Chapter 26
Sam flinched when the calf roping event was running. She felt bad for the little calves that were roped around the neck and then by the back feet. Granted the cowboys and horses involved were very experienced, but Sam still felt bad for the calves.
"They don't hurt them," Jake murmured.
"I know," Sam said, her eyes meeting his dark brown eyes.
They smiled softly at each other.
"I don't like the steer wrestling either," Sam told him. "The way they twist their necks to bring them down."
"I know," Jake nodded. "Frankly, I'm surprised you agreed to come with us."
That surprised Sam.
"Why?"
"Because you're so softhearted," Jake explained.
"As long as I can hide my eyes sometimes I'm fine," Sam rested her head on his shoulder to demonstrate. Then she looked up at him with her head still against his shoulder and Jake had to fight not to kiss her. Her eyes were huge in her face as she looked up at him through her bangs. Jake felt his heart flip in his chest.
"If you need to," Jake almost whispered.
"Thanks," Sam smiled up at him and lifted her head.
She turned to watch what was going on in the arena. Jake tried to remember to breathe. He happened to glance at his brothers, all of whom were grinning at him.
Jake looked away quickly. He heard the four obnoxious snorts. Sam looked down the row at Nate, Adam, Quinn and Bryan wondering what they were so amused about.
Soon it came time for the bronc riding competition which is what Kit competed in. Sam gasped the first time she saw one of the horses bucking in the ring, trying to get the rider off while the rider spurred the horse.
"The spurs are dull," Jake was quick to explain.
Sam gave him a look, then looked at his brothers. Jake snorted while his brothers nodded.
"Have Kit show you his spurs," Adam suggested to her. "They really are dull."
Sam nodded slowly.
"You couldn't take my word for it," Jake teased.
"Of course not," Sam teased back. "You'd have called a doctor if I had."
Jake's mouth twitched. Sam swatted his arm.
Jake was happy. This was more like it. She was interacting with him just as she always did. He felt at peace with her sitting next to him and their teasing each other. His brothers saw it on his face and exchanged glances, small smiles on their faces as they did so.
"Kit's in the chute," Nate pointed.
"Where," Sam tried following his arm.
"Second from the left," Adam told her.
"Oh," Sam gasped as the horse tried to get Kit off in the chute.
Someone grabbed Kit to keep his face from slamming into the hard metal of the chute. Sam grabbed Jake's arm, her nails biting into his skin. He was surprised at how strong her grip was. Then she ducked her head against his shoulder.
"Tell me when they have the horse settled," Sam told him.
"Whoa," she heard someone, was it Quinn, groan under their breath.
"You can look now, Sammy," Nate told her.
Sam slowly lifted her head, looking first at Jake then at Nate, then towards the chutes. Kit was still sitting on the horse. Now he was nodding his head and the chute opened.
The horse exploded out of the chute, immediately leaping high into the air as it tried to get Kit off of its back. Sam grimaced when the horse came back down only to leap up into the air with a roll. She couldn't imagine the force of that horse coming down from such a high jump.
Kit was staying with the horse and the eight seconds needed for a score ticked by so slowly. Finally the buzzer sounded. All six of them stood up and clapped for the eldest Ely brother. The brothers all gave piercing whistles.
Kit leapt off the horse onto the pickup rider, then jumped down onto the arena dirt. He heard his brothers and waved towards them.
"Way to go, Kit!" Quinn yelled as Jake let out another ear splitting whistle.
"I wish I could do that," Sam said.
"What, ride a bronc?" Jake looked down at her in surprise.
"No, whistle like that," Sam told him.
"We tried," Jake reminded her.
"Yeah, I know," Sam sat down when the others did. "You made fun of my whistle."
"Well it was pretty pitiful," Jake laughed.
"Hmmph," Sam grouched.