by Cat Johnson
“Um, I’m getting ready.”
The head of the association scowled. “Well, hurry the hell up and get out there.”
“Yes, sir.”
Tom Parsons left, but Aaron still had Garret to deal with…and then CeCe after that. Christ. He missed the good old days when the biggest thing he had to deal with at these events was the ton of bovine intent on throwing him into the dirt.
Garret crossed his arms, leveled his gaze on Aaron and waited.
“Fine, I’ll tell you.” Aaron let out a huff. “I can’t take it. Okay?”
“Can’t take what?” Garret spread his hands before him, as if lost for an explanation. “The limo? The fancy hotel? The unlimited sex with a hot-as-hell woman?”
“There’s other stuff going on.” Aaron couldn’t bring himself to meet his friend’s gaze.
Garret glanced at the open doorway before he moved to the door and shut it. Coming back to Aaron, he straddled the bench and leaned forward. “Talk.”
Stuff was an understatement for some of the shit CeCe had pulled on him last night, the exact details of which he’d never admit to another living soul. But it wasn’t the kinky stuff that scared him. It was how quick she was to act like she owned him. “She’s too…intense.”
“You mean like bunny-boiler intense?”
Aaron finally glanced up at Garret. “You’re going to use that new term Mustang taught you as often as possible now, aren’t you?”
“Yup.” A grin brightened Garret’s face.
“Okay, then, yeah. Intense like that.”
“Well, considering you don’t have kids or pet rabbits, I think you’re safe. She has a huge company to run and a life somewhere far from North Carolina. We’ve got a couple of weeks off, so she can’t even come to any events to find you. She’ll have moved on to someone new by then. It’s all good.” Garret shrugged, as if there was nothing to worry about.
“I guess.” Maybe Garret was right and Aaron just had to get through today, and then everything would be okay. But getting through today might be an issue. “She might be pissed at me now though.”
“Why? What did you do?”
“I’m pretty sure she assumed I’d stay the night, but I left while she was sleeping.” Aaron cringed. Saying it out loud made him realize how bad what he’d done was.
Garret lifted his brows high. “You didn’t tell her that you had Jill drive your truck there so you could leave?”
“Nope.”
“Man.” Garret shook his head. “She’s gonna be pissed at you, all right. What the hell were you thinking, sneaking out like that? You really don’t know women at all, do you?”
Aaron scowled at the insult. “And you do?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“How you figure?”
“I’m married to your sister, who’s not exactly a pushover, in case you’ve forgotten. Since I’ve managed to stay happily married to her, I’m pretty sure I know more about handling women than you do.”
“Whatever.” Aaron snorted.
Garret didn’t know shit. CeCe was nothing like Aaron’s sister. In fact, CeCe wasn’t like any female Aaron had come across ever in his life, and he didn’t mean that in a good way. She was scary.
The one thing he could say was that at least she’d become predictable in her unpredictability over the few days he’d known her. He’d seen her go from acting like a loving girlfriend to full-blown dominatrix in a matter of seconds. Now he was prepared.
He knew to expect the unexpected, and Aaron fully expected CeCe to be pissed at him.
The only question remaining was what she would do about it. He’d find out soon enough he supposed. As per Tom’s instructions, Aaron had to go out and face her, because for some reason, the head of the association had chosen him to be in charge of her this weekend.
Little did Tom or anyone else know that CeCe was most definitely the one in charge. The soreness Aaron felt was his constant reminder of exactly how much she’d been in charge of him last night.
He’d already prepped his rope. He’d checked the schedule and knew what section he was riding in. He’d put on his chaps, safety vest and spurs, so he was suited up and ready for the opening introductions. His riding glove and rope were out and ready for him to ride. He had no excuse to not go out there and face her and the consequences of what he’d done.
Aaron stood and sighed. “I guess I’ll go on out.”
“All right.” Garret stood and moved toward the door. “We still set to leave today after the competition?”
“Hell, yeah.” There was no way Aaron was sticking around for another night in CeCe’s suite. He looked inside his gear bag one more time to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything he’d need.
Garret hovered in the doorway. “You coming?”
“In a sec.”
“Okay. I’ll see you out there.” Garret left Aaron to himself.
Aaron felt in the pocket of his vest. Yup. His mouthguard was right there and ready for his ride in the second section, just like it had been last time he’d checked. Unable to think of anything else to do to procrastinate, he grabbed his rope and glove and, dragging his feet, headed out the door.
After hanging his rope on the rails, he climbed the stairs to the VIP seating like a condemned man ascending a scaffold, only there was no hangman and noose waiting for him at the top. Just CeCe and the glare she shot him. The woman could wound without bullets. All it took was a look.
“Hey, CeCe.” At his greeting, CeCe raised her brows high.
“Aaron. Well, isn’t this a surprise?” The sarcasm and anger were clear.
He glanced at Jill, who had the good sense to sit in the row behind CeCe and concentrate on her tablet. Aaron looked back to CeCe. There were too many people around and she was too volatile to have this discussion in public, but he had to apologize.
“I just wanted to say how sorry I am that I couldn’t stay last night.”
