“Well, then you better break out your brass knuckles, because I’m not changing,” I roll my eyes and continue down the hallway with a little extra sway in my step since I can feel his eyes on my ass.
“Are we taking my Jeep or the truck?” I shout back at Wes over my shoulder as I make my way down the stairs.
“The Jeep,” he grumbles from behind me.
I hop off the last step, turn around, pull my keys out of my pocket, and toss them to him. Of course, he catches them midair. “Look, I thought you would like my outfit. If you really want me to go and change my shorts, I will.”
He walks toward me, stopping inches short of my chest. His strong hands wrap around my waist. “I’m sorry. I really like your outfit, and you do look amazing,” he says, lifting an eyebrow. “Don’t change. Let’s go have some fun,” he whispers, barely grazing his lips against mine.
Once in the Jeep, I turn the radio on as Wes heads out into the field toward the bonfire. Jason Aldean’s When She Says Baby blares through the speakers. My head bobs in time with the beat. Wes’ hand finds the top of my thigh, squeezing it as he sings along with the chorus in his smooth voice.
I turn down the music as I look over at him. “I’ll save you every time, Baby, just like you’ve saved me.” Loud music and the orange flickering flames from the bonfire come into view. I unbuckle my seat belt and jump out of the Jeep as it rolls to a stop. Wes follows right behind me, meeting me on the passenger side. “Holy shit! It’s Wes and the birthday girl!” Reid shouts to everyone as he makes his way toward us. With his arms wide open, he throws them around me in a hug as he lifts me off the ground. “Happy Birthday, Kenleigh.”
“Thanks, Reid,” I reply, kissing his cheek as he puts me back on my feet. He and Wes exchange a man hug as they say hey to each other. The more I look around, the more I notice there is a shit load of people here. People I’ve never seen before at any other bonfire they’ve had.
Chills race down my spine as I hear Leslie’s shrill voice calling Wes’ name. Immediately, I step in front of him. He wraps his arms around my middle, and I lean back against him. Her eyes stay solely focused on my boyfriend before they fall to rest on me. A sneer marks her already fake features, as she looks me up and down.
“Leslie,” he says politely, squeezing me to him.
“What is this?” She points at me.
“This? I’m Kenleigh. His girlfriend.” I answer for him, and stick my hand out to introduce myself. I don’t expect her to return the gesture. “And you must be the ex,” I say with a smile. My tone is cocky, just as I intended it to be.
“When you want a real woman, you know where to find me,” she scoffs, turns on her heel, and storms away.
“Y’all want something to drink?” Reid asks, acting as if nothing just happened.
“Yeah, I’ll take a beer,” I reply.
“You sure, Babe?” Wes asks against my ear. I nod. “I’ll just take a water,” he answers.
“One beer and one water, coming up.” Reid turns around and leaves to get our drinks.
I can’t help but laugh at her dramatics. Shaking my head, I ask, because I have to know. “You actually liked her?”
I can feel the rise and fall of Wes’ shoulders as he shrugs. “I was a teenage boy.”
“Ahh… So she was an easy lay?”
“I’m not proud of it,” he answers quietly.
His response prompts me to turn around in his arms. “I’m not judging you. You’re not that guy anymore. People can change. From what you’ve told me about your past, I can see that you have.”
“So, a beer, huh?” He deflects the topic from him to me.
Now it’s my turn to shrug. “I had a beer at the last bonfire you took me to right before camp started. I drink sometimes. Not often, but sometimes. I’ve only been drunk once, and let me just say, it’s nothing I want to repeat again. Normally, if I do drink, it’s only two or three.”
“I’m not judging you.” He grins as he throws my words back at me.
Playfully I slap his shoulder. “Smartass.” I chuckle.
“Here y’all go,” Reid says from behind us. He hands Wes a bottle of water and me a bottle of Miller Light. “I’m gonna go. You know, leave you two to whatever it is you do,” he says, slowly backing away.
I lift the bottle to him before I take a swig of the beer. The crisp flavor swirls in my mouth, making me sigh in relief as I swallow.
