“There. All done,” she said as she walked around to face him.
“Thanks, Misty.”
“You’re welcome, Dylan.”
They stood there in silence once more until Misty caught sight of Vance scanning the crowd looking for her.
“Well, I guess I better go,” she said, gesturing toward Vance. “Good luck to you,” she added.
“Thanks,” he replied as he watched her walk away. He sighed and turned to take his place in line.
“Oh and Dylan!”
He heard and turned to see Misty quickly walking back towards him.
“Try not to get yourself hurt. Ok?”
“I’ll do my best,” he assured her.
“Good.” She smiled at him and turned quickly to meet Vance, who was standing by the bleachers waiting for her with an impatient look on his face.
***
“You’re up next, cowboy,” one of the men in charge yelled to Dylan.
Dylan took his place next to the bucking chute and waited for his turn. The gate lifted and his wild horse came running into the enclosure. The men settled the horse and instructed Dylan to get on. The horse shifted uncomfortably as Dylan situated himself and made sure he had a good grip.
“You ready?” another man yelled.
Dylan adjusted his hat and placed one hand on the metal gate to brace himself.
He nodded his head and yelled, “Ok boys let’s go!”
The gate flew open and the wild bronco came tearing out of the bucking chute like a bat out of hell. It ran around the edge of the corral and made a sharp left turn. Dylan squeezed with his legs to get a better grip on the animal and tightened his hand around the rope. He leaned back as the horse began to buck and used his other arm to balance himself the best he could. The bronco made another sharp left turn and ran around the edge of the corral again. It stopped abruptly and starting bucking and spinning to the right.
Dylan held on for dear life as the animal tried its hardest to throw him off. At last the buzzer sounded and Dylan loosened his grip on the rope and waited for the right time to dismount. The bronco stopped bucking long enough for him to jump off. Dylan landed on his feet but quickly lost his balance and sank to his knees. Two riders came along side of the horse and guided it out of the corral. Dylan stood up and brushed the dirt off of his jeans. The crowd cheered and he waved as he walked toward the exit.
“Wow, what a ride ladies and gentleman! This young man is quite the rodeo cowboy. The judges have made their decision. Thirty five points for horse number twenty seven and forty five points for rider number fifteen, Dylan McCoy, a total score of eighty points!” the announcer stated.
Dylan walked through the exit gate and scanned the crowd looking for Misty. Had she seen his ride? He made his way through the sea of people and caught sight of Beth and Alan.
“Oh my gosh, Dylan!” Beth cried as she grabbed him and pulled him close to hug him.
Dylan staggered a little from being caught off guard but quickly balanced himself and returned Beth’s hug. She pulled back from him and then slapped his arm as hard as she could.
“What was that for?” he asked as he rubbed his arm.
“That is for scaring the crap out of me. I almost had a heart attack watching you ride that horse,” she told him.
A sly smile spread across his face. “So you watched, huh?”
“Yes,” she unwillingly admitted. “I couldn’t help myself. I had to watch to make sure you were ok.”
“And?” he prompted.
“And you did a good job,” she told him as she smiled.
“You did a real good job!” Alan chimed in. “That score is going to be pretty hard to beat. All these other fellas are having a hard time staying on.”
Dylan nodded and continued his search for Misty.
“What are you looking at, Dylan,” Beth asked as she too started scanning the crowd.
“Nothing. Let’s go watch the rest of the riders.”
They found an empty spot on the bleachers and settled in just in time for the last three cowboys to take their rides.
“Up next rider number nineteen, Vance Kinney, riding horse number fifty four,” the announcer stated over the loud speaker.
Dylan turned his attention toward the bucking chute. Vance was up and Dylan wanted to see if this guy had anything thing on him. Dylan watched as the wild black horse reared in the bucking chute. A grin tickled the outside corner of his mouth.
This outta be good, he thought to himself.
Vance finally settled himself on the wild horse and the bucking chute gate was flung open. Dylan watched as the horse ripped and reared and tried to fling its unwelcome rider off. Vance was doing a better job than Dylan had hoped. The horse spun to the left in a tight circle, bucking the whole time. A sudden turn of events and the horse quickly changed direction without missing a beat and sent Vance flying off landing face down in the dirt. A loud roar of ooh’s and gasps went through the crowd. Vance stood up and brushed the dirt from his face and clothing, mouthing expletives the whole way out of the corral. Dylan’s smile widened.
“And it’s a short ride for rider number nineteen ladies and gentlemen. This young man is not happy,” the announcer said. “The judges have made their decision and that’ll be forty five points for horse number fifty four and zero points for rider number nineteen, Vance Kinney, a total score of forty five. And there you have it ladies and gentlemen. The winner of today’s bronc ride is number fifteen, Dylan McCoy!”
“Good job, old man!” Alan congratulated Dylan with a slap on the back.
“Thanks,” he said with a big smile on his face and he headed toward the judges station to claim his prize.
“Nice ride, son,” a balding man said as he handed Dylan an envelope with the prize money in it.
“Thank you, sir.”
