Thrown: Studs in Spurs, Book 6 (19 page)

“Is there anything tying you to New York? Why don’t you move down here and be with Slade full time? You’re a writer. You can work from pretty much anywhere, can’t you?” Sage asked.

“You’re right, I could move.
If
Slade asked me to.” Jenna’s eyes tracked the man as, after brushing the dirt off his hands, he hopped up on top of the chute to help Mustang pull his rope for his ride.

Riley listened to the conversation but wouldn’t let herself look at Jenna, afraid her knowledge of what Skeeter had told her might show through somehow. If Skeeter was right and Slade was going to propose, what was he waiting for?

Some privacy was the most likely answer to that question.

Things were tight around here with the four inside Mustang’s trailer, the only married couple, Garret and Silver, in the den on the old futon, and the remaining three guys in the attic on blow-up mattresses. The tight quarters inside the trailer would be much better if Riley could have brought herself to offer Slade and Jenna her father’s bedroom—

No. She knew she wasn’t ready for that yet. But there was something she could do. With a glance over her shoulder to make sure the girls were occupied talking, Riley headed for where Skeeter stood outside the rails watching Mustang’s ride.

She stood and watched too, but it was a short one before the bull dumped Mustang in the dirt.

“Hey. Can I talk to you for a sec?” she asked.

Skeeter watched the ring until the bull was out the gate and Mustang climbed over the rail before he turned to her. He looked surprised at her request. “Uh, sure.”

Truth be told, things had been kind of weird since last night when they’d both confessed too many intimate details to each other. She’d been hurt, jealous and just plain mad all at once. And at the same time, if he’d carried her to the bed and asked her to do with him what she’d never done with any other guy, she would have.

Done it happily. Maybe she would have regretted it the next day. Then again, maybe not.

They walked a few feet away, out of earshot of the other guys, and she leaned in a little. Looking interested, he lowered his head to be closer to her too. “What’s up?”

“Jenna was just talking about Slade to the other girls. She basically said if he asked her to move away from New York to be with him full time, she would. All she’s waiting for is to be asked.” Riley let out a laugh. “And she didn’t look too happy that he hasn’t yet. I thought Slade might like to know that.”

“Are you asking me to tell him? Me? Give Slade advice about his love life? Yeah. That’ll go over real well. I’m twenty-one and he’s like thirty and has been with tons of girls.” His eyes widened. “Aw, jeez. Please don’t tell Jenna that.”

Riley rolled her eyes. She knew the way things were with the single guys on the circuit. The only real surprise here was Skeeter being a virgin. Certainly not Slade’s checkered past before he met Jenna. “Of course, I won’t. I was just thinking that if you were right and Slade’s wanting to ask her to move in with him or marry him or whatever, maybe he hasn’t asked yet because he’d afraid she might say no.”

His gaze shot from Jenna, still chatting with Sage and Silver, to Slade, talking to Mustang, probably about his ride. Yeah, this didn’t look too suspicious—her and Skeeter whispering while staring at everyone. Riley would have to remember Skeeter wasn’t the best at being sneaky.

She sighed and tried to salvage this situation. “Tell Slade that I was telling you what the girls were talking about and you thought he might be interested to hear it since it involved Jenna. That’s all.”

Skeeter brought his gaze back to Riley. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

He looked as if he were bracing himself for some epic battle. Men were no good at this stuff. She decided to change the subject before Skeeter hyperventilated just from thinking about having to talk to Slade about Jenna.

“So how’s the practice going?” Riley saw the relief in his expression as he visibly relaxed. This he was comfortable talking about.

“Amazing. I mean none of us can hang on for crap because your bulls are all too dang good, but it’s going really well. I’m learning a lot. Figuring out my weaknesses. Thanks for letting us do this, Riley.”

Skeeter pinned her with that look that always made her heart beat faster. She didn’t want him to make her feel all squishy inside. At least not right now in front of everyone and while there was work to do. “No problem. You better get back to it. I’m gonna go pull a few more bulls for you guys. We’ll give these a rest. And don’t forget your assignment with Slade.”

