by Cat Johnson
“I was planning on getting totally shitfaced tonight myself. Damn. I forgot all about that meet-and-greet thing tomorrow. It was your birthday yesterday and we didn’t get to celebrate hard because we had to ride today.”
“We did spend some quality time at that all-you-can-eat buffet. That was good.” Chase had gone to bed happy and fuller than a hog.
“I know, but tonight I thought we could really take you out in style.” Garret’s pout was worthy of any five-year-old who’d just been told he couldn’t have his own way.
“Garret, we can still go out. We just can’t get so annihilated we won’t wake up for tomorrow.” Chase knew damn well the fans had paid a ton of money, all of which was going to a good cause, just to meet him and the other riders at tomorrow’s charity autograph-signing event. That didn’t mean he and Garret couldn’t indulge in a beer or two tonight though.
“Yeah, you’re right I guess. You think Skeeter’s fake ID will work here?” As he spoke, Garret’s gaze followed the progress of a girl in tight jeans as she climbed the stairs until she finally took her seat.
Chase gave the object of Garret’s attention a quick perusal and decided the back view had been superior to the front. Besides, she looked about seventeen, maybe eighteen. Chase preferred girls with a little life experience under their belt, and a bit less beer belly there too.
He wasn’t opposed to curves. He just preferred they be in other places besides a beer gut. Generous hips, lush thighs, a nice round butt, tits that made a man take notice, those were all very good things, but he couldn’t think too much about that now. He had a ride to prepare for and plans to make with Garret.
He turned his attention back to Garret’s question. “I don’t know about Skeeter. They’re a little more careful about checking IDs here than at the usual bars we hang out at. If it doesn’t work, we’ll just pick up some supplies and drink in the room.”
Garret’s mouth twisted at that. “Yeah, but there ain’t no chicks up in our room.”
Chase laughed. “There will be if you invite them.”
His friend grinned in response. “I like how you think.”
Accepting Garret’s compliment with a nod, Chase glanced around the area behind the chutes. They were getting close to starting the final round. The Brazilians were off to one side warming up and stretching. Some of the others were busy getting their gear ready.
A few of the veteran riders emerged from out of the locker room. Mustang Jackson positioned himself behind the chutes next to Slade Bower. Both began working the rosin into their ropes in preparation for the upcoming ride. It reminded Chase he should be doing the same. He turned back to the rail and grabbed the dangling section of his bull rope. With his glove, he started rubbing up and down the portion of its length he’d later wrap around his hand.
“I suppose we can do a few shots up in our room, then go down to the casino and see what, or who, is around.” Garret followed Chase’s example, turning toward the rail to prep his own rope.
“Sounds good to me.” As Chase worked the rosin into the rope, making it sticky for a better grip during the ride, the announcer’s amplified voice reverberated off the walls and ceiling of the cavernous space.
The stock handlers ran the bulls for the first flight of the championship round into the chutes and Chase felt the now familiar surge of adrenaline begin to rush into his bloodstream.
Garret glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the girl he’d been watching before. “Ya think if we ask her to come back to our room with us she’d say yes?”
“I guess.” Chase shrugged, not at all interested in that particular girl. He looked up and found Garret frowning at him. “What?”
“You don’t sound very enthusiastic.”
Probably because Garret would talk about girls twenty-four hours a day if he let him. Chase had learned to nod and agree with Garret without really listening too closely.
“Sorry. I guess I’m just focused on the ride.” Not to mention he and Garret usually had pretty much the opposite taste in women. Chase liked sophisticated ladies. Bimbos turned Garret on, unless there were special circumstances like a few too many post-ride shots with the guys. In that case, all bets were off on whom Garret would go for. Case in point, last year in Tulsa when Garret had come home from a bar with the phone number of a woman he normally wouldn’t have looked at twice.