“Sorry to leave, were you?” She tipped her head to the side, her tone icy. “Then why did you?”
“I needed to get some sleep. The stock manager saves some of the rankest bulls for Championship Sunday.” He glanced around at the others nearby and kept his voice low when he said, “You know if I’d stayed, I wouldn’t have gotten any rest.”
It was an impossible position Tom had put him in. Straddling the fence, trying to keep CeCe happy while also trying to keep from getting too close to her was bound to get sticky.
Yup, this was just like sitting atop a picket fence. He was bound to get stuck in the ass.
That image was a bit too much of a reminder of the activities of last night. It sent a tremor through him that only grew stronger when CeCe ran one long polished fingernail down his arm.
“In that case, I guess I understand. You should have told me you were leaving.”
“You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn’t want to wake you up.”
“Leaving a note would have been nice.”
He hung his head. “You’re right. I should have. I apologize.”
“All right. I’ll forgive you. Of course, you know I won’t be able to let such a transgression pass without any consequences. You’ll have to be punished.” She said it with the sultry voice of a sex goddess, yet her words sent a cold chill of fear down his spine.
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t worry, lover. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the penance I’ll come up with for you tonight.”
He had to tell her there would be no tonight. And there sure as hell would be no punishment. He was sure he wouldn’t enjoy what she had in mind for him no matter what she said.
“Um, we’re heading out tonight. Garret and I are driving home right after the short go.” His truck was already packed with their stuff. They’d checked out of the hotel. There was no doubt in his mind. He was not spending ton
ight with CeCe.
“Who’s Garret?”
“My brother-in-law. He and my sister live in the same town that I do. I drove him here in my truck.”
“That’s perfect. He can drive your truck home while you come with me.”
“With you? Nah, I can’t do th—”
“It’s my understanding there’s no competition next weekend.” She cut his protest off before she asked, “Correct?”
“No, there’s not, but—”
“Then it’s settled. You’ll fly home with me in the jet.” She leaned close and pressed her mouth near his ear. “It’s a nice long flight to California. I’ll have all night to initiate you into the mile-high club. I can pick up a new toy for you at the store before we leave.”
That was not a good plan. So far, CeCe’s playthings had progressively gotten bigger and scarier. He didn’t even want to imagine what this new selection would be. There’d be no sneaking out on CeCe or escaping her new toy while thirty-thousand feet in the air on her jet.
As his blood ran cold, the lights dimmed and the music began pumping out of the sound system. “Shit. I gotta get down there for the opening.”
Smiling like a demon—the devil who wanted to own his soul—she nodded. “Hurry back.”
“A’ight.” He agreed to that demand, but the rest was an entirely different story.
For now, he had to get his head in the game. There was a rank bull on the roster for the second section with his name next to it. Sad to say, he was way more worried about facing CeCe tonight than that bull.
“Hey.” Chase came to stand next to Aaron as they all lined up for the rider introduction. After that would be the prayer and the singing of the National Anthem. Then he’d have to go back to CeCe instead of doing what he should, getting his head in the game for his ride.
Chase leaned in a bit. “Did you see? They swapped some of the bulls around. You’re up in the first section now instead of the second.”
Aaron’s attention whipped to Chase. “No. I didn’t see.”
His friend nodded. “Yup. You’re riding in the first five.”
“Thanks for telling me.” He couldn’t go anywhere after the opening. He had to be ready to ride or risk a fine or penalty. Even CeCe couldn’t argue with that. It was a totally legit reason.
Of course, CeCe didn’t always seem to respond to the logical or the rational. Besides, he’d still have to deal with her after his ride…and then after the event.
Crap. Damn, Tom Parsons.
Chapter Sixteen
“Next up, Aaron Jordan in the Cole Shock Absorbers chute aboard Willy Wonka. Jordan’s teetering on the edge of the top ten in the rankings this event. He needs to make this ride.”
“You’re right, JW. Jordan could sure use those bonus points from today’s short go.”
“Of course, Jim, he’ll have to ride Willy Wonka to get to the championship round, and this bull is two and ten in this series.”
“No doubt about it, JW, this is one rank bull. We’ve come to expect some good buckers from the Davis pens, and this one doesn’t disappoint.”
Aaron listened to the announcer’s chatter as he wrapped the end of the bull rope around his gloved hand.
The bull stood calmly beneath him, but Aaron wasn’t deceived. The minute the gate opened, he’d kick into action. He knew this animal. He’d seen him buck off ten of his friends.
Hell, he’d fed and watered this damn bull when he and Garret had been helping Riley Davis at her place after her father’s death. But none of that was going to do him any good now. The announcers were correct. Butch Davis had raised good bulls, and Riley hadn’t let the business slip even a little after his death.
Once that gate opened, Willy Wonka’s sole goal was going to be knocking Aaron off his back. Just as Aaron’s only goal was to hang on, at least for eight seconds. It didn’t even have to be pretty. He didn’t need a ninety-point ride to qualify for the short go, but he did need a qualified ride and whatever points came with it, no matter how shitty his score.
