Sophie smiles. “I know, I already set up a study group for Saturday but told them we had to be done by six so I could watch my man kick ass. I’ll be cheering louder than anybody . . . in our living room.”
Sophie laughs softly as we reach the pond and sit down on the soft grass. It’s starting to get a little cooler at night, and I know before too long the grass will start to yellow as fall takes hold. “You know, I never expected this,” I say softly as I hold Sophie close. “That first day . . .”
“Oh, you were hot even when you pissed me off,” Sophie chuckles. “This pond, though, there are a lot of good memories here.”
“Yeah, that first time . . . should have known you were special right then.”
Sophie hums, kissing my fingertips. “It took me a while too. We’re obviously both hardheaded. So, did you decide?”
I nod, kissing her neck. “Called my sponsors today. Finals is my last ride. Some were disappointed, but they understood. I don’t need the thrill anymore, not when you’re in my life. You’re all the thrill I’ll ever need.”
“Well, I can’t promise to be as adrenaline inducing as a bucking bull, but I promise to keep you on your toes at every turn, Cowboy.”
“You always do, Soph. And I love it.”
I lay her back, leaning over on an elbow to take in the whole picture that is Sophie . . . her beauty and her soul, shining in her eyes even in the moonlight. I’m lost in her, unprepared when she presses against my shoulder, flipping our position as she straddles me, a big grin of delight across her face.
I laugh. “Every damn time, woman.” But before she can make a move in her position of power, I reach behind her neck, pulling her down to me. I kiss her quietly at first, just enjoying the touch of her lips on mine, with her sweet strawberry flavor and the press of her tiny hands as she fists my shirt, desperate for more.
But I hold back, keeping it slow and steady, stoking the fire we always have between us. She’s already writhing against me, breathless when she sits up and locks eyes with me. “I love you, James.”
I smile back, stroking her thighs idly. “I love you, too, Soph.” I pull her back down and whisper in her ear, “Now . . . about that maybe.”
EPILOGUE
JAMES
I’m in my Vegas hotel room, dressed in my best jeans and button-down, hat pulled down low as I take some deep breaths and jump up and down to burn the nerves out a bit.
This is a big moment, one that could change my life. Check that, will change my life. Giving myself a pep talk, I head down the hallway. “You’ve got this, Bennett. No doubts. Be solid and sure. Anticipate, adapt, anchor in.”
One last shudder, and I take the first step . . . and knock on the door to Jake and Roxy’s suite. Jake opens up almost immediately, a smile on his face. “Thought I might be seeing you again soon. Come on in, Cowboy.”
Okay, I can live with Sophie calling me Cowboy, but Jake doing it is going to take a little adjusting to. I mean, Sophie looks like a country girl most of the time now, with hair that’s rich and shiny with highlights not because of chemical treatments, but the natural effect of good living and plenty of sun. Her skin glows with health of hard work and being outdoors.
Not that Jake’s some city-boy pushover. He’s fit and trim, with eyes remarkably like his sister’s and a man’s grip when we shake hands. It’s just weird getting used to talking with a man whose suit looks like it might cost more than his sister’s truck.
“Thanks, Jake. You enjoying Vegas?”
Before he can answer, I hear Roxy holler from the bedroom, “Hey, Cowboy!” She’s a cute little firecracker who’d hugged the hell out of me the first time she saw me, and when she repeats the nickname, I decide with a smile that I’d better just get used to hearing it from the whole family.
“Yeah, it’s been interesting, that’s for sure.” We’d met for dinner the last two nights as I introduced Sophie around to all my rodeo friends and family, and so far, Jake seems okay with me.
He’s a little guarded still, definitely sizing me up. Roxy, though, seems to think I’m the best thing since sliced bread, and I’ve been hoping her opinion will rub off on her husband because I need Jake to like me. He’s been everything to Sophie, and she’s my everything, so we need to get along.
He directs me to the couch as he heads over to the wet bar. “Drink? You look like you could use one.”
I shake my head, holding up a hand. “No, thank you. I ride tonight, so no alcohol.”
