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I laughed once. "Because I'm pissed about it, and I'm going to show them winning doesn't require drama." Then I rocked my head from side to side in a waffling gesture. "I also realized I might not be the only person who's trying to change things."
And damn, did she catch on quick. "Me?"
"You," I agreed. "The first woman in the PBR. The one who isn't scared of shit, isn't stupid, and has the actual skill to go all the way."
"So what do you want from me?" she asked.
Yeah, that was the hardest question of all. I wanted a lot from her. The more I got to know her, the more I liked this girl, and yet she seemed to be very taken. From all the answers she'd worked to avoid, I was pretty sure she had at least two men in her bed, and I couldn't compete with that.
But I could be a friend. Oh, I could be a damned good friend, and I would definitely flirt. Yet what I wanted from her had nothing to do with any of that. Those things were merely the icing on the cake. Standing across from this little wildcat of a woman, I sized her up, aware she might be one of the toughest riders I'd ever met.
"I want you to expose all the sexism and bullshit in the PBR," I told her. "Cody, I want you to ride so damned good, they can't chase you off. That's all you have to do. The rest? I'll handle it."
"Nope," she said. "I'llhandle it, Jake. Because no one has ever stood up for me except those guys."
"Ty?" I countered.
"Just wanted to get laid."
"And yet he's still making sure Austin stays far away from you," I reminded her. "See, that's the thing. We can look at something pretty, daydream about throwing her in bed, and still respect the shit out of her ability to ride a bull."
She blinked. Her shoulders softened. Slowly, a smile began to find her lips. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," I said. "You're a damned good rider. I'm a guy with a dirty mind."
"Good." She pointed at her bag with her good arm. "Can you hang my rope for me and make sure no one greases it? I need to get my arm wrapped."
All I could do was groan because I'd walked right into that. "Yes, ma'am," I said, not surprised at all when she walked off the other way.
But I did turn to check out her ass. Cody Jennings was damned good. She was also beautiful, and Ty was right. She was definitely getting under my skin. Bit by bit, she was sucking me in - and I kinda liked it.
Chapter47
Cody leftto check in and draw a bull. I went the other way. Inside, my guts were twisting. J.D. was acting like this whole thing was no big deal, and yet he'd been a little too quiet. Me? This was my home show. The same home that had my parents. The same parents I hadn't come out to yet.
Fuck, this was going to suck.
I'd no sooner thought it than my phone began to ring. I pulled it out, hoping it was J.D. or Cody. Instead, my mother's name showed on the screen. That meant the news was already reporting this. I knew they watched it. I didn't know why, and my parents only seemed to care about the show in Iowa each year, but they watched everything about thisonewithout fail.
But I couldn't deal with that right now, so I sent Mom's call to voicemail. I hadn't talked to her since I'd walked out of dinner, but she knew I'd be working right now. I'd handle the mess of this later, hopefully after Cody's interview aired. Maybe that would clear a few things up? Then again, if they asked, would I actually lie to my parents and say I was straight? Should I?
Because the truth was, I wasn't ashamed of it. I knew I'd get my ass kicked around here. I was pretty sure someone would go too far and I might end up dead. None of that was the same as being ashamed. So I liked men. Whose business was it but mine and the people in my bed?
Never mind that things between me and J.D. were actually working out. I'd been daydreaming about that man for years now. He was gorgeous in just the way I liked: dangerously. I never would've guessed that he, of all people, was also into guys - or that under all his bullshit there was a sweet and generous man waiting to be noticed.
Cody brought that out in him. I was pretty sure she brought something out in me too, but I had no idea what. I just knew she was just as amazing. That woman might look like a good little girl, but I now knew she was so much more. J.D. was right. She was the best rider in the PBR, and it was starting to ruffle some feathers.
I'd just put my phone away when I walked into the staging area where we bullfighters typically got ready. Jorge and Isaac were on the far side, talking to one of the PBR's officials. Their stiff white shirts always gave them away. So, dropping my gear on a bench, I opened my bag and started rooting inside for my pads.
"Tanner!" Isaac called out, seeing me.
"Yeah?" I looked up to see him jerk his head, summoning me over there. Confused, I left my shit and headed their way. "What's up?"
The man in the white shirt turned to look at me, and his expression was not happy. "You're being suspended, Tanner."
"Uh..." Confused, I looked at Jorge, then Isaac, hoping one of them would fill me in.
"Mr. Sousa says he has a problem with you leaving the arena Friday night," Jorge grumbled.
