Page 23 of Buck This
“So, I’m going to let him down. It sucks letting your hero down.”
“Well, what are you going to do about it?” she asked. “Run away?”
“I’m no runner. Never have been, never will be.”
“Sweet, then don’t you dare do it.”
“Don’t do what?”
Torrey smiled and cocked her head. “Don’t let your hero down.”
Chapter Five
Buck kind of missed the little weirdo.
Torrey was a stunner, and it wasn’t just the big, soft tits he was attracted to either. Usually that was the only thing he noticed on buckle bunnies, but Torrey was different. She wasn’t here trying to get a man. She was just here living her quirky little life and brightening rooms. She had this dark hair that hung in waves down her shoulders and shone under the arena lights. She wasn’t a classic bleach-blonde but did have a few caramel highlights in her hair. The boots she was wearing were kind of badass, honestly. He’d never owned a pair of Dr. Martens, but now he wanted to do some research on them. Her figure was so sexy in that tight little sundress, and after she’d mentioned the sparkles of her titty-stickers last night, he’d had a hard time keeping his eyes off them. She’d turned them into fishing lures to a man like him. Her face was so pretty. She had light freckles that peeked out from under her make-up that he thought were so damn cute.
But more than how sexy she was on her exterior, she was very interesting to talk to. She really was a room brightener. Everywhere she went last night, she’d made friends. The ticket guy, Raven and her herd. She just fit in. Whatever situation she was in, every time he saw her, she was just doing her thing, not needing a single ounce of attention from anyone. She wasn’t flashy or loud, which he appreciated.
A banker. Ha. Never in a million years would he have thought he would be thinking about a banker’s tits before. He’d always like cowgirls because that’s all he’d known. A woman would have to fit into his life, and his life revolved around rodeos and competitions and traveling and training.
They were from two different worlds.
“Where’s your head at?” Quickdraw barked.
On Torrey’s tits, honestly.
“You left your flank strap on the gate!” Quickdraw yelled.
He sure yelled a lot. All through training this morning he’d yelled until his throat had gone hoarse. It hadn’t gone smoothly, of course. Buck had struggled for an hour to Change, and then when he had, he’d gone through a panel in the corral and Quickdraw had to spend another hour getting him loaded into a chute. He’d only got a few bucks in before he went through the fence again and had Quickdraw cussing up a storm. So…then Buck tried to kill Quickdraw, and training was called off.
Fun times. Super productive.
He jogged to the gate and grabbed his gear, then made his way to his truck.
“I don’t know why you refused to ride with me,” Quickdraw said out his open window. “It’s a damn waste of gas.”
“I don’t like being trapped in small spaces with other shifters,” he gritted out. “It makes me feel crazy.”
“Like everything else makes you crazy.”
“Yeah, and now you’re starting to get it. I tried to tell you this last night!”
“I’ll meet you at the arena. Tessy is apparently working the merch stand now and needs to be picked up.”
“Her name is still Torrey, and I’ll do it. We’ll meet you there.”
“Do you even know where we’re eating?”
“Skip’s Barbecue! I do listen, you know.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Quickdraw barked as he rolled up his window and pulled away.
Was this what it was like having a coach? No one had ever trained him but Teague, and he’d died two years ago. Fuck. The thought of his brother punched him in the gut.
He tossed his gear in the back of his truck and got in, gripped the steering wheel while he waited for the pain in his chest to pass. Teague’s ghost sure was knocking on his mind during this competition. Thoughts of him had been coming out of nowhere, but for the life of him, Buck This couldn’t figure out why. He’d gotten so good at locking away the memories.
Maybe he needed some whiskey. That or maybe Torrey could knock him over the head with a frying pan and he could just be unconscious until it was time to buck tonight.
