks could.

  Which was why I was sitting on my hands, nervously tapping my feet side by side, as I observed Banks as he stared at the bull he was about to ride.

  “Who’s your husband?” the girl at my side asked.

  I looked over at the sweet-sounding woman and smiled.

  “Not my husband,” I said. “Boyfriend. Banks Valentine.”

  She grinned. “Ohhh, the hottie with the tight pants and the permanent scowl on his face.”

  I laughed at her almost à propos description of Banks.

  “That’s him,” I agreed. “Which man is yours?”

  She shook her head. “I’m a photographer for the rodeo circuit. I’m here tonight to get some pictures, and man, all of these boys are really showing up tonight and showing off. I’ve got some great shots.”

  I’ll just bet she did.

  “Plus, they’re supposed to be doing a few little tidbits of the last four riders today,” she said. “That was my idea.”

  “Tid bits?” I asked, confused.

  She wrinkled her nose.

  “I mean small little videos on each rider,” she said. “The top four contenders to win it all this year. I said that the fans would love to know more about their lives, and since I’m their social media specialist, they decided to do it. Banks was, of course, the most opposed. But I think you’ll end up liking it. I got some good stuff on him today while I was interviewing him.”

  I frowned. Was that what he had been doing when he said he had to go to an interview?

  Oh boy, I bet he’d just loved that, being blindsided with a video camera.

  I hadn’t heard about it, which was a surprise because I would’ve thought he’d call or text.

  “Please tell me he didn’t scowl and growl the entire time.” I laughed.

  “Not the entire time, no.” The woman—definitely not a girl now that I was looking at her directly—said.

  I could do nothing but roll my eyes and grin at that news.

  “Banks doesn’t like doing videos,” I admitted. “Banks doesn’t like doing interviews, period, actually. But he does them anyway out of obligation to his sponsors.”

  “Oh!” the woman said. “My name is Jett. Actually, my full name is Jetty Brianne Socrates. But I go by Jett. I’m a wedding videographer mostly, but I branched out when I was asked by a friend to do this for the rodeo circuit. It’ll be my first real big thing outside of that.”

  “You like weddings?” I asked, sensing that she was a little bit bitter about branching out. “You don’t want to do other things?”

  “We have a special treat for everyone in the house tonight,” the announcer, a loud, boisterous man, boomed. “Who’s ready?”

  I turned my head toward the massive jumbotron and watched, waiting in anticipation, as whatever was ‘special’ started to air.

  I assumed it was Jett’s new ‘tidbits’ but I could be wrong.

  Turns out, I was right.

  It also turns out that I didn’t have the complete story from Jett.

  Imagine that.

  “And here’s your own national champion, Banks Valentine!” the man bawled.

  My heart caught in my throat as Banks’ beautiful face filled the screen.

  “Banks Valentine.” The video started with Banks saying his name and giving his stats. “Kilgore, Texas. Six foot three. Two hundred pounds.”

  “How long have you been riding a bull, Banks?” I heard Jett’s familiar voice ask in the background.

  “As long as I can remember.” He grinned, that legendary smirk making my heart rate speed up and my lower body clench.

  “Where do you see yourself in ten years, Banks?” Jett asked.

  My body swayed forward as I waited for his answer.

  I would’ve expected him to say ‘a multi-time national bull riding champion.’

  That was definitely not what I got.

  Banks smile went lazy, and his eyes turned away from Jett to focus on the camera to her right.

  “Well, that’s easy,” he said. “I see myself sitting on my front porch, holding my woman’s hand, watching a storm roll in.” He paused. “Sometimes, when I have this dream, I have a baby in my arms. Other times, my woman, Candy, has the baby in hers.”

  I felt tears start to prick my eyes.

  “You don’t see yourself riding bulls?” Jett asked.

  Banks shook his head and returned his eyes to Jett.

  “Nah,” he said. “I see myself spending time with my girl. With my baby. With my family.”