“Wanna dance?” Wes asks against the shell of my ear. Tingles race down my spine and an unexpected shiver takes hold of my body when his warm breath fans across my ear and down my neck. When I nod, he takes my hand and leads me toward the back of Reid’s truck. Wes steps behind me and lifts me up on the tailgate. With no effort required from him, he jumps up into the bed of the lifted truck.
“Are we gonna dance in the bed of a truck?” I ask curiously.
“Yep.” He spins me around, pulling my back to his front as Tell Me How You Like It by Florida Georgia Line blasts through the speakers hooked up all around the bonfire. Wes’ hands slide down my ribs and come to a rest on my hips. Slowly, I begin to sway in time with the music, enjoying the solid wall of Wes behind me, and the feeling of being free. The rhythm to which we dance is erotic, to say the least. I feel the bulge in Wes’ pants begin to swell and rub against my ass as my hips move from side to side. “Keep doing that, and I’m going to show how I like it,” Wes whispers against my neck as he peppers kisses against my heated skin. My eyes flutter close as my head tilts further to the side. “I really love you in these shorts,” he murmurs, flicking his tongue against the spot behind my ear that drives me crazy. A moan escapes me as his amazing lips continue their sensual assault on my neck. A breeze tickles my skin as Wes’ hand slips beneath my shirt. His rough, calloused fingers skim against my stomach. “I love you,” he whispers against my ear.
My hand lifts and wraps around the back of his neck, bringing his face to mine. Slowly, my lids flutter open as I stare into his lust filled eyes. The sound of the music, people laughing, and talking fades out around us. It’s just him and me in our own little world. “I love you, too. More than you can ever imagine.”
“That’s good to know,” he murmurs as he takes my lips with his. Our teeth clash, and our tongues dance to their own tempo as I turn around in his arms, trying to get as close to him as humanly possible without climbing into his skin. We break apart, our breathing erratic. “If we don’t stop right now, I’m gonna throw you over my shoulder, and take you somewhere a little more private so I can have my way with you,” he groans before kissing me once more. As promising as that sounds, I’d like to enjoy this party a little longer.
“You’re right.” I step out of his embrace. We walk to the edge of the tailgate. Wes jumps down before he helps me off.
Now on solid ground, he gives me another kiss. “I’m gonna go and hang out with some of the boys. If you need anything, come find me, okay?”
“All right. I’m gonna see if I can find Jackie. We were supposed to talk yesterday, but with everything going on, it didn’t happen.”
“Well, like I said, come find me if you need anything,” he reiterates with a pointed look that causes me to laugh.
I playfully shove him in the direction of the fire where a group of guys stands, urging him to go and have fun. I take a deep breath before scanning the crowd to look for Jackie. Her long blonde locks are what I spot first. Jackie’s head tips back in laughter as she talks to Sarah, Liam, and Brantley on the other side of the fire. Her hair holds an orange, reddish tint as the fire reflects off her hair. People swarm around the bonfire, making it difficult for me to get through. I shove my way through the throngs of drunken idiots. I brush spilt alcohol off my shirt and arms as I approach them. “Hey, guys.”
“Hey.” They greet back, in unison.
“What happened to your shirt?” Brantley asks.
“You know, a little spilt beer, and who knows what else.” I sigh before I look at Jackie. “Can we talk,
please?”
She nods to an empty spot. Just as I go to follow behind her, a hand wraps around my arm. I look over my shoulder to see who it is. “She really is sorry,” Brantley says quietly.
“I know.” The smile I give him is full of reassurance, and I know he can tell because he nods at me as he releases my elbow.
Only a few feet away, I reach Jackie who now stands off to the side of the crowd. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk yesterday.”
“It’s fine. I know it was a busy day for you.” She meets my eyes, dismissing my apology.
I wave my hand between us. “Look, I don’t like this not talking with you. I miss the friend I met last summer. We got along really well. At least, I thought we did.”