He turned to walk back to Beth and Alan. They would probably be ready to head home now that the main event had ended. Dylan had had no luck in spotting Misty since before his turn. He was hoping to run into her again and find out if she had seen his ride. As luck would have it there she was. She was standing by the corral fence, a slight breeze blowing her hair around her face. He watched as she brought one hand up, sliding her fingers tips across her forehead to move the hair behind her ear. She was so beautiful that it almost made his heart hurt. She moved her eyes toward his direction and smiled when she saw him. She waved delicately and he walked towards her.
“Congratulations,” she said. “That was some ride.”
He dipped his head a little, smiled and replied, “Oh you were watching?”
Of course she was watching. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him the whole time. She was nervous as she watched the horse buck and turn this way and that way, hoping and praying that he wouldn’t get hurt. But she was also hypnotized as she watched him. He seemed to have such control and rhythm with the animal. She could see the muscles in his arm and back tighten as he held his onto his grip. For a moment, she wondered what it would feel like to have his strong arms wrapped around her. The thought left her feeling a little breathless.
It’s just a man on a horse, she had to remind herself.
“Yes. You really seemed to know what you were doing out there,” she told him.
“Well thanks,” he said. “You know much about horses?” What a stupid question. He knew she had to know about horses. Hell she lived on a ranch for crying out loud.
“Sure do. I’ve been around them my whole life. I try to go riding as often as I can. I love it.”
“Good to know,” he said and smiled at her. He opened his mouth to continue talking only to be interrupted again by none other than Vance. Boy this guy had terrible timing. Vance came to stand next to Misty, wrapped his arm around her waist and stared at Dylan as if to say, “She’s mine back off.”
“Are you ready to go, Misty?” Vance asked, his cool eyes glaring at Dylan.
“Sure,” she replied softly and gave Dylan an apologetic look.
“See you later, Dylan, and congratulations again.”
“Thanks. See you later,” he managed to say before Vance led her away from him. It tore at his heart to watch her walk away with another man. He wanted to be the one who was walking with his arm around her waist. He needed to come up with a plan to get Vance out of the picture, and fast. He could tell that the guy was no good. If only he could find a way to make Misty realize without her getting hurt.
***
The sun was just beginning to set as Vance pulled his truck down the dirt lane leading to Misty’s house. The sky was a beautiful shade of pink mixed with a little bit of orange. Misty thought to herself that it was the perfect setting for the end of their date.
“Did you have a good time?” Vance asked.
“Yes, I had a very nice time. Thank you. I’m sorry you were thrown off that horse. I’m just glad you’re ok.” She looked over at him in the driver’s seat and saw his jaw clench. She knew he was very upset that he had lost the bronc ride but hoped that it wouldn’t ruin their first date.
“I’m glad you had fun,” he stated as he forced a smile.
“I did, and it was really nice seeing my old friends. I’ve been kind of lonely for the past month. Don’t get me wrong, my parents have been wonderful company and I’ve enjoyed every minute of being with them seeing as I haven’t exactly spent much time with them over the past ten years. But I was hoping to run into some old girl friends of mine so that I might start to have a little bit of a social life again.”
“Wish granted,” he said with a smirk. He pulled the truck up to the house and put it in park. “And what about me, Misty?” he said, turning towards her and smiling his boyishly charming smile.
“What about you?” she asked curiously but trying to sound flirty at the same time.
“Where do I fit into that new social life you are trying to have?”
She thought about it for a minute and replied, “Well, I had a nice time with you this afternoon; nice enough that I was hoping that you would maybe ask me out again.”
He seemed to ponder it for a moment and she all of a sudden became nervous. What if he didn’t have a good time? She hadn’t thought that far in advance before she asked him to ask her out again.
“I had a nice enough time too.” He chuckled. “And I was planning on asking you out again.” His smile was so dazzling and it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter like crazy. He opened his door and hopped out of the truck. He walked around the front and to her door, where he opened it and helped her out. They held hands as he escorted her to the porch, his fingers intertwining with hers. He slowed their pace as they got closer to the steps and stopped when they reached them. Using his other hand, he gently took hold of her shoulder and turned her to face him. He gazed at her, his steel gray eyes seeming to look straight through her. She lifted her chin and cocked her head to the side.
“If I didn’t know any better, Mr. Kinney, I would say that you are going to try to kiss me,” she said with a smirk.
His lips spread across his teeth into the most striking smile she had ever seen. He was so charming that it almost took her breath away. Carefully, he raised his hand to her face and his fingertips caressed her forehead as he brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His hand trailed down the side of her neck then down to the small of her back where it found its resting place. He removed his other hand from hers, tenderly cupped her cheek and leaned in toward her.
“Maybe I am,” he replied in a low husky whisper.
Her breath caught in her throat as he leaned in and let his lips gently brush against hers. She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck as the kiss continued. It had been so long since she had been kissed like this. As Vance’s lips caressed hers it sent shivers throughout her body, which seemed to automatically mold against his. His strong arms held her close the entire time. He began the kiss and he ended it. He pulled back from her to look her in the face. Her eyes were still closed when he tenderly stroked her cheek with his fingertips. She slowly opened her eyes, but the man standing before her wasn’t the one she imagined when her eyes were closed. She didn’t know why, but for some reason all she could think of was Dylan.
