Title of Story: Cowboy Country Rodeo Circuit
Rating: M
Pairing: Bella/Edward
Genre: Romance, Friendship
Word Count: 9710
Story Summary: Edgar the bullfighter needs to cowboy up and admit to his buttercup just how deep his love and affection for her goes. Before he gets the chance, danger strikes. It will be up to him to save the day and the woman he's in love with.
Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.
Cowboy Country Rodeo Circuit
"Welcome to the Cowboy Country Rodeo Circuit," Emmett, our main commentator, calls out through his microphone. "We're gonna be with y'all for the next three days. We have loads of events goin' on. There's still time to sign up if ya wanna chance yer luck in any of our events."
Smiling, I look in the mirror as I finish getting into my character of Edgar, the bullfighter and entertainer for our rodeo. My costume is cowboy boots, yellow shin guards with boot protectors, and a pair of ragged and baggy cut-out jeans over my bullfighter's padded shorts. My jeans are held up by yellow furry suspenders, and I'm wearing a tan Wrangler bullfighter's jersey over my polyethylene protector. I paint my face like a lion, and to top it off, my cowboy hat has lion ears sewn on it.
All of my twenty-five years on Earth have been spent with this rodeo. My father, Carlisle, is the rodeo's full-time doctor, and my mother, Esme, helps out with nursing duties as well as being the unofficial rodeo mom for all of the crew.
Many people comment on the fact that all of us in the circuit must have missed out on a formal education and assume we don't know as much as the normal-life kids do. In truth, that's just not so. All of the rodeo crews' families between the ages of four and nineteen are homeschooled. Mrs. Cope is in charge of the homeschool. Several of us also take college courses online, and over the years, a few have earned at least an associate degree.
Generally speaking, we all grew up here, and our respect and hard work stands tall. Our crew members are like a family, and everyone has a job. Since I was able to walk, I've always had a hand in something. As a kid, I helped feed the animals, and as I got older, I performed chores such as mucking stalls. Eventually, I started loading trailers, helping set up camp, and in general just being a handyman. Once I received my driver's license, I could drive a truck and trailer. However, I've spent a lot of time taking online courses and even completing a few classes while at home over the winter months in Oklahoma. This past spring, I graduated with a dual master's degree in music theory and English. After I retire from bullfighting, I hope to be a teacher or take over the homeschool activities from Mrs. Cope.
When I was eighteen, I tried my hand at many of the different events. Being a young, hot-headed adolescent, I wanted to try something scary—something that would get my blood pumping. I rode saddle bronc, bareback, and bulls. The adrenaline rush when you're on the back of one of those wild creatures is unexplainable.
You never know what one of the wild horses will do. When you're on the back of an eleven-hundred-pound wild animal, it's going to be a ride. When it comes to the bulls, nothing says adrenaline rush more than having your hand strapped down to the back of one. Those things can kick and rear back at the same time, not to mention turn and twist. Bulls are big but quite agile creatures, and they weigh an average of six hundred pounds more than a big bronco.
Rodeo life is for me. I knew I needed to do something as a career, but I didn't want to miss that feeling and drive I had when I took part in and won some of the events.
I still hadn't found my calling by the time I reached twenty, but then again, I'd never tried my hand at what many people call a rodeo clown. I just happened to be at the bull riding event when Dusty, one of our biggest bulls, flipped out for no reason during a ride. Never before or even after have I seen him that upset. Things went crazy fast, and a rider was in trouble. Without a second thought, I jumped into the arena and stood in front of one of the riders. Frank was a new kid, who used to travel with a few other circuits, and he became trapped in the center of the arena.
After taking and deflecting a few blows, I was able to stand my ground and steer Dusty away from Frank. With the help of the bullfighters, we were able to get Frank out and Dusty under control. When I left the arena, I felt wiped out but exhilarated at the same time. After sitting down and thinking, I knew I'd found my calling.
A few days later, I spoke to Garrett, the owner and manager of the rodeo. During our chat about my joining and training to be a bullfighter, I asked about Dusty.
It was then I found out the reason behind Dusty's attack on Frank. Garrett told me he'd gone to Frank's home to check on him, only to find Peter Dully there, too. With a heavy heart, he told me that Peter used to own a smaller rodeo, and they had owned Dusty when he was a younger bull. Peter's rodeo was shut down due to animal neglect and abuse. When his rodeo closed down, the state confiscated the livestock and auctioned them off. He had a lot of livestock, and several rodeos from Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas bought the animals.
My eyes draw closed, wishing I had known this information that day because I would've let Dusty get his revenge on Frank before jumping in. At the end of the day, I was relieved to know there had been a reason for Dusty breaking a gate to enter the arena. Bulls never let go of a grudge, and Dusty is already a tough bull. Dusty has the best bucking record of all the bulls in our rodeo. To date, only one cowboy has gotten a full ride on him in the five years he's been with us.
The day after our talk, I started to train to be a rodeo clown, entertainer, and bullfighter. Being six-three, I'm taller than most, but my toned and flexible body gives me the edge I need. Bullfighting and entertaining are the perfect jobs for me because I'm able to keep myself active. It's more demanding than most people think. There are days I limp away with aches, pains, and bruises. Some people think it's about cracking some family-friendly jokes, but that's only the part that makes it more enjoyable for the audience.
For me, it's not just to protect the riders but also our stock. I love my rodeo family, and that includes all of our animals.
Happy with my makeup, I look to the arena, which is a few steps away from me. Knowing I have some spare time, I turn my back and walk toward the stables, reaching them just in time to see my buttercup, the girl who has a tight hold on my interest. "Miss Bella," I say, dipping my hat and head at her as she smiles, walking toward me.
