Never Kiss a Cowgirl, page 28
It was like she was standing alone in the arena when the chute opened and Asher came out. The sport was barbaric, but she remembered everything her father said to look for when watching a rider, and Asher’s form was as close to perfect as she’d seen. Reagan had picked the white shirt Frida had mentioned and could see it was the perfect choice. Had Asher been a weaker rider, the white against the dirt of the arena would’ve highlighted every mistake, but in Asher’s case it had the opposite effect.
Reagan counted in her head and saw Asher lean one way leading the bull before jumping off the other side. Her heels seemed to sink into the dirt once she was on her feet, but she started for the gate with a wave to the crowd. The clowns were trying their best to get the bull’s attention, and it was working until the bull changed his mind. She screamed for Asher to turn around, but with the thousands around her, her voice was swallowed by the crowd. When the bull’s right horn hooked Asher’s leg, Reagan lost the strength in her legs, and she dropped into her seat.
“Come on,” Uncle Wade said as Asher was helped through the gate.
It felt like an instant later that she was standing over Asher, whose face was a mask of pain. But all she could think was that, while it probably didn’t feel great, Asher was fine. She’d be okay, and she tried to take comfort in that as she kissed her like she wanted to assure herself that would indeed be the outcome.
“I’m okay, baby. I promised I would be.” Asher sat up and moved so Reagan could sit next to her. “It cut me, but it didn’t hit bone.”
“Asher, we have to stitch that up,” the medic said.
“Man, I came so close,” Asher said in as dejected a tone as she’d ever heard from her.
Reagan tightened her hold on Asher, wanting to take her to the hospital and agree that she’d come close, but it was over. That’s not what Asher needed from her right now. “Honey, let them stitch you up, and then I’ll wrap it. You have one more ride in you, so don’t tell me you’re done. You’re done when you win.”
“I’d listen to the lady,” Tyler said, standing over them. “We’re all tied up after that ride. There ain’t no way I’m listening to how I won because you chickened out. Get the stitches and get the third ride over with, so I can kick your ass in a clutch finish.”
“Come on, we’ll do it in the bus,” the medic said.
Reagan followed her in and helped get her jeans off. “Do you have an extra pair?”
Asher shook her head and rolled to her stomach. “I’ll finish in these. They’re not that ripped, are they?”
“You’ll look badass,” the other medic said.
“She’s right,” she whispered into Asher’s ear. “You have one more. I don’t want to hear later how you should’ve tried. You’re going to, end of story.”
Asher rolled her head to the side so she could look at her and appeared confused. “You want me to go back out there?”
“Listen, I was wrong. I’ve told you this a thousand times. The thing is, I know how much you want this, so unless you think you’re physically incapable, it’s either go back out there, or we go through another season to get back here. Daddy can’t be the only one in the family with a championship to his name.” She leaned in and kissed Asher again. It had taken so much to get to this point, not just for Asher, but also for the two of them. Asher didn’t do this for ego or fame, but to prove to herself she could. Her father had done the same. That was the simple truth of it.
“I’m not putting you through that again. I promised, and I intend to keep it.” Asher grimaced, and Reagan glanced back to see the medic starting to stitch.
“I know, Buck, but this is important.”
Asher bit the tip of her index finger when she put it near her mouth. “Our future is important.”
“Then go out there and win this for me. I need a new buckle, so start meditating the pain away.” She pointed to the lidocaine, and the medic injected more around the wound. “Do you need something to drink?”
“Get me a water.” When the woman was done, Asher stood and pulled up her pants. “And maybe an aspirin.”
“No aspirin, my love, and pull your pants back down again.”
“Not the time for that, baby.” Asher laughed as she lowered her pants.
Reagan kissed her abdomen before accepting an ACE bandage from the medic. She wrapped Asher’s leg tight enough to keep the pain at bay until she was done, but not tight enough to cause a problem. Asher allowed her to pull her jeans up and buckle her belt before bouncing on her feet as if testing her leg.
“How’s that feel?” she asked as Asher put her arms around her.
“Good, thanks for taking care of me.”
They kissed, and the tension in her stomach dissolved when Asher pressed their lips together. “I love you, so don’t let me or your cheering section down. It’s getting crowded.”
“What’s that mean?” Asher nodded to the medic when she gave them some privacy.
“With Steph, Jacqueline, and the family—it’s crowded.” She laughed at Asher’s expression of…well, she couldn’t figure out what exactly. “Don’t worry—Steph’s little act was a test for you, according to her, and Jacqueline does seem like a good friend.”
“You want to head back up?” Asher slid her hands into her back pockets and kissed her again.
“This last ride, I want to watch it from down here. I don’t think I can be that far away from you, especially since I know you’re hurt.” She stood on her toes and put her lips on Asher’s forehead. They heard Tyler’s name, so they didn’t have a lot of time. “I love you, and I know Daddy is watching out for you, so don’t hold anything back.”
“Thanks, love, and for much more than for being here. You understand?”