He shrugs, sitting down and sipping an amber liquid from a crystal glass as Roxy comes in and sits beside him. “So, what’s up? Seems like you have a million things you should be doing to get ready for tonight, but here you are, just after noon, dressed to the nines.”
I swallow the nerves in my chest, taking a deep breath. Roxy seems to catch on and starts grinning, but keeps her mouth shut as I get started. “I know it’s fast, and you just met me. But I want to ask for your blessing. I’d like to ask Sophie to marry me.”
He sets his drink down on the table between us, his eyes never leaving mine. Sitting back, still not saying a word, he eyes me for a long time before he speaks. “Let me ask you a few things. You love her?”
“Of course,” I reply with a strong nod. “More than anything. I never thought it could be like this . . . yeah, I love her.”
“And what about school?” Jake asks, his voice still even and hard. “You’ll make sure she finishes?”
I shake my head. That’s not my style. “I won’t make her finish, but I’ll support her doing whatever it is she wants to do. Her education is her own. I don’t believe in forcing her into anything. Not like I could, anyway.”
He smirks, so I think I got that answer right, tricky bastard. I’m reminded of Sophie’s stories about Jake . . . he’s damn near genius-level smart and protective as hell of his little sister.
“And rodeo? You’re really okay with tonight being your last ride?”
“It’s my last competition. I love riding, and I’m good at it, so I won’t say I’ll never hop on the back of another bull just for the hell of it to see if I can ride him. But no matter what happens tonight, there’s something better waiting for me at home . . . Sophie. My family needs us, so that’s where we’ll be, not on the road three-quarters of the year. I have loved this life, living on the circuit and flying by the seat of my pants, sometimes literally. But it’s time to make a new life.”
He nods once more, silent for a few long seconds, both of us eyeing each other.
Finally, Roxy can’t take it anymore and laughs. “For fuck’s sake, Jake. Tell Sophie’s sexy cowboy yes, so he can get back to whatever cowboy shit he needs to do for tonight. Quit torturing the man. I think it’d be damn fine for him to go out on a high note of winning the finals just for his new bride-to-be.”
I laugh—that was exactly my plan. Win, lose, or flying off the back of a bull with my ass in the air, I’m hoping I have the best prize tonight, and that’s Sophie.
Jake shrugs, sighing in defeat. “Seems you’ve got Roxy’s approval.” He pauses, then stands up and sticks out his hand. “And you have mine. Treat her like your life depends on it. Because it does.”
Jake breaks into a smile and pulls me in for a bro-hug with a firm pat on the back. “Welcome to the family. Fair warning, we have some pretty crazy traditions in our crowd. Hope you’re as wild as Sophie says.”
I have no idea what that means, but he gave his blessing to let me marry Sophie, so I’ll do whatever crazy shit he can come up with if it means Sophie walks down the aisle to meet me.
“Thanks, Jake.”
With a relieved sigh, I’m off to do “cowboy shit” to get ready for tonight.
SOPHIE
James has been training so hard for months. He’s done practice rides on every quality bull within a day’s driving distance of the ranch and has flown out and back damn near every weekend for the fall circuit.
Every weeknight, I’d study at the kitchen table while he
did abdominal workouts in the living room. Luckily, it’s a small house, and he’s been my favorite distraction. I’ve turned into quite the Peeping Tom, staring at him as he works up a sweat, wanting to lick the ridges of his six-pack . . . and sometimes even getting to do it. The only time I get real work done is when he does his balancing trick, standing barefoot on a medicine ball with his eyes closed for an hour every night before actually meditating.
He says it’s not a trick, but when I tried, I would’ve busted my ass if he hadn’t caught me. But he makes it look easy, lifting one foot or the other, sometimes intentionally getting off balance to improve his reaction speed and balance corrections without falling off. He says it’s similar to riding on a bull, minus the adrenaline buzz.
But I know he’s nervous, wanting to go out on a high note and without injury. He says his head’s in the right place. I never knew how much of bull riding is mental.
