Page 21 of Rainbow Rodeo

“Ooh. I’ll be there with bells on,” he teased.

“You know we’d love to have you.” Julio’s family raised amazing rawboned bucking horses in this gorgeous wooded canyon.

“I know. I’ll have to come and bring your mama some chile.”

“You do that, huh? She would love it.” They both circled back into position for the next run.

“Here we go.” They had this—up, down, around and in, and then Tank was handing him another rope. This time their fingers brushed, and Dalton damn near jumped out of his skin.

Tank almost—almost—smiled.

By the time the saddle bronc riding was over two events later, his cock was hard as a rock and his gut was churning.

He wasn’t going to fucking survive the bull riding. No way.

Dammit.

Tank liked to play when they were between bulls. Dalton remembered it well, and had seen it Friday and Saturday night. Tank would shake it, would sneak up on the other guys, and torment the pick-up men’s horses.

He was damn afraid he would cream his jeans like the teenager he wasn’t anymore.

Dalton rolled his eyes, climbing down for the team roping and barrel racing, loosening the girth strap to let Fritz breathe and relax.

“You ready for the bulls, Dalton?” Tank jogged, bouncing next to him.

“I am, man. Yeah.” Then he was going to his trailer to jack off. Twice. Maybe more. He wasn’t a kid, damn it. Why couldn’t he handle this?

Maybe because Tank had never looked back. Now he was looking. That once-over was unmistakable.

“You leaving out tonight or in the morning?”

“We’ll close up and cook out tonight, man. Everyone counts on that, you know? Family night with all of us.” Surely Tank was staying.

“Oh, good.” Tank chuckled a little. “I wasn’t sure if y’all still did. I didn’t want to just assume.”

“Yeah. It’s important to all of us. Burgers, dogs, chips, beer, music.” The good stuff.

“You know it.” Tank’s eyes flashed dark for a moment, almost sad.

“We want you there. Seriously. We’re happy you’re home.”

“Thanks, Dalton.” Tank beamed for him now. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Cool. Me either.”

They shared a grin that was like old times—Tank the older, wiser man he looked up to.

He guessed some shit was eternal.

The bullfighters went out in the truck to gather barrels and toss mini footballs into the crowd. That was his clue to cinch Fritz back up and get ready for the bulls.

It was time to get this shit done, goddamn it. The bulls didn’t do anything half-assed, so neither could he.

Chapter Nine

LORD HAVEmercy.

Tank was fired up. Somehow, watching Dalton Jakoby take that arrogant cowboy down had started a blaze that had just grown and grown, and everything Dalton did fanned it big-time.

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