She placed Asher’s hat on her head and kissed her for luck. “When it comes to you, it’ll always be my goal to understand you as well as love you with my whole heart.”
Chapter Twenty-four
Asher put on Silas’s gloves and climbed the side of the chute. The russet-colored bull named Lupo was one of the worst on the circuit, so of course he was the one up next for her. When life gave you shit, there were only two ways to deal with it. Walk away or slosh through it and say you survived it. That’s what her father had taught her, and she wasn’t about to walk away.
“You okay?” the rodeo worker asked when she got to the top.
“I need a patch job on my pants, but I’m ready to go.” She waited for Tyler to finish his ride and wasn’t surprised when he finished strong. A ninety-eight would’ve been hard to beat with no injury, but now it was slogging uphill for sure. “Do you have time to shave his horns down?” It was a joke, but she couldn’t help but stare at the horns that appeared to be filed to sharp points.
They wrapped the rope around the bull’s chest, and she took a deep breath before climbing on. Her leg hurt. She didn’t know if the adrenaline in her system was overriding the numbing shots, but she was in pain. It couldn’t matter right now. Right now she needed to get ready for the last ride of her career and make Silas, Wade, her father, and Reagan proud, win or lose. She’d give it all right now to get this done.
She ran her hand up and down the rope, thinking of Silas and the run he’d had when he won. He’d been so fluid on that ride, almost as if he’d trained the bull to move the way he wanted. It’s what had gotten him the ultimate—the control and movements had been as perfect as the score. The worker pulled her hat down when she motioned for him to, then nodded before she could rethink the million little things that could go wrong.
Her arm went in the air from the moment the chute opened, and she gripped the big animal with her legs, ignoring the pain. She kept her eyes on the big head and tried to anticipate the way he was going to move and went with it. The best way to go with him was to relax as much as she could without falling off. Her mind was quiet, no old ghosts rattling around, and no second-guessing.
The bull’s hooves sounded like a drum when they pounded the dirt, and he seemed to conserve his strength by not grunting. For once the roar of the crowd bled through a little until the buzzer sounded like a canon signaling the end of her battles. There was nothing else she needed to do in the arena, and she was happy with that decision. She lifted her right leg over and jumped free, dropping the rope and doffing her hat to the crowd.
“Asher Evans, everyone,” the announcer said as she spotted Reagan. “Can you believe it?” He announced the score, and she thought for a moment he’d misspoken, but the roar of the crowd made it real.
Reagan smiled like she did when she was totally pleased with life. “A perfect score, honey.” She threw her arms around Asher’s neck, and her legs around her waist. “Daddy would’ve been out of his mind. I know I am.”
She’d remember this moment for the rest of her life. The joy of winning was made better because Reagan was holding and kissing her for winning a bull riding competition. If that didn’t prove they’d come full circle, nothing in life ever would. Now they could move forward, and it meant she’d won the best prize of all.
“This year’s champion bull rider, everyone,” the announcer said again as the gate opened. “Asher Evans!”
She lifted her hand and laughed when Tyler came out and shook her hand. “It’s yours next year.”
“Won’t mean the same if I can’t kick your ass, but that ride was something.” He walked away to let her have her moment.
She glanced around until she found the section where Wade and Frida were seated. They both stood, and Frida blew her a kiss. She placed her hand over her heart and tapped her fingers over her chest. Now that one of her dreams had come to be, they had the freedom to go and enjoy the life they were still trying to build together. Right now, she loved them for the support they’d given unselfishly through the years to get her to the top.
“Come on,” she said to Reagan when it came time to collect her winnings. The money would pay off the barn, and the other one she had planned for the other end of the property. Even with all that construction, there would be a good bit left for whatever else they had planned, making her promise to Silas a reality. Taking care of Reagan wouldn’t be a problem, but he’d gotten that part wrong. They’d take care of each other.
She was exhausted and in pain by the time they got back to their room, so the thought of going to Blanchard’s to eat was as appetizing as taking a shower with that last bull she’d ridden. Reagan sent her into the bathroom and she took her time scrubbing off the dirt of the arena. When she stepped out with a new bandage on her leg and a robe, there was a table set up in the middle of the room with dinner. There was a note in the flowers, and she recognized the handwriting.
Congratulations, cowpoke, and I don’t mean for the title you walked away with tonight. She’s lovely, so take care of her. J
“Are you ready to head home?” she asked Reagan as they sat down.
“Yes, and I’ve made up my mind about my condo.” Reagan fed her a shrimp from her plate, and Asher couldn’t help but notice the opening of her robe.
“I’m okay with whatever you want, love.”
“I want to go home, put up a For Sale sign, and never leave Pemberley.” Reagan undid the belt of her robe and pointed to her plate. “Now, eat up. You’re going to need the energy.”
It was hard not to think about how far they’d come. Pain was transforming, but it made you appreciate days like this. “I love you, and I think that’s some great ideas.”
“You, my love, are everything I ever dreamed of in a partner. Loving you will be the best thing in my life, so thank you for this life you’ve given me.” Reagan leaned in and kissed her palm.
