Cowboy’s face lit up. “You wanna see me ride?” I nodded. “Then count me the fuck in.” He stretched his arms and cricked his head. “It’ll be good to get a hard workout.”
Cowboy sat on the fence of the training ring while I practiced hurtling around the barrels. The sun burned hot on my neck as the hours passed, as I pushed Sandy, cutting in and out of the barrels, galloping to the finish line. “Seventeen seconds,” Cowboy shouted as we crossed the line for the hundredth time. I pulled Sandy to a halt. Not the best times I’d ever had, but it was enough for today.
I walked Sandy past Cowboy. His arms were bare, his thin plaid shirt torn off at the sleeves. “Ready to sweat?”
Cowboy lifted his Stetson, combed through his hair with his fingers, and asked, “Are we talking about saddle-broncing Pepper here? Because I really fucking hope we’re talking about something different.”
I rolled my eyes. “Do you ever think of anything else?”
“Around you?” He smiled. A real fucking wide smile. “Not a damn chance.”
“I’ll meet you at the chute.” I handed Sandy to Clara, who gave me a knowing wink. Shaking my head, I led Pepper out of the stall. Cowboy was waiting for me. I brought Pepper to a halt and nodded to the shed. “Chaps and bronc reins in there.” Cowboy went inside. When he came back out, he was wearing the black leather chaps and a denim shirt that covered his arms and chest, and he held the bronc rein in his hands.
“Give him here.” Cowboy took hold of Pepper, checked his saddle and attached the bronc rein to the halter.
“Give him about three and a half fingers,” I said, referring to how much rein Pepper worked best with.
Cowboy smiled. “Was going to anyway, cher. Told you, I’m fucking good at this.”
I turned my head to the other side of the ring and saw Hush had pulled up on my poppa’s bike. He was leaning over the handlebars, watching his best friend like a hawk. I lost my breath when he met my eyes for a second. It was only for a second, and then he quickly focused on Cowboy again.
Clara and I led Pepper inside the chute, and Cowboy slid onto the horse. Clara ran to the chute gate and waited for my command. Pepper’s nostrils flared, his hooves padding in excitement on the dirt. Cowboy tightened his one-handed grip on the rein and positioned his feet.
“You sure you’re up for this?” I sought reassurance, having a momentary doubt. I knew Aubin Breaux could ride. Hell, he was the best around as a teen, but I wasn’t sure if “Cowboy” from the Hangmen still had what it took to stay on this stallion. And Pepper was a champion horse in the making.
“Open the damn gate, cher,” Cowboy shouted, as he threw me a typical laid-back wink and grin.
I looked at Clara. “You heard the man.”
Clara threw the gate open, and Pepper launched into action. The bronc kicked like a motherfucker, and my heart seemed to stop in my chest. I’d fucked up. I straddled the fence, ready to run for Pepper if he threw Cowboy. But my eyes widened and a smile spread on my lips as Cowboy threw a hand in the air and rode the stallion like he’d never stopped competing.
Clara nudged me, and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “He’s damn good, girl!”
After staying on far longer than the eight seconds that was needed, Cowboy kicked his leg off the saddle and jumped to the ground, running clear of the stallion. Pepper took off, circling the ring, eventually calming down and coming to a stop. Clara crossed the ring to get him.
I jumped from the fence and ran at Cowboy, who was strutting back, arms wide and a cocky smirk on his beautiful face. I didn’t even think through my next action. One minute I was running across the dirt, adrenaline from Cowboy’s ride surging through my veins. The next I was launching into his arms. “That was amazing!” I felt Cowboy’s arms wrap around my waist . . . and I quickly became hyper-aware of the fact that he was holding me.
He must have felt me tense; he slowly lowered me to the ground. I dropped my arms, but he refused to let go.
“Fuck, cher,” he said, voice husky as he spoke directly into my ear. “If I’d known this was how to get you in my fucking arms, I’d have ridden for you the minute I arrived.”
Laughing nervously, shocked at the lack of unease I felt in his embrace, I tilted my head back to find his blue eyes locked on me. “That was pretty fucking incredible, Cowboy,” I said and ran my hands down to his wide chest. I watched as my palms flattened on his hard pecs. I couldn’t take my eyes off my hands. I was touching him . . . I was touching him. It had been so damn long. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to touch another man like this after Juan, after what I found out . . . after what he did . . .