The girl in the stands wasn’t doing anything for Chase, but she was obviously doing it for his friend. Garret glanced at her again before focusing his attention on Chase. “Ya know, Chase, I really hope you’re not still interested in that author chick.”
“Jenna? No, of course I’m not.” Where the hell had that question come from? Chase had been interested, but that was a year ago. A year to the day to be precise. He’d met her on the night of his birthday during last year’s finals, and shortly thereafter discovered she was dating Slade Bower, a fellow bull rider with a jealous streak a mile wide and the fists to back it up.
“I saw you talking to her last night.”
Chase let out a short laugh at Garret’s suspicion. “Yeah, so? You’ve been texting Jenna’s friend Barb all year.”
Garret’s brow rose in doubt. “Yeah, but that’s just texting. She’s not showing up at any of the competitions. And Jenna’s writing that book about you.”
“Jenna and I are just friends, and the book’s not about me exactly. It’s just a romance novel based on a rookie bull rider. She’s a writer. That’s what she does. Write. Doesn’t mean she’s in love with me or anything. She just thought it was a good story.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Garret shook his head and went back to his rope.
“Whatever,” Chase echoed. He needed some new friends. He also needed to get moving because his bull had just been loaded. He unlooped his rope from the rail. “See ya in a few.”
“Need me to help?”
“Nah, looks like Skeeter is already up there. You got a ride coming up yourself to get ready for.”
“All right. Try not to eat too much dirt when you fall off.” Garret grinned.
Chase laughed. “Yeah, you too.”
The cowbell attached to his bull rope hit the dirt with a clanging thunk. Chase wound the excess length around his hand and headed toward the chute. As he neared, the bull inside reared and rattled the rails. Chase’s level of adrenaline kicked a notch higher.
He set one knee to the ground and said a quick, silent prayer for a safe ride for both himself and the bull, then climbed up. After handing his rope to a stock handler, he pulled his mouth guard from his vest pocket and slipped it between his teeth.
Mentally Chase reviewed how the ride would go. The bull was loaded for a left-hand delivery out of the gate, which would likely mean the animal would spin first to the left and into Chase’s riding hand. If Chase kept spurring him with his outside leg, the bull would hopefully not reverse directions. He’d have to stay on top of his rope, try not to slip into the well and keep his eyes off the ground. A lot to think about during a bone-jostling eight seconds when any thought at all was difficult. Piece of cake.
Straddling the metal rails, he lowered himself onto the back of the antsy animal.
Skeeter leaned over and helped pull the rope tight so Chase could wrap it around his gloved left hand. With his weight centered on the animal’s bony back, he was ready.
“Chase Reese aboard Moonwalk. This is one rank bull, ridden only twice in ten outs this series.”
As Chase heard the announcer speak his name and talk about the upcoming ride, he felt the usual thrill he never experienced at any other time in his life, not even when he was with a woman.
Still amazed he got to do what he loved for a living, Chase felt like the luckiest man on earth. With a surge of pride, he realized he never wanted to do anything else and then nodded to the gate man.
Chapter Three
All dressed up and with nowhere to go until their shift began, Leesa and Holly each grabbed a cup of coffee from the pot alw
ays on behind the bar. Back in the dressing room, they sipped the bracing caffeine out of paper hot cups and continued talking about everything and nothing, killing time until the start of another long work night.
One of the day shift girls breezed in amid a cloud of perfume and interrupted their conversation, but not Leesa’s serious consideration of what they’d discussed earlier. Holly’s solution to Leesa’s financial problems tantalized her.
“Hey, Holly. Hey, Leesa. The two new girls aren’t here yet?”
Holly scowled and shook her head. “Nope. They’ll wander in late as usual.”
“Then I guess you two are up. I’m done for the day and Tiffany is just finishing now. Oh, and you’ve got a birthday boy out there so you’re gonna need the handcuffs. Tiff will point him out to you.”
Holly grinned, grabbing a pair of furry cuffs out of her locker. “I do love a birthday boy.”