Aaron pounded his gloved fingers closed around the rope. Flipping the legs of his chaps out of the way with his free hand, he moved his feet back and forth, checking if his spurs were clear of the rope. His mouthguard was in. He was as ready as he was going to get.
“Let’s see if Jordan is sticky enough to join the elite club of only two riders to make it to the whistle aboard this bull. And there’s the nod.”
Aaron stopped paying attention to the announcers’ banter as he nodded to the gateman. With one yank of the attached rope, the metal gate swung wide. It landed with a crash against the rails.
At that cue, the bull burst out of the chute and turned into a spin against Aaron’s riding hand. Each powerful leap into the air followed by the crashing of almost a ton of bull back down to the ground jarred Aaron to the bones. He felt himself slipping, losing his seat. He could have jumped off safely on the outside of the spin, but if he held on for just a few seconds longer, he could make this ride.
It wouldn’t be pretty, but if the rope remained in his hand and no part of his body touched the ground, it would count.
He was hanging way off one side of the bull on the inside of the spin. The animal snapped, changing direction. The quick action sent Aaron flying. He saw the ground rushing toward his face. He landed hard with the wind knocked out of him.
Riley’s bulls were professional athletes. The animal had no interest in Aaron once he was on the ground, which was a good thing, because Aaron needed a few moments to get his wind back. His wrist hurt where he’d landed on it. His knee felt like it was on fire where it had slammed into the ground. God only knew what else would start to hurt once the adrenaline fled. Then the soreness would begin to creep in. Tomorrow morning, he’d be stiff and achy.
The worst part was he’d heard the eight-second buzzer sound from where he lay in the dirt. There was no chance he’d made the ride and chances were he wouldn’t qualify for the top ten riders who got to be in the short go.
Wade came over. From his position on the ground, Aaron got a good look at the bull fighter’s sneakers before the man squatted down and knocked his cowboy hat back. “You a’ight?”
“Yeah. Fine.”
“You sure? Nothing broken?”
“I’m sure. Just the wind knocked out of me.”
“Good.” He nodded. “So you planning on getting up any time soon or should I call for some tea and crumpets to be delivered to you right here?”
“Ha, ha. I’m getting up.” Aaron let out a sigh and sat up. “Frigging bull. I bet Butch Davis is looking down from heaven and laughing right about now.”
“Probably. But that bull did you a favor reversing and launching you off like that, rather than dumping you inside the spin. Another good thing—your spectacular dismount will be one hell of a highlight on YouTube.” The man grinned as he extended a hand and hoisted Aaron to his feet.
“Yeah, thanks.” Aaron knew everything the man said was true. The way things were going before the reversal, he would have been under the bull getting trampled. And yeah, a buck-off this showy would be all over the web. Nothing he could do about it.
“Anytime. Here. Don’t forget your rope.” Wade thrust his bull rope at him.
“Thanks.” Aaron took it and then limped to the out gate.
“Hell of a ride, kid.” Mustang grinned from where he stood watching the action.
“Thanks.” Aaron glanced past Mustang and got a look at the VIP section. His head had been so completely on the ride, he’d forgotten about CeCe for a moment. He remembered now though. “Ah, shit.”
“What?” Mustang asked.
“I’d forgotten about her.”
Mustang turned to glance at CeCe before Aaron could warn him not to. “Ah, your…uh girl.” He stressed the last word, probably because it was more than obvious CeCe h
ad passed the age where she could be called a girl a few decades ago.
She caught his eye and leaned over the rail. “Are you done riding now?”
“Yeah.” Christ. Wasn’t it bad enough he’d bucked off so badly he fully expected it to be featured all over the damn television and the internet as the wreck of the night? Now he had to deal with her crazy stalker ass too?
Mustang watched the situation with interest.
Aaron sighed. “I can’t get away from her. She wants me next to her all the time and now she wants me to go home with her to California.”
“Well, you took a hell of a fall out there. I’d think something like that would warrant a visit to sports medicine. And you know, if you maybe had a real painful groin pull from that wreck, that would put you out of commission for a good long time.”
Aaron frowned. “I didn’t pull my groin. I hit my knee.”
Mustang raised a brow, waiting. It took a second, but Aaron’s scrambled brain finally caught on. “Oh. You mean fake the injury?”
“Now you’re thinking. Sometimes in these situations, a lie can be the kindest thing. You don’t want to hurt her feelings and tell her you’re not interested, but you don’t want to be with her anymore either, am I right?”
“It’s just that she and I have nothing in common. She’s way too clingy. She wants to be serious, and I don’t. And if this goes on any longer, she’s going to get more attached and then get hurt when I end it.” Guilt made Aaron feel the need to explain.
“I was looking for a simple yes or no, not a song and dance. Do you want to be with this woman or not?” Mustang cocked a brow.
Like it or not, the answer was clear in Aaron’s mind. “No.”
“Then I say you limp on over there and tell her you need to see the doc. Then don’t come back out. The guards won’t let her into the medical room, even with that VIP pass she’s wearing.” Mustang was right…and brilliant in Aaron’s opinion.
“Mustang, you might have saved my ass.” Little did his fellow rider know that Aaron meant that literally.
Chapter Seventeen