She would rather have someone who was honest than a liar who smoothed things over.
By the time Luke was up, she was completely relaxed, joking and talking like they were old friends. But, like always, when she heard his name over the loud speaker her breath caught in her throat.
“This isn’t a big deal for him, first go, and all, nothing compared to his second.” He leaned in. “Been watching him ride since he was a teen, pretty damn good then, but nothing like now. He really is in the prime of his life.”
“You’ve known him that long?” She asked, as she watched Luke in the pen, tightening the bell around his arm. That bull rope was the only thing he had to take advantage from, because the damn bull was a big beast.
“Yeah, actually it was because of your dad that we met. He introduced us.”
“How well did you know my dad?”
He shushed her just as they opened the gate, so that they could both watch Luke in his first go. It wasn’t an easy bull, but any means, but Terror’s Heels was not nearly as competitive as some of the bulls she had seen. This bull was riding right into his hand that is, turning clockwise over and over again in the direction of Luke’s grip.
She was concerned that the bull would make the score too low.
Eight seconds passed without a hitch and he jumped off a clean dismount, but she could tell as soon as he landed he was pissed. The look in his face and the words coming out of his mouth were equally angry as he jumped up over the fencing and got to safety.
“Shit,” she cursed.
“No, it will be alright. At least he will qualify for a second go. Can’t say that for everyone,” Mark assured her as they waited for his score.
80.3.
Shit.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek, her stomach dropping.
“He can still get a good average. This won’t kill him.” How could he be so sure? She bit her lip and tried to keep her nerves back. Getting seeded would mean a lot, she knew that. It would open up new doors for him, new competitions. He was so close.
The rest of the riders went in a blur. She tried to be interested. She really did, but her mind was focused on Luke. He told her that this was his last chance, a way to get his career moving. She wanted to see that more than anything.
“Come on, there is some down time, you wanna go down and see him, or do you wanna get something to eat? You can’t just sit here. Worrying.” Mark made her feel at ease, like she’d known him her entire life. Like he was a friend, a cousin, and she liked it.
She nodded at him, “Yeah, I think he could use a visit. Even if it is just a minute. I’ve got the right kind of pass. Might as well use it, right?”
The two of them threaded through the bleachers, moving down and around the VIP crowd, towards the rider’s area, Mark right at her side. At least she knew that if she was accosted again, she would have someone there to help her stand up for herself, not that she needed it, really.
It was just nice to have. She weaved through the maze of fences and buildings until she found the one housing Luke. No matter what venue they were in, they all felt strikingly similar. Like everyone was the same. Today was no different.
“Wonderin’ if I was gonna see you.” His thick, deep baritone pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Why wouldn’t you?” she asked.
“Didn’t know if you were going to show.”
“I always show.”
“Yeah, I should know that by now, but what can you say, old habits. Mine, not yours.” He cleared his throat. “What do you need, Babe?”
“I just wanted to wish you luck. You alright?”
“Trying not to be nervous, can you tell it isn’t working?” This was the first time she’d ever seen him anything other than confident, and it threw her.
“You are like a natural on a bull, Luke. I know you can do this.”
He chuckled at her, then looked over at Mark. “Had a feeling you would be around too. You finally weasel your way into her good graces?”
“You knew it was bound to happen eventually, especially since we are both your number one fan.” Mark winked in Luke’s general direction. “Besides, I’m an official member of the Rivers and Fields team now, she saw my indispensable talent.
“You jackass,” Luke pulled his hat down and spit into the dirt. “You better get back, the second half’ll be startin’ up soon, and I’m guessing you actually wanna see it?”
They both turned to leave, but Luke called out. “Jayda, wait a minute.” His voice was just a little bit vulnerable, and it made her waver.
She stayed, waving off Mark.
Luke walked over and pulled her in for a small kiss.
“Thanks. I know you came for me, most women, in my past, they wouldn’t do that. Means a lot.”
She couldn’t hide the blush that crept up her cheeks. “Next time you kiss me, you promise not to smell like cow shit?”
“That’s bull shit, Jayda, and you know it.” He grinned at her, that same prideful grin she had grown to love.
Damn him.
“You are going to do fine. You have a good bull, and you know exactly what you are doing. Wouldn’t have taken you on if I didn’t believe that.”
“Hell yeah, I am. Thanks for believing in me, Princess. It means a lot.” He grabbed her face with his one un-gloved hand and held her chin for just a moment before letting go.
She turned and walked away, back up to the stands, feeling more than a little love struck.
That man did the damnedest things to her.
***
It wasn’t a rodeo without the overwhelming sights and sounds of the people around her, laughing, cheering, and even heckling whenever the rodeo entertainers came out. Still, she blocked it all, and focused on one thing. Preparing herself to cheer on her guys. To support Luke.
“Luke Daniels on Tornado Force Winds.”
Eight seconds. That was all he needed. Just eight seconds and he would get his score.
The first buzzer rang and the gate opened, the bull jumping out of the chute, bucking right away.
Right into the damn gate.