Bella is eighteen and also happens to be the only daughter of Garrett—my boss.
Bella is a rare beauty. She's a measly five-foot two, which I find odd because her father is six-three, and her mother was five-ten. Even her older brother—my best friend, Jasper—is six foot. But I also find it endearing because I get to tower over her. She has long brown hair, which I can't stop thinking about pushing my hands into. Her face is soft and heart-shaped. She has dark brown eyes that glow with excitement most of the time. Her lips draw me in, and I want to kiss them. Her thin yet perfect upper lip calls for me to nibble on it. Her full bottom lip doesn't need my nibbles. She does enough of that on her own, yet the imaginary softness of it calls to me as well. Her body is sexy as hell, and she has the right sort of curves that turn me on.
"Hi, Gar," she says, smiling brightly at me, causing me to bite back a moan. This is not something I'm proud of. I know there's an eight-year age gap between us. But after lusting after this girl for months, I decided to get to know her better in hopes that I would find out something that would stop my lust. But I didn't. In fact, I found her to be sweet, smart, and somewhat shy. In truth, my lust turned into infatuation. It's now coming up to a year since she turned my head, and that infatuation is slowly turning into love. Because I care deeply for this girl, I know I don't want to change that, and I'm just enjoying the small interactions I have with her. I secretly love that she calls me Gar. She has ever since I started bullfighting, but now and again, Edward will still slip out of her mouth.
I run my eyes over her once more, seeing she's dressed in her usual jeans and shirt. "Yer lookin' mighty fine, today," I husk out, making her blush. "But there's just one problem," I say, moving toward her. I get right into her personal space, keeping my eyes locked with hers. I take off her hat so that I can push those loose strands of hair that always seem to be falling in her face behind her ear before placing her hat back on her head.
"Better?" Bella asks. I'm still standing very close to her, and I can feel her soft breath touching my chest.
"Much," I say, running my hand down her arm. I take hold of her hand and bring it to my mouth, kissing it. "Good luck with the barrels today, Buttercup," I say with a wink before I walk away from her.
"Later, Gar!" she yells, and I turn to see that she's smiling, watching me.
Once I can no longer see her, I head to the arena.
After putting on my mic, I jump over the gate and into the arena.
"Well, cowboys and cowgirls, here is Edgar to entertain y'all," Emmett informs everyone around the arena.
"Good evenin', Laredo!" I yell, waving both hands in the air. "I just wanna remind y'all that this is a family show, so keep yer faces an' answers clean. Now, how 'bout everyone get up on yer feet and remove yer hats. We're gonna bring in the Cowboy Country Rodeo Circuit Princess, Miss Jessica Stanley to lead the parade of flags for the national anthem."
Pulling off my hat, I place it across my chest as the national anthem starts. Jessica enters the arena on her horse, holding the American flag. She makes her way around the arena as the crowd sings along with the song. The rest of the parade comes in and stops dead center, lining up across the middle of the arena. As the national anthem hits the ending, Jessica has her horse galloping around the edge of the arena. After the cheers and clapping from the crowd slow down, the parade makes its way back out.
"So, gals and guys, the rodeo tonight will consist of a few different events. Next in the arena will be the first round of bull riders, but first, I'm gonna kick things off with some comedy," I say, putting my hat back on.
"Is that what ya call yer jokes, Edgar?" Emmett taunts, and I look up to where he's sitting.
"I do, and ya know darn well I'm awfully funny."
"Awful sounds about right. Now, just get on with it, or we'll let Dusty go and chase ya for entertainment."
"The only awful stuff 'round here is yer breath. I'm not sure if ya need TP or a Tic-Tac."
The crowd laughs, and I stick out my tongue in Emmett's direction.
"So how 'bout it, rodeo fans? Are y'all ready for this?" I ask, looking around at my audience. "What did the cowboy say to the pencil?" I ask, and most of them shake their heads or holler out different things. "Draw, partner," I say while making a finger gun, and shots ring out from the speakers as the crowd laughs and claps.
"What did the cowboy say when his dog left?" I pause for a few seconds. "Doggone!"
Again, the crowd lets out a silly laugh, and this is the reason for my lame jokes. It's something to amuse them.
"What do ya call a cowboy with a case of bad gas? Anyone know?" I ask as everyone shakes their heads. "Darn tootin'!" I say, and again the speakers let out a sound, which makes the crowd laugh harder, especially when I turn to look at Emmett and point at him.
"Edgar, yer killin' them and me!" Emmett chuckles out to me.
"Yer the one with the bad gas issue! Sure it's not you killin' us?"
The crowd again laughs at our banter, and I run around the arena with my broom person, waving at the crowd.
"Okay, Edgar, you've got 'em all riled up. I think it's time we got started."
"Wait. I've got one more for the road," I reply, holding my hand up.
"Oh, goodness. No tellin' what's comin' now." Emmett groans, and the crowd giggles.
"What do ya call a happy cowboy?" I smile as I look around. "A jolly rancher," I cackle out and slap my knee.
"Wa ... wa ... wa ..." Emmett says in a high to low pitch.
As I listen to Emmett, I head over to the gates and get ready for the first round of bull riding.
"Okay, folks, the rules are simple. All the rider has to do is stay on the bull for eight seconds. The time will start as soon as the gate opens. The winner that we announce at the end of the day will be the rider who scores the highest. There are four judges who'll judge the bull and the rider. The scores are added together, and the winner will be the one with the highest score. There will be three rides for each rider, one each day. The scores will add up over the three days to get a combined total. Kickin' things off today is Chuck, and he's drawn Hedgehog."