Leesa couldn’t say she loved their birthday-boy routine, but it was a fun change from the usual. At this point, after strutting up and down that stage for months, anything different was good, she supposed.
She followed Holly out. The fringe of the short skirt hit her bare ass cheeks with every step she took.
Up on the stage, Tiffany was collecting the discarded pieces of her costume and the last of her tips. As the music changed she made her way back toward Leesa and Holly. She paused in front of them with a fist full of singles. “The shy guy in the big white hat has a birthday. His friend said to give him everything we’ve got, including the back room. The rest of the guys are paying. Wish I could stick around, but I gotta pick up my kid from the sitter.”
“That’s okay. We’ll take good care of him.” Holly glanced at the loud group of about half a dozen cowboys and smiled at Leesa. “You wanna take him in the back later?”
“What?” Leesa spun to face Holly then couldn’t help but look back at the cowboy in question.
“Come on. It’s perfect. He’s painfully young by the looks of him. Probably never had a lap dance in his life. He’ll be the perfect guy for you to cut your teeth on.”
“My teeth?” Leesa gasped at that suggestion.
“Relax. I didn’t mean use your teeth literally, unless you want to of course. It’s just an expression. I meant he’s perfect for your first foray into making a little extra cash. Look at him. He’ll probably come the minute the air touches his thing. The young ones finish real fast if they’re not too drunk. If he is, well then you may be in for a long haul. But he’s cute. It wouldn’t be that bad spending some extra time on him.”
Leesa glanced in their direction again and tried to estimate how long they’d been there and how much they’d consumed. She realized what she was doing and dragged her gaze away. She couldn’t seem to tell Holly no, mainly because she was still seriously considering going through with it.
“You wanna think about it? No pressure. I do love me some cowboys. Looks like there are plenty to go around, but I’ll be glad to take him back if you don’t want to.” Holly paused and waited for an answer while eyeing the group of young men and practically drooling.
A bouncer had already put a chair up on the stage. They needed to get up there and start the show. Leesa took another look at the group of men in the birthday party, downing beers and laughing. Could she go through with what Holly wanted her to? Did she have another choice? Maybe she could get a shift at a local restaurant to make more money. Maybe she was being foolish, just like Holly said. What was just a few minutes in the back? What happened and with who would be her choice. She could pay off her bills and save enough to go back to college and finish her degree.
What was she worried about? She was safe enough in the club. Glancing back at the cowboy, she saw again that he didn’t look like the dangerous type.
Even as it felt like a rock had landed with a thud in her stomach, Leesa shook her head. “That’s okay. You don’t have to take him, Holly. I’ll do it.”
She tried to swallow away the sudden dryness in her throat.
Holly grinned. “Good for you. Now come on. It’s show time.”
They had done this birthday show dozens of times in Leesa’s months at the strip club. Usually one man was just like another. She never paid very close attention to them as individuals, but as Holly led their subject onto the stage by the hand, Leesa found herself really studying this one.
Obviously embarrassed, he shook his head and pulled against Holly’s grasp. He made a half-hearted attempt to sit back down with the other guys rather than be dragged into the spotlight. Even as he laughed off the ribbing from the other guys, there was a look on his face that said he’d rather be an observer than the center of attention, especially when Holly pushed him into the chair on stage. His Adam’s apple bobbed wildly in his throat as Holly cuffed his wrists behind the back of the chair.
Holly started the show, circling him like an animal sizing up its prey while the crowd cheered. Even under the bright spotlights that washed out all but the most intense colors, Leesa could see his face grow red.
His surprise was nearly palpable when Holly whipped off her corset and her breasts bounced just inches in front of his face. Then Holly turned away from him to face the admiring crowd and started to strut toward the far end of the stage, leaving the cowboy alone in the chair watching her leave. He looked almost relieved she had walked away and taken the attention off him.
