Page 62 of Rough Stock
“You know, you’re crazier’n a starvin’ calf on milkin’ day,” she said, shaking her head, but she was laughing at the same time. “Boy, get ready. I saw that bull you’re riding. I think his name is TheDestroyer,” she said, laughing so hard she could barely speak. “Yore fixin’ to get yore ass handed to ya. Hope it feels good in your palm.”
“Don’t you worry about me, baby. I’m gonna cowgirl up!” Jensen said, laughing too. “TheDestroyer is gonna get my full attention.”
“Strader!” the chute boss yelled.
“Oops. Gotta go. Love ya, babe,” he tossed out as he took off at a run to the far end of the chutes, pulling on equipment as he went.
Holy fuck. I know why they named him TheDestroyer, he thought when he saw the bull. The son of a bitch washuge, not to mention that he had the craziest eyes Jensen had ever seen.Hope my folks have some life insurance on me. I think they’re gonna need it.
The rider in the fifth chute was almost ready to go, and when he nodded and the gate swung open, Jensen climbed up to prepare for mounting. The bull snuffled, bellowed, and kicked around a bit, and Jensen watched him closely. He was careful where he put his feet, because the animal could gore him in the ankle or calf with a horn if he wasn’t paying attention. He settled in, wrapped the rope just right, leaned back, and nodded to the chute handler.
He was surprised right off the bat. Big and scary as the bull was, its movements were very sluggish and predictable, and Jensen had no trouble making the eight seconds. When he landed in the dirt, he scrambled for the barrier while the rodeo clowns took care of shooing the bull away. That was when he heard his score. “Rodeo fans, that was Jensen Strader with an eighty-one.” No doubt?his score was lower because, even though he’d given a good ride, the bull hadn’t performed as well as some of the others, not doing enough twisting or jumping erratically enough to please the judges. He waved to the crowd as he went and noticed the row of girls bouncing so their boobs would jiggle.Oh, well, if I didn’t get the highest score, at leastthere’s that!he laughed to himself, knowing full well they did that to every cowboy who walked past.
“I know why they call him TheDestroyer,” he said as he headed back to the staging area and met up with Shyanna. “Because he destroys riders’ scores.”
“Looks like it. But it was still a good ride. You’re in second place. It’s a tough night. Only you and one other rider managed to get their eight. Everybody else got popped,” Shyanna told him.
“Have we got seven more?”
“Yep.”
“Great. Just great,” he groused.
By the time the event was over, his score had only nabbed him third place. But there was the next evening, and that would have to be good enough. None of it really mattered. Shyanna had ridden, and she had done a good job, at least as good as the others who’d been thrown before the buzzer sounded.
As they walked back to the trailers, a door on one of the rigs closer to them opened and Amber stepped out. Behind her came Amos, shirtless and zipping his jeans. “What the fuck?” Shyanna whispered to Jensen.
“Looks like Amber’s getting a little rodeo action of her own,” he whispered back.
“Oh, hey, guys!” Amber said when she spotted them, and she didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed. “I guess you know Amos.”
“Sure. Hey, Amos,” Jensen said with a nod, and the good-looking younger guy nodded back.
“Whassup? You guys hit it in the bull riding event?” Amos asked.
“She made it four seconds!” Jensen said, pointing at Shyanna.
“Thanks a lot,” she snarled.
“Hey, that’s damn good!” Amos said. “I’d get tossed onto the chute gate and stomped on. There’s a reason why I rope?I’m no good at rough stock.”
“Gotta appreciate a man who knows his limitations,” Jensen said with a grin.
Amber turned and pressed a hand to Amos’s chest, her fair coloring stark against his deep chocolate skin, and he gave her a sexy smile. “That must be theonlylimitation he has,” she crooned. “I, um, I missed it. Sorry.”
“Where’s SammyJo?” Shyanna asked.
“I dunno. I saw her making out with some redheaded chick,” Amber said, never even glancing at them. Jensen’s head snapped around to face Shyanna, who was looking straight at him, her eyes wide. She just shrugged.Learn something new every day, he thought.
Jensen didn’t quite know what to say. “Uh-huh. Okay, well, so, we’re finished for the night. You two staying in the motel in town?”
Amber shook her head. “I’m not. I’m staying here with my new friend,” she said, tipping her head toward Amos. “I don’t know what SammyJo’s doing.”
“Well, be careful and we’ll see you tomorrow. Gotta catch some shut-eye,” he said, wrapping an arm around Shyanna’s waist. “Night, y’all.”
“Night, Jensen,” Amos answered, and he could hear Amber giggling as they strolled away.
“Well, well, well. Wonder what their mamas would say if they knew about this?” Jensen asked.