Seeing that Chuck is ready, I'm in position and watch as he gives the nod.
Hedgehog comes out, and I jump to the right to make him buck. Turning quick, I see Chuck lose his seat. Immediately, I'm over between Hedgehog and Chuck so that he can get to the gate. Waving at the bull, I catch his attention, and he runs for the open gate, unlike Dusty, who loves to chase me. Hedgehog seems mild-mannered once the rider is off of his back.
Bending over, I pick up Chuck's rope to hand off to the guys before making my way back to the gates. Glancing up at the timer, I see Chuck was only seated for one-point-three seconds. Hedgehog will become a great bull over the next couple of years.
The next few brave riders are mostly thrown in under one second. We end up with a few full rides but not many. The bulls are on fire today. The last rider of the first session is up. I smile, looking to see the next rider isn't who I thought it was going to be. A local kid signed up, but he must've decided to pass. One of the stock handlers, Tom, is in the chute, sitting on Narly-Bottom backward. He gets thrown right away, and I chuckle as I jump up on the fence.
"Clearly, Tom didn't have nuthin' under his hat but hair," I say with a tilt of my head to the audience.
They all laugh, and I get a pretend hurt look from Tom. I shrug at him, and he walks away chuckling.
"Well, that concludes the first round of bull riders, guys and gals. Up next, we'll be bringin' in those barrels, and we'll get to watch some of the fastest and best cowgirls show us how it's done. Be sure to stay away from the sensors at the open gate at the end of the arena," Emmett calls out, directing everyone through the program.
James pats my shoulder as I take a long swallow of water. He knows instead of taking a break while I can, I'll be right on the fence to watch my girl. Most of the other rodeo staff is aware of my infatuation with Bella. Sadly, this includes Emmett, who likes to tease me, and I watch as he leaves the booth to be out here for Rose. Garrett's also aware of my feelings for his daughter. I even asked him if he minded if I asked her out. He was a little unsure of the eight-year age difference, but after watching me mope about, he agreed. Now, all I have to do is cowboy up, grow a pair, and ask her.
The first barrel rider announced is Rose. She does well as always and sets the bar high for all the other riders. I clap my hands as I take my usual spot on the corner near the exit.
"That was Ms. Rose and her horse, Buddy. She scored a fourteen-point-two-six." The crowd cheers, knowing this is a top-ten score for sure. "Up next is Miss Bella and her horse, Charlie," Laurent announces, and I wolf-whistle as Bella approaches the arena entrance.
"That girl is so hot," someone across the gate opening from me says, and I see it's a group of younger guys.
Bringing my attention back to Bella, I watch as she bolts into the arena. She takes each barrel with care, and she's clearly on course to keep up with Rose. I cheer her on and clap as she pats Charlie once they're done.
"Did ya see those hips? Fuck, she can ride me anytime," says the guy that spoke before as the rest nod and laugh. I keep my mouth shut, knowing this is a negative thing we have to deal with from time to time.
Bella rides over to where I'm standing. She smiles at me, and I tip my hat at her.
"Sexy Bella!" the young, mouthy kid yells, jumping on the fence across from us. "Come here, cowgirl, and I'll show ya a new kind of power between yer legs."
Bella's face flushes as she looks at the guy who just yelled.
"Hey! Tone it down, guys. This here is a family show," I remind them with a nod.
"Sure thing there, cowardly. Have ya gone to see the wizard yet?" He chuckles before walking away with his friends.
Letting out a breath, I sit back to watch the second round of rides. Bella closes the gap between her and Rose, who's her biggest competition. Since the next event is calf roping, it's my break time, so I head for her trailer. As she gallops toward me, I whistle and clap, looking right at her.
"Miss Bella," I say as I take hold of her waist and help her down off of Charlie. Even with her feet on the ground, I keep my hands on her sides while looking at her.
"How did ya like the show, Gar?" she asks in a hushed whisper.
"You were great, but yer a little off sync with Charlie. Ya need to move yer butt," I say, tapping said butt, "to the side on the second barrel. If you can do that, you'll gain the milliseconds ya need to beat Rose every time."
Bella groans and pouts a little. "I know," she says, taking a step away from me. "If I can't move this ass, I'm gonna have to lose weight," she carries on as I pick up Charlie's reins.
"Don't you dare. Yer perfect. How about we work on it together when we're having our pit-stop next week?"
Bella looks at me, and she's blushing. "Do ya have the time? Because that would be better than me trying to lose weight. I love my food."
"I'll always make time for you." I smile because I've been desperate for a reason to spend more time with her. I drop the reins as Charlie walks into his stall. "Ya did great, Charlie," I tell him as I give him a quick scratch behind the ears.
"See ya tonight, Miss Bella," I say, dipping my hat before heading off to get ready for the intermission.
After the ten sets of calf ropers, I get back into the arena and smile at the crowd. I tell a few jokes before doing a dance-off with a couple of people from the crowd. The saddle bronc riders go next, followed by the bareback riders. Then we're on to the finale, the second round of bull riders.
Moving quickly to the stables, I get there just as Bella arrives.
"Here ya go." Bella smiles, handing me two buckets of horse feed.
Everyone in the rodeo helps out with looking after the animals, which includes feeding, cleaning, and grooming.
"How did Dusty get on?" she asks. "Has he hit ya in yer hind end again yet?"
I look at her from the corner of my eye. "Get caught once in the backside and no one lets ya forget it. He's in the lead for the bulls, having bucked all his riders under the one-second mark."
Bella presses her lips together and nods. "What about Bootsy?"
Placing the food down, I move to the first horse and start to brush him down. "He's doin' well. He's gonna be movin' up to the big leagues next month."
