"I have some plans for us later," she says, quieter now. Her hands flat on my chest.
"Well, I also have plans for us,” I tell her with a grin.
"Right now, I'm here to watch my man ride."
My man.Jesus Christ, this woman.
I pull her in one more time, kiss her forehead, and let my lips stay there for a beat longer than I need to. Breathing her in.
"Go find the others," I say against her hair. "Hunter's got seats near the front. I'll find you in the stands."
She nods. Steps back. Adjusts her hat.
"Good luck, Ace Sterling," she says, walking backward, pointing at me. "Don't you dare get hurt. Big plans later."
"Big plans for the rest of our lives." I wink.
She turns, blows me a kiss, which I catch and I watch her go. Watch her weave through the crowd, cowboy boots and golden hair, and that walk that makes every man in a fifty-yard radius forget what they were doing.
She glances back once and catches me admiring her.
I pick up my gloves. Pull them back on. Turn toward the chutes where Gravedigger is pacing behind the gate, two thousand pounds of fury waiting for someone stupid enough to climb on his back.
Harper's here. She's sitting in the stands right now, wearing my hat, waiting to watch me ride.
I've never been more ready for anything in my life.
I need to make sure this bull doesn’t kill me, because I need to know what her plans involve. I’m hoping it’s chasin’ and fuckin’.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Harper
Colten has just lit his tenth cigarette in what feels like ten minutes.
He's pacing the length of the fence rail. Hunter hasn't moved. Arms crossed. Eyes forward. Jaw locked in that way that is quite honestly scaring me.
Lola had to take Violet to throw up for the second time, an army of Hunter's guys trailing behind them like some kind of nausea security detail. Being pregnant does not look all that fun.
But it's Hunter and Colten who are making my palms sweat. These two men have stared down things I can't even imagine. And right now, neither of them can sit still.
Ace has already smashed his first two rides, easily. He makes it look like the most natural thing in the world.
I check my phone. A message from Ace.
Acey: Baby, I'm about to do something either fucking amazing or stupid. Jury is out on that one. But I just want you to know, I love you always. The sunshine in my life.
I stare at the screen. Read it again. Feel something cold drop through my stomach.
That's not a cocky pre-ride text. That's a man making sure the last thing he said to me was something worth remembering.
I glance at Colten, still pacing, cigarette burning between his fingers. Then I turn to Hunter.
"What is Ace about to do? Truth. Don't bullshit me. Please."
My hand is trembling around the phone.
Hunter turns to me. His eyes drop to the screen. "What did he say?"
