Chapter Thirty-Three
The mood was electric among the crowd. Raul bounced, shifting from foot to foot, letting his head roll from side to side. He was sitting in the number two spot for the finals event, and in number one in the world. All he had to do now, right now, was ride Geyser for eight seconds. That was all. Then he would beat Kynan for the event and win the world.
Over a million dollars and the world title.
The champion of the world. Him. Rookie of the Year one year, champion the next.
He grinned at Eduardo, who came to help him get ready to ride. “Look at you, huh? Almost there.”
“Almost.” Raul bounced again, rocking on his boot heels. “I just want to ride. Now.”
“Two more before you, and none of them can catch you.”
No. Kynan had ridden his fifth bull of the week two rides ago. He was the only one Raul had to beat to win the finals title. The world title was his no matter what.
All he had to do was ride and prove himself.
Balta walked up as they loaded his bull, smiled at him, all white teeth and pride. Balta had ridden one bull, the first night, and his back had given out. The crowd loved him, though, andmore than one rider had teared up when Balta had waved his hat in the air and blown kisses at the audience. “I will pull rope for you.”
“Is Joa all right?” Raul worried about all the stairs. Joa was healed but still got sore.
“He’s coming. The cameras grabbed him.”
“I’ve missed having you both here.” He felt as if he could take on the world. After his tiny slump in Oregon during the last event of the regular season, Balta had promised to be there for every ride of the finals.
And they had been, both of them, cheering and clapping, screaming for him, letting them hear every word. He grinned, because Balta was talking to him, jabbering away in Portuguese, telling him about the bull. He knew. He’d tried and failed to ride Geyser three times.
This time, though. This time he would ride.
Joa came up to him, moving careful, wearing sneakers instead of boots.
Raul smiled, his lovers so beautiful together he could barely stand it. He’d never expected this life when he’d come to the US, but he did love it.
“Don’t let go, Raul.” Joa smiled at him, the expression confident, warm. “That’s all you have to do and then we will celebrate.”
“Right. Stay on the bull.” He laughed out loud, ready as he would ever be. He nodded, because Geyser was in place, and he could climb into the chute.
To his surprise, Joa climbed over the gate, moving to pull his rope. “This ride and then we go home,sim? For the break and Christmas, together.”
“Oh.” The sharp pang of longing surprised him. He wanted that, wanted time to explore with Balta and Joa, time to set upthe addition they had put on the house so he could have what he’d always wanted of his own. A pool table.
Balta chuckled softly. “Yes, after you ride,gato.After.”
“I know. Well, that and the steak.” He would buy them all a huge steak dinner and watch Joa eat.
Raul climbed over the rail, dropping his knees down on Geyser’s sides gently to let the bull know he was there. He grabbed up his rope, sliding his hand into the loop.
It took no time for him to be ready, to have the rope tight, to nod his head.
The next eight seconds seemed like an eternity. Raul kept his free arm up, his chest out, and kept his outside leg spurring. He wanted to end the best season of his career with a huge score.
He heard Balta yelling his name, over and over, then it was done.
The buzzer sounded and he hit the dirt, Nate hugging him and clapping him on the back.
He could hear them—his lovers—screaming, “Champion! Champion! Champion!”
Raul pumped his arms, then pounded one fist against his vest, his eyes lifted to the chutes where Balta beamed down at him.
