The Cowboy's Prize

Chapter 21

A week later I wasn't so sure. 

We were back at a dusty arena, it was the quarter finals of the riding championships and Scott had not only qualified to be there, he was riding the favourite. Well, in bull riding circles, it meant everyone was hoping that the bull would win and the rider would get dumped before the 8 seconds ran out.

My heart was in my throat when Scott was in the chute getting ready to ride. I watched him dropping down into the seat, getting his grip on the rope and turning his game face on. I could see his chest rise and fall as he took in a deep breath and exhaled. His muscles were taut, and the frown of concentration on his forehead was overshadowed by the brim of his hat but I could see the tension in his shoulders. His traps were tight and I wanted to run my fingers over them and pull him off the beast he sat on, as it snorted in the chute and vibrated with eagerness, ready to try and kill my Cowboy.

He tugged the brim of his hat down tightly once more and then said loudly, "Let's go."

It was the hat, the one he'd thrown at me told me to keep that first night we'd met. I'd returned to him after our first few dates. Honestly it was way too big. I can absolutely rock the cutest baggy sweater but an oversized hat, not so much. Besides, it was his lucky hat now and he always wore it when he was riding.

I could still remember his smile and the way he called me 'Angel-Face' that night.

It was something to hold onto when I was deep in terror-territory.

I waited with bated breath for the signal to pull the gate and the whole crowd stilled as anticipation fell over the stands. My heart was in my throat and I had bitten my nails down to the quick. I could feel my heart thumping against my chest and I swear I was about to pass out when the chute opened.

The behemoth exploded out of the gate, whirling like a dervish, spinning and bucking trying to remove the annoying human from its back. It bellowed with outrage at the weight on its back and bucked and swerved as its small brain concentrated on one thing. Removing the rider from its back.

"Hold on Scotty." I muttered under my breath as someone behind me pushed through the crowd standing close to the rails and stood next to me. It was Avi, the other rider Scott had triumphed over that first night.

Scott and I had been for drinks with him the night before, connecting with his other friends and letting them know he was off the market.

"He's doing fine." Avi assured me as he allowed me to hold his hand in a death grip as I watched Scott battle the monster for supremacy.

The clock ticked down.

The bull thundered around the ring as it twisted and turned and kicked.

Scott's long legs flexed and bent as he was lifted out of the seat, coming back down with a hard smack against the leather, his lead arm flexing and holding him tight to the beast before he was thrown this way and that, again and again.

Then the buzzer sounded and Scott extricated his hand from its excruciatingly tight hold on the rope as he prepared to dismount. Alex and the other clowns came running, distracting the bull from the rider who was jumping down. And without so much as a backwards glance, Scott walked away with confidence and triumph, his hat in the air.

He waited for his due applause to die down before sauntering over to the rail where Avi and I were standing. Avi was massaging his hand where I'd gripped it to the point of stopping blood-flow. And I put one booted foot on the bottom rail and stood up on it so my face was at his eye-line.

"Well?" He said as Avi began speaking next to us, congratulating him on the great ride.

Scott's points flashed over the scoreboard and everyone knew he'd had the best round of the day. Style points counted this close to the end of the competition and though I knew he had style in spades, it was gratifying to know the judges agreed with me.

"You were wonderful!" I managed as my heartrate began to slow.

His eyes twinkled as he blew me a kiss, and then he turned once more to the crowd to acknowledge the stands before he walked back to the exit.

"Come on." Avi said and pulled me toward the riders exit. He hurried us over as buckle-bunnies swarmed the statuesque blonde who was giving all of them the benefit of his huge grin and even signing autographs. One madam even gave him a Sharpie and got him to sign her chest.

All in fun of course, but I wanted to pull her hair out.

Scott spotted me standing next to Avi, watching him and his fans and his smile turned smug. I hated the fact that one small movement of his mouth made him so much hotter in the space of three seconds.

I couldn't help the expression that flowered on my face, as I shook my head and contemplated shocking all of those silly girls by strutting through them and jumping into his arms in front of them. I guess I must have shown too much heat in that look because he lost his train of thought and stopped speaking to the girl he was signing a programme for.

He swallowed and I saw his Adam's apple bob and his gaze became piercing. He looked over the top of the girls who were still milling around him, directly at me and promised me everything with his eyes.

His stare.

I felt the ground move beneath my feet. It was if the axis of the world had suddenly shifted beneath me, like when Scott explained how a bull 'breaks over', as it swaps movement from jumping to kicking and everything shifts before you get your centre of gravity over its shoulders again.

He was what had made my world change.

"Damn." Avi said softly next to me as he looked down at my face after seeing the laser stare on Scott's face. "You're the one aren't you?" He said with a wry grin. He knew Scott would never be another's, and was somewhat sad for his buddy who had been after Scott forever. But he could see we were meant to be.

"Yeah." I acknowledged his statement as I acknowledged my own truth. Win, lose or broken neck, I was tied to that man good and tight.

That night, Scott made good on his promise. He took me all around the world and we didn't even leave the bed. At 3am I staggered out into the kitchen for water and something salty to stop from getting the shakes. He'd ridden me hard and wrung me out like a rag doll. And I'd loved every second.

It was then I saw the light on the answering machine flashing.

"Hello?" A voice whispered. "Mitch?" It said hushed and scared. "I need to get away." Sam's voice echoed in the still room and I raced back into the bedroom to rouse Scott who was lying on the bed like a content Leopard.

"Stop purring." I said with a laugh as it was impossible not to imagine him purring out loud his expression was so self-satisfied. "Sam left a message." I said as he opened his eyes and his expression changed to one of concern. "He wants to get out."

"He'll need to disappear for a while." Scott said.

"If he can get hold of that file. I'm hoping Alastair is the one who disappears... Into Super Max." I said with feeling.

"In an ideal world that would be preferable." Scott agreed as he came back with me to hear the message. "We'll need to put an overnight together for him so he has something clean to wear." That he even knew it might be needful made my appreciation of his insight and compassion that much stronger.

"And fresh toiletries, some cash, a hotel room. Somewhere to lie low and heal up before he thinks about where he wants to go. Then we'll get him a plane ticket." I added as Scott nodded.

"Whatever we can do to help." He said as he listened to the raw sounding voice on the machine.

I sent a text to the phone number that appeared on the screen.

"Ready to assist. When?"

The message that came back was "Tomorrow night, he's out."

I remembered Alastair's regular poker night game was a Friday and I smiled. We were going to have plenty of time to get Sam away.

All going to plan.