Reid nudges me with his leg under the table. “She is a rider after all.”
It comes out sounding sexual. I’m sure Reid didn’t mean for it to sound like that, but the bartender clearly thinks he did and tries to high five him.
Riley hops off her seat and offers, “I’ll do it.”
Of course she’ll do it. If I had to think of anyone who would volunteer for something like this, it would be Riley. She loves attention, even if it’s negative.
“Uh, Ri, are you sure that’s a good idea?”
She shrugs and lets the bartender lead her towards the mechanical bull. He rings the absolutely massive bell that’s hanging above us, and everyone in the bar starts flocking towards the bull. Embarrassment floods me just watching her getting ready to do this. I can’t imagine flaunting my body in front of a bunch of ogling eyes like that. Granted, if I looked like her, I’m sure I’d want to show it off too.
At least she’s not wearing a low cut top or a super short dress. Hopefully, her bra is supportive. Knowing Riley, there’s a solid chance she doesn’t even have one on tonight. I hope she doesn’t find a random hairy hunk to take back with her. I’m looking forward to that plush hotel bed and some girl talk.
Riley makes it up on the bull with help from the bartender, and I see him try to cop a feel as he pushes her up. Everyone starts cheering, and she throws her hands in the air as she squeals with excitement. The operator starts the bull right then, and she scrambles to get a hold on the reigns. This might be hard as hell to watch, but she does look like she’s having a blast up there. I focus on that.
They keep the bull at an easy pace, but she still somehowfalls off in about fifteen seconds. I hide my eyes against Reid’s arm. He doesn’t move away, and it makes my heart flutter.
Before she even steps out of the ring, men are flocking towards her. I wonder what it must be like to walk through life with the spotlight always on you. I can’t imagine it. I’ve had a few flings, but I’ve never been the girl that all the eyes are on. Mostly, I meld in with the guys, but I also don’t totally fit with them either—I don’t like beer or sleeping in sketchy parking lots. Groups of girls terrify me though—it feels like I can’t get myself to fit anywhere. Forever a misplaced puzzle piece.
My head is still on Reid’s arm. He’s fidgeting a little, and I figure it’s because I’m touching him in a way that doesn’t exactly scream platonic. Then, I realize he’s looking at the bull longingly.
This idiot wants to go do that?
9
Who am I kidding, of course he does. I nudge him with my elbow. “You should go do it.”
He looks like a little kid set free in a candy store. “You think?”
“I mean, you don’t need my permission, but yeah I think you want to do it, so you should.”
“You won’t think I’m dumb?”
Since when does he care what I think?
“I mean, I always think you’re a little bit dumb.” I try to make it obvious that I’m joking, but sometimes my delivery is off.
With a smirk, he starts removing his flannel, and I can see him gearing up to perform. The soft cotton is off, and he drapes it over my bare shoulders. The familiar scent of pine that clings to Reid Hastings wafts over me.
Maybe I’ll get away with accidentally keeping it to sleep in tonight. He looks at me with a bit of nervousness. “Here I go.”
I smile. “Go get ‘em cowboy.”
This feels good—right. I’m already lighter than I was earlier today. Riley finally breaks herself free from her various suitorsand ends up back at my side. I barely acknowledge her because my eyes are on Reid as he approaches the bull.
He’s talking to the operator, and I can’t make out what he’s saying. The operator hands Reid his hat. He must have asked to borrow it. Reidwouldneed a full costume before he’d be willing to put on a show. If I know him, this is about to be a full-on performance.
That hat makes me think he could pull off the cowboy thing. This image will haunt me. I’ll be uniquely tortured by my imagination with images of Reid shirtless and wielding a lasso. He throws his thigh up over the edge of the bull and makes himself comfortable.
It looks like he’s been doing this his whole damn life. Reid makes everything seem easy, and he looks great while doing it. He knows it too. His eyes scan the crowd until he finds Riley and I.
With a tip of his borrowed hat and a wink, he grabs at the center of the bull, and it takes off.
It’s rocking back and forth intensely, but Reid barely moves. His knuckles flex a little, but it’s all the strain he needs to stay on. The operator cranks it up even higher, and I see the bartender smirk. They’re doing their best to throw Reid off, but it’s not working. I’m not sure they realize Reid is one of the most daring downhill mountain bikers there out there. A mechanical bull is no match for him and his solid core.
Reid gets distracted and damn near loses his grip, but he gathers himself quickly. His t-shirt is molded to his arms and as they flex, so does my stomach. This is some sweet kind of torture.
The timer goes off, and the crowd is cheering. The bartender and the operator both look disappointed. Reid jumps off the bull and lands in a crouch. He tips the hat over his face and thendramatically holds it out towards the crowd before throwing it back to the operator like it’s a frisbee.
