Rodeo Summer: A Camden Ranch Novel

by Jillian Neal

  Chapter Five

  “So, do you have a thing?” Summer inquired about an hour before they were due in the Cody Stampede Arena. She was trying to quell her own nerves. She’d seem more than one bull rider injured so badly they’d never walk again. One time, she’d seen one trampled to death. With every passing moment she spent with him, Austin’s safety became more and more important. Glancing in the mirror mounted over the dresser in his room, she studied her own eyes. Seeing something she hadn’t found there in years almost frightened her. Despite the nervous energy swirling in her stomach, some sense of peace had settled in her eyes. Belonging … maybe? Before she gave it any more thought, Austin gave her that smirk that was sexy as sin.

  “Pretty sure you already know I have a thing, baby doll. I’d show you, but then I’d be total shit on the bull, and I’m looking to get a nice check tonight.”

  “Do you ever think about anything but sex?”

  “Not when I’m in the room with you. My mind and my thing get all wired together every time I get near you.” He winked at her.

  Another round of elation sped her heart. He kept saying things like that. She was ridiculously anxious for him to ride and get that stupid buckle so she could bring him back to the room. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be the spoils of his war. She continuously reminded herself of this. He was kind, sweet, more than obviously interested, and Brant had J.J. for the night. No harm would come in enjoying herself with Austin. Forcing her mind to the things that had to happen before they went to bed, she rolled her eyes at him. “I meant like a thing you do before you ride. You know, for good luck or whatever.”

  He smirked. God she loved that look of his, like he knew her deepest, darkest desires, and couldn’t wait to indulge her in them. “And what was your thang when you rode, Ms. Sanchez?”

  She found herself laughing again. He made her feel things she barely recognized. That giddy sense of embarrassment and glee that came with a new relationship worked through her again. “I asked you first, cowboy.”

  Hemming for a half-second, he took her hands and pulled her closer. “I’m hoping some sweet kisses from you will become part of my thing. Other than that, I have a pair of spurs I’m pretty sure are good luck that I always wear and I loop the straps on my boots left then right. It’s stupid, but sometimes I walk around the stadium before I ride to get my head in the game.” He was winding tape around his wrists with a great deal of accuracy.

  “I used to do that, too.” Summer allowed the sadness she always felt when she recalled the circumstances of giving up the rodeo to diminish her glee over Austin’s affections.

  “Oh yeah?” Austin wrapped his arms around Summer again. Damn, but she was the perfect tonic for the case of nerves he was feeling that night.

  “Yeah.” He felt her grin against his chest.

  “What else did you do?”

  “Mostly I walked around the stadiums, ate Hot Tamales, and listened to Miranda Lambert songs. Then I climbed on and had the time of my life.”

  “Should I pick you up some Hot Tamales, honey? Cause I’m really looking forward to you climbing on me and having the time of your life as soon as I have the Cody buckle in my hands tonight.”

  She shook her head as she pulled away from him. “I know you’re scared.”

  “Wrong again, sunshine. I’m fine.” Austin bristled. He didn’t like her thinking that anything got to him. He wanted her to trust him before he took her to bed. Her declarations that she didn’t want boring, vanilla sex had tied him in knots, but before they could engage in any of that, she had to trust him implicitly. He was more than ready to spice up her love life, but for the moment, he probably needed to get his mind out of her crotch and into looking for eight.

  “I know you’re fine, but I used to do this, remember? I don’t think less of you because you’re scared. I just think you’re human.”

  “I said I was fine, honey. Don’t worry about me.” Austin leaned down to adjust his bootstraps once more before they headed out.

  “Nothing scares you, right?” She stared at him with defiant challenge lit in her eyes.

  “No point in being scared. What’s that gonna get you? I’m riding tonight, and I’m winning. Then I’m bringing you back here and we’re gonna celebrate all night long. Nothing about any of that scares me. I don’t do scared. If something about all of that frightens you, however, let’s talk about that.”

