Bullwhipped (A Cowboy Romance)

by Danica Chandler

  Hanging up the phone, he pulled his jeans and black shirt back on and met Sammy outside. The air was cool and they walked to the nearby bar, just a few hundred yards away. It was after midnight and the crowd was thin, but Cale was only there to get a drink and leave. Moving to the bar, he ordered a whiskey and kept his eyes forward, looking at himself in the wavy mirror, presenting a disoriented view of himself. Maybe if he were drunk it’d look normal.

  “So you still seeing that chick you were with back in Denton?” Sammy asked as he drank down almost half of his beer in one pull. “Seems you and me haven’t really talked much.”

  The clack of pool balls echoed behind them, followed by a country song on the jukebox. Cale sipped the booze, taking his time with it. Would Olivia have liked to come too? He wanted to text her, but resisted it. “Yeah. I took her out to the ranch earlier tonight.”

  “Back for repeat performances with her, huh?” Sammy laughed and ordered another beer. “You must really like her. That’s not normal for you.”

  “You want another?” the bartender asked, grabbing the bottle of whiskey.

  Holding his hand up, Cale waved it off. “I’m good, thanks.”

  “And stopping after one drink? She’s got you whipped and you don’t even know it, bud.” Sammy clapped his hand on Cale’s shoulder blade. “What’s so special about this one?”

  Cale stared at the mirror again. It was a good question, and he couldn’t even put the answer into words. He had told her he loved her, but Sammy didn’t have to know that detail. He’d never hear the end of it.

  Glancing at his watch, Cale slid off of the barstool. “As much as I’d love to sit around and chit chat like a couple of old women, I need to hit the sack.”

  “The night’s still young, Cale.”

  “And you seem to forget we’re in Killeen, Sammy.”

  “You’re an adult Cale. Don’t let your daddy get under your skin.”

  Cale tossed some money on the bar, well over enough to cover his drink and several for Sammy. “See you in the morning.”

  He walked toward the door, his head pounding from the loud music, his mind on so many things, and the voice at the far table made him jump.

  “Cale Warren.”

  He turned, recognizing the man whose posture was slumped, his eyes glaring at him like Cale had just run over his dog. “Yeah?”

  “Have a seat. I’ve gotta talk to you about something.”

  Cale hesitated for a second. The last thing he needed was getting into it with someone, but it hit him that it was Oscar. He owed the man a conversation, though he had no clue where this was going to go. Sitting down across from him, he clasped his hands in front of him on the table and waited.

  “Why are you messing with my sister?”

  “I’m not messing with her, Oscar.”

  “Your reputation precedes you. For the life of me I can’t understand why you’d want to hurt a girl like Olivia. She’s good people. All she wants is to make enough for a horse riding school. We don’t need you coming around shaking things up.”

  Olivia wanted to start a horse riding school? It fit her and Cale loved her future plans. “Who says I’m going to hurt her?”

  “I know how you are. And by God, if you do anything to hurt her, I’ll make sure to kick your ass myself.” Oscar’s expression was cold and his jaw was clenched.

  “If I hurt her I’ll kick my own ass, Oscar.” Cale kept his voice low, hoping he’d have the control to never do anything to harm her. “Listen, I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, but you’ve got it all wrong.”

  “Do I?” Oscar patted his chest. “I wanted to be you, Cale. I tried so hard to become a bull rider and I just couldn’t hack it. Now I see you, your arrogance, your flashy smile, and your reputation as a love them and leave them kind of guy, come marching in and take a liking to my sister and I can’t sit by idle and let it happen. I might be a failure when it comes to rodeo, but I can’t fail her.”

  “Oscar, if I had a sister I’d probably feel the same way if a guy like me came around. I don’t know how I can convince you, but I mean it when I say I don’t want to hurt her. I care for her. I love her.” Holy shit did he just admit it to her brother? It was like someone else was controlling him.

  “You don’t love her, Warren.” Oscar slammed his hands down on the table, rattling the beer bottles to the floor. “You’re only capable of lust.” Standing up, Oscar towered over him, his fists balled. “Stand up and face me like a man, you son of a bitch!”

