Page 26 of The Wildest Ride

And he’d thought he’d seen all that rodeo had to offer, that there were no more secrets to be uncovered.

The school of reporters jolted back into the present, joining him in the laugh even as they readied themselves to race after the most important person in the entire arena.

Lil Sorrow was everything they could have wanted and more—brand-new content with the added benefit of a combination of dramatic packaging and the prospect of an exciting new rodeo rivalry. Any remaining tension evaporated. Everyone left knew the score.

With a wide, bright grin, AJ asked, “Well, friends, DeRoy is up next, and you know what that means.”

AJ’s and Hank’s was the longest-standing established rivalry in modern professional rodeo history. On par with the Yankees and Red Sox, in the world of rodeo, it had become such a popular feature that the PBRA had turned it into a tradition to place their rides back-to-back, Hank first, then AJ.

And, conveniently, it gave the reporters and AJ a reason to part ways without it looking like what it was: abandonment in favor of bigger news.

With a last dimpled smile and wink, AJ waved to the reporters, who had already begun to run in the direction that Lil Sorrow had sauntered off in, and made his way back to Diablo and The Old Man. The kid—and grown woman or not, she was brand new to the PBRA, so that made her a kid, dammit—was no longer a wet-behind-the-ears lone Black cowboy at a rodeo in his mind, and she didn’t want his help. Whether she needed his help or not was another story. Based on the events of the night thus far, he wasn’t so sure she didn’t.

But he wasn’t one to force himself where he wasn’t welcome, and she’d made it abundantly clear that she didn’t want him playing knight.

She’d made many things abundantly clear, in fact.

None more so than the fact that she wasn’t just the first woman to ride rough stock for the PBRA, she was the first woman—first person even—to give him a real run for his money in over a decade, and he was hungry for more.

6

Lil’s temper had stirred when AJ’d said the wordyoungand had risen with his every word thereafter. She shouldn’t have let it get to her. She could have even taken it as a compliment.

AJ Garza, her childhood hero, and, if she were honest with herself, her biggest crush, thought she was talented.

But she was a fourth-generation rancher and prize-winning rider, not some newbie on the block.

And even without the lineage, being born and raised on a ranch made her more experienced than AJ Garza—certainly not some kind of wet-behind-the-ears kid in need of mentorship from an arrogant gym rat from the city.

She steamed as she stormed back to her car until the growing stiffness in her neck and back demanded she slow down. Rubbing the place where her skull met her neck, she took a deep breath. Amidst all the nonsense with AJ and the reporters, she’d neglected the fact that a wild bronco had just throttled her.

And that she had just had the best bronc ride of her life.

She sent a little prayer of thanks up for her draw as the ride replayed in her mind. Three perfect twist-and-spins were more than a girl could ask for from any wild creature. Lil’d held her line as strongly as the bronc had tried to shake her off, their wills and rhythms perfectly matched. She hadn’t needed or wanted to break him, but she was sure enough going to show him she wouldn’t be broken, either.

A shiver traveled down her spine. That was the kind of perfect tension that held the universe together. She sucked in a breath of exhilarating night air.

And then the reporters caught up with her.

“Lil Sorrow!”

“Lil Sorrow!”

“Excuse me, Lil Sorrow!”

“Ms. Sorrow!”

Mics were thrust in her face from all directions, while questions rang out, seemingly heedless of being answered.

“Did you always know you would be the first female rodeo star?”

“When did you know you were destined for the rodeo?”

“When did you start riding rough stock events?”

“When did you know you were a woman?”

Questions kept coming, faster than Lil could comprehend, let alone answer.

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