The collision threw Luke, but he held onto the bell, his arm wrapped around the bull rope tightly, his other still in the air. Tornado Force Winds was angry, and it was showing, the bull was in the fade which meant that his movements completely unpredictable, changing directions, each buck higher than the last.
Five more seconds.
Still Luke was holding strong his free hand in the air as he kept good hold of the bull rope.
Another high buck, right into the fence. This time Luke wasn’t so lucky. Tornado Force Winds was just too damn strong, and it threw Luke, but there was no dismount. Shit.
He was hung up.
Jayda sucked in a breath, digging her nails into her thigh, trying not to jump up and run down there. There was nothing she could do, except watch.
The bull whipped around and rammed his horns into his side, hooking him good, right in the safety vest. Like a flash all the bullfighters were right there, helping him out of the rope, and pulling him down. They worked in completely synchronized action, taunting the bull, getting him into one of the chutes, away from the clearly winded rider. Jayda let out a breath. Luke was on his feet, the bull fighters helping him over the gate.
She was out of her seat before she even realized what was happening, running in the direction of the arena, her heart in her chest as it beat heavily.
He was waving her away before she even got close.
“I’m fine.” He said, grabbing his hat and pulling it off. “Other than being royally pissed.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, biting the inside of her lip and stopping in her tracks.
“Dammit, yes. I am sure. Still, the medical team should be around shortly, got a bit hooked, so they are going to need to check it out. Just a damn bruise.” He was pissed. Absolutely livid. The hard set of his jaw and clenched eyebrows gave it away.
He collapsed on a sm
all stool and exhaled, the breath wracking painfully though his chest. , Pain scoured the lines of his face, shining with a thick sheen of sweat.
“You’re in pain.”
“Yeah, pain from fucking getting no score.”
Another ride, one she recognized from the facility tagged him on the shoulder.“Hey, man. I just got word that the judges are convening, should be announced as soon at they figure all that shit out. Announcers suck today. Wanted to let you know.”
“Thanks, Bill.”
He tipped a hat at her and walked away.
All she could do was stand there with him, and wait for he verdict. Finally, after several long minutes, the announcer came on the loud speaker.
“Luke Daniels will be granted a re-ride due to the being fouled by Tornado Force Winds, who bucked into the gate. A bull is being selected.”
The entire crowd screamed in excitement, obviously in agreement.
She cheered, looking over at Luke, who was smiling, albeit through the pain.
“Are you sure you can ride again?” She asked, edged away from him by the medical team.
“You’ll be getting a ride tonight, and you know it. Compared to you, this bull is going to be nothing.”
She blushed scarlet.
“Luke, are you experiencing any pain?”
“Nothing extreme. No broken ribs, just a few bruises. I didn’t even hit my head, man. I am going to go again.” Luke was stoic as they checked him over, but he was certainly determined.
“He’s right. Just some deep tissue contusions. Nothing too serious, but freaking painful. You wanna ride another bull?”
“Hell yeah, I do. I should’ve been able to ride the last. Fucking lame.”
“Man, you just got hooked, don’t be so hard on yourself. You need to get to your sport therapist after the ride, that is my official advice. You are cleared to ride again, but be careful man, you don’t want to hurt yourself. Really, hurt yourself.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. He was fine. He was going to ride again. Now she knew exactly the worry her mother had complained about with her father riding. That woman was always so angry about it. To the point where she didn’t even want to see him ride again. The last couple of years of his career she didn’t even go. When Jayda went, it was because Thomas took her.
“Hey.” Luke stood up and pulled her into his arms. “Maybe I need a bit of good luck.”
She took off her dad’s old hat and looked up at him.
“What’re you thinkin’?” she asked, ignoring the dirt on his clothing, just focusing on him. It wasn’t hard to do. Especially with those steely eyes staring into her own.
“A kiss, maybe?” He dipped down and kissed her, his lips touching hers softly at first, and then pulling her in for a deeper kiss. Before she realized it their tongues were entwined and she was breathing heavily, clinging to him. A loud whistle and a cat call pulled her out of it.
“Do you think that will help?”
“I dunno, but it sure as hell can’t hurt.” He kissed her one more time, quickly. “You gonna to be there, watchin’ me?”
“I’m here, aren’t I? Just like I promised.” She gave him a squeeze and then let go, turning and walking away, leaving him watching, for once.
Somehow it felt really good.
Mark smiled at her, when he saw her coming back up towards the seating area.
“He alright?”
“He’s fine. Just a bit banged up. Gonna go again.” She put her hat back on her head and settled down into the stands.
“Well, no shit. What did you expect? Tonight is his night. I can feel it.” Mark was excited.
“You really care about this?”
“Hell yeah, been cheering that asshole on since we were kids. I want this for him. He deserves it. Especially after all that shit in his life.”
“Yeah,” she didn’t know what he meant, so she just nodded. It wasn’t the first time she had heard that he had a tumultuous past.
“Damn bitch, took away his whole world. Married him, made him walk away from all of this, only to chew him up and spit him out.”