“We did. And I miss our friendship, too. I let my jealousy get in the way. At first, I thought this thing between you and Wes was just a fling, but I was wrong. I see it now. He’s in love with you, and you love him. Everyone can see it.” She shakes her head as she rakes her fingers through her hair. “I was wrong to have treated you the way I did. I should have never asked you to give up your relationship with him for me.”
“You love him, don’t you?” I softly ask. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. Maybe it was because he wasn’t here last summer, but the way she used to go on and on about him should have been my first clue.
“I thought I did. I thought, ever since that summer we shared together, that I was something special to him, but he never once looked at me the way he looks at you. For so long, I wanted what you have. And I wanted that to be with him.”
I am speechless at her confession. Never would I have guessed that she was really in that deep with Wes. I want to apologize, but I’m not sorry for loving him, or that he and I love each other; it’s something I will not apologize for.
“I’m sorry for how he treated you. I want you to know that, but I won’t apologize for me and him being in love.”
“I know. I know. He apologized to me the other day, and in a way, I think it helped. In all seriousness, Kenleigh, I really do wish the best for the both of you.” Sincerity is laced in every word of her apology.
Immediately, my arms wrap around her shoulders as I pull her into a hug. “Are we good now?”
She chuckles against my shoulder, patting my back. “Of course.” I release her with a nod and a smile. “Well, I’m gonna get back over there.” She nods and points in Sarah, Liam, and Brantley’s direction.
I watch her slip further and further away as I stand here thinking. That conversation went a lot better than it could have. Elation rushes through me as I think about how I may finally have my friend back. When I said that I missed our friendship, that was true, I do. “I told you.” Brantley’s voice startles me, causing me to jump. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he offers in apology as he laughs at me.
“I know, and I believe her. I guess I understand her reasoning. I’m not making any excuses for her, but if someone treated me like she was treated, I can kind of understand.”
“No, you can’t. You’re nothing like her. You wouldn’t allow yourself to be treated like that.”
He’s right. I’m not the kind of person to let someone use me, not even Wes, no matter how much I love him.
“I hope that she finds somebody that will love her as much as she loves them.” And that’s when I notice it. Brantley’s gaze is fixated on Jackie.
“She would, if she’d just open her eyes,” he says under his breath. Slowly, his gaze turns to me and his eyes go wide as he realizes he just said that aloud. “Don’t say anything.”
“Your secret’s safe with me. But if you want some friendly advice, you should tell her sooner rather than later. You are a great catch. She’d be lucky to have you.”
“I’ll think about it.” He sighs, smoothing his hand over his bald head.
The roar of the crowd echoes throughout the arena as we all walk past the large, sliding, metal doors. Bleachers surround the circular iron gates that separate the spectators from the bull riders. Multicolored writing highlights the endorsers’ names painted on the gates where the bulls and their riders will burst through. Large, aluminum lights hang like pendulums swaying in the gentle breeze that flows through Stampede Stadium. The dirt under my brown cowboy boots blows like dust in the wind with every step I take. Sweat beads on the back of my neck and slowly starts to trickle down my spine, causing my red, brown, and grey plaid shirt to stick to my skin. Cowboy hats of all different colors, shapes, and sizes surround us, but the only cowboy I care about is the one standing next to me, holding me close. One of his hands holds mine while the other holds onto his vest.
Brown leather chaps worn over his jeans mold to his form, and my mouth salivates at the sight of him. Wes’ red, long sleeved shirt fits snugly across his shoulders, and I can’t help but remember holding onto those shoulders as we made love in the loft of the barn last night and into this morning. I’m sure that if I pulled the collar of his shirt back and took a peek, there would be red streaks where I scratched at him. My favorite part of what he’s wearing sits on top of that gorgeous, blond hair, a black, fitted, suede cowboy hat, and a thin, black band wrapping around it.
“This way, y’all.” Wes directs us around the crowd to where the other bull riders are lining up.
Sarah, Jackie, Liam, and Brantley follow dutifully behind us as Wes leads the way. I jump at the loud, male voice that booms through the speakers. “Do we have a show in store for y’all tonight!” The crowd cheers loudly, and the ground rumbles beneath my boots as the patrons stomp their feet on the metal bleachers.
