“I can’t believe you’d want to come out riding an animal determined to get rid of you that wants to stomp you into the ground or worse.”
Laughing, he reached over and squeezed her hand. “I do other things that are more fun. This comes under one of those exciting challenges, just to see if I can do it.”
She shuddered. “I think that’s a guy thing.”
He laughed again and held her hand as they drove.
At the arena, they walked into the big hall, past vendors while Jared greeted people he knew. And then he paused. “Well, look who showed up,” he said, and Allison recognized a familiar face as Ryan Delaney walked up to them. In a brown wide-brimmed Resistol, he was another handsome cowboy in the arena. Brown hair showed beneath the hat and his dark brown eyes were lively above his wide grin.
“Hi, Allison,” Ryan said.
“You two know each other?” Jared asked, glancing at Allison who smiled in greeting.
“Yes, we do. Back since my college days,” she said. “It’s a small world.”
“Well, Ryan and I have a burger bet on tonight’s bull riding. Soon I will be having a burger dinner, compliments of Ryan,” Jared said, grinning.
“I can tell you right now, I’m going to want a big stack of onion rings with mine.”
“You order whatever you want, and I’ll order whatever I want, and you will pick up the tab because I intend to beat you tonight.”
“We’ll see. I expect a different outcome.”
“You two need to start teaching self-confidence seminars,” Allison remarked.
Smiling, Jared draped his arm across her shoulders. “I’ll see you later,” he told Ryan.
“Oh, yes, you will. It was good to see you, Allison. You have to put up with a lot,” Ryan teased, glancing at Jared, whose grin widened.
As they parted and walked away from Ryan, she fanned her face. “No hand-wringing, ‘I hope I do well’ words between the two of you. I’m not certain I’ve ever been so deep in confidence and bluster. Well, maybe with the little boys I knew back when I was eight years old.”
He chuckled. “Ryan and I like the challenge, and the bet just adds a little more satisfaction.”
“Have you ever lost to him?”
“Oh, yeah. And he’s lost to me. It’s in fun. Ryan’s good, and I like to beat him. Actually, he’s really good. He’s won the most.”
“Well, it’s refreshing to hear you admit someone might be a smidgen better at one of these wild things you do,” she teased.
“Wait until this is over and we’re back at your place. I’ll show you what you and I both do best,” he said in a deeper voice, leaning close to her ear.
She smiled up at him. “Now I want this evening to be over soon.”
“So do I, Allison,” he said, suddenly looking earnest with his smile vanishing. “I want you in my arms. If I could, we’d turn around and leave right now.”
“You can’t skip out now,” she said.
Jared led her to a box seat. “Bull riding is the last event. I can sit with you until later in the evening.”
They sat together, and for the first few events, she enjoyed the evening and Jared beside her. Desire was a steady flame simmering in her, making her count the minutes toward the end of the evening when they would go back to her condo.
When it was time for him to leave her, he turned to kiss her briefly. She gazed into his green eyes and saw excitement, and she realized times like this were essential for him. She watched him leave, wanting to go with him, knowing she couldn’t, and she wouldn’t like it if she went back to watch him get ready to ride.
She wondered if she would be able to watch or would have to close her eyes. Right now she wanted to leave. Tonight would be a test of sorts for her—her reaction to watching him would indicate how deeply her feelings ran for him.
Thinking about the excitement in his eyes, she took a deep breath and tried to calm down, reminding herself that he was doing what he loved to do.
The bull riding started, and the first cowboy came out of the chute. He was tossed from the bull in four seconds. Her hands clenched in her lap and she sat straight, fighting the fear that kept rising in her. Why did Jared have to have these thrills? He had given her reasons, but she still couldn’t understand taking chances like the cowboys that she was watching.
