Hell, when one of the dogs’ balls had come right at his face, Jason had slapped it right out of the air. Everyone had held their breath, thinking somehow Mini’s sight had come back, but it was an instinctive thing.
“That wasn’t no thinkin’ thing,” Jason had said, smiling a little, shoulders hunching up.
So Bax had got Jason up today, got him showered and fed, and was leading the man down to AJ’s little makeshift arena.
“This ain’t no thinking thing, either, Mini. We’re just gonna get you on the barrel. Then maybe the mechanical bull.”
“I reckon I can work the barrel okay.” Mini’s lips were tight, but Bax was thinking it was more about the whole walking thing.
“I reckon you can.” Grinning, he pulled Jason to a halt, nodding to AJ and Coke. “You boys ready?”
“You know it, son. Missy says she’s making borracho chicken for supper, so work up an appetite.”
“Oh, I do like that. So do you, huh, Jase?” Bax kept up an easy chatter, waving to Coke to hold that front rope, leading Jase up the little platform.
“Yeah. Yeah.” Jason reached out, fingers finding one of the ropes. “Let’s do this, huh? I need to know.”
“You got it, man.” Bax got AJ to steady the barrel, got everyone in place so he could spot. Then he gave Jason a leg up.
It made him a little sick, seeing Jase up there, knowing that this could… No. No, he wasn’t going there. Jason Scott was fucking born to ride.
Mini wrapped his hand in the rope handle and wiggled, just like always. “Okay, y’all. Bring it on.”
“Start slow, boys,” Coke said. “Get the feel, Jason, and then tell us when you’re ready to get up to speed.”
Then Coke and AJ were pulling, moving that barrel, up and down.
He caught himself staring. Jason’s eyes were wide open and staring, but the son of a bitch was moving natural as all get out. Coke looked over at him, offered him a grin. Jason broke right at the waist, hips working, thighs loose and easy. All balance, just like always. They moved faster, Jason correcting and staying up on the bull rope. It wasn’t until AJ gave it a hard tug and lost the rhythm that he went off-center.
Bax caught him, holding him on, pushing him back up to center. There was foam and all, but Bax wasn’t ready for working on Jason falling yet.
“Thanks, man. How’s it look?”
“Looking damned fine.” Bax knew Jason couldn’t see him grinning, but Goddamn, the man looked good. Fine.
“Yeah? Let’s do it again. It’s making me a little queasy.”
“No shit? Huh.” Well, maybe if he did it with his eyes closed, it would him, too. “Okay. Get your hand set.”
Jase did, nodding and off they went, moving nice and slow. This ride went worse, Mini overcorrecting and jerking some. Coke tilted his head and sped up, tugging the rope good and hard, and Jason eased right up.
What the hell?
Bax called a halt when Jason started to tilt again, grabbing one too-thin arm and holding on until the barrel stopped. “You still dizzy?”
“A little. It’s not bad. I’m getting it.” Stubborn ass.
“Yeah. Yeah, you are. We’re gonna do it one more time. This time we ain’t gonna go slow, we’ll just take it like a bull right out of the chute.” He had a feeling, and he wanted to see.
“You got it.” Mini nodded, chin ducked, arm up.
Bax lifted his chin at Coke, who nodded and grinned before starting Jason off hard and fast, AJ whooping and pulling, too. It went just like it should, Jason’s body following, moving, head shifting like the man could see.
Goddamn. Give him no time to think, to second guess himself, and Jason was still in the fucking game. Fucking A. Bax reached out and grabbed a rope, pulling hard to the side. He wanted to see how Jason fell now.
Fuck him if Jason didn’t correct, meeting the roll and tugging himself upright. Coke countered and Jase went, rolling off and coming up on his feet.
AJ whooped.
