Gustavo huffed, but he also laughed, proving he didn't mind. "Damn, Cody. I think we've found one thing you suck at."
"Mhm!" I agreed. "Tanner makes me dance good, and J.D. doesn't care."
"Didn't figure they would," he assured me before tapping my nose with one hand. "Girl, you are drunk."
"Oh yeah," I said, leaning back because I knew he'd hold me up.
That was sorta like being dipped. It also made the room spin a bit, and I could do without that. But as Gustavo two-stepped me around the little dance floor, he didn't try any spins. Nope, we kept it nice and simple right up until the music changed to the next song.
"Drink." That was Jake's voice.
I turned to find him offering two drinks. One was water. The other was in a bottle like a beer, but had bright colors on the label. Oh, that was a Mike's!
"Water first," I told him, taking a big gulp of that. "Now this one!"
"Take that," Jake told Gustavo, handing him the water.
So I turned to face Jake. "Dance?"
"Yes, ma'am," he agreed.
And the smile that claimed his face? Oh fuck me, he had dimples! Two of them. Even better, his smile was just a little crooked.
I had my bottle in one hand. That one was tossed around his neck. The other was on his shoulder. Both of Jake's hands were on my waist as he sashayed me around the dance floor. The touch was light. Delicate.
I liked it.
I just liked all of this. I couldn't get enough of how these bull riders made me feel tonight. It was like I belonged. Not because I was J.D.'s rookie. No, this was all the things I'd assumed weregoing to be impossible. These men didn't mind me being here. In truth, they made me feel like I was actually wanted.
"I made it," I said, holding on to Jake's neck to lean back and sway again.
"Easy there, rookie," Jake teased even as he held me up.
"It's like being dipped," I said.
"And you're spilling your drink."
"Pssh," I said, proving how little I cared. "I can afford to buy more! I made it, Jake."
"Made what?" he asked.
"Mm..." I paused to giggle. "It. I can afford to buy more, and you bought me one, and the guys too because they don't hate me. I'm good. Fuck, I'msogood, even if the judges don't agree, and Tanner's back, and tonight is amazing!"
"Yeah, it is," he agreed, sounding like he wasn't sure what I was talking about, but willing to placate me.
So I straightened up and tapped his nose the way Gustavo had done with mine. "Don't be like that, Jake. You have dimples."
"I do," he agreed, showing them again as he grinned at me.
"See!"
"And I know how to dip a woman," he warned before doing just that.
I squealed a bit. I also clung to his neck, but feeling those strong arms of his holding me up? Ok, that was fucking hot! Yep, I could get used to this. I was the PBR's sweetheart. I was right where I belonged, and J.D. was probably being thrown into a bed right about now, so there was no reason I shouldn't have some fun of my own, right?
"You," I told Jake when he lifted me back up, "are kinda cute."
"Oh yeah?" he asked, shuffling me along again.
