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I looked over to shoot him a dirty look, but I had a feeling the grill on my helmet ruined it. Never mind that none of those guys were paying any attention to me. They were too busy making sure Cody could hear everything they said.
"She's probably on her period or something. Would explain her shit scores," Eli taunted.
"Fuck," Casey added, "that or she's so damned hard up she's jackin' 'em off behind the chutes, thinking it'll help."
"Might," Eli said. "She's already turned J.D. and Ty into idiots. Why not the bulls too?"
Derek laughed. "Oh, she's probably taking it like a train every night. Would explain why that crew suddenly seems to be in such a good mood. Hey, Ty? Can she suck a dick better than she rides?"
Oh, he'd just gone too damned far. Fuck riding. Fuck this bull. I grabbed the railing and heaved myself up, shoving my way out of the chute in a single lunge. Three steps took me across the catwalk and right into Derek's face - and this time I shoved.
"Leave Cody out of this!" I snapped.
"Oh, I was talking about you," Derek sneered as his pals tensed up beside him.
I just pointed at all of them, right in their faces, one by one. "I'm watching out for her now. Any of you says shit about her, and I'll prove I know how to use a beer bottle just as well as J.D."
"You ain't even getting laid and she's got you pussy whipped," Eli laughed.
I lunged, having every intention of putting that fucker into his grave, but arms closed around my back and slung me around. Before I even knew what had happened, I was pointed back at my chute and J.D.'s hand was making it clear I should get in it.
"Ride. The. Bull," he growled, that cold look in his eyes.
Yeah, he scared the fuck out of me, but that wasn't why I obeyed. It was seeing Cody still standing on the gate with my rope in her hands. Pumpkin Spice was roped up. Her head was down, that black hat covering most of her face, but not enough to hide the flush to her skin.
Not a sexy flush. Not a cute one. She was ashamed, and I was dragging that shit out. Still, J.D. was here now to take care of her, and I had a job to do.
I tried to catch her eye as I got back into my chute, but she wasn't helping. Her jaw was set, her legs were braced, and while it might be easy to think she was focused on my rope, I had a feeling that wasn't it.
"What?" I asked as I started warming up my rope.
"Just ride, Ty," she snapped.
Fuck. Yeah, she was real pissed, and I wasn't sure what I'd done wrong. Ok, well, riding was a good way to get out of this. I just had to get my dumbass head in gear and get strapped in. And while my hangover might be gone, I hadn't eaten a thing because of it, and that had my head throbbing for a whole different reason.
I ignored it, making sure my gear was just the way I liked it. Then, when I took the rope from Cody and wrapped my hand, she hopped over to the other side. I wanted to turn and check on her, but the memory of her response a second ago had me staring right at my hand in the handle. A good wrap, a few smacks to make sure my gloved fingers were closed, and I was as good as I was going to get.
But when I eased down onto my bull, he had to have another tantrum. This one wasn't too bad, except he was trying to lean against the inside wall, and my leg wouldn't fit. I tugged. One of the chute guys used his leg to push, and Pumpkin Spice thrashed again.
J.D. said to be aggressive. Cody had made a bet with me. So, with nothing to lose, I decided to just go for it. Dropping down onto the bull's back the way J.D. did, I locked my legs in and nodded at the same time.
The gate clanked. The door swung open. Pumpkin Spice wanted none of it. He started bucking, sure enough, but while he was still in the chute. Three hard jumps in place, and only after those did this asshole decide it was time to leave, and he did it with gusto.
The bull flew. Most of these animals made it a pace outside the chute at best. Pumpkin Spice? He decided we were gonna take a long trip around the arena. Every leap brought all four of his legs off the ground. Yards passed below us with each buck. The problem was he was flat, so I got in there and put my heels on him.
And he did not like it.
The forward flying bucks immediately became thrashing. Slinging his head, this animal whipped his body around behind him so hard I couldn't stick to it. I felt my seat slipping and used my legs to keep me where I had to be.
That only made it worse. The bull's hips came up with a violent kick, his back slamming into mine and knocking me forward. Another buck, and then he did the same thing again, but this time I rocked just a little too far.
I saw the horn first. I heard the crash as it hit the grill of my helmet, but my head snapped back. My back arched, putting my ass out of position. When we hit the ground, I slipped to the right, and then the bull did it again, but even better.
I tried to turn my head away, but I was going down, and fast. The last thing I saw was orange, and then my ears rang. Pain slammed into me. Sounds became muffled, and I stopped caring about everything.
"He's out!"
"Got the head."
