Page 11 of Buck This (Battle of the Bulls #6)

He inhaled deeply and said, “Hey, can I say hi to this little hellion real quick and then I’ll sign whatever you want?”

“Absolutely!” one of the ladies called from the line.

“A girl’s girl, I like it,” Torrey said, pointing to her.

She scrambled around the table, and she was waving both her hands and saying, “Hi, hi, hi,” in this little excited voice and he lost his mind in front of everyone and pulled her in, squeezed her ass, and kissed her.

God the feel of her curves under his hand turned him on.

He released her, smacked her on the ass gently, then leaned in and murmured against her ear, “I don’t know if I can do this. It’s a lot.”

“Okay. That’s okay. I’ll organize and make it easier.

” She squeezed his hand, and it settled something tight in his chest. “Hey guys, Buck This Storme is right in between training sessions and only has about half an hour to sign. He has to go meet his coach, but we will get as much signed as he’s able.

Just be patient and start lining up here if you already have your shirt.

” She had a system down by the second shirt.

She took the fabric, spread it out on the end of the merch table for him, and he signed as she held the fabric taut.

Torrey chatted and joked and charmed everyone, which was great because he didn’t want to talk.

He was as polite as he knew how to be, but Torrey really took the reins on it all.

Fifteen minutes in, and he had settled into the system she had set up. And when the thirty minutes were up, she made the announcement. “I hate to be the bad guy, but he’s already late to meet his coach. Big night tonight! I’m so sorry.”

“Aaaawww,” a couple of people in line complained.

“I’m really sorry. He would stay if he could, but his schedule is insane today.”

“Is she your girlfriend?” someone asked from the crowd.

There were a dozen camera phones taking video and pictures of him right now, and the question caught him off guard. Before he could answer, she said, “Teammate and schedule enforcer.”

“I saw y’all kissing,” someone called out.

“Time to go,” she rushed out, untying her cash apron. She handed it to another of the merchandise vendors and waved, promising, “I’ll come back later with the new order of shirts. I’ll text you when I’m on my way!”

She was getting surrounded by people, and he didn’t like it.

He didn’t like the crushing bodies against her, so he reached into the chaos and pulled her out by the hand, offered a wave and forced a smile at the crowd, and then led her out of there.

He needed her away from the disappointed energy that was building.

Beside him, she did this little one-sided skip, and he bit back a smile.

“You just signed real-life autographs,” she said excitedly.

“Yeah well, Quickdraw is going to skin me. We were supposed to meet him for lunch five minutes ago. He checked his phone and showed her the screen. Five missed calls from Q.

“Whoo, he’s definitely going to yell at you.”

“He’s already been yelling at me. I’m getting used to it.”

“Do you like my shirt? I paid for it, don’t worry.”

“I cannot believe you are wearing a shirt of me shotgunning a beer.”

“It’s the best one. Look at this line right here,” she said, pointing to a little dot near the elbow of the line-drawing.

“That’s one of my hairs. I made it onto the T-shirt!

Quickdraw took a picture of you doing it last night and sent it to the printer, and they translated it to a jumbotron logo.

So freaking cool! I sold seventy of your shirts today.

Seventy! Seven-zero! That’s crazy. People will be wearing them when you buck tonight. ”

“Great, more people to disappoint.”

“Quickdraw will have a plan. He already told me part of it.”

“Yeah, you want to enlighten me?”

“We’re getting you Changed before you even come to the arena.”

“Come again?” he asked, jerking to a stop.

“Quickdraw got ahold of a stock trailer. He’ll be trailering you in Changed. He’s already made all the arrangements.”

“But…” He frowned. “Why? No one does that.”

She shrugged. “He’s the coach. Hell if I know. He’s just asked me to stick with you from now until the ride tonight.”

“Hey, Buck!” someone called.

He turned to see a stocky, familiar man headed their way. A petite woman was at his side, trotting to keep up.

“Tuff?” he asked, bewildered. Tuff Enough Slow Burn knew his name. He shook his hand like they were old friends.

“Can we catch a ride with you? Someone borrowed my truck this morning and they’re still hauling horses in.”

“A ride…” he said. “To lunch. With your dad. Who has been my coach for two days.”

Tuff chuckled and nodded. “This is my mate, Luna.”

“Hi!” Torrey said excitedly, offering her hand for a shake.

Luna shook it and said, “Hello,” but she signed the word at the same time she said it. Must’ve been hard of hearing.

“You don’t have to talk louder,” Tuff assured them as they headed for Buck’s truck. “She reads lips like a champ.”

They were just casually strolling through the entrance of the venue the wrong way with Tuff Enough, the number one bronc rider in the world. Just hanging out with Tuff Enough. No big deal. God, this competition was a strange one.

He looked down at Torrey, who had been chattering to Luna, and she looked up at him in the same moment, and her pretty blue eyes could rival a summer sky.

She looked happy, but more than that, he could feel the happiness washing off her in waves.

All of the overwhelming feelings he’d managed when he’d been signing autographs were gone.

Torrey just made things easier.

Normally he couldn’t be in the same truck as another shifter, and Tuff was a werewolf.

He was heavy and dominant as hell. His lady was a shifter too, but he didn’t know what her animal was.

His animal balked a little as he settled behind the steering wheel, but Torrey lifted the console between them and scooted over on his bench seat and buckled in right beside him like it was the most normal thing ever.

There was an entire seat by the window that had nothing but her little purse sitting in it, and Torrey had chosen to sit right next to him.

He started up the truck and pushed down the urge to kick the shifters out of the back.

They were cool. They were both talking easily, and they were being kind to Torrey, and he could do this.

Buck could give her an easy drive to the barbecue place, and an easy lunch.

He could let her have fun. Tonight was going to be rough enough on her, but today?

Right now? He could make sure she had space to be her happy little self.