"Yes!" she hisses, and I shake my head at her. "What? He's my baby, ya know." I raise my eyebrow at her as she mucks out the horse stall. "Well, he is. I've been there for him since he was born, and that makes him mine," she states.
"Okay, Mama Moo," I snark out, making her throw some clean hay at me.
"Don't start that again. Just remember what happened the last time."
"Yep, you were mean to me."
Bella pouts out her lip, making me chuckle as I look at her from the corner of my eye but say nothing.
"I'm warnin' you not to start, Gar. Yer the one who thought you could take me on."
"I can," I say with a playful growl.
"I thought you were a gentleman and would let me win."
I stop what I'm doing and look at her. "I am a gentleman, but I also have a competitive streak in me that demands I win at all costs."
"Really? Then why does Jasper always beat you at the dancin' contest?"
"Because it's foul play by the judges."
Bella's mouth drops open at my reply. "I am one of those judges, remember?"
"I do, and as yer his little sister, Alice is his wife, Katie is his mother, and Brenda is his mother-in-law… it's all foul play!" I sing out.
"Ya just can't accept that he's a better dancer?"
Shaking my head at her, I smirk. "I sure can't. Besides, I taught him everything he knows."
"If you say so."
Stopping my chore, I move to Bella. "I do say so, and you know it. Ya just don't want to admit it."
We seem to just stand close together, looking into each other's eyes.
A loud neigh makes us jump apart, and I turn to look at Charlie, who made the noise.
"Think he wants his stall cleaned out." Bella chuckles as she moves to him.
She passes him to me, and I start back to brushing him down. "Ya couldn't wait and let me have my moment?" I ask him quietly as I brush his mane.
Charlie shakes his head at me like he's answering.
"I swear I'll look after her," I whisper to him as I move my eyes back to where Bella is.
Standing here, I watch as she scoops up the dirty straw and puts it in the wheelbarrow.
"This is not just some fling or a wham-bam-thank-ya-ma'am kinda thing. I really like her," I whisper to him, and he snorts a little. Petting his head, I scratch behind his ears again. "Okay. Yer right. I more than like her. I think I feel for her what you feel for Renée," I say, looking over to where Renée is standing, grazing away.
Charlie nudges my head with his, and I look back at him. "I will ask her out soon," I tell him in a hush.
"What are you whisperin' about?" Bella asks as she looks up at me.
Tapping my nose, I shake my head at her. "That's just between us studs."
With the stall clean, we walk Charlie back to it. "Night, handsome," Bella whispers to him, and right away, Charlie nudges his head to hers.
Charlie and Bella are very close, and he looks out for her. It's not uncommon for a horse and their rider to be close, but Charlie and Bella seem to have a stronger bond than I've seen before. It's one of the things that have me so attracted to her.
"Miss Bella, will you allow me to walk you home?" I ask as we close up the main stable doors.
"Please," she says with a smile.
Smiling, I take off my jacket and hold it open for her. It isn't freezing cold, but this late in the day, it's a little chilly. As soon she has my jacket on, I offer her my arm. She links her small hand into my arm, and we begin to walk.
"How're the caterin' classes goin'?" I ask, glancing down at her.
"It's goin' well, and I haven't killed anyone with my cookin' yet."
Smiling down at her, I nudge her slightly. "That's a good thing."
"You'll get to test some of my cookin' on Sunday. I'm enterin' a pie in the bake-off. I'm also plannin' to help with the dinner before the dance."
"Really? What bake-off? Why haven't I heard about this yet?" I ask, knowing the ladies are always doing something like this.
"They're cookin' chili and bakin' pies, but I'm only bakin' pies," she says, looking at me.
"I'll sign up tomorrow to judge, then. I can't wait to try yer pie," I say, which makes her snort in laughter.
"There'll be loads of different pies there. I doubt you'll be able to pick out which one is mine."
"Oh, ye of little faith." I pause, pressing my lips together. "But you could always tell me which pie is yers?"
"That defeats the purpose of having it anonymous, Gar."
"I'm only one vote," I argue, and Bella chuckles as we arrive at her trailer.
"Thank you for walking me home," she says as she hands me back my jacket.
"Always," I say, dipping my head a little as I take the jacket from her.
Standing back, I watch her walk into her trailer. She turns and waves at me from her door. I take my hat off and give her a wink.
As I walk away from her trailer, I put my hat back on, smiling as I glance back over my shoulder.
"Edward," Jasper says, making me jump as I turn to face him. "Now that my sister is home safe, ya joinin' us?" he asks, nodding toward his wife, Alice, and Emmett and Rose.
"Yep," I say with a gulp.
Unlike his father, Garrett, Jasper is having a harder time with the fact I have strong feelings for his baby sister.
"Ya need to ask her out," Alice sings out in her annoying voice.
"No," Jasper hisses to her.
"Come on. They're cute," she states.
"No, Mary Alice. Puppies and kitties are cute. Watchin' my best friend lust after my baby sister is rather sickenin'," he argues.
"I thought I was yer best friend," Emmett states as he stops walking and crosses his arms, glaring down at Jasper.
"And don'tchoo Mary Alice me, 'less ya wanna be sleepin' in the stable with yer horse!" Alice states, and Rose snickers.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry," Jasper says to Alice before turning back to Emmett. "Oh, yer my best friend, especially since he and I are gonna have a big fallin' out."
"Jasper, yer my friend, and I love ya. But I will be askin' her out, even if that means we'll no longer be friends." I sigh. "I've told ya this before, and I haven't changed my mind, just ..." I pull at my hair, looking back to where her trailer is. "I like her a lot, Jazz, and you should know that I'd never hurt her. If you were my friend, you would understand that and get the hell off my back." I walk away from them, feeling pissed off.