  Cale looked around the bar. They had grabbed the remaining people’s attention. Staying seated, he shook his head. “I’m not going to do that, Oscar.”

  The other man laughed out loud and motioned his hand down at him, acknowledging the crowd. “Can you believe this? Cale Warren, all time badass bull rider and womanizer is refusing a fight? All bark and no bite, huh? You bull riders are all a bunch of candy ass, no good pieces of shit.”

  Sammy stepped in, getting in Oscar’s face. “Say all that to me. Say it again!”

  Standing up, Cale moved in between Oscar and Sammy, keeping his eyes trained on Olivia’s brother and a hand against Sammy to hinder him from getting any closer. “Go sleep it off, Oscar. Olivia will need you tomorrow.”

  Oscar prodded his index finger into Cale’s chest so hard that it knocked him back. “Stay away from my sister. You can flash that smile all you want, but you’re not fooling me, Cale. You might be fooling Olivia, but I know who you are.” He got close enough to Cale that their noses were almost touching, and his breath reeked of stale beer. “Can’t even hit me. Come on, hit me.” He shoved Cale but he stood his ground, keeping his balance.

  “I’m not gonna hit you, Oscar. Go get some sleep.” Cale backed off, motioning toward the door as two other guys helped Oscar outside. Adjusting his shirt, he took a deep breath. He had to wonder when the stain of his womanizing reputation would fade away.

  “You could’ve taken him, Cale. You gonna let him talk to you that way? Who the hell is that guy anyway?” Sammy asked, taking several steps toward the door and then back.

  “Oscar Hayes. He’s the brother of the woman I’m falling in love with.”

  ***

  Olivia heard Oscar come in the room. He stumbled over something and crashed to the floor. Flicking on the light, she saw him sprawled out on the floor, drunk, and on the verge of puking everywhere. Helping him to a sitting position, she grabbed the nearest trashcan and held it near, hoping he’d hit it instead of making a mess on the floor.

  “What in the hell, Oscar?” It was rare for him to get drunk, and tonight of all nights just made everything worse. She needed rest for her ride tomorrow. Babysitting her brother was no way to get it.

  He swatted the trashcan away and leaned his head back against the wall, swiping some sweat away from his brow with the back of his hand. “I ran into Cale tonight.”

  “Where? At the bar?”

  Oscar nodded and closed his eyes. “He was there with that dumb ass friend of his.”

  Here it came – Oscar was going to lecture her about how he was a bar hopper and a drinker. “So?”

  “He loves you, Olivia.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I confronted him about everything. I antagonized him, pushed him around, chastised him in front of everyone and he didn’t even crack. I thought he would, at least, that’s what everyone has always said about him. But you know what he did?”

  “What did he do?” Olivia asked as her heart raced. Cale had said he loved her, but this was odd coming from Oscar.

  “Looked me straight in the eye and said he loved you, Olivia. Didn’t hit me. Didn’t act out in anger. He was very respectful and I was a complete asshole.”

  Shaking her head, she slid down against the wall until she sat next to him, her emotions getting the best of her. “I know he loves me.”

  “Do you love him?”

  Without hesitation, she replied, “Yes.”

  “Of all people
…”

  Olivia laughed and grabbed his hand, squeezing. “I know, Oscar. I guess we can’t help who we fall for.”

  He tried to get up, but his body crashed back to the floor. Smiling, he took a deep breath. “I’m gonna regret this in the morning.”

  “And I’m gonna make sure I get you up early to help me with Chance. Guess you better get some shut eye.”

  “I think the floor is looking mighty comfortable right about now.”

  Olivia had a hard time sleeping. Cale had told Oscar that he loved her, confirming he wasn’t just saying it in the heat of passion. Butterflies shot through her stomach and she couldn’t stop smiling. She wished he was lying next to her, their bodies intertwined, his warmth enveloping her like a blanket. Rolling over, she saw it was almost time to climb out of bed and get ready for the day.