CHAPTER 10
Misty laid in her bed and stared at the sunrise through her bedroom window. She hadn’t slept a wink. Thoughts of a certain rodeo cowboy danced around in her mind all night long; thoughts of his deep blue eyes, his perfect smile, his golden delicious tan skin, and his strong muscular arms. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm the feelings that were stirring throughout her body.
“Boy, what a mess,” she said out loud to herself. Here she was, still married for crying out loud, and already she fancied two other men. She was certainly not prepared for this when she came knocking on her parent’s door a month ago. She had thought it would take months, if not years, before she even trusted another man. Yet here she was, practically dating one and fanaticizing about another.
A small voice inside her mind told her that she was moving too fast for a woman going through a divorce. She envisioned that little do-gooder cricket from that movie about the talking wooden puppet.
“Take your time,” he told her. “Wait till your divorce is final.”
She wanted to tell him to shut up, mind his own business and then squish him with her boot. But she knew deep down that he was right. She took in a deep breath and let it out in one long string of air. She flung the covers back, hopped out of bed, and stretched. She grabbed a pair of jeans, a navy blue tank top, her bra, and a pair of underwear and headed off to the shower.
***
“Good morning, sweetie,” Maggie said cheerily as the sleepy eyed Misty walked into the kitchen.
“Morning, Mom,” Misty replied with a yawn. She grabbed a piece of bacon from the plate on the counter and sat down at the kitchen table. She rested her elbow on the edge of the table and propped her head up on her hand. She nibbled on the piece of bacon as Maggie bustled about the kitchen.
“Why are you so tired?” Maggie asked as she eyed Misty.
“Couldn’t sleep,” Misty replied with another yawn.
“Ah,” Maggie said, smiling and dragging the word out. “Up late dreaming about Vance?” she teased.
Misty smiled a little bit at her mother’s teasing and thought, No, I was up all night dreaming about how gorgeous my best friend’s older brother is, and how hot his tight little butt looked in his Wrangler jeans. She could feel her cheeks growing warm as the thoughts from last night raced through her mind again. Maggie took this response as her admittance to thinking about Vance all night long.
“He’s quite a handsome young man,” Maggie said.
“Yes he is,” Misty agreed.
“You two planning on going out again?” Maggie asked as she fried up some eggs.
“Yes, I believe we are. He said last night that he’d like to go out again,” Misty told her.
“Well that’s nice, sweetie. I’m happy that you’re happy,” Maggie told her with a smile.
“Thanks, Mom,” Misty replied. Was she happy though? All of a sudden she wasn’t quite sure. She had had a wonderful time with Vance at the carnival. He was such a gentleman the entire time; opening doors, and ordering her food. She thought it was sweet the way he always kept his arm around her. And it made her feel nice the way he got protective of her when Dylan was around. And the way he kissed her at the end of their date; he was so sweet and tender. Why wouldn’t all that make her happy?
“That being said, Mis,” her mother said, bringing her attention back to the present. “Maybe it’s a good idea to wait till your divorce is finalized before you go getting serious with anyone.”
“I know, Mom,” she replied as she stood up to make herself a plate of breakfast. One little piece of bacon would not hold her over till lunchtime. She grabbed two more pieces of bacon, a piece of sausage, one fried egg, and a homemade biscuit. She sat back down at the table and proceeded to eat. Maggie poured them each a c
up of coffee and joined Misty at the table.
“Have you heard any more from your lawyer?” Maggie asked as she took a sip of the piping hot coffee.
“Nope,” Misty replied as she buttered her biscuit. “The last time I spoke to him he said it would take him a few weeks to get the papers drawn up. He said that it should be pretty quick and easy once he gets them done; seeing as Brad and I don’t have children and I don’t want anything from him in the form of a settlement or anything. He said he’d call with a court date when everything was ready to be finalized. Brad and I will go in, sign the papers and be done with each other forever.”
Maggie placed a reassuring hand over her daughter’s and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I know it’s rough right now, but you did the right thing, Mis.”
“I know, Mom. It’s just hard to believe that this is the way my life turned out. I never thought I’d be twenty eight years old, childless, and divorced.”
“You’re still young, sweetie. There’s plenty of time for all of that.” Maggie, seeing the look of depression spread across Misty’s face, decided to change the subject. “So, you never did tell me how the rest of the carnival was.”
Misty looked to Maggie and smiled. She knew what she was doing and was thankful for the topic change. “It was really nice. I had a fun time.”
“What all did you do?”
“Well,” Misty said, swallowing the piece of sausage she had just placed in her mouth. “We walked around mostly. We did ride the Ferris wheel and Vance entered the bucking bronco contest.”
“Oh? How did that go?” Maggie asked while cutting into her egg.
“Not so good.” Misty giggled. “He got thrown off about four seconds in; landed face down in the dirt.”
“Oh my.” Maggie laughed in return. “Well, I’m glad he didn’t get hurt.”
“Yeah me too. Oh, and I saw Beth McCoy,” Misty added excitedly.
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