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“Cover him, Blayze!” Hunter yelled as I focused solely on Blayze. The bull changed direction a few times and was giving one hell of a show with his bucking. After a few seconds, a horn went off, and Blayze jumped off the bull with such ease he made it look easy. He landed on his feet, though he stumbled slightly. Knowing what to do, the bull turned and headed out the exit gate to go through the chutes and back out to the holding pen or to the pasture out back.
I turned to Ty and saw him grinning like a fool.
“Blayze has been the only one to ride him the full eight,” he said.
Confused, I asked, “I thought you said he was the second rider?”
Ty laughed, and so did Bradly and Hunter.
“I lied. That bull has never kept a single rider on him yet,” Ty stated.
“Why did you tell Blayze otherwise?” I asked.
Ty looked at me. “He’s like his daddy. Let’s shit get in his head too much. If I’d told him no one has been able to ride him for the full eight seconds, the bastard would think about it too hard and get himself bucked off.”
“That’s risky,” I said with a grin.
“You bastard. Ain’t no fucking way that bull has only been ridden twice,” Blayze said as he climbed over the gate. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. What was it about Blayze in full-on cowboy mode that made my heart swoon and my head go fuzzy? It reminded me of the younger boy I fell for. Those big blue eyes shining with excitement. He acted angry, but I could tell he was far from it.
The man climbing up the pen and jumping down was still the boy I fell in love with. The boy I let kiss me. The boy I wanted to be with. When I was younger, it was hard for me to believe that he would ever want a girl like me, and a small part of me still felt the same way. I pressed my fingers to my lips and swore I could still feel that kiss we’d shared. I quickly shook my head when Hunter’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“First one to cover him,” Hunter said with a proud smile on his face.
Blayze looked at Bradly. “Not even you?”
He laughed. “No, sir. Only made it four seconds.”
With a shake of his head, Blayze focused back on Ty. “He’s a good bull, Ty.”
Ty grinned. “I know. He’s the third-ranked bull in the PBR.”
Blayze shook his head. “You got any easier ones?”
Ty laughed. “Like you didn’t make that look easy.”
“I’d like to not get hurt if I can help it,” Blayze replied.
Was that why he wasn’t riding professionally anymore? Was he afraid of getting hurt? No way. Blayze afraid? I couldn’t see it.
“I see the wheels turning in your head.”
Jumping, I turned to see Brock standing there. “When did you get here?” I asked.
He tipped his hat. “Just in time to see him ride. He’s good.”
I nodded as I glanced back at Blayze. “He’s very good.”
“Some say he was on his way to being better than me, Ty, and Dirk combined. Now I think Bradly will give the title a challenge. He’s still young and has a lot to learn, but it’s in his blood and he has Blayze mentoring him.”
“He’s lucky to have so many amazing bull riders here to train him.”
Brock nodded. “That he is.”
“What did you mean that you could see the wheels turning in my head?” I asked.
“You were wondering if that was why Blayze doesn’t ride anymore. Afraid of getting hurt.”
I felt a small puff of laughter slip past my lips. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
Brock drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “He has his own reasons, but being afraid isn’t one of them.”
“I didn’t think it would be.”
We watched Hunter ride a bull and get thrown two seconds in.
“Better stick to roping!” Blayze yelled out as he helped Bradly get ready to ride.
Brock laughed. “It’s a good thing Hunter likes roping more than he likes bull riding.”
I looked back to see Hunter let out a few curse words as he climbed out of the arena.
“Watch Bradly and Blayze,” Brock said.
I focused back on them. Bradly was adjusting his rope while Blayze was talking to him.
“He’s reminding him which way the bull will most likely turn. Reminding him how to move his body with the bull and to expect sudden turns.”
Blayze’s gaze was intense and Bradly’s was focused. When the gateman got the nod from Bradly and the gate flew open, I watched in awe as the nineteen-year-old moved fluidly while the bull did everything in his power to get him off his back.
“That’s it, Brad. That’s it!” Brock called out.
After the eight seconds were up, Bradly jumped off like it was a kiddie ride. He dusted off his jeans and yelled, “Now that’s how you ride!”