I knew it was physically a beating, but James has been mentally going over every detail of all the potential rides. He’s been reviewing every tape he can find on the different bulls he might draw this week and talking strategies with fellow rodeo buddies. I guess I’d just thought he got on, grabbed hold of the rope, and fought for the best result. But there’s so much more to it than I thought. It’s been fun to learn about it from James these last few months.
It’s finally time for the main event, and I’m jittery as hell. Jake and Roxy sit beside me on one side, Mama and the guys on the other. They’d flown out to see James’s last ride too. Luke calls it “the end of an era,” and while there’s been a mischievous tone as he says he could “cash in on his last name with the buckle bunnies,” I can tell it’s all in jest.
He could use a little break, though, Vegas style. Mark, too, but they’re both here for their brother first, social life second.
“And now, ladies and gentlemen, let’s put our hands together for the preliminary scoring rounds!” the announcer says. The crowd cheers wildly, and the action begins, rider after rider trying for their magical eight-second mark for scoring.
I find that as soon as the gate opens, I hold my breath, and I can’t let it go till the rider is safe. This is intense, powerful, raw. It’s sexy as fuck, and I understand why there are buckle bunnies now . . . seeing a rider atop a beast, challenging and winning the battle for dominance, not to mention the hip thrusting. Yeah, I’m thinking I could save a horse and ride a certain cowboy.
When James is up for his ride in the final round, my throat’s already raw. He scored on his first ride, an eighty-nine that stood up for the next five rounds, but now I’m nearly exhausted. Mark leans over and holds his program out.
“If James can hold on, he’s sure to get a good score considering the bull he’s on. He does that, he wins big. Maybe even really big.”
I smile, patting Mark on the knee. “I don’t care. I just want him to get off the bull in one piece. That’s all I need.”
Mark grins, leaning back. “You do know what he does for a living, right?”
I shiver a bit, nodding. “I know what he did for a living and is doing one more time. But this isn’t like watching tapes at home when he’s sitting beside me safe and sound, explaining stuff to me. Makes me glad he’s wearing that protective vest and helmet. This is . . . wild.”
I gesture all around to the screaming fans, television cameras, and huge animals. Mark grins, unruffled by the madness surrounding us. “Yes, yes he is. Wild.”
I see James climbing into the chute, and I grab Mama’s hand. She’s squeezing me as tight as I’m squeezing her. The bull is shuffling about, already agitated. It looks bigger than my truck, but that can’t be true. Either way, it’s still scary.
I can’t see his face because of his face mask, but James gives a brusque nod, and the gate flies open. It’s magnificent. It’s terrifying.
Time crawls by in slow motion but is also somehow flying by faster than a blink. Not that I do—my eyes are wide as James works to stay on the bull. Each ripple of the bull’s flanks sears itself into my brain as it kicks, spinning and fighting to send James flying. James hangs on, though, his left hand up over his head and his heels spurring the bull on for more. I can take what you’ve got, big boy. Give me some more! he says with every dig, a deadly dance full of jerky elegance and grace.
My heart’s in my throat as I observe the tango between beast and rider, the tenths of seconds creeping by until I feel ready to scream for someone to check the fucking clock—something must be broken.
The buzzer sounds, and time speeds up in a flash. James releases his grip, hopping off and running for the fence while the clowns do their jobs, and the bull quiets down while James mounts the fence. He’s already celebrating, and the crowd is going crazy. I hear the announcer overhead. “Folks, Mr. James Bennett from Great Falls! What a show! Let’s see those results . . .”
I take my eyes off James for a split second to look at the board. When 96.5 pops up, the crowd roars again. I have no idea what’s going on, but I know in the nineties is awesome, so I cheer too.
“Holy shit!” Luke yells, clapping me on the shoulder. “Talk about going out in style!”
“Why?” I ask, and Luke points to the big electronic scoreboard, where James’s name is flashing, along with the note WORLD RECORD SCORE (TIED). My jaw drops, and I can’t even hear the announcer as the crowd goes apeshit. James glances at the board and pumps his fist again, ripping off his helmet and thrusting it aloft.