Poor guy. Little did he know that was Leesa’s cue to join the routine. After climbing the stairs onto the stage, Leesa circled the chair. Holly returned and they stalked him together, while the expression on the poor guy’s face became almost comical, a cross between embarrassment and anticipation, as though he wasn’t sure if what was to come would be good or bad.
Somehow his shyness emboldened Leesa. Standing facing him, she bent from the waist, giving the crowd a nice shot of her ass. The whistles and calls from the audience clearly showed their appreciation. Bracing a hand on each one of his knees, she yanked his thighs apart and spread his legs wide. His eyes flew open at the action. She laughed and a feeling of power surged through her.
Up close he looked a few years younger than her own age. He was probably right off the farm, here in Sin City for one wild night. She could give him that. A night he’d never forget. She liked that idea.
Donning a smile, she leaned in closer to his ear so he would hear her over the noise. “Relax, cowboy. Enjoy it.”
He jumped when she spoke. She pulled back enough to see his deer-in-headlights stare as it focused on her face. He swallowed hard again and then nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
She smiled at his down-home politeness even in this situation as she straightened up. He was as sweet as he’d first appeared. Leesa liked that he looked so innocent and squeaky clean. For some reason it made her want to dirty him up a little. Now that she’d wrapped her head around giving him something to remember tonight by in the back room, she was really starting to get into it.
Stepping into the space she’d created between his knees, she turned her back toward him and whipped off her skirt. She jiggled her butt cheeks in front of his face to the accompanying whoops of the other cowboys. Leesa couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder. Mouth slightly agape, he stared mesmerized directly at her ass. Her gaze dropped and yeah, other parts of him had taken notice of her too. That was clearly outlined in his jeans, and she had to admit, it appeared pretty impressive from where she stood.
As Leesa strained to watch over her shoulder, Holly stepped up behind him and ran both of her hands down the front of his shirt, then started to unbutton it. Holly tugged it from where it had been tucked neatly inside his belted jeans and pushed the shirt open to expose a nearly hairless chest. He was lean but definitely fit judging by the sharply cut outline of his chest and stomach muscles.
Meanwhile, the cowboy squirmed in his chair beneath the scrutiny.
Turning to face him fully again, Leesa planted her costume’s high-heeled fringed suede boot on the edge of the chair between his thi
ghs. His gaze dropped to the long expanse of her exposed leg in front of him. Visually, he followed the line of her thigh up to the glittering G-string that covered what the law said had to be covered, but not much else.
While Holly took another turn around the stage and collected some more dollar bills, Leesa took the show to the next level. Straddling the blushing cowboy, she ground against him. The only thing separating them was her G-string, the denim of his jeans and whatever underwear he was wearing. She couldn’t stop wondering exactly what kind that was. She supposed she’d find out soon enough.
Gyrating her hips, she felt the bulge in his jeans personally. Leesa watched his quick intake of breath at the contact. She couldn’t help her own gasp when the friction of rubbing against him caused nerve endings long ignored to wake up. Now that her sex drive had been pulled out of hibernation, it screamed for attention.
She met his gaze and felt her own cheeks grow warm. Their faces were so close, he must have noticed her getting flushed.
In spite of the public venue and the fact it was supposed to be all for show, it somehow became an intimate moment. Leesa shook that thought from her head. She hadn’t been with a man since she finally broke it off with her rotten ex. She hadn’t even looked at a man with romantic or sexual interest since then because she’d been so turned off after him. She was turned on now though.
The loud whoops from his group of friends in particular served as a very real reminder she was here to entertain the crowd, so entertain she did. Leesa whipped the two sides of her vest apart just inches from the cowboy’s face.
Beneath the rim of his hat, his baby blue eyes followed the action before coming back up to meet hers. For a moment time seemed to stand still. It was like they were no longer under the hot spotlights in a crowded, noisy room. A crazy image crashed into her mind of staring into those eyes as he braced above her in her bed. Need coiled within her, poised and begging for release.