Cowboy growled low, causing me to look up, pulling me from my spiraling dark thoughts. “You feel fucking good wrapped around me, cher,” he whispered. I immediately dropped my hands.
“Can you go again?” I tried to calm the hell down. Confused didn’t even cover it right now. I hadn’t thought about men in a romantic way for years. The quickening of my pulse and the racing of my heart told me that had all changed.
It was Cowboy. His smiles. His kind heart.
And it was Hush. The mysterious closed-off man that I yearned to unlock.
“Always,” he said, and I stepped back from him. Cowboy let me go. Just as I was about to turn toward the chute, I glanced over my shoulder and found a set of ice-blue eyes staring back at me. I held Hush’s gaze, trying to decipher what the hell that fierce look meant. But a hand slipped into mine, causing me to break away.
“Let’s go,” Cowboy said, following the path of my attention. Hush looked at Cowboy, some unspoken conversation happening between them before my very eyes. Cowboy broke the connection first and led me back to the chute. “I wanna go again.” When I glanced back, I expected Hush to be gone. But he remained, watching.
My heart beat just that little bit faster.
*****
“Cowboy!”
Cowboy’s name rang out like a wailing siren from my mouth. My eyes widened in horror as I laid eyes on his hand. Pepper was bucking hard. Cowboy was trying to dismount. But his hand was caught. “He’s hung up!” I jumped from the fence. I sprinted to the other side of the ring, watching as Cowboy’s body was flung around as he tried to break free from the horse. He became unseated, his legs dropping to the ground. His feet scraped along the dirt, trying to keep up with the erratically bucking horse. But his hand was still attached to the bronc rein. Cowboy struggled, head tipped back toward the saddle, trying to work his way free. I flinched as Pepper’s legs flicked and kicked, almost catching Cowboy, as the horse spun in ever-decreasing circles.
“Around the other side!” I ordered Clara. Clara did as asked, rocking back and forth on her feet to try and catch hold of Pepper with the loose rein she held. She lunged forward, wrapped the rein around his neck, controlled his head, and managed to bring him to a stop. But Pepper’s hooves still padded frantically on the dirt.
“Cowboy,” I called, and moved to his trapped hand. The skin of his wrist was torn up and red from the rein. The minute I started tugging on the rein, Pepper began to shy. “Cher. Get back,” Cowboy shouted through gritted teeth.
I shook my head, refusing to move, and suddenly Hush was beside me. He yanked a knife from his belt and began sawing at the rein. I staggered back, letting out a deep exhale when the rein loosened enough for Hush to drag Cowboy out of the way. Pepper spooked at all the commotion, and Clara stepped away. He took off around the arena, bucking and kicking—doing exactly what he’d been trained to do. I watched him go, blood draining from my face when I realized that Cowboy could have been even more seriously hurt.
Hush was holding Cowboy up against the fence. I rushed over, seeing Clara was approaching Pepper to calm him down. As I drew near Hush and Cowboy, I could only make out a rapid French conversation pouring from their mouths. Cowboy was holding his arm, his shoulder dipped as if he could barely stand to straighten it.
“Cowboy!” I ran to his side.
He cracked a str
ained smile. “It’s . . . nothing, cher.” He wasn’t exactly convincing. His hoarse voice clearly showed me that he was racked with pain.
“It’s not nothing.” I opened the gate for him to get out. I helped Hush take him through to the yard and sit him on a nearby bench.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Hush snapped at Cowboy. Cowboy rolled his eyes at his best friend. “You ain’t done this in years, Aub. This ain’t your fucking life anymore!” The panic in Hush’s voice made my heart squeeze. The raw terror pulsing from him at the fact that his best friend was injured. Could have been hurt worse.
“I can fucking ride, Val. I’ve been doing it all damn day. I’ve been doing it since I was barely outta diapers.”
Hush nodded at his shoulder. “Doesn’t fucking look like it—”
“I was hung up!”
“He was hung up!”
Cowboy and I spoke at the same time. Even in pain, Cowboy threw me a wink, but it was quickly followed by a wince.
“I have no idea what the fuck that means. But it doesn’t matter,” Hush said. Cowboy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I grimaced as his face grew red. “You need a doctor?” Hush ran his hand over his shaved head. He was agitated. More so than he should be. Hush was practically falling apart at Cowboy being hurt.
“Val,” Cowboy said slowly. “I’m okay.” Cowboy sent me a quick cautious glance, before he leaned in closer, getting Hush’s attention. “Calm down. I’m fine.” Hush took a long deep breath.