The Roper (Rodeo Nights) (6 page)

“I need a quick shower,” she whispered against ear, her breath warm and teasing.
 

 
She picked up her clothes and walked to shower. Rushing, she dried and dressed then leaned against the wall thinking about what he had done to her, what it felt like when he covered her body with his, and slowly gently showed her what he needed. It hurt, but then started to feel a good, but different.
 

Leaving the bathroom she said, “I’ll grab my stuff from next door while you shower then meet you downstairs.”

“They took yours but maybe you should check just in case.”

She followed him down to the truck waiting while he threw his and Dale’s stuff in the back of the camper. Unlocking his door he helped her in, then climbed in beside her. “Ready?” he asked kissing her.

“Yes,” she said, knowing there would never be anyone else for her. He’d made her love him even more, and she loved how he made her feel, but he’d told her one night. She had been loved for one night and would still love him forever. She ached, close to tears stumbling when she climbed in his truck.

Bobby backed in behind his trailer and hooked up.

 
Dale was backing into her trailer. Hooking it up he jumped out and let the ramp down.
 

“I have to work Gracie a bit before I trailer her or she’s hard to load, then she’ll kick the shit out of it all the way there,”she said not looking at him.

Dale loaded Bobby’s gelding, swung the gate closed making sure it was locked. Bobby threw his saddle in his camper.

“I’ll load Peanuts while you work Gracie,” Jody said walking back into the barn.

Bobby pulled Casey close. “Where are you staying?”
 

“I don’t know. Jody booked all the rooms in advance,” she said chewing her bottom lip.

“Okay. We’ll wait for you at the grounds,” he smiled kissing her slow and easy. Casey wrapped her arms around his waist and held on. “Thank you,” she whispered.
 

“Remember you’re mine,” he growled. Turning he walked back to his truck, climbing in.
 
She rode out of the barn bareback and he smiled watching Gracie do little crow hops. She reared straight up Casey’s legs pressed tight against her. He was hard, remembering how she had wrapped her arms and then her legs around him, holding him tight as they made love.

Casey loaded Gracie. After checking that the saddles were in the camper she climbed in the truck.

 
Jody laughed, “You didn’t tell him did you?”

“No. He said one night. Did you tell Dale?”

“Nope.”

When they approached the highway Casey turned south instead of north, going in the opposite direction.

“You like him?” Jody asked.

“Yeah, I think I could love him.”

“He’ll hurt you,” she said. “in more ways than one. You’re too innocent for him, Casey. I think deep down he hates all women.”

“Where the hell is she,” he mumbled to himself. They should be here by now. She might be a slow driver but no one was that slow.
 

Standing next to Dale he looked at the program. “Where the hell are all the barrel racers?” he mumbled.

“Abilene,” Dale smirked. “Just heard there’s a clinic, a meeting then a run off for a twenty- thousand dollars. Supposed to be some hot guy there talking about what type horse and breed are best for barrels racing.”

His heart dropped. She hadn’t said a word. He thought she’d be here with him. In a few weeks she’d be back teaching, the circuit finished.
 

“Fuck,” he whispered. He didn’t even know her last name. “How long before they’re back? Did Jody tell you they were coming back?”

Dale was laughing at him. “So someone finally got to you,” he said, leaning against the fence. “What about your one night rule?”

“She’s mine. She said yes when I told her,” he mumbled.
 

“Kinda like when you tell women you love them?”

“I’ve never told her I love her,” he snarled. “I’ve never told any of them I loved them.” She was his and he did love her.

Dale was still laughing when he said, “They’ll be back late tomorrow night or early the next morning. Just so you know, when a guy tells a woman she’s his they all say yes whether they mean it or not. It’s like a guy telling them how much he loves them for one night.”

How the hell was he supposed get through a night without her snuggled up to him. She was
 
his. He’d make dam sure she knew it when she got back.

Bobby won the roping go round again that night. Dale took the bull riding.
 

Finished feeding and watering Bobby drove to the motel knowing it would the same as all the others, two double beds, one on each side of the room, a T.V. on a stand and a large chair, with the washroom and shower at the other end. Dropping his duffle on a bed Bobby turned the T.V. on sat on the chair checking the channels.

“Don’t mope,” Dale snickered. “We’ll go out and find us some rodeo bunnies.”

“Fuck off,” Bobby snarled. “I’m not going out.”
 

“TV all night it is then,” Dale said, a snicker in his voice.

  
The next morning they drove to the barns, Bobby not saying a word. He filled the bucket, water sloshing over his boots, He filled the feed bucket dropped it and cursed.
 

Dale watched him. “Calm down,” he said.

“Hey you guys,” Jody laughed walking up to them and leaning against Dale.

“Where’s Casey?” Bobby asked.

“I caught a ride back with another girl. Casey stayed. She said there’s something really wrong with Gracie and she was waiting on the vet. She’ll be back tomorrow.”

“How was the clinic?” Dale asked.

 
“That ass hole guy they had to talk breeds had the hots for Casey. Told her he’d give her a better horse than Gracie.”

“What’d Casey say?” Bobby asked.

“Told him to get lost, that she didn’t want one of his horses. Makes you happy right?”

Bobby backed his gelding in the slot, nodded at the judge He came in third not caring whether he was there or not.

“Drinks on me,” Jody said.”Supper on Dale.”

“Supper’s okay but I’m not going for drinks.” Bobby said.

“Hey, let’s order in and buy a bottle,” Dale said.

