Page 121 of Georgia-Blue & Hudson

My head lifts to look at him, my heart soaring. “I’d love that, too,” I whisper back.

“Barefoot and pregnant, just for me.”

I giggle as we kiss again, then I step back and place my hands on my hips. “Now wait a minute, GP, I don’t know what game you think you’re playing here. But distracting me like this isn’t going to win you any favors when I’m riding the moose.”

He smirks. “I wasn’t saying it to distract you, I’m saying it cos it’s true. Go do your worst.”

“I’ll ride it just for you,” I say, leaning into his ear, hardly able to resist not grabbing his wrist and discreetly leading him out of here so I can have my way with him. But I have a moose to ride, after all.

It still blows my mind that we can even be like this, and my family is cool.

I mean, Dad is fine about things and pretty much was from the start, Mom is gunning for babies already and my other brothers seemed to see it coming with me and Huds. It’s the most that I could even hope for, and I know things can only getbetter from here. Of course, Huck has had no reservations with us being together either, and he’s told me numerous times that Doris would have been our number one supporter.

“You better,” he grunts. “And you better only be thinking of me when you’re up there jostling around.”

“Only you,” I promise.

“Go get em’, tiger. And for fuck’s sake, please knock Easton off his perch.”

I giggle as I shake my tooshie and he gives it a little smack as I toddle off back to the moose ring where Easton is saddling up.

“Good luck,” I hear Gray & Hart holler. I turn and give them a little wave.

“This is either going to be an epic victory, or an epic fail,” I say to Trudy, who’s hanging on the sidelines waiting for Easton’s eight seconds to begin.

She laughs, her face a picture of fascination as she watches him. Yep, there’s definitely something going on no matter what he says, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it one way or another.

“You’re going to be fine,” she assures me. “It would be so cool if you took out the title, at least until Hudson gets back on the moose again. Not that I don’t think East can win, but I’m all for girl power.”

I laugh. She knows I’ve been practicing so she has full confidence in me.

Everyone starts to clap as the ten second countdown starts to roll. I wave over at my folks as well as my aunt and Uncle, Callan, Celeste and Travis, who’s just joined them. I even see Verne from the bakery and her husband, Keith clapping their hands and chanting for the moose to start.

I think Travis is still trying to dodge the clasps of Dolly Simpson and her posse since the charity auction. Good luck with that.

When I look back to Hudson, I see Beau and Autumn joining them at the bar. Gabe and Skye are sitting on the other side of Hudson now with Carrie and her husband, Tom.

Everyone is here so I can’t plunk out. This is my moment, and it could go one way or the other.

My heart is racing as my turn is just about upon me. I’m not scared to get up there, I’m looking forward to it, and there’s no way I’m really expecting to beat any of the guys. I just like to throw that around to make them think I could win.

Easton is out the gates as soon as the buzzer goes off and riding the wild moose like his life depends on it. Everyone cheers from the sides, Trudy, his biggest supporter, jumping up and down with glee. Even I clap to the beat and can’t contain my laughter because it really is a hilarious sight. And no real animals were harmed which makes it all the better.

Easton hangs on like a pro until the moose starts to buck wildly. The hard setting is being pushed to its limit tonight. I practiced a lot on the slow and medium settings and got pretty good at it, but only lasted about six seconds on the high setting before I was unceremoniously thrown off onto the padded ground below. I don’t know how I’m going to beat Hudson’s 9.5 seconds.

Easton lasts 8.5 seconds before he gets flung off. Unruffled, he jumps to his feet and urges the entire bar to cheer while he dusts himself off and grins like a wild cat.

“Time’s up,Princess.” I feel Hudson’s breath on the back of my neck and his hard body pressing into me as I turn, glancing up at him over my shoulder. I didn’t hear him approach over the noise. He still has a cane to assist until his leg fully heals. “Do me proud, sexy lady.”

“I will.” I can’t help but beam. There’s such a great vibe in here tonight. I know I’m getting all caught up in the moment, butlife can be so serious most of the time. To let loose a little bit sure is fun. Even if it is at my expense.

“Eight point five seconds.” Easton smirks on his way out of the pen. Even if he didn’t beat Huds, he still acts like it. Trudy gives him an eye-raising high five and bounces on her feet with a big grin on her face. “That’s the time to beat, Bassett.”

“Just keep your eye on the moose’s head,” Hudson tells me. “And hold on tight.”

I nod as I roll up my sleeves, feeling Hudson’s hand on the small of my back as I step forward to enter the ring.

I shake myself off as I walk over to the mechanical moose as my name is called over the PA and I give the crowd a wave. I can hear Beau and Brook whistling from the bar. I know it’s them without looking because they’re the loudest.

---