  “I never did scared either, until I had J.J.” Her truths crushed him. As bad as he wanted that damn buckle he was about to go out and get, he’d trade every single one he’d ever won to conquer the fear in her eyes. “If you don’t want to be afraid of what might happen tonight when you’re on a beast that could kill you, I’ll do that part for you, but I’m not afraid of what happens after you’re out of that arena. So there. I guess I kind of like you, cowboy, and I do want to hang out with you for the next few weeks if you’re still offering.”

  A hearty dose of glee mixed in with the desire that had been swimming in his veins all day. “Damn, sugar, you’re losing your edge. Be careful or you might actually agree to being my girl.”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Mr. Camden. I’m a handful.”

  “Oh, doll baby, I know. Why the hell do you think I want you so bad?”

  The heat of their attraction seemed to radiate between them in that moment. She stared at him, her eyes dark and hungry. The hesitation lingered, but was dissipating as the moments extended between them. If he didn’t get her out of that hotel room, he was going to pick her up, sling her over his shoulder caveman-style, throw her in his bed and fuck her until she couldn’t walk. The Cody buckle could be damned to hell. “If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I make you no promises that we’ll ever make it to the arena.”

  She smirked, but before she could make another snide remark, he jerked her to him and took her lips in a blistering kiss that scorched straight to his cock. Slapping her sexy little ass caught up in an old pair of ripped blue jeans that served only to drive him to complete distraction, he pulled away from her and chased his breath. “Let’s get out of here, darlin’. My patience is wearing mighty thin, and a lot of people are gonna be really pissed if I don’t ride tonight.”

  “Well, we don’t want to piss anyone off, do we?” she challenged.

  “Let’s get, Ms. Sanchez.” He turned to head out, but Summer spun back and raced to her bag.

  “You go on. I’ll be right there. I just need to grab something.”

  Austin waited. She dug deep into the old tack bag and then extracted a round white clay medallion attached to a black ribbon. His brow furrowed as she placed the necklace around her neck and attempted to tie the ribbon ends together.

  With a few quick steps he was behind her. “What’s this?” He secured the necklace for her and took the opportunity to place a few suckled kisses along her neck and bare shoulders. Her shiver thrilled him.

  “Just a necklace I wanted to wear.”

  Austin spun around her and lifted the medallion to study it. A beautiful image of a macaw was etched artfully in the clay and painted in brilliant shades of red, yellow, and orange on one side of the disk. He flipped it over and saw two parallel arrows on the back, along with the Zuni symbol for butterfly. There was a pair of crossed arrows at the bottom. Friendship. Studying her eyes again, he couldn’t quite believe what he saw there this time. “You have Pueblo blood, baby?”

  “How did you know this was Pueblo?”

  “Actually, it’s Zuni, right?” He swallowed harshly. “Had a good friend coming up whose grandparents and aunts and uncles lived on one of the reservations. They’re from the Hopi tribes. He and his parents moved to Pleasant Glen when he was little, but they went back to visit a lot. I went with him a few times.”

  “Oh.”

  Austin waited on more, but she’d clammed up again before his very eyes. “Oh?”

  “Yeah, I’m part Pueblo-Zuni. My grandmother made it for me. I used to keep this in my
pocket when I raced. I thought I’d wear it tonight.” She shrugged.

  For him. She was wearing it for him. Austin’s heart thundered against his ribcage. In that moment, clasping her necklace, he swore he could hear Max’s laughter over Austin’s current situation. ‘My name’s Makya. It means eagle hunter, but your people can’t say it right, so just call me Max. I’m gonna be a bull rider when I grow up.’ Not wanting to dive into his typical explanation of how he could still hear Max’s voice just then, he stared back at Summer.

  “It’s beautiful, just like you. I know the arrows mean protection. What does the macaw stand for?”

  Her face flushed a deep crimson red. She glanced at the door, trying to escape the conversation. “It means summer.” With that, she pulled the medallion out of his grasp and sped out into the hallway.