  “Tell me about this girl then.” Jett leaned forward, the front of her face coming into the camera’s view. “She sounds special.”

  I could feel the eyes starting to focus on me. However, every single bit of my attention was firmly placed on Banks now.

  And not the television Banks.

  The real Banks.

  He was still on the fence, leaning over it. But his head was turned around and he was staring at me over his shoulder.

  His eyes were shielded by his hat, but I knew that they were on me.

  Knew that every single part of him was entirely focused on me.

  “My girl’s name is Candy,” Banks said. “She’s been my obsession since we were in high school together. I thought, at one point in time, that we weren’t going to make it. But this year, she so graciously forgave me for being a jerk as a teenager and allowed me back into her life.”

  “You love her,” Jett said, sounding sure.

  “I love her with my whole heart,” Banks confirmed.

  “I heard that things are pretty intense between the two of you,” Jett said. “The rodeo circuit is buzzing with the news. Banks Valentine, the heartthrob of the rodeo circuit, is officially off the market.”

  Banks reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

  I strained to see what it was, but something on the screen forced me to look up.

  “I’m going to marry her,” Banks told Jett. “One day, she’s going to be Mrs. Banks Valentine.”

  I gasped, my eyes going wide.

  Banks pulled something out of his pocket on screen, and with the jumbotron I could more than make out a ring box.

  “I’ve been riding with this in my pocket for weeks,” he said. “I’m just too chicken squawk to ask her.”

  I laughed at Jett’s creative use of a profanity beep.

  I dragged my eyes away from the screen, not wanting to see the ring that I knew he was about to open.

  Instead, my eyes focused on Banks who was holding onto the fence with one hand.

  The other had a little black box in it.

  His eyes were solely focused on me as he lifted his hand and mimed throwing it.

  I shook my head furiously.

  “Don’t you dare, Valentine,” I ordered, saying the words even though I doubted he’d hear me.

  Banks grinned wickedly, then tossed it.

  I squeaked and stood up, catching the box out of desperation.

  The box bobbled
in my hands, but eventually I did catch it, and manage to bring it up to my chest with a gasp.

  Banks, watching my near-death experience, grinned.

  Then he turned his back on me.

  The entire stadium was cheering.

  “Open the box!” I heard a prominent voice to my left say.

  That was when I saw Darby leaning over the railing, only inside the pen, staring at me with avid interest written all over his face.

  “I’ll wait until he can do it properly!” I yelled back.

  Darby threw his head back and laughed.

  The woman at my side laughed, too.

  So, she hadn’t been bitter.

  She’d been nervous.

  I looked over at Jett, then shook my head. “I swear. I thought you were mad that you had to do the video.”

  She blushed. “I stuck my foot in my mouth. I’m so used to introducing myself and my business that I just started talking. I didn’t even think. Whew, that was almost terrible. I was hired to do this for you, and then I almost go and ruin all of my hard work!”

  By the time she was finished with her explanation, Banks was climbing on the back of the bull, ready to ride.

  I squeezed my hand tightly around the box and stared at my man as he got ready to ride.

  All the while my fingers practically itched to peel the box open and put the ring on my finger.

  That itch went away the moment that the gate slammed open, and Taco Tuesday, the bull that Banks was riding today, came out of the chute.

  It was like a bull possessed.

  Everything that Banks could’ve hoped for happened with Taco.

  He bucked. He shimmied. He shook. Hell, he’d even fallen to a knee at one point.

  And still Banks held on.

  He went on and on and on.

  Until suddenly he lost control and went flying sideways.

  The buzzer rang, signaling eight seconds, and Banks tried to roll away.

  The bull, however, was going down hard.

  One second he was on his feet, and the next Taco was rolling like an out of control weapon of mass destruction.

  Banks barely managed to disentangle himself from the bull in time.

  But he didn’t land pretty.

  In fact, he landed awkwardly and lay there for a few long seconds trying to catch his breath.

  Sadly, Taco regained his bearings way faster than Banks did.