Page 129 of The Wildest Ride

In the morning, the hollows under her eyes were deeper, but her expression one of grim purpose.

One way or another, after tonight, it was all over. Tomorrow she’d be going home.

She splashed water on her face and repeated her braid from the day before. Later, she would put on the same vest and jeans she’d worn the day before, she’d don her chaps and hat, and she’d walk out to compete in the final event of the closed circuit reality rodeo.

They would draw their bulls just before go time, AJ first, Hank second, her with what was left, but every draw was a proven beast—Cortes, Shadow Haint, and Sweet Suzy—each one undefeated. Each one a certified man killer.

Once a bull got a taste for blood, it wanted more. Just like everything else.

Her mind hopped back to AJ before she dragged it back to the day ahead. She needed a plan. Breakfast, then...what? The afternoon stretched out ahead of her, the free time before the big event really more a tyranny than a boon. She could call AJ. Spend the day distracted by his body. Her heartbeat raced at the thought. But it wasn’t real. She couldn’t. Not if he loved her. She would feel it, and feeling it, she wouldn’t be able to deny him.

The body wouldn’t win.

But she needed something good for the mind. She settled on room service and binge-watching a costume drama. She’d have to keep it light with the snacking and even the most complicated plot wouldn’t be able to keep her mind fully off AJ and the event, but it was her best shot.

It was more effective than she’d imagined. Ten hours later, after her alarm had gone off, she came out of her TV stupor. She’d ordered cheese, charcuterie, and hummus platters and stuck to drinking water throughout the day and felt...good. Even when she’d changed into full gear and checked herself in the mirror one last time, the sense of peace lasted. Something good was going to happen—even if she lost, tonight was the night her stress would come to an end.

The feeling lasted about as long as it took to get to the casino arena.

Three separate groups of young men approached just to mess with her, as she was an obvious target for torment in her full riding gear.

“You’re kinda small for a bull rider.”

“Maybe they’re all tiny, like jockeys!”

While this was met with uproarious laughter, the first group let her step around them and continue on her way without further hassle. The second bunch wasn’t so magnanimous.

“Not so fast, shorty!” A stumbling man with a half-full yardstick daiquiri shouted. “You look like a woman to us. We’re not letting you leave til we see your dick!” He reached out to grab Lil by the shoulder at the same time as he spoke.

She tilted her body to give him a small karate chop in the elbow, forcing him to bend his arm and let go of her shoulder.

“I am. Cut it out and use your manners when you’re talking to a lady.”

His buddy whispered loudly, “She’s a ninja, Bret. Let’s go.”

Bret’s eyes widened and he took a step back, then turned all the way around to walk away from the big scary ninja.

Lil offered a mental thanks to the dumb drunk who thought small and black equaledninja. He’d saved her some trouble.

Like her life was a fairy tale, the third group was the worst: a bachelorette party.

“Oh my god! Female cross-dressing, I love it. So empowering! Tell me where your show is. I absolutelyhaveto know.” The woman’s eyes were a bit glassy, but the fervor in her voice and the badge on her purple spaghetti strap midi dress that read CERTIFIED MAID OF HONOR told Lil she was the organizer behind the madness.

Lil raised her hands, palms up. “Sorry, ma’am. That isn’t my performance.”

A redhead in a bright green dress of the same style narrowed her emerald eyes and said, “Then tell her what your performance is.” She wore a white sash diagonally across her chest that read BRIDE—not that Lil needed the label. The few weddings they’d hosted at the ranch before abandoning that idea were enough for Lil to recognize the particular tone a woman got when a day wasall about her.

The rest of the group watched, a complete rainbow of dresses, sharing the same intensity in their same glassy glares, an intensity that had nothing to do with interest and everything to do with immense hunger—for drama, for a perfect moment to capture, for a memory to talk about for ever after, every time this night came up.

Just what I need, Lil thought. She spoke slowly and clearly, “I’m with the rodeo.”

Yellow, a gorgeously tan brunette, squealed, “Oh my god! She has an accent!”

“A female rodeo cowboy? Oh my god!” Blue, a sunny blonde, also tan, covered the O of her mouth with her hand to emphasize her point.

“Oh my god, you’re so brave!” This came from Red, who was milky pale, black haired, and blue eyed.

Orange, a hazel-eyed girl next-door type, asked, “Is it scary?” in a sweet, trembly, voice.