I wanted to go back to yesterday.
It was no longer a question of whether he was going to sleep in the bed with me. It had become routine to open the curtain, with no shirt and a big grin, and climb into the blankets.
He had kissed me so long and so hard for hours last night that my lips were sore. We had fallen asleep tangled in each other’s limbs.
Colton opened his eyes, looked around, and locked his gaze on me.
I sat up taller.
He had that yearning look in his eyes, and I was wondering if he was thinking about last night, too. “I. Love. You,” he mouthed slowly, making sure I got every word.
I didn’t wait a second to respond. “I. Love. You.”
His confidence returned slightly. He adjusted himself on the horse and took one more breath before nodding toward the chute.
The gate was thrown open, and the horse didn’t hesitate at all. She threw herself up and started bucking.
“There’s the gate! AndNightcrawlercomes out firing! Look at that vertical... whoa, Colton’s back on his pockets a bit! He’s fightin’ for his seat, folks! Stay with him, son! Stay with him!”
Colton’s body was being whipped around like a rag doll. His face was twisted in agony; the pain from his ribs had to be unbearable.
I wanted to collapse.
He was nowhere near his usual ride, but he gritted his teeth and tightened his body.
I was wringing my hands together, too nauseous to even move anymore.
He was slowly getting back in rhythm with the horse until he was back to his usual raw perfection.
I let out the breath that was tightening in my lungs.
“There he goes!” The announcer cheered him on. “He’s hangin’ on with everythin’ he’s got! Stephenville, let’s count him down! Three…two…one! He’s done it!”
The pickup men didn’t waist anytime to pull him off the horse.
Colton landed in the dirt, unscathed, and let the dust settle around his feet.
The crowd was going wild for his perfect ride, and he was basking in their reaction.
“NINETY-FIVE POINTS!”
His eyes were filled with tears, but he was smiling so wide it took up his whole face. He had done it. He had qualified for Sioux Falls. He was in the top ten.
Finally, he double-tappedhis hat and threw it toward me.
I lost it and started running toward the arena.
He ran too, sprinting so fast that he had a dust trail following him.
He stepped on the fence and threw himself over it, just in time to collide with me. His strong arms were around me, my face was buried in his chest, and both of us were shaking.
He smoothed my hair with his gloved hand over and over again. “I love you, Ally.”
“I love you.”
Chapter Forty
Colton had done it.