Jasper and I have been friends for many years. I love him like a brother, but since he's found out about my infatuation with Bella, things have become strained. Where it hurts that I may lose a good friend, I know if Bella and I get together, then she's worth any loss I face.
"God, Edward. You can be so touchy. Untuck yer dick. All I'm sayin' is I don't find guys hittin' on my baby sis cute."
Turning around, I look him in the eyes after my gaze flashes to the others. They're all listening but acting as if they aren't.
"Jaz, I think I've fallen in love with her. I'm all in, brother. All I'm waitin' on is the green light from her."
"Ya need to make a move. She's already 'bout friend-zoned yer ass." Emmett snorts, and I look at him.
"She ain't friend-zoned me," I grit out. "I just need a clear signal from her that she wants me to ask her out."
"What're you expectin' her to do? Send ya a heart drawn with her blood on V-day?" Rose asks me, and I frown, looking at her. "Edward, don'tcha get it? She's young and doesn't get that guys only do the shit you do when they like a girl. She thinks yer just a nice guy and like you are, she's scared to make a move in case you reject her."
Thinking about what she just said, I pull my brows together. "When's Valentine's Day?"
"The fourteenth of February," Emmett snorts out.
I just glare at him and give him the bird.
"It's a week from Sunday." Alice chuckles.
"Okay, then. I'll ask her out then. That'll give me a week to step up my charm."
"Oh, this will be so awesome. We can make sure you both have the night off and arrange a picnic dinner under the full moon," Alice says with glee.
"Hey, shorty, the full moon is tomorrow night." Emmett chuckles at her, and she glares at him.
"There must be a way," Alice mutters as she looks up at the sky.
"I don't think you can control the moon by glarin' at it, Sugar, but if ya wanna have a go, be my guest," Jasper says with a wave of his hand.
"It'll just be so much more romantic if they can eat under a full moon! Gosh-darn-it, no worries. I'll come up with somethin'."
Shaking my head at her, I shrug. "Ally, now, she hasn't even said yes to me."
"Oh, hush, you. Yer all she talks about," Alice says but gets cut off by Rose giving her ear a flick.
"She talks about me?" I ask, looking between them.
Alice's eyes widen. "What? No!"
I raise my brow at her because she seemed to nod her head as she uttered the word no.
"Alice?" I say, using a stronger tone to my voice. "Does she talk about me?"
Alice bobs her head, and I know she wants to look away from me but can't.
So I grin at her. "What does she say?" I carry on, keeping my eyes on hers, knowing she'll tell me.
"She ... she likes yer eyes and thinks yer backside has appeal. She says that yer her Gar, the friendly lion," Alice stutters as she tries to clasp someone's hand.
"Yes!" I hiss.
"Enough," Rose says, sounding amused and bored. "Ya know she likes you, so just man up. Stop using yer ways to get loose-tongue Lucy here to talk. If ya don't stop, I'll run and tell her how yer pinin' away over her!"
I nod at Rose and salute her, feeling giddy. "She likes me," I say in an almost girly voice.
"Edward, will you please take off yer dress? Yer vagina is hangin' out!" Jasper yells, walking away.
I give him the finger, not letting his bad mood hamper my happiness.
We just completed our last rodeo in Laredo for this season, and we're now having a dinner and dance.
There's a large tent set up with tables and BBQ all around. There's pork, beef, and my favorite chicken. There're salads of all kinds, along with corn, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, chili, and pies. We have sweet tea, beer, and lemonade to drink for our help-yourself buffet.
I make two large plates up and hold them on a tray along with two servings of one of the pies and a pitcher of sweet tea.
I take a quick look around and smile as my eyes land on Bella.
"Miss Bella," I say as she jumps up to help me.
"Gar," she says softly, taking the tea from me and sitting down.
Placing the tray down, I sit next to Bella on the picnic blanket. Lifting her legs, I place them over my own and then put our plates on her legs.
"Here ya are," I say, handing her a fork.
She rolls her eyes and picks up her fried chicken, choosing to eat it with her hands.
"Can't help but love a girl who loves her food," I husk out as she blushes. "How was the bake-off? Yer pie was number twenty-seven, right?"
Bella stops eating and looks at me. "How did you know?"
I wink as I chuckle. "I have my ways."
"I came in third."
Smiling, I give her a light round of applause. "That's amazin', Buttercup."
"Hmm," she hums out, just looking at me.
Bella and I talk and laugh as we enjoy our meal. We're surrounded by the rest of the rodeo crew and customers but far enough away that we're in our own little world. Once dinner is over, we join in on the line dancing, staying together the whole time. At the end of the night, I walk her home, knowing that tomorrow we'll be traveling to our next place before having the following two days off.
When we arrive in New Mexico, it's only dawn, but I've been up for a while, helping set up the stable.
"Miss Bella," I say, making her jump as she spins around to look at me.
"What ya doin' here so early? Go back to bed," she says, looking at me as if I'm nuts.
"I made ya a promise, so let's get to it."
She tilts her head at me but then realizes I'm talking about helping her with the second turn on barrels.
We get Charlie ready to go out into the arena we set up last night. After I set the barrels, I stand in the safe zone and tell her to run Charlie through his paces. Watching her approach the second turn, I can see she's still not leaning into it enough.
Once she finishes the round, I click my tongue and pat my leg, making Charlie head right to me. As soon as he reaches me, I grab the saddle horn and swoop up to sit behind her. "We're gonna do this together a couple o' times," I say with my hands over hers while I direct Charlie back to the start of the course.