  After a shower she made sure Oscar was up as well. Making a pot of coffee, she grabbed a donut from their stash of junk food and dragged Oscar out the door toward the stables. She was excited on so many different levels. Today was going to be a good ride - she could feel it. She’d use the momentum from her relationship with Cale and catapult her energy into winning the Killeen rodeo and pulling in the biggest check she’d have won in a long time.

  Grabbing her saddle, she slipped it on Chance and walked him out toward a field. The morning air was cool and his muscles would need to be warmed up and loose.

  “I mean it when I say you need to get women off your mind and think about the bull you drew for today, damn it!”

  Olivia’s attention diverted to the yelling. Cale was standing next to his truck, his father with him. Slowing her pace, she watched the argument unfold, though it was appearing as one sided.

  “You fall off and you’ll never amount to being a good rider. World champions don’t fall off, Cale. They don’t get involved with buckle bunnies. They focus on every damn ride.”

  Cale’s head was down, his posture slumped as his father laid into him. A chill shot through Olivia. The poor guy had been taking the abuse his whole life and all she wanted to do was protect him. Would going over to them make it worse? She felt like an innocent pawn watching a horrible scene unfold in front of her. Standing back, she made sure that Cale couldn’t see her. He was already embarrassed about the whole situation.

  “You fall off and you’re gonna get your ass kicked, Cale. You’ll get put in the hospital. And then what good are you?”

  “She’s not a buckle bunny, Dad.”

  Finally, he spoke up for himself. It was strange to see him clam up when it came to his father.

  “She’s a woman, isn’t she?”

  “I don’t have to justify any relationship to you. I gotta get going.” Cale stepped away from his dad, still keeping his head down.

  “Eight seconds, Cale. Eight seconds and a check or a lifetime of misery with a woman. You choose.”

  Cale didn’t acknowledge him and walked toward the stables. Olivia hurried back to the stall and grabbed a brush, pretending like she didn’t hear anything. Whistling, she ran it through Chance’s mane.

  “Hey Livie.”

  Turning, she glanced at Cale over her shoulder. “Hey Cale! Ready for today?”

  He took another brush from the shelf and brushed Chance. “I guess as best as can be expected. I’ve always hated this damn rodeo.”

  She didn’t have to ask. She knew exactly why. “It’ll be over before you know it and you’ll be on the road to the next one.”

  “Yeah.” Tossing the brush aside, he slipped his hand around her waist, pinning her against the wall. “I couldn’t sleep last night, Livie. Whiskey didn’t even relax me.”

  “I couldn’t either, Cale.”

  “What do you say we start traveling together?”

  His suggestion surprised her, but it wasn’t a bad thing. “I’d like that. I just have to think about Oscar, you know?”

  “Yeah, I get it. I can’t just leave Sammy high and dry either.” Smiling, he skimmed his lips over hers as his thick eyebrows danced. “You have to admit, it sounds pretty damn good though, yeah?”

  “Yeah, it does. It’s not out of the question. We just have a few things to smooth out first.” She ran her hand through his hair, tangling her fingers in the thickness of it. “Oscar says he ran into you last night. Said y’all had quite the encounter.”

  Cale rested his forehead on hers, his green eyes set on hers. “We did. He was about ready to castrate me.”

  Olivia slipped her hand below his belt, cupping him against his jeans. “We couldn’t have that. Glad he came to his senses.”

  He shivered from her touch and closed his eyes. “You better put a handle on that. Save it for our celebration later.”

  “Celebration?”

  Speaking between shallow breaths, Cale opened his eyes again. “I’ll make eight and you’ll break your own record. And we’ll figure out a way to go on the road together. It’ll all be perfect.”

  “You’ve got this all figured out, don’t you?” Olivia asked as she bit his bottom lip.

  “Just wait. You think last night in the barn was kinky, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” His expression was sexy and full of desire, and if they didn’t have a rodeo starting soon, she’d take him up on his offer right then and there.

  “I can’t wait, Cale.”

  Kissing her, he pulled away and backed up, his broad smile melting her heart. “Good luck today, Livie. I’ll meet you at your motel room after.”

