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I hated to admit it, but her plan wasn't that bad. "And when you start slipping in the rankings?" I asked next.
"Then I'll ride harder. I'll ride bigger. I'll ride so fucking good they can't say I don't belong."
"But if you drop too low, you're no longer qualified," I countered.
She just turned, her blue eyes as cold as ice. "Then I'll do Touring Pro again until I am. I did it once. I can do it again, and this time I'll have some money behind me."
I felt a smile wanting to take over, so I moved to flop against the panel instead, watching her warming up her rope. She gave me a confused look, but didn't slow down at all.
"I'm not going away, Jake," she grumbled.
"Good," I said.
"I'm not going to let them run me off."
"Good call," I agreed.
Then she yanked hard, pulling the panel enough that it shoved into my back. "I'm not fucking giving up, and I'm going to make it damned clear I don't need Ty, J.D., or anyone else to babysit me. I'm here to ride."
"Yeah, you are," I agreed. "You're also really good at it."
Her full attention snapped over to me. The anger was still there, simmering underneath, but this look? Fuck, she was gorgeous like this. She looked like some kind of warrior goddess hiding under a black Resistol hat. She looked powerful, amazing, and breathtaking, all at once.
"I thought you didn't do the drama," she finally said.
I just shrugged. "Well, I didn't want to."
"But?"
That earned her a chuckle. "But they made me pick sides, Cody. I picked yours. You deserve to be here. I believe in things that are right. You getting a fair chance is the only thing that's right, and you're a damned good bull rider."
The smile she gave me? Yeah, my heart started moving a little faster. Now I knew why Ty McBride had gone all stupid back in Tulsa. I could completely understand J.D. turning into a damned lapdog. This woman? She was not smoke and mirrors. Oh no, she was raw, real, and ashamed of none of it.
"I also wanted to know how J.D. was doing," I admitted.
She nodded. "Um, he's lucky, that's how. My dad showed up last night, so he's taking care of him. I mean, so J.D.'s not stuck in a hospital alone. But it's going to be weeks before he's riding again."
"But how's he taking it?" I pressed.
She licked her lips, that little pink tongue like a taunt. "I think he's faking it, because he seems ok with this."
"Yeah, that's bullshit," I told her.
"Kinda what I thought too," she agreed. "I think he'll be fine today - about not riding, I mean - because he's going to hurt so bad. Tomorrow, he'll start whining."
"You going to be ok to get to Boise?"
Her brow furrowed. "Huh?"
"I know you don't have a truck," I explained. "You rode with Ty. You've been riding with J.D. If he heads home to heal up, do you have a ride?"
Her mouth parted and confusion took over her expression. "Shit."
"Gonna assume that's a no."
"I didn't even think of that!"
So I reached over to clasp her arm. "Can you drive a standard?"