  “And the butterfly?” Austin asked the empty room. Summer Sanchez had far too many secrets, and he was determined to uncover each and every one of them, starting with finding out how her Native American heritage fit in with the rest of her story. Her father, Mitchum, wasn’t Zuni. She’d gotten her riding skill from him, but her heritage must have come from her mother’s side. His long, agitated strides ate up the distance between them. He caught up to her just outside the doors to the hotel, laced her fingers through his, and escorted her to his truck.

  Summer gripped Austin’s arm tighter as he escorted her towards his team awaiting him at the chute that would hold Perfect Storm, his assigned bull. The air was as thick as the crowds in the arena. She batted a fly away from her face and ordered her mouth to stay shut. She would not beg him not to ride. They’d barely known each other one full day. Why was she so worried about him suddenly? He’s been winning all season. He’ll be fine. What was wrong with her? Her heart couldn’t seem to locate a steady cadence and her stomach felt like it had been inhabited with angry hornets. What if he gets hurt? Honestly, it’s not if, it’s when. Everyone said that when they talked about bull riding. Better question —why on earth do I want to get involved with a bull rider?

  Breaths of memories entered her lungs. The rosin, the sweat, and the distinctive smell of horses and bulls took her back to all of the times she’d been the one about to mount up and ride. She was going to smell like dirt and bulls by the time this was over, but knowing Austin, that was probably his favorite scent.

  “This is my team, darlin’. Aaron Chalmers pulls my ropes. Cam Trenton keeps me from getting killed inside the chute. Gil and Trent are basically here to harass me, so I’m sure you’ll get along with them well.”

  Summer grinned at his rag-tag team. They were all eyeing her suspiciously.

  “And this is my best friend, Jackson Denton. We came up together. He spent every summer trying to throw me off of a Bucky,” Austin explained.

  Cam stepped up first and offered his hand. “You look mighty familiar. Have we met before?”

  “This is Summer Sanchez. That name should ring a bell,” Austin bragged.

  Summer fought not to gag. “That was a long time ago. It’s no big deal. Do you care if I stay down here with you while he rides?”

  “Way he’s looking at you, sweetheart, I don’t think he’d let you stay anywhere else. I’ll tell you this, too, Austin’s never had a girl he brought down here with him. You must be something special.” Cam offered her a kind smile. Okay, so I like Cam. Now to win over the rest of his team.

  “She definitely is.” Austin winked at her, then wrapped his arm around her and whispered a kiss on her temple. That motion alone made her entire body long to strip him down, run her hands up and down those chiseled muscles, and let him have his way with her. That’s why you’re getting involved with a bull rider. No one else has ever made you feel this way. Her mind took every available opportunity to remind her of the way Austin made her feel, the way he made her ache, the hunger he stirred within her that she’d been so certain was long gone.

  “Summer.” Jackson, the guy Austin had called his best friend since childhood attempted a dorky grin. It wasn’t lost on her that his eyes hadn’t made it up from her cleavage to her face as of yet. What, was he still 12?

  “She has a face, man,” Austin huffed. “Eyes up.”

  “Yeah, tell me those aren’t the first things you noticed,” Jackson spoke through his teeth to keep Summer from hearing him. Idiots. She had a kid. She heard everything, always.

  “Hey, if you want to know anything about this guy, I’m your man.” When his eyes finally located hers, he managed his vow.

  “Might take you up on that.”

  That male grunt of half-annoyance and half-amusement sounded from Austin’s throat. “You wanna know anything about me, you ask me.”

  Before she could respond, another herd of people headed Austin’s way. They were all wearing suits, as opposed to his team who looked like genuine cowboys; Wranglers, dirty shirts, boots and cowboy hats. Austin stiffened slightly and pulled Summer closer. “Uh, this is the Minton team. Clifton Taft and Scott Leonard.” He nodded to the suits. “This is Summer Sanchez. She’s all mine.”