Jody ordered Chinese food while Bobby drove over to the hotel and bought a bottle of rye and grabbed a bag of ice cubes.

Finished supper Bobby said no thanks to a drink and left. He tried to watch TV, then tossed and turned the bed too big. Without Casey curled into him, without his arms around her, sleep wouldn’t come. Damn he missed her.

 
It was midnight when he pulled his jeans on, walked over to Jody’s room and knocked on the door.

Dale answered, doing his jeans up a big smile on his face. Jody reached over turning the small lamp on, a sheet covering her legs.

“Need a drink,” Bobby said. He poured one and leaned against the counter.

The lock clicked, the door opened and Casey walked in.

 
Bobby turned, panic gripping him when he saw the shock, the betrayal she felt on her face and in her eyes.
 

“It’s not what you think Casey,” he said reaching for her.

“Sorry,” Casey said starting to back out.

“You’re wrong Casey, I couldn’t sleep so I came for drink.”

He saw the hurt in her eyes grow deeper then felt the stiffness of her body when he tried to hold her. She stepped back, dropping her bag. She left slamming the door behind her, Jody laughing when Bobby ran after her.

“Casey stop,” he said. She stumbled grabbing the railing then turned brushing past him, going back in the room.

“Get out,” she told Dale. “If you want to sleep with them you do it in their room,” she yelled at Jody.

“You get out too,” she said turning to Bobby. “Right now,” she said tears in her eyes. She’d needed him, needed to tell him about Gracie but not anymore.

“Casey.”

“I said get out now Bobby.”

All three of them left.
 

“Give her some time Bobby,” Jody said. “She’ll calm down and then you can explain to her.”

“Gotta admit it looked damn bad,” Dale said. “Shit we both were standing there in nothing but our jeans. She thinks you were spending the night with us.”

 
Sitting on the edge of the bed, tears running down her face. Jody had warned her but she hadn’t listened. She couldn’t catch her breath, her head hurt and her chest ached. All she wanted was to feel his arms around her telling her everything would be okay. He looked the same as he had when he’d pulled his jeans on to answer the door in their room the morning before they left.
 
He’d told her she was his but he didn’t tell her he loved her. Stupid. She was stupid, not worth his love. She thought about Gracie, knowing she had counted on Bobby to be there for her. She was truly alone now. Things would only get worse. She could almost feel his hands on her body, his gentleness. She loved him, knowing now that she always would.

 
Bobby sat on his bed, leaning against the headboard, the sound of Jody giggling and Bobby moaning had him ready to hit something. He should have known better. He didn’t need a drink, and shouldn’t have gone to their room. He needed Casey. Picking up Jody’s key, he closed the door behind him and went back to Casey.

He opened the door then closed it standing in the dark. “I’ll sleep in the chair,” he said. “I never slept with them and I’m not staying there listening to them screw either.”

He poured another drink, sank into chair. “I know you’re awake Casey. Will you talk to me?”

“Nothing to talk about. I’m not Lauren, the love of your life. I never would have hurt you Bobby. You can do whatever you want whenever you want with who ever catches your eye. You said one night remember? I was just stupid enough to think there was more.”

“I meant it when I said you were mine, that I love you.”

“Yeah for one night,” she sniffled.

“No Casey, for always,” he said sliding in next to her.
 

“If you want to stay here for the night you go back to that chair or get in the other bed. Now Bobby. Just shut up and leave me alone.”

He sat in the chair finishing the rest of the bottle.

When the sun peaked in the window, he watched her in the little pink nighty as she picked clean clothes out of the duffle bag. He listened to the shower knowing his life was over if she didn’t listen to him, believe in him. It had had nothing to with sex. Yeah it did but he loved her. All he wanted to do was put his arms around her, hold her close and know she trusted him.

 
Pulling her boots on she grabbed her truck keys then left slamming the door behind her.

He pulled his jeans on ran next door. Dressed he did his shirt buttons up tucking it as he ran down the stairs to his truck.

Bobby looked over the parking lot. She was on her way to the barns.
 
Climbing in his truck he sped out of the parking lot.

He saw Casey leading Gracie out of the barn and swing up on her. No saddle and no little crow hops he noticed. Gracie just stood there. Saddling his gelding he swung up, riding out the door in time to see her slowly riding down a narrow path into the bush. Following her he stayed far enough back that she couldn’t hear him or see him. She was going to the race track.

He stopped, backed his horse into the trees when she jumped off Gracie, ran up a tall blond man, her arms around his neck. He lifted her off the ground, hugging her to his chest. Casey and the stranger led Gracie into the barn and were back in a few minutes later.

 
Climbing off his horse Bobby leaned against a tree watching them sit close to each other talking, the stranger handing her a mug of coffee. The guy pulled his chair closer and held her hand then leaned over, his arm around her shoulders pulling her closer.

Bobby relaxed a bit. He didn’t act or look like a lover. He was comforting her, not coming on to her.
 

A car drove up and old bent over man climbed out. Using a cane he walked over to Casey and patted her on the shoulder. The blond guy stood took Casey by the hand and walked into the barn with the old man. He waited, still watching. A little later the blond guy came out carrying Casey cradled to his chest. He sat and rocked her back and forth, comforting her, wiping her face. Dam it he should be there with her no matter what was happening. Leaving the cover of the trees he stopped.
 
The old guy came out, took Casey’s hand and led her to his car. When they drove out of sight the young guy stood and lifted his cup, looking right at him. Bobby swung back on his gelding and rode down to meet him.