Scooting close together so there's no space between Bella and me, we move as one.
"Ready, Buttercup?" I whisper into her ear.
She lets out a shaky breath, which makes me smile as I remember Alice telling me that Bella talks about me. I make a clicking sound, and Charlie immediately responds. It's slower than normal but fast enough to show Bella what she needs to do. As we near the second barrel, I time it and lean both myself and her over to where she needs to lean. After we do the run three or four times, I can feel her moving on her own.
When I give Charlie the signal to go all out, he gallops to the first barrel. We fly through the course in record time for a double-seated ride, and we both are whooping and hollering when we come to a stop.
"They should do a couples barrel race. We would kill it." Bella giggles. "Come on. Let's do it again," she says and looks over her shoulder at me. The fact she has a smile which lights up her face makes me smile and nod.
Bella and I spend the rest of the day together eating, practicing, and talking. By the end of the day, I'm sad to leave her. But I know during the next barrel race, she's gonna give Rose a run for her money.
I clap and whistle as Bella smiles, waving at the crowd as she moves around outside the arena. She passes me, and I wink at her, and she grins back at me. Letting out a breath, I nod at her, letting her know she's got this.
"Come on, my girl. You can do this," I mumble aloud.
The beep sounds to show her entrance into the arena and the start of the timer. Suddenly, there are screams from the far end of the arena. Frowning, I see some of the crowd scatter, and I crane my neck to try to see what's happening. Everything in me and around me seems to slow down as Dusty comes charging into the arena. Bella and Charlie catch his attention as they're rounding the second barrel, and he charges them. Charlie gets spooked and rears up. Bella, having been leaning for the third turn, loses her seat and is bucked off Charlie's back. She cries out as she lands on the ground with a loud thump, and that's enough to break my frozen state. Leaping over the gate, I run toward her, yelling at Dusty to get his attention from her on the ground.
In those few seconds, Charlie was able to get back on his feet as Bella lay there, staring at Dusty, who's now hoofing dirt back, preparing to charge.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm and out of the arena. Try to keep quiet so that our bullfighters can distract the bull," Emmett says, sounding scared.
Dusty pounds his hoof on the ground in a clear warning that he's going to charge. He snorts out and then starts to run toward Bella, who seems to be unable to get on her feet.
"Fuck!" My inner mind hisses, well aware that there's too much room between myself and Dusty and not enough between him and Bella.
"Dusty!" I yell again, hoping he hears me and changes his charge toward me. My heart beats faster as he moves closer to Bella with his big-horned head down. Her eyes move from Dusty to me, and she mouths something to me as her eyes close. Then she covers her face with her arms, bracing for impact.
Just before he reaches her, Charlie comes out of nowhere and stands over Bella. Charlie kicks out his hind legs in warning to stay back. Dusty stops and turns; he looks again, and this time, Charlie runs toward me. He stops and stands by me, kicking his hind end toward Dusty, which causes Dusty to move away from Bella a little.
"Dusty!" I yell again, and he stops sharply and looks at me. I watch as his harsh breaths stir up dirt, his head down to charge. He slams the ground with his hoof, but I keep my eyes locked with him as he charges toward me. Just when he gets close enough, I plant my hands on the back of his shoulders and launch myself over him. Landing on my feet, I turn to the left to get him farther back from where Bella is. Looking to where she is, I see Jasper sweeping her up into his arms.
Having been looking back and not the way I was running, I trip and tumble over a barrel, landing in a heap on the ground. I move my legs quickly apart as Dusty's horns come close to giving me the snip.
Grabbing his horns, I let him pull me up, and I spring to my feet. I head for the gate but know he's close on my ass. Hurling the barrel we knocked down back at him, I gain a little ground on his chase.
"Again, I'm askin' people to stay out of the arena and allow our bullfighters to get Dusty and Charlie back to where they belong," Emmett announces, making me frown as I wonder where Charlie's gone.
Just as the thought passes through, I hear Charlie and look to see him running to me. I know exactly what both he and I need to do. With a quick glance behind me, I know that this is going to be close. I turn my attention back to Charlie, who's moved to the side as I start to count my mark, and just as he reaches me, I grip the saddle horn and twist my body, leaping up onto him.
"Good job, Charlie. Now, let's get Dusty back home," I whisper.
Charlie again moves toward Dusty and rises up on his hind legs in front of him. Dusty stops and gives us the glare of hate. I nudge Charlie in the direction I want him to go, and Dusty takes chase. We lead him around to the end of the arena. As we come close, the gate opens, and we go through it. Dusty follows, and a gate closes behind us at the same time the arena gate closes with Dusty now in the holding pen. The crowd and several workers, crew, and cowboys cheer. Motioning for the gate to be opened to let me and Charlie out of the chute area, I pat Charlie's neck.
"Edgar, yer nuts," Emmett shouts over the loudspeaker. "That, guys and gals, is why he gets paid the big bucks. Edgar is our best bullfighter and has ice water runnin' through his veins!" Emmett says with a small chuckle, but I know he's shaken up. "We'll keep y'all updated on how Miss Bella is doin', folks, and we sure do apologize for this unforeseen event. We're gonna take a few minutes for intermission."
I do what's expected of me by nodding and waving my hat to the crowd. Once I'm back out of the arena, I lean forward to Charlie.
"Take me to my parents' tent, boy." Charlie heads off on a trot, and when we get there, I leap off, giving him a pat. I hand his reins to Alice, who also looks shaken up.
"Bella?" I say as I walk into the tent, moving right to her and taking her hand in mine. "Miss Bella," I husk out, moving her hair out of the way. "I'm sorry," I whisper into her ear, feeling as if I should have stopped this before it happened.