What?
Vitriol. His voice was full of it. Whoever she was, she really did a number on Luke.
“I’m sorry, you probably hate hearing about it, but even after three years it still fucking sticks in my craw.” He spit into the dust and looked over at her.
“I… I had no idea.” She admitted looking down.
“Shit. I really put my foot in it. Huh?” Mark leaned towards her, “I thought you knew.”
“I mean, I knew something happened. People talk, but I didn’t know what. He never told me,” she chewed on her lip.
“Shit. Well. This is all my damn fault. He doesn’t like to talk about her much. She… she ruined his life.” Mark ran his hand through his hair and looked over at her. “You really need to talk to him about this.”
“I plan on it.” She hadn’t asked for a single detail. Not one. This was not Mark’s story to tell, it was Luke’s. Still, she felt the small nagging of anxiety. He hadn’t told her. Hadn’t wanted too, not yet. Did he not trust her?
The man was more of a mystery than she realized, more than she wanted him to be, really. But she could be patient. She could wait.
He was worth it.
“He’s about up. I’m feeling good about this one, are you?”
“No.” She bit down her worry as she touched her hat, and thought about her father. If there was anything out there, surely it would listen to her. At least this once. She needed this, Luke needed this. Mark was right, this was his last chance, he had a few more years in him, but he needed to get something started soon, and he was capable of it. She knew it. Or else she would not have been so eager to sign him, her father wouldn’t have been either.
She saw him in the chute on the bull before they even called out his name, or the bulls. It was all a blur. Him, the bell wrapped around his arm, the angry bull. This one had to be better. It just had to be.
She held her breath as he shot out of the gate on this one, the bull making a clean break into the arena, his bucks strong and high into the fades. This one was a tough one, but each second ticked by, Luke holding strong, his hand high as the bull turned into his hand.
He was clinging onto that bull.
One high kick and she held her breath, worried he was going to get dislodged, but the man was stuck in the seat.
The buzzer.
He made it. All eight seconds.
Luke jumped down from his bull, a clean dismount as he took off for the fence, climbing it while the bull was distracted and lured into his pen.
He did it.
Jayda stood and screamed for him, clapping and cheering right along with the rest of the crowd. It was a magnificent ride. Almost textbook.
94.3
It wasn’t enough to get him into first place, but he was in a strong second. It was enough, to get him seeded.
This opened up so many more avenues for him. Bigger tours. Better competitions. More money. More exposure.
It was his victory, but it was also really good for their agency. Really good.
This was one victory she could revel in.
***
“Let me see your bruises.” As soon as they closed the door to the small hotel room the words came out of her mouth. It wasn’t a request. He was so good at doing that, demanding things from her, but now it was her turn. She wasn’t taking no for answer.
“Is that all you are going to say to me? Not, damn, you rode good. Not, hey sexy let me see you naked? Nothing.” He was being playful but she wasn’t in the mood for it.
“Let me see the damn bruises. I have some salve in my purse, the kind dad always used to use. Take off your damn shirt and let me take care of you.”
He glared at her, but the little quirk in his eyes let her know that he was enjoying it. Every moment of it.
“Fine.” He pulled off his shirt to reveal a multitude of bruises across his torso. She wa
sn’t a medical expert but she was surprised he didn’t have broken ribs.
“Jesus, and medic cleared you?”
“It looks worse than it actually is, I promise.” He grunted as she pulled a little tub of salve out.
“What the hell is this stuff?”
“It isn’t anything magical, just a concoction of herbs and essential oils in an oil base. Something he got from a local herb woman. He swore by it.” It smelled of lavender and patchouli, but it worked.
“Then put it on.”
She dipped her fingers into the little tub of salve and brought them up to his torso, the cool gel going on clear as she rubbed it in.
Jayda had to give him credit, he didn’t so much as flinch as she rubbed it in, place after place. His muscled body strong under her hands, even if the bruises marred the canvas.
“You are so beautiful.” She said finally, looking up and him from her kneeling place on the floor. “I have never really appreciated just how beautiful. Each muscle. Each little freckle, each mole. They are all part of what makes you so amazing.”
She almost never spoke that candidly, but she meant every word of it.
“Now you know exactly how I feel about you. All your curves, all your edges. Do you even know how breathtakin’ it is?”
She shook her head.
“Come up here honey, let me hold you.” He pulled her up and into his lap, a small grunt escaping as he held her.
“Does it hurt? Really? Tell me the truth. You can do that.”
“Just a little, Jayda. I’ve been hurt worse.” The look in his eyes made her think he wasn’t just talking about a few bruises and scrapes.
“In what ways?” she asked.
“More than you will ever know.”
“Wanna tell me about it?” Please, please tell me.
“Not yet, someday. But not just now.”
She wanted him to trust her. To tell her all his secrets. All his hopes, all his dreams. All his failures. She was strong enough to handle it. Strong enough to handle him.
The Rider's Dangerous Embrace (An Interracial Bad Boy Romance Story) Page 18