He let out a short laugh. “All right. But if Slade gets mad at me for butting into his and his girl’s affairs, I’m blaming you.”

“Fine.” She shook her head and turned away.

Internally, she kind of loved that Skeeter was incapable of being deceptive. It made her believe all that he’d told her last night. That yeah, he’d done some stuff with a stranger, a girl Aaron had picked up in a bar. But that he really was waiting for the right person. That was the most amazing part. Skeeter was the kind of guy she always imagined her first real boyfriend would be. And he’d said he was interested in more with her when she was ready. Little did he know, she was pretty sure she was ready now.

Riley spun on her heel and headed to check on the bulls penned up next to the practice ring. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Skeeter tap Slade on the shoulder. She glanced back at the boys and sure enough, Slade now had his head bowed low toward Skeeter. She hoped she didn’t mess things up for Jenna by giving a man a job meant for a woman.

Too late now.

As she walked past the girls on the way to her destination, Riley heard Jenna ask, “What do you think that big pow wow is about?”

Skeeter was probably going to crack under the pressure if any of these women asked him what they’d been talking about. Time for some damage control on Riley’s part.

“They’re probably trying to figure out how to not get bucked off. I don’t think a one of ’em made eight yet.” She hooked a thumb toward the field Renegade was in. “I’m gonna go get a couple of the veteran bulls and see if I can give these guys a little bit more of a challenge.”

Jenna cringed. “Not too difficult a bull, I hope.”

Riley laughed. “Don’t worry. They’re rank, but once the rider is off their back good bulls like my Renegade are far more interested in getting to their feed bucket than messing with the cowboy.”

“Lord, I hope so.” Jenna still didn’t look convinced.

If Slade did man up and make Jenna his wife, she’d have to get used to all this. Riley, on the other hand, wouldn’t have any problem dating a bull rider. She’d lived and breathed this life for as long as she could remember.

She glanced at Skeeter as he grabbed his helmet and headed over to the chute. Nope. She could handle that just fine.

“All right, Skeets. The bulls are kicking our asses today, so try not to buck off this one so we can save some face with the women, please.”

“Yeah, Mustang, because we’re all trying to fall off.” Garret sent Mustang a scowl.

Aaron shook his head. “These bulls are too freaking good.”

Slade let out a snort. “These aren’t even the best she’s got. Riley’s been giving us her second string. We’re the best riders in the world. We should be able to stay on.”

Chase blew out a breath. “They’re rank, Slade.”

“Yup.” Mustang nodded. “And crafty. Damn thing felt my weight shift and changed direction just to throw me off.”

“Crap. Is that Renegade she’s running into the pen?” Garret gazed past Skeeter.

Skeeter glanced up as that tidbit stood out from amid the rest of the chatter around him. He turned and spied the bull. “Yup. That’s him.”

He should know the bull who’d tossed him in his last ride in the big leagues.

“You up for a rematch, kid?” Slade asked.

“Yeah. Guess so.” If he was going to get dumped in the dirt in front of Riley and everyone else, he’d rather have it be at the whim of the best bull in the world, rather than some nameless green stock.

“Now remember what we talked about when we watched the video.” Mustang walked with Skeeter as they made their way to the chute. “You were trying to anticipate his moves. You can’t do that, especially not on a bull like Renegade. He counts on the rider to do that. He’ll fake left then turn right, knowing it will set you off balance.”

“You’ve got good instincts but you’re overthinking.” Slade took over from Mustang in kind of a tag-team pep talk. “Let your reflexes take over. After all these years, your body knows what to do. Don’t let your head fight it.”

Skeeter nodded as he pulled his helmet on and tried to absorb the advice flying at him from all directions. If nothing else, at least this ride couldn’t cost him his spot on the tour, unlike the last time he’d taken on Renegade. That pressure was off.