Feeling her fingers thread through my hair, I let out a small sigh.
"Thank you for savin' me," she almost blubbers.
Moving my head up, I see she's trying hard not to cry.
"Oh, Buttercup," I whisper as my thumb runs under her eyes, catching the tears as they fall.
"Sorry, Bella, but yer leg is broken."
Standing up, I look to my dad as he keeps talking.
"We're gettin' the van ready to take you to the nearby hospital. It looks as if it's a clean break, but you'll be in a cast for six to eight weeks. Sadly, I think you've sprained yer other ankle, which means you, little lady, will not be gettin' around without a wheelchair."
Bella groans, and I laugh nervously, feeling somewhat still in shock.
"The van's here," Jasper says as he moves toward Bella, but I sweep her into my arms.
At first, he glares at me, but then understanding seems to sweep through his eyes, and he smiles, giving me a nod. I whisper a thank-you to him as I pull Bella closer to me.
"We'll be there soon," I tell her, knowing she must be in pain.
"Charlie?" she asks me.
I smile down at her. "He's good," I tell her. Jasper opens the door of the van, and I move into it, keeping Bella in my arms. I go to put her on the bench seat, but she grips my shirt.
"Can I stay with you?" she asks, and I see a small amount of fear in her eyes but not enough for her to cling to me. "I'm cold," she carries on.
"It's the shock," my dad says, jumping in.
I nod without turning to him.
"My lap it is, then," I say as I sit down with her.
My mom wraps a blanket over us, and Bella leans her face into my neck. "I got ya both a change of clothes."
"Thanks, Ma," I say, not looking away from my girl.
"Sorry," she whispers to me, and I brush her hair out of the way.
"Yer fine, Buttercup." My hand stays still, and I look into her eyes. "Yer fine," I repeat as I place a soft kiss on her head.
It's been almost six hours since we left the rodeo, and we're just pulling up outside Bella's trailer. My father's diagnosis about her having a broken leg and sprained ankle was correct. They gave her some painkillers and then taped up her ankle and cast her other leg. Due to the fact she can't put weight on either of her legs, I've carried her around the hospital and back to the van. She fell asleep about thirty minutes ago, snuggled into my lap.
"Buttercup, yer home," I whisper into her ear, which makes her hum.
I pick her up and carry her inside.
"Do ya think yer ma will change her clothes for me?" Garrett asks, and I nod at him.
"Ma," I call, and she pokes her head in the door. "Can you change Bella?"
"Oh, of course," she says right away.
"Do we know what happened yet?" I ask as I turn back to Garrett.
"Some kid thought it would be funny to piss Dusty off, and when he ran out of the field, he left the gate open."
I sigh, letting out a breath, feeling angry. "Who was meant to be watchin' the pens?" I ask, knowing that we never leave the animals unattended.
"Some girl had a fall, an' James was takin' her to yer dad. He didn't stop to think."
"I'm assumin' she was a part of it?"
"She was, even if she keeps sayin' she ain't."
"Okay, she's all dressed for bed now," my mom states. "She seems to be in pain still, bless her heart, but I'll drop in later tonight and top up her painkillers."
I nod, as does Garrett.
"I'll have to leave for a while. I have a bunch of things to take care of, but I can be back here in an hour."
"I'll stay here with her. Don't worry," I mutter right away. "I don't think she should be on her own. She may need to use the bathroom," I say quickly.
Garrett taps my arm and nods. "Thanks, Edward. Be sure to give me a holler if ya need anythin'."
I agree, and he and my mom walk out. Kicking off my boots, I sit on the chair near her bed and watch her sleep.
"Edward," Bella calls, and I jump, being startled awake.
"Buttercup, ya all right?" I ask as I try to wake myself up.
"Yeah?" she says, sounding unsure, so I keep looking at her. "Okay, no. I need to pee."
I chuckle at the flush of her face.
"Okay." I move to take her in my arms.
"I can't believe yer gonna see me pee. You haven't even asked me out yet." Bella chuckles, making me stop.
Bella's face darkens as it comes to her what she just said. "I mean ..."
I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers.
"Hush," I say with a wink, placing her down on the toilet seat.
"Don't you ask me for a date while I'm on this commode," she demands.
Laughing and nodding, I move her hair back from her face. "Why are you always hidin'?" I ask, and she bites her lip, shrugging.
"Don't know," she tells me, looking from my eyes to my lips.
"Wrap yer arms around my neck, and pull yerself up, and I'll lower yer bottoms for ya. I won't peek. I promise."
She agrees and while I manage to keep my eyes closed my thumbs lightly trace the softness of her hips as I lower her bottoms. "I'll let ya pee," I say holding back the moan from the feel of her skin. Backing out the door, I pull it shut behind me.
I stand outside the door with my head tilted toward it but my eyes closed. "Do ya need me to call my ma or dad to come over to top yer painkillers?" I ask her.
"Eh, it's a little late, don't ya think?" she stutters back to me.
"No, they'll come if ya need 'em. They're only three trailers over," I remind her.
"Okay, let's get ... argh, freakin' shit!" she yells, making me move quickly into the bathroom. When I get there, I see she's gripping her leg as she's bent over.
"What happened?" I ask, kneeling in front of her.
"Tried to stand," she says with tears, and I frown at her.
"Ya shoulda called for me," I tell her.
"But ..."
I shake my head at her as I wrap her arms around my neck and pull up her bottoms.
"This is so embarrassin'," she mumbles.
"Come on, darlin', you saw my bare ass last year, remember?" I joke as I pull back from her with a smile.
