Page 47 of Bull Riders Don't Swoon

Jamieson shrugs. “I guess so. I’d remember a name like that, too.” His eyes darken as he steps closer. “Tell me, Griff, what do you think about me riding Bust-A-Nut to completion tonight?”

My skin flushes with heat as Jamieson’s breathy words drift across my ear.

“You said this wouldn’t interfere with work, Jamie.” My voice is hoarse, and it takes all my willpower to not pull him into me and kiss him breathless.

“Sorry.” He steps away and stuffs his hands in his pockets. “I’ll just ask you again later.” He winks and I try to stuff the image of a naked and desperate Jamieson aside. I fail and send him a scowl, which makes him chuckle more.

“Right now, I get no vibes from this bull. Just hold on and do what you do best.”

Jamieson’s lopsided smile always does things to me, but now that I know what those lips feel like against mine, it’s hard to think of anything else.

“You know…you said that the first time I met you.”

“It was true then, and it’s true now.”

There’s a new vibe between us, thrumming through the air as bulls snort and rattle bars. Our new dynamic scares and thrills me in equal measure, but I won’t let it distract us.

“You need to do your pre-ride ritual. I’ll see you out there.”

As I pass Jamieson, he reaches a hand out and grabs mine.

“Stay safe for me, Griff.”

The words we both feel stay behind our lips. Instead, I squeeze his hand. “Back at you, Jamie.”

The group of cowboys we normally hang around with wave their goodbyes as Jamie and I walk towards his truck.

“You’re sure you don’t want to go to the bar tonight, Jamie? You had an incredible ride and must be vibrating.”

He really did. Tonight, he scored one of his highest scores and on a bull neither of us knew. He won points, getting closer to finals, and he won money. Jamie often takes a while to come down from rodeos like this, and singing at the bars with a few drinks has been his way to work the adrenaline high out.

We pause at the back of his truck and throw our gear in the back. When I turn to get in the driver’s side, Jamieson grabs my arm.

“Iamvibrating, butI’d rather work my adrenaline off with you.” Jamie crowds me against the truck and flicks the brim of my ball cap. “You never did wear cowboy hats like the rest of us when you’re finished work.” He dips his head next to mine, and I shiver as his breath washes over my skin. “I like it.”

“Y-yeah?”

A low rumble in his throat sounds as he twists the hat backwards on my head. His knee presses between my legs, and I bite my lip to stifle the moan threatening to spill out. Being the object of Jamie’s desire is overwhelming. If this is how intense he’ll be every time, I question how I’ll survive long term.

“Is this too much? I can back off if you want me to, but ever since I kissed you in front of Dalton, I’ve been thinking about a new way to work off the high of a good ride.”

I take a moment to form words because Jamie’s lips are on my neck, and I swear every time he breathes on me, it makes me want to drop to my knees.

“N-no, not too much. Not really.”

Jamie pulls back, and his gaze roams my face. “I can dial it back, Griff. Just say the word.”

“I’ll tell you. It’s just…I’m still nervous with you. This is a lot.” He immediately steps away from me, and it’s not what I want. My hands grab his hips, and in the low light from the moon above, Jamie’s face softens as I struggle to get the right words out. “I want you. Always have. I just don’t know how to accept this…affection.”

It’s not just because it’s Jamieson either. Not all my partners were violent when they learned about my sexual preferences, but most of them had unkind reactions. I became conditioned to brace for the worst with every admission about the type of sex I didn’tlike. For every time Jamieson acts positively, it’s like a delayed processing reaction. I need extra time to register that he’s real and genuine.

“Okay. I’ll turn it down a notch, but I still want to be with you, baby.” His voice lowers. “I know you like it when I call you that, and I bet you’re blushing.”

Laughing softly, I press a kiss to his lips that he returns with a hunger I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to satisfy. It only takes a moment for me to get caught up in the heat between us, and it’s Jamie who breaks the kiss first.

“Get in the truck, Griff. For the first time in my life, I don’t want food after a rodeo. I want you.”

He doesn’t even wait for my answer and walks to the driver’s side, sliding behind the wheel and starting the truck. I walk to the other side on wobbly legs and climb in.

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