Adam nodded. Yeah. Yeah, he could get Jason riding today, then head out.
He needed a hard, fucking ride that had nothing to do with horses or bulls. Adam chuckled. Man, he was an addict. Oh, he always had been, but he hadn’t had such a specific jones since he’d let Beau get away.
Adam hopped down, heading back to whistle up the mare, mind still on Landon—that tight little butt, the way the man laughed with his whole soul. He damned near went ass over teakettle when he hooked his boot heel on a root, too. He needed to pay attention.
Work now. Fucking later. Simple as that.
Right? Right.
The mare was in the back stall, head in the hay, tail swishing flies. Adam clucked at her, and she came ambling over, sniffing for a treat. He gave her a tiny piece of carrot, loving on her a moment before leading her out.
“Time to buck, baby doll.”
“…a good idea, Jase? She ain’t a bull.”
“I can do it, Bax. I totally can.”
“He needs work on his balance. That’s what Coke noticed at the last event.” Adam led the mare out into the arena.
He loaded the mare up into the chute, nudging her in and getting her settled. “Come on, Jase,” he said, settling the rigging on the old girl. “She’s got good motion.”
Jason climbed right up, moving damn near like he could see. Creepy. Adam bit off his snarky comment, though, knowing it was his discomfort with the situation bringing it on, not anything real. He helped Jason’s hands get used to the bareback rigging. “It will be a bit different than a bull, but she’s not a rodeo bucker, so you ought to be able to stay upright.”
“Okay. Okay. You’ll be out there, right?”
“Hell, yes. I won’t leave you hanging.” No way. As much as he bitched, these were his friends.
“Thanks, Tag.” Jason nodded. “Git yourself down there. Bax will hold me here ’til the gate opens.”
“I’m on it. Chrissy, you set?” Adam glanced at his brother.
“You know it.” Chrissy was already on it, rope curled into a loop, prepared to throw.
“Let ’er rip, Andy.” Adam nodded at Baxter, who pulled the gate and let the mare free.
He hopped the chute, working this one from the dirt. Jason wasn’t gonna win no purse with the way he rode, but he stuck, for at least the eight.
The nice thing about this old mare was once the rider was off, she stopped kicking. That way Andy could holler Jase back to the gate and not worry about getting clobbered. Adam caught the mare’s rein, patting her neck.
“Good girl.”
“That felt good,” Jason said, grinning and bouncing.
“Well, we can load her up again.” Anything that gave the kid confidence and practice worked for him.
“Yeah? I’d go one more time.” Jason grinned, nodded, climbing the fence.
Chrissy was all smiles, mood improved about a thousand times, from what Adam could see. Shit, maybe he could sneak out after today. Landon would meet him there. He knew it. The little Cajun was like an itch. He had to scratch on it. Had to.
“Adam! You ready to go again?” Chris jolted him out of his thoughts.
“Yeah. Yeah. Let me get her loaded.” Christ, man. Focus.
Adam put the mare in the chute and got ready to play catcher again, just in case Jason went down. He put Landon out of his mind for now.
Tonight, though, he was so calling the kid. He needed some Cajun in his life.
Soon.