“I can’t wait for what comes next.”
* * *
Reagan woke up and sighed when she found the bed empty. They’d been home for three weeks, and Asher had taken very few days off as the new barn came online and they worked out the kinks as they started producing milk. It was Saturday, though, dammit, and that should mean a day off, but she’d moved in with the worst workaholic on the planet.
Rickie was still in the kitchen when she made it downstairs, and she handed over a cup of coffee and a muffin. She was a lot like Frida—if you didn’t make it down by six, you missed out on a hot breakfast. It was kind of funny, considering the kitchen was in essence hers, but she didn’t feel like arguing.
“Hello, pretty,” she said to the mare the hand brought out to her when she requested a horse. Booker was still pregnant, so she’d given her a break until the foal was born. “Is Asher at the barn?”
“No, ma’am.” The young hand tipped his hat after giving her a hand up. “You might want to head over to the graveyard. She said she had to talk to your daddy this morning.”
She set out and kept going when she didn’t see Asher at the tombs. There were fresh flowers on each one, so she went to the one place she figured she’d find Asher. The small cabin’s door was open, and the horse Asher had ridden was grazing off in the distance, so she dismounted and allowed hers to join it.
“Good morning,” she said when she went in and found Asher in the small kitchen putting together a plate of something. “You could’ve stayed home and had whatever that is in bed.”
“True, but if I had, I wouldn’t have been able to lure you out here for the day,” Asher said, putting the plate in the refrigerator. “Here I get you all to myself.”
“I like the way your mind works, then,” she said, hanging on when Asher hugged her hard enough to lift her off the floor. “Is it crazy to miss you when I see you all the time? Either way, I’ve missed you.”
“Sorry about that, love, but now that we’re milking, it should get easier. That’s why I wanted to spend the day with you.” Asher moved them to the couch and kept her arms around her. “There was something I wanted to give you, and I didn’t need an audience.”
She got goose bumps when she thought about what it could be. There was something she wanted from Asher, but there was no way she’d push. “What?” Asher grabbed a box from the bottom of the couch and handed it over. She tried her best not to show disappointment. The box was way too big for what she had in mind. “What’s this?”
“Open it.” She lifted the top off and found the buckle Asher had just won. Asher had handed it over the night she’d won it, but she’d given it back.
“Honey, you should wear this. How about I have it put on a nice belt, and you wear it for special occasions? It’s too nice to hang on the wall.”
“I have one of those already. Your dad gave it to me.” Asher pointed down to the belt she was wearing. It was her dad’s championship buckle.
“Thank you.” She held the buckle and smiled at Asher, just noticing something about her. “Is there some reason you’re all dressed up?” The dark jeans paired nicely with the white shirt and great boots. It was a variation of what Asher wore when they went to Uncle Wade’s on Sundays. Frida insisted no one look like they were about to round up cattle.
“I thought I’d put in the effort even if our date is out here where only you’ll see me.” Asher sat on the coffee table across from her.
She put the gift aside and took Asher’s hands. It was things like this that warmed her. That same Asher who would voluntarily get on a bull was also this sweet and romantic, and that made the naive young fool she’d once been still live on in her memories. There was lucky, and then there was having Asher Evans love her.
“You have a way of making me feel special.” That got her a smile, followed by a kiss that made her unbutton the top two buttons of Asher’s shirt.
“We’ll get to that, but there’s one more thing before we get naked.” Asher moved until she was on one knee. “We’ve been through a lot, but the best thing that’s ever happened to me is that we found our way back to each other.” Asher took her hand and it felt clammy. Nervous was a state Asher didn’t do often.
“That’s because of you, honey.”
Asher smiled again and pressed a finger to her lips. “No knocking yourself, so please let me finish.” They kissed again, and Asher cocked her right eyebrow as if to keep her from talking, and she nodded. “It might’ve been painful for both of us, but I’d live through it again if I ended up here with you.”
“That’s sappy, baby, and I love it.”
Asher pinched her side and laughed. “Stop talking so I can get to the proposal part of this.”
Those words froze her brain. She’d wanted it, prayed for it, and wished but never thought Asher would ask so soon. “Really?”
“Reagan, I love you. Hell, I want to spend a lifetime loving you, and I want the world to know it.” Asher took something from her front pocket and palmed it. “That might be sappy, but I don’t know how else to tell you.” She opened the box to a beautiful square-cut diamond in what appeared to be a platinum band. “In this life and all the others to come, there will only be you for me. You’re my perfect match, and I don’t want to wait another moment not telling you how much I want a life with you. Will you marry me?”
She’d started nodding the second Asher said proposal, but she was having a hard time getting the word out of her mouth. To ground herself, she pulled Asher forward and kissed her passionately. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. “Yes, a thousand times yes.”
Asher placed the ring on her finger and held her when Reagan fell into her. “If you want something different, we’ll go shopping together.”
The ring caught the morning light through the front window, and she couldn’t imagine it not being on her finger. It was gorgeous and exactly what she would’ve picked for herself. “You gave it to me, and it’s not coming off.”