Every other guy had bucked off their bulls today so there wasn’t much he had to live up to. Just stay on, as long as he could, and get off safely. That’s it. Easy.

Riley drove Renegade into the chute and slammed it shut behind him. She grinned up at him. “Thought you might want another shot.”

He laughed. “Thanks.”

She nudged the brim of her cowboy hat back and looked up at him. “Remember, whatever you think he’s going to do, he’ll likely do the opposite. Keep that in mind and you’ll be fine.”

Lovely. It wasn’t enough that Renegade was the top animal athlete in his field, capable of bucking near vertical while his feet reached heights above the heads of most men. This bull was also a smart ass.

“Okay. Thanks.” Skeeter nodded.

He took Riley’s advice to heart, along with that of everyone else shouting things at him as he lowered his butt onto Renegade’s back.

Skeeter had to hand it to the animal, he was a professional. No messing around in the chute by trying to lie down or worse, jump out. No leaning against the back rail so the rider couldn’t get his leg into position. The bull simply stood there and waited. It was as if he was conserving energy, poised to explode out into the arena where he would dispense with the rider on his back as quickly as possible. Then he could go back to his pen and relax.

Chase hopped up and tugged Skeeter’s rope, handing the tail end to him. Skeeter grabbed it and pulled tight. He stretched it across his palm, looped it under his hand and then around again. Closing his fingers, he pounded his hand tight. All the steps he’d performed so many times in so many events, but this time felt different. He was on the current reigning bull of the year.

Officially, according to his pro association anyway, Renegade was the best bull in the world. That had been determined by the animal’s point total from last season, but for once it didn’t matter if Skeeter bucked off. He was here to learn, and to practice, and to make himself better. With that pressure off, hell, he might be able to ride this unrideable animal. At least he was sure gonna give it a try.

His legs were in position, his weight was centered and he was as ready as he was going to get. The animal looked bored, until Skeeter nodded and forced a “Go!” out through his mouthguard. Garret yanked on the rope and sent the gate swinging wide. That’s when the bull sprung to life and took off.

Renegade spun into Skeeter’s hand, but he knew better than to assume the animal would give him an easy ride by settling into a steady spin. He was right. Renegade reversed, but Skeeter didn’t let himself anticipate the move. Instead, he reacted to it. He readjusted his weight, getting centered as best he could as Renegade bucked hard.

The bull tried to dislodge Skeeter by dropping his front low, then pushing off the ground and leaping high into the air. Renegade’s front legs came crashing down to strike the ground with bone-jarring force while his hind end remained in the air. Still Skeeter hung tight, breaking at the hips and absorbing the force and change in direction.

His position sucked and his form didn’t feel much better. As Renegade went into a fast spin, Skeeter felt the inertia force him off center, but his rope was still in his hand and his ass mostly still on the bull and that was good enough.

He didn’t know how long the ride lasted. It seemed eternal, almost slow motion, until Slade shouted, “That’s eight!”

The celebration would have to wait. Skeeter still had to get off this spinning two-thousand-pound whirlygig. Yanking the tail of his rope, he freed his hand and dove off the bull on the outside of the spin. It wasn’t hard. He was already leaning that direction anyway.

True to form, the moment Renegade felt the rider was gone he stopped dead. He turned his head, then his body, obviously looking for the out gate. The move seemed creepily human and deceivingly docile. As if Skeeter could go up, pat him on the head and say thanks, good ride. He knew better than that, but it was still nice to not have to run for his life and dive over the rails the way he’d had to with a few bulls who weren’t more interested in leaving than showing the rider who was boss.

One of the guys opened the out gate. Skeeter wasn’t even sure who it was, he was so pumped up on adrenaline. Renegade heard the metal hinges squeak, spied the opening and trotted out. That’s when Skeeter let himself celebrate. He tore off his helmet and flung it at the ground, punching both fists into the air with a shout.

Riley was there, hopping over the rail and landing right in front of him, looking as excited as he was. “You did it.”