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Then it happened. The bull dumped a shoulder as he spun to the left, right out of Austin's hand. It was all over after that 'cept for the cryin', so I slapped Cody's arm and stepped into my own chute. She waited a couple seconds longer, until our little boy toy got the animal out of the way. When she stepped over the rails, it was like a goddamned pro.
"Tail," she demanded of the guy linking everything together.
He passed it over with a bit of a shocked look. Now, maybe it was all that pink on her, but these boys were gonna learn that this girl was the real deal sooner or later. Pink might be real pretty, but that didn't make it weak, and Cody was a whole lot of all that - especially the not weak part.
When she pulled, she put her all into it. Oh, I hadn't left my rope alone this time, so I knew it wouldn't be cut. I still kept a damned eye on her. I couldn't help it. This girl had her claws in me real deep, and I'd throw a damned ride to make sure she didn't pay for it. Right now, however, I needed to prove to her that I could keep up.
"Tighter," I demanded before reaching over to warm up my rope.
She braced, her little feet poking through the rails and those cute little boots just about even with my chin. When I yanked on the rope, she didn't even budge. Much better than last time. Again, then again, I worked that rosin until it was stringing out, and then I got my handle to the same state.
But my bull wasn't the friendly kind. Just as I got the handle set, he decided he was gonna make Cody pay for his misery. The fucker went up, slinging his head - and horns - back her way. I took a rough hit in the thigh, but didn't care since it wasn't my balls. Cody? She just leaned, getting out of the way without a hint of fear.
When the bull tried it again, I yelled, "Someone put a rope over his head if you want me to get my fucking rope on!"
Immediately, three different guys scrambled to do just that. The next time my bull threw his head up, his horns hit the rope and he was convinced he couldn't go that way anymore. Then Cody pulled, not even needing me to ask.
I quickly got my handle where I needed, jerked my chin at her for even more, and then made my wrap. From the corner of my vision, I saw as she crossed back to the catwalk, but my real attention was on adding an extra pass of the rope between my fingers, because this guy had some go in him, and I needed to tie myself in.
I also didn't want Cody to see me pulling a suicide wrap.
But the second I was sure she was out of the way, I dropped down onto the bull's back. His muscles tensed, but it was already too late. I nodded. The chute clanked. He had a way out, so this ton of beef took it.
He didn't turn so much as sling me to the side as he left the chute. I shoved my knees so hard against his sides that he shouldn't've been able to breathe, but my ass still slid. A swing of my arm got me back to center, and then his ass came up. Oh, so this bad boy wanted to play? I was down for that.
I could feel the strain in my weak leg as I pulled my legs up, letting the judges see my spurs working. I let my arm fly, using the force of it to keep me in the center when he landed. This shit was almost too easy, and either those judges were fucking Cody on her scores, or they were just scoring low. I wanted to make sure I knew which it was.
So I put my all into it. I rode like I was eighteen years old, back before I'd busted myself up so bad. I rode this bull like I knew the girl of my dreams was watching. I rode this fucker like the man I had a crush on might give a shit. In other words, I put everything I had into it.
Kicks, spins, bucks, and more. The dust flew off the beast's white, brown, and black hide, and I could feel the animal grunt as it fought to get me off its back. I just added a little more pressure, keeping my balls right up against my fist, and I wasn't going anywhere. Not until the flashy display of fireworks and lights went off, making it clear I'd pulled another eight seconds out of my ass.
Now, the trick was getting my hand free. A tug got the first half of the wrap off, and the bullfighters were moving in. A yank tweaked my pinky, but the rope relaxed and I could pull my hand out. I was about to hop off the side when the bull spun into me.
I tilted. He dropped his head. Making my decision, I made a hard exit, hitting the ground with a loud grunt, but I was on the wrong fucking side! I caught a flash of white and tried to dodge, but it was already too late.
The center of that fucker's head hit me right in the gut. My feet came off the ground, but I wasn't panicking yet. Naw, I'd taken a few hits in my life. The bull flung his head, I went over his shoulder, and again I hit the ground. The problem came when I couldn't get a breath, my head was spinning, and I wasn't sure which way to run.
I still tried. One hand dug into the sand. I scrambled, trying to get out of the way so the bullfighters could take over, but I'd pissed this beast off.
"Down!" Tanner yelled.
I had just enough time to pull my arms to my chest before the bull was on me. His head hit my hip. My body flipped over, and there was nothing but chaos. I felt legs. I felt hair. The world spun, flipped, and skittered out of control as sparks of pain lit up my body.
"Ha!" someone yelled.
I tried to pull in a breath, but still couldn't.
"Get the fuckoffhim!" That was Tanner.
"Ho!"
Yellow. Red. Purple. I saw the shoes. I also saw the bull's legs. Sand from the arena was floating all around me, lit from the lights into a prism of iridescent colors. The guys were moving. The bull kept turning. I couldn't pick my damn ass up, so I just closed my eyes and tried to pull in a motherfucking breath!
When I opened them again, I saw purple. Tanner. He was between me and the bull. He wasn't standing still, but he also wasn't leaving me. Red and yellow moved. They darted. They got the beast turned away, but Tanner stayed, leaving his crew for me.
Finally, that bull decided to take his leave of us, charging the exit gate like one of those Spanish things. The moment he was out of sight, however, Tanner spun to drop down at my side.
"J.D.?" he asked.