  “Good luck, Cale. See you in a little bit.” Her heart fluttered, admiring him as he turned and left her alone with Chance. As if the channels were being changed in her mind, she focused on her ride. She had to clear all three barrels and put in a good time to be a contender. Grabbing the reins, she guided Chance out, mentally preparing herself.

  Chapter Nine

  Cale paced down by the chutes. Olivia had a good ride, putting her in third place for the first round. He envied how well she could handle a horse, but admired the beauty behind the work she put in. Looking up in the stands, he saw his father front and center, his arms folded over his chest as they transitioned to bull riding. The pressure was thick and Cale felt the nausea creep up. Stepping away from the crowd of cowboys, he found a trash can and hurled what little food he had in his system, dry heaving as the acid burned up his throat.

  “You okay, Cale?” Sammy approached him, his usual happy go lucky demeanor replaced with a deep concern. “It’s just like any other ride, bud. Pretend he’s not even up in the stands.”

  Aside from Olivia, Sammy was the only one who knew about his full history with his father. Cale swiped a bandana against his neck, blinking back his watery eyes as the crowd began to cheer at the announcement for the final event of the evening.

  “It’s not like any other ride, Sammy.” His voice was hoarse and he coughed to clear his throat. “There’s a lot more at stake.”

  “He can’t hurt you anymore, Cale. This is all you.”

  Cale bit his tongue, trying hard not to say something he’d regret. Sammy was only trying to be his friend, but the conversation about his dad was striking a nerve deep inside him. Maybe it was also the fact that Olivia was watching and he wanted to do well for her.

  “You just don’t get it, Sammy. We better get up there before we miss our call.”

  He tried to block out everything. The crowd was thick and though there was a ton of people, he was still able to pinpoint where his dad was and feel his sharp gaze burning a hole through him. His half ass attempt to ignore it wasn’t doing him any good, and just as he was about to climb on his bull, he tipped his hat toward his dad, making eye contact with him as he slid down.

  He gripped the rope, taking a deep breath. Eight seconds – he could do this. Nodding, the gate flew open and the world around him shook as the bull tried every attempt to get him off. To most, eight seconds was fast, but everything moved in slow motion. Cale remembered all of the fundamentals he was taught years ago. Balance, weight, and grip ran through his mi
nd as his body twisted and turned in every direction. He stood strong and the buzzer sounded.

  He dismounted quickly, releasing his death grip on the rope. Crashing to the dirt below, he shimmied to the edge of the arena and out of harm’s way, waving to the crowd as he hurried back to the crowd of cowboys preparing for the next ride. He didn’t look up at his dad. Even though he stayed on and was rewarded a score of eighty-six, he was certain his father was less than thrilled with his performance.

  “Way to go, Cale! First round in the books, bud.” Sammy patted him on the back and handed him his hat that he hadn’t even realized had flown off. “Smile. You drew a good bull and the judges gave you a damn good score. And don’t say a damn word about everything else. To hell with him!”

  Cale put his hand up and ducked away from everyone. He only had one thing on his mind. He wanted Olivia.

  He hurried back to the motel, avoiding the crowds of women at the rodeo gates. He had to beat his father back. Ridicule would ruin his mood, and Olivia didn’t deserve that. Approaching her room, he balled his fist to knock but the door swung open. Oscar stood on the other side, catching him off guard.

  “Cale.”

  “Hey, Oscar.”

  “Just get done with your ride?”

  “Yeah.”

  Nodding, Oscar leaned on the door. “I never do stay around for bull riding. Maybe I should see you ride sometime.”

  His attitude had done a complete one-eighty from the night at the bar. Maybe being drunk just made him mean. “I’d appreciate that,” Cale replied.

  “Listen, I’m sorry about last night. I had no right calling you out like that. Who am I to judge you? Olivia is happy. That’s what should matter.” Oscar extended his hand for Cale to shake, and he gripped his hand tight.

  “Thanks, Oscar. You’re just being a brother. I’d be the same way.”

  “Hey Cale!” Olivia pushed through the door and hugged him. “You did a good job tonight! I came back here as soon as you finished so you wouldn’t have to wait on me.”

  “Thanks, Livie. You did well too. I told you we’d both have a good day.”