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The grunt I got in return was enough of an answer, but she didn't stop there. "I'm a country girl, Jake. Of course I can. I can also park a semi-tractor. I can clutch, double clutch, and whatever else. I grew up in the middle of fucking nowhere."
"Well, I won't bitch about splitting the driving," I said. "So, if J.D. does need to have some bed rest, just know you've got a ride."
But that made her shake her head. "Why? You don't know me. You aren't trying to get into my pants like half these guys. Why the fuck are you being so damned cool, Jake?"
I just leaned towards her ear. "Don't make assumptions, girl. I sure wouldn't kick you out of my bed. I'm also a gentleman. The real kind."
She turned, putting our faces so damned close. "I'm starting to think you really are."
"I am," I promised. "But do not confuse gentleman with good boy."
"Never in a million years," she swore.
And now I was smiling like a dumbass. Yep, it was time to walk away. I needed to leave this conversation on a winning note, because I had a feeling I'd just won something. Didn't have a clue what, but I was going to take it.
I wasn't going too far from her, though. Not because of her cute ass or those luscious lips. I needed to keep an eye on her, because J.D. wasn't here, Ty had his head up his ass, and she really couldn't stop a beating if Austin decided to make this physical.
Cody had just walked into that locker room and picked a fight. Austin had every right to finish it. My goal was to convince the fucker that going after her would not be worth it. So, while Cody got ready and the rest of us waited for this big show to get going, I decided it was time for me to change a few minds.
I headed into the locker room and checked the cameras. They were filming. Of course they were. This was the B-roll for the sports channel. When they wanted a little side image to go beside the leader boards or the introductions, this was the film they'd use.
"Heard you went after Cody again," I said as I aimed for my bag at the back of the room.
Austin knew I was talking to him. "Just trying to make her realize she doesn't belong here."
"How's that workin' out for ya?" I grabbed my stuff and pulled out my chaps.
He was sitting on the bench, strapping on his spurs. "Well, she just took a swing at me."
"So you didn't hit her this time?" I hummed thoughtfully. "Scared your sponsors wouldn't like that? Or is it more because the PBR is so close to throwing you out? I mean, they don't want the controversy of a rider attacking a woman."
"What?!" he snapped.
I kept my focus on the buckles of my chaps. "I mean, that's what I heard the guys in the booth saying. That shit in Cheyenne? Cody with bruises? They were worried someone would put domestic violence with PBR, and that's not the image they want."
"You have got to be shitting me," Austin grumbled.
I just grunted, letting him take it for whatever he wanted.
"They're going to throw me out forherstarting it?"
"Real men don't hit women," one of the other rides said.
I looked up to find Kaleb Brown, one of J.D.'s worshippers, glaring at Austin. Well, now that worked out nicely for me. Let Austin make of it what he would. Maybe he'd even get a little paranoid.
"Well," Austin shot back, "you know she's just here as a distraction, right?"
"For what?" Jackson Cloutier, one of the other rookies, asked.
Austin smiled like he'd just found his audience. "If we're all looking at her, then we'll miss the fags among us, right? No one's going to be worrying about what the other guys are doing with a hot babe running around back here."
"What?" Kaleb hissed. "Who?"
"Didn't any of you see Tanner holding J.D.'s hand out there?" Austin looked around the room, giving me the impression he was feeding on this shit. "I told all of you back when I caught some guy coming out of Tanner's room. Now he's all over J.D.?"
"Tanner shares a room with the safety team," I pointed out. "Those guys don't make enough to have their own."
"And yet Tanner was still slipping queers in there," Austin insisted. "That's why they brought Cody in, and now she's supposedly dating him? But have any of you seen them do more than kiss that one time?"