"Yeah, but that was to save yer ma from lookin' at it," Bella says with a chuckle, and I wipe the tears from her eyes.
"I am very grateful for that, just as much as she is." I wink and pick her up, carrying her back to bed. "I'll call my ma."
I make a quick call, and my mom comes to give Bella her meds as I make her a light snack.
"Bye, son," my mom says, smiling happily as she walks out of the trailer.
"Bye, Ma," I say before picking up the food and walking back to Bella's room.
"Here ya are, Buttercup," I say, placing the plate of food down.
"Thank you," Bella whispers.
I look at her and smile. "Here it goes," I whisper, which makes Bella pull her eyebrows together. "I have liked you for months now and have been waitin' for a clear sign from you that you liked me back. But after today, I don't want to wait, so as tomorrow is ..." I stop and look at my watch, seeing that it's now after one in the morning. "Well, make that today is Valentine's Day. Would ya spend it with me? Will ya be my Valentine?"
"I would like that ... but," Bella says, casting a look down at her legs.
"Leave it to me," I say with a wink.
Leaning over, I kiss the side of her mouth.
"Eat up," I whisper before pulling back from her.
It's just after six in the evening when I arrive at Bella's trailer. I knock on her door as I walk in.
"Hi," I say, looking her over. "You look amazin'."
She's sitting in a chair, wearing a blue dress that fits her perfectly.
"These are for you." I hand her some colorful wild flowers the florist helped me put together.
Putting my hands in my pockets, I watch her as she smells them. I'm glad they're already in a vase with water so she can set them down.
"Are ya ready to go?"
"I am," she replies, looking at me with her eyes full of wonder.
Moving to her, I pick her up and carry her to the truck. I get her belted in and then get in myself. Slowly, I drive us to the quiet area that I, along with Alice and Rose, have set up. The sky is clear tonight, and with the warmth of the heaters and the light of the candles, we'll be comfortable on the blanket. Placing Bella softly down on the blanket, I sit down next to her.
"My ma helped me cook our dinner," I tell her as I uncover the food that I've kept heated on a small hot plate.
Setting the one big plate down between us, I hold the one fork I intend for us to share.
"Dad said Dusty may have to be let go," Bella mumbles out, sounding heartbroken.
Cupping her face, I rub her chin with my thumb. "We'll find somewhere safe for him. None of this is yer fault."
She looks at me, and I know she feels guilty.
"Even if those kids hadn't let him out, we would still be talkin' about lettin' him go. He's old, Bella. You know yer dad's rules about lettin' the older animals have their retirement, too. He likes to let them enjoy their life after givin' so many years of service."
"I know. It's just … He's part of the family."
Smiling, I lean forward and kiss the side of her mouth. This is the biggest reason I've fallen in love with her. She is pure-hearted and loves everyone, even the animals.
"We'll see him again, love."
Bella looks at me and nods. I pick up her legs, looping them over mine like we always do, and we chat as we eat from the same plate.
"Dance with me?" I say after we've finished.
"Er," Bella says, scratching her head. "Ya know I love dancin' as much as you do, but ..." She points at her legs, and I can't help but look at them.
Damn cast or not, she has lovely legs.
"Trust me," I say, moving her legs and jumping up.
I hook my iPod up to the truck, and the music fills the area. Moving back to Bella, I pick her up, placing her so that her feet are resting on mine, but my arms are around her back, supporting her weight. Bella smiles, and her arms go around my neck as her fingers thread into my hair. I press my forehead to hers, and we start to move. Keeping my eyes locked with hers, I lean closer and kiss her lips.
We sway side to side, and our kisses increase in length and pressure. My arms hold her body to mine, and I trail a hand down her leg. When I pull lightly, she instantly responds, wrapping both of her legs around my hips. Not once while this was happening did our swaying or kissing stop.
"I love you," I say and hear as I pull back, knowing it wasn't just me that said those words. I grin, as does she. Pressing my lips back on hers, I feel happier right now than I've ever felt before.
It's been seven weeks, and Bella has gotten her cast off. Her legs healed up good as new. We've spent a great deal of time together and have become a couple. Even with all the joy and happiness, today is a sad day for us. Dusty is leaving to go to his forever home in Oklahoma.
Moving to the fence, I watch as he's led to the field by Garrett. "Think he's gonna be okay?" Bella asks as she watches him.
"I think he'll be fine. There're a lot of heifers here," I say, looking around the field of cattle.
Bella chuckles, but I can hear the faint sob behind it. Pulling her close, I kiss her head, looking down at her.
I jump as I feel a breath huff on my neck. Turning my head, I see Dusty standing there looking at me.
"Hey, boy," I say. "I wish I knew what they did to ya. I woulda helped ya kick their asses," I tell him, sure that he hates me. He sees me as the guy who protected one of the guys who hurt him. "Yer free now. No more riders; no more crashing my ass, but I'll be dropping in to see ya from time to time, okay?" I ask him, and he huffs again.
His eyes flicker to Bella and then back to me. "Come on," I say to Bella, and we slowly walk to my truck. We stop when I hear a loud huff and a stomp. Turning, I see Dusty still looking at me, and I tilt my head. He drops his head, and for the first time, he turns his back on me and walks away.
"Think that means yer both cool now?" Bella asks, and I nod, knowing he must trust me a little or he'd never have turned his back on me.
"Yeah, come on. We've got a rodeo to get ready for."
Driving along the field, I look back and see that Dusty is mingling with his new friends. Feeling Bella's body next to mine, I turn, removing one hand from the wheel and wrapping my arm around her. I kiss the top of her head as we drive off.