Page 46 of Bull Riders Don't Swoon

“I did. I went on my first vacation the day after it happened. I’m rested and ready to get back to work. This was the first stop on the way back home and Jamieson can’t miss it.”

Dalton pauses while lacing up his shoes and casts a sideways look.

“Did you and Jamieson go away together?”

Fuck. I didn’t ask Jamie how he wanted to make this public or if he was even ready. There’s no way Dalton can tell we did anything. Friends go away together all the time. I’m honestly the most prepared guy I know, and yet after eight hours together in a vehicle, we didn’t discuss this once.

“Uh, we—”

“Hey, babe. You almost ready?”

Where the fuck did Jamieson come from? He stops in front of me and leans down to kiss my cheek before smiling over at Dalton.

“Hey, Dalton. It’s been a while.” He offers a fist that Dalton bumps before going back to his shoes. Jamieson bites his lip and sends an apologetic glance my way.

“It has been. You don’t come this way much. Must be following the Bullarama tour?”

“Yeah. I really want to get to the National Finals this year, and the bulls at these events can score higher, so I’m going a little farther from home.”

Dalton sits up and looks between us. “See you out there.” He nods to me and smacks Jamieson on the shoulder as he walks past. “Good luck tonight.”

After he’s left, Jamieson plops beside me on the bench.

“I’m sorry I did that. We should’ve talked about how to handle this. I just came looking for you and saw you struggling to answer his question.” He sighs and turns those soft eyes on me. “I’m sorry. I kind of want everyone to know.”

“Oh.” I breathe and look at my shoes. I should have known Jamie would charge out and just tell everyone. “It won’t distract you, though, tonight, right? I think that’s been on my mind too much.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want you to focus on riding and scoring high. Part of what worried me about us together is that I’d distract you while you ride.”

Maybe my ego is too big, worrying about thoughts of me in the ring distracting Jamieson, but all it takes is a split second of your mind wandering to bring disaster.

He bumps his knee into mine, and I turn my head to find his warm gaze on me. “It won’t distract me while I’m on the back of a bull. You have my word.”

“Protecting you out there is second nature to me, Jamie. It’s all I ever wanted to be good at.” As soon as the words leave my lips, I huff. “Well, that sounds incredibly obsessive of me.”

Jamieson laughs low and squeezes my thigh.

“You’re one of the best, Griff. I’m not just saying that.” He scuffs his booted foot on the floor. “I think I just want everyone to know that you’re mine. That’s why I kissed you in front of Dalton. I don’t know; maybe it’s a primal thing, but I wanted him to know.”

The way my belly swoops at his words makes me feel like a boy with my first celebrity crush.

“Okay. So we can just let people know then, and it won’t interfere with our job.”

Is it possible for it to be just that easy?

“I’m okay with that if you are.”

Jamieson offers me his hand, and I take it, kissing his knuckles before releasing it again and standing. “Okay.”

“Let’s check out my bull for the night, then.”

We fall into our pre-event routine, and the comfort I always feel with Jamieson at an event returns. There’s something to be said about routines settling your nerves.

“I have Bust-A-Nut tonight. It’s the brown one over there with a splash of white on his face.” Jamieson points to the bull, and I bark a laugh.

“Bust-A-Nut? Really?” Shaking my head, I walk closer and observe the bull. Nothing odd except his name and no strange vibes. “Is he new? I’d remember a name like that.”

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