  Summer rolled her eyes and shook her head at Austin, but she couldn’t order away the broad grin that stupidly spread across her face. Being all his sounded akin to heaven, even if she had only known him a day. Who cares? After Cheyenne it would all be over. Might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

  “Ms. Sanchez,” one of the men offered his hand. “Pleasure to meet you.” His words didn’t in any way match the expression on his face however. He looked bereaved. What the hell was his problem? “Why don’t you come up with us to the Minton seats? You’d be welcome.”

  “Nah, I want her down here with me,” Austin informed him quickly. The man ground his teeth as he forced a nod. Sponsors for bull riders was a relatively new practice. Not many riders even had sponsors. Most of them were out for the guts and the glory and the hope of a paycheck. Summer knew of only a few other riders who had gear from a certain company they always wore, patches all over their vests, but she didn’t know how much money that provided.

  “We’re looking for another win, Austin. Don’t let us down.” The other suit could speak as well, it seemed.

  “No pressure or anything though.” Summer made little to no effort to hide her disdain. She should probably work on that.

  Austin’s grin and the sexy gravel of his chuckle helped quell her temper just a little. He awarded her with another one of those winks. Why it delighted her so she had no idea, but she loved it almost as much as she loved the fact that he kept tightening his hold of her like he never wanted to let her go.

  “I always do my best. Beyond that it’s between me and the bull. I intend to bring home that buckle tonight, guys. Don’t look so worried.”

  “No distractions though. Understood?” The second suit was officially on Summer’s last fraying nerve. So that’s what this was all about. They didn’t want her to distract Austin from winning. No life outside of bull riding. She cocked her jaw to the side and debated telling the asshole to go eat a horseshoe. Austin raised his left eyebrow and narrowed his eyes.

  “I haven’t let you down yet, Scott. Let me say this as politely as I can: back off.”

  “Hey, I’m just looking out for everyone. We’re bringing out the whole crew to see you in Cheyenne.”

  “Great. Can’t wait to see everyone. For now, I need to get ready to ride. I’ll see you at the buckle ceremony.” Austin’s dismissal was blunt. He left no room for argument. Summer liked him more and more with every word he spoke.

  His chute team all muttered several choice words under their breath as Scott and Clifton dissolved into the crowds headed to the stands. “Punk-ass pricks. What got stuck in their craw?” Cam growled in a decidedly Southern accent.

  “I did.” Summer rolled her eyes.

  “Forget it,” Austin shot Cam a warning glare. “They like the money they’re making. They don’t want it to disappear. Don’t guess it matters what happens to me as long as their sales stay up.”

  Th
e injustice she felt for Austin bled quickly to worry. She shouldn’t distract him. She didn’t really have any rights to him, even if he kept telling everyone she was his girl.

  “Stop thinking whatever you’re thinking right now.” Austin turned her and held her to his riding vest so he could whisper in her ear. “I want you down here. I want you at the chute. If I get turned towards the gate during the ride, I’ll be looking for you, sugar. I want to see you smiling at me.”

  Summer’s brow furrowed as she pulled away. How did he keep reading her mind?

  “Those eyes, darlin’. They speak a language all their own. I intend to learn every word.”

  “Aren’t you poetic, cowboy.” She tried not to let his intention touch the places of her soul that were battered and bruised from the life she’d lived just trying to survive.

  “Pretty sure that came from a country song, but I’ll claim it.” He laughed, and she couldn’t help but join him.

  The timed events went by quickly. With a front row seat for the barrel racing, she had no choice but to watch. Some of them were pretty good. She was better, but that no longer mattered. Before she’d quite prepared herself, tension sizzled along the bucking chutes from the riders. The air around her was choked with nerves. Her eyes zeroed in on Brant standing near chute two with his customary simpering grin as Dallas Devil was loaded in. Her ex-husband looked far too pleased. That was never a good sign.

  Nausea roiled in her gut. Austin had been assigned to chute six. His bull hadn’t been placed as of yet.