On my birthday, Wes received a call from his manager to let him know that there was a bull riding, charity event this weekend in San Antonio. Once he knew what the event was for, Wes was on board. As we drove to the rodeo, he told me the event was at Stampede Stadium, and that all of the proceeds were going to No Kid Hungry, a cause established to fight childhood hunger in America. I already knew that Wes was a good guy, but I can’t lie and say that I didn’t fall a little more in love with him at that moment.
“Now! As you all know, this is a charity event for No Kid Hungry. One out of five kids in America is suffering from hunger every day. These children are our future! Our hopes and dreams for this country rest on them! So let’s be supportive, open your billfolds, wallets, purses, whatever you wanna call it, and donate. Let’s fix this problem! Let’s feed the youth of America!” The announcer’s shout through the microphone creates an energy so palpable within the arena that you can feel it.
The deafening sound of the crowd’s cheers holds me captive. I’m so enraptured by the scene around me that I stumble into the back of Wes. My face meets his back, and I can feel the vibrations of his chuckles beneath my cheek. Looking back at me over his shoulder, he yells, “You all right, Babe?”
A crimson blush spread across my face as I peer up at him. “Yeah! Sorry! I wasn’t paying attention!”
“Here, would you hold this?” He turns around and hands me his vest. I don’t know what I was thinking, but as soon as he placed it in my grasp, I expected my arm to fall off from the heaviness, but no, it’s light in weight. Automatically, concern strikes me as I think back to his story about his friend Blaine.
Crooking my finger so he’ll lean in, I ask in his ear, “Are you sure this is going to protect you?”
A wide smile spreads from ear to ear. “Is someone worried about me?”
“It’s not a joke. And of course, I’m worried about you. How could I not be? This thing,” I sweep my hand up and down the vest, “doesn’t seem like much. I mean, hell, it seems to weigh practically nothing.”
“Babe, I assure you, my vest is one of the best. It’s ten times stronger than steel and made completely from ballistic material.”
With my wide-eyed expression, I urge him to continue. He should know that I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about. He chuckles. “It’s a woven nylon material that has Kevlar in it. I assu
re you, I’m safe.”
At that moment, I realize he doesn’t have a helmet. “Where’s your helmet?” I ask as the panic starts to take over. What happens if he bucked off, and the bull lands on his head with his feet? What happens if he falls off and lands on his head? The impact alone could cause a serious injury. So many different scenarios play out in my head, and none of them ends without him getting hurt.
A hand touches my shoulder and squeezes. I look back and see an amused Brantley smiling back at me. “Kenleigh, he’s been doing this for years. He’s good.”
“I don’t give a flying flip how good he is. He can still get hurt,” I snap as I look between Brantley and Wes.
Wes wraps his arms around my waist, holding me close to him. I lay my head against his chest, and the sound of his heartbeat starts to calm my frantic nerves. I don’t want to think of something horrible happening to him, but I know he’s going to be on the back of a two thousand plus pound beast, and that scares the shit out of me. My eyes flutter closed when Wes murmurs against my ear. “Everything is going to be fine. I know you’re worried, but trust me. Okay?” With his thumb and forefinger, he grasps my chin and tilts my head up to meet his eyes. He leans in and brushes his lips against mine. “Now, give your man another kiss.” And I do. I kiss him like there’s no tomorrow. When he pulls back, I feel a lot calmer than I did five minutes ago. “Help me, please?” My grip on the vest tightens as he pulls open the Velcro straps that stretch around the ribs, connecting the front to the back. I hold it up as high as possible while Wes removes his hat. After he slips the vest on, I watch as Wes begins to re-secure the straps.
I bat his hands out of the way. “Let me?” He nods, grabs his hat, and puts it back on. I pull as tight as possible, probably tighter than I should have, re-securing the straps. As soon as I’m finished, I look up to see an amused look and arched eyebrow on his face. I shrug my shoulders. If he’s looking for an apology about the straps being too tight, well, he can keep waiting.
Serenity Falls Page 25