“Nobody’s gonna beat that. James is the champ,” Mark says in excited wonder. He stands up, his mask of chill slipping for the first time I’ve ever seen as he thrusts his hands in the air. “Fuck yeah, James! That’s my fucking brother!”
Even Mama is cheering, too excited to slap Mark for his bad language, or maybe it just doesn’t matter. We leave our VIP seats, heading back to the staging area, where there’s a woman interviewing James.
I can’t even form words, looking at James’s wide smile. It’s obvious how happy he is with his ride, and I’m thrilled for him. He really wanted to go out on a high note, and now he’s scored even higher than he’d hoped. We stand off to the side, and I see James’s eyes light up when he notices me. He gives me a little nod and, with a hand, waves me closer.
I do as asked, able to hear the reporter, a woman in a hat who I know more from her Saturdays covering college football. “So, retiring in your prime? We thought you had a few more years of riding in you. What led you to make that decision, James?”
James shrugs and reaches out, pulling me into the shot and putting an arm around my shoulders. “Well, I thought I’d be riding for a few more years, too, but the best-laid plans sometimes get sidetracked by fate. First, though, my Pops passed away this spring. So I’d like to dedicate this ride, this record, to him . . . John Bennett.”
I look at Mama, and tears are slipping down her face, but she’s smiling. The reporter nods, about to ask another question, but James interrupts, “Excuse me, one other thing. You wanted to know why? Well, here’s why.”
James steps to the side a bit, pulling me into the center of the shot and leaving me laughing in confusion. “What are you doing, Cowboy? This is your moment. Shine.”
“I am,” James says, dropping to a knee and reaching into his shirt. He fishes around, and I see that under his collar, he’s got a chain around his neck, and attached to it . . .
I gasp as the ring comes into view, the diamond not huge, but beautiful, sparkling, and pure. Oh my God, is he doing what I think he’s doing on live television?
Oh my God.
“I thought about doing this at home,” James says as the reporter sticks the microphone by his cheek to catch his words, “by the pond or at the point, but it seems fitting that as one stage of my life ends here tonight, another starts. That’s how life goes, always a new opportunity in every day. And I want to spend the rest of my life chasing crazy with you every chance we get. Sophie, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
I know the r
eporter and cameraman are both looking at me—I suspect the entire arena is watching as everything seems to have gone completely silent—but I can’t answer. I’m too busy bawling big, fat tears as he takes the chain off and unsnaps the link, holding the ring up for me.
I know I’m grinning like a loon through the tears, and the words jump out before I can think to stop them. “Did you have that in your shirt the whole time you were riding?”
James nods, smirking. “Every time, woman. I asked you a question. Think you might stick to the topic at hand?”
I laugh, swiping tears from my cheeks. “Of course, Cowboy. Yes, I’ll marry you, James.”
He slips the ring on my finger, then stands and picks me up all at once. Our kiss is greeted by an enormous roar from the crowd, and suddenly Luke and Mark are here, too, pounding their brother on his back while Jake hugs me tight. I peek and see Roxy hugging Mama, too; good thing they’re both huggers, I guess. While there’s still a dogpile of loving celebration happening, James picks me up high, depositing me on his shoulders like I’m the one who just won the title and heading for the exit.
“Wait . . . there are still more riders!” a rodeo official says, running up. “You can’t just leave! You gotta collect your prize check and the bounty on the world-record ride too!”
James starts to argue that he’s leaving with his fiancée, but I squirm until he lets me down. “What, darlin’?”
“You’re always going to be my Cowboy,” I tell him quietly, looking up at him. “And I’m going to have you for the rest of my life. But this night . . . go back. Give the fans one last salute, one last chance to cheer you and chant your name. Don’t worry; I’m not going anywhere.”
He kisses me fiercely and turns back, following the rodeo man, who looks massively relieved. Mama comes over, hugging me. “I always knew you were the woman for him. You’re giving him a new life.”
“No, Mama . . . we’re giving it to each other,” I reply, hugging her back. “Come on, let’s go watch your baby boy take a victory lap.”
Buck Wild (Bennett Boys Ranch Book 1) Page 25
