Page 12 of Hung Up (Shadow Ridge #1)

I walk away, not bothering to stick around and hear what else Kai has to say.

If there’s anything I learned from his ride in Salt Lake City last weekend, it’s that he needs reassurance as much as the next person.

He’s in his head more than he lets on; that confidence is only there because other people feed into it.

And if they don’t? I don’t want to know what will happen to him out there.

“You have a bad habit of pacing,” I announce once I’m in earshot. Jesse doesn’t stop, nor does he look in my direction. So I say, “I hate roses.”

That gets him to stop. He studies my face for a moment before glancing down at my outfit. I listened to what he had to say this morning, so I changed. Instead of the dress pants, I slipped into a pair of skinny jeans. I kept on the pale pink dress shirt, though.

Jesse stuffs his hands into his pockets. “So that’s why they were in the parking lot?” I raise a brow in surprise. “The lady at the front desk called me. She’s the one who helped me figure out what car was yours.”

“Hopefully she’ll like them.” He tries to give me a smile, but it falters. He starts to pace again, which causes me to sigh. “Okay, Pretty Boy. You’re making me dizzy.”

“Sorry,” he breathes, walking toward a bench off to the side and taking a seat, placing his hat beside him. This feels familiar. “I can’t ride, I just can’t. But I also need to, otherwise I can flush all thoughts of the buckle down the drain.”

“What can I do?” Jesse looks at me, those green eyes wide. “Oh, don’t look so surprised. I’m not heartless. I don’t want to see any of you get hurt.”

He gives me an apologetic smile as he moves his hat, gesturing with his head for me to sit beside him. I don’t hesitate as I take a seat and wait for him to speak. “You any good at pep talks?”

“Normal ones? Absolutely.” I shift my gaze to his, our eyes connecting.

“Ones that’ll help someone ride a beast that shouldn’t be ridden?

I guess we’ll find out.” Jesse laughs, a genuine laugh, and I can’t stop the smile that tugs at my lips.

“Look, I don’t know much about this whole bull-riding thing.

I can’t tell you how you need to set your body or how you’re supposed to move.

What I can tell you is that you’ve been doing this for years and you know exactly what it is you need to do. ”

“That’s your pep talk?” he asks incredulously with a raised brow. “Just do what I’ve always done?” I shrug with a nod. “If that was working for me, I would’ve won the buckle by now. So clearly what I’m doing isn’t working.”

I hum as I tap my foot. “So let me get this straight. Wyatt always gives you a pep talk beforehand and then watches your ride from above the chute, and you’re freaked out because he’s not here to do so.

” Jesse turns to stare at me, a suspicious expression covering his face.

“Yet, you just admitted that what you’ve always done hasn’t won you a buckle.

So, I’ll ask you again, Pretty Boy. What can I do? ”

He releases a surprised chuckle before he jumps to his feet.

Turning to look down at me, he gives me a genuine smile and holds a hand out in my direction.

I hesitate for a moment before I slip my hand into his, the calluses rough against my skin as he pulls me to my feet.

The crowd starts cheering loudly as the announcers read off Stetson’s scores before introducing the next rider.

“You’re right,” he says as he releases my hand and smiles down at me. “Maybe it is time I switch things up a little.”

“What do you have in mind?”

Jesse gives me a sly grin. “Have you ever watched someone from above the chute?”

“I’ve never watched another human ride a bull until two weeks ago,” I remind him with a chuckle. “I think I’ll stick to my nook that a very pushy and convincing bull rider had the crew build for me. That’s close enough for me. For now, anyway.”

“Oh, come on, Sweetheart.” He surprises me as he grabs my hands between his own and gives me…puppy dog eyes? You’ve got to be kidding me. “We don’t know if it’ll work until you’ve tried.”

“You’ve had people watch you from above the chute before,” I point out, trying to get my heart to slow down as he gives my hands a little squeeze. “We literally just covered that it wasn’t working.”

Jesse’s eyes bore into mine, an intensity behind them that has my breath hitching. “Yeah, I have. But they weren’t you.”

“Jesse—”

“Please, Faith.” Damn him and those beautiful eyes.

I groan and tip my head back, and once our gazes reconnect, he’s sporting a victorious grin. “Fine. But if you don’t get a near-perfect score, I’m back to my nook for the rest of the season. Got it?”

“Got it.” He drops my hands and grabs his vest off the bench, slipping his arms into it.

“Okay, it gets a little hectic up there, so just be careful. A few guys are holding ropes to keep the bull steady enough for us to climb on and another helping us riders. Just make sure to steer clear of them and you’ll be just fine.

” He grabs my hand and brings me around toward the chute just as the second rider completes his ride.

“See that platform up there?” He points up to the right and I nod.

“You can sit up there.” Jesse glances down at me and gives my media lanyard a gentle tug.

“If they give you a hard time, just show them this.”

“This is a lot of instructions to follow for something that’ll only last eight seconds.”

His smile grows as he cocks a brow. “You think I’ll make it the full eight seconds?”

Before I can stop myself, I tell him, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

Jesse’s gaze softens as he studies me. I shift my weight between the soles of my feet, my hands growing clammy as we stare at one another. Before he can speak, however, Titan is being ushered into the chute as they announce Jesse’s name over the loudspeaker.

“Go get ‘em, cowboy,” I say with a wink.

Jesse tips his hat at me and returns my wink before spinning on his heel and approaching the chute.

I trail behind him and walk over to the platform, climbing the ladder to perch on top.

Glancing over, I watch as Jesse climbs the rails ‘til he’s straddling the top, looking down at the bull as it thrashes against the confinement.

My eyes widen as I watch him try to lower himself down just as Titan arches his back upward, causing Jesse to fall back into the guy beside him.

Once the bull is back on all four feet, Jesse wastes no time as he climbs on.

He slips his gloved hand into a rope that’s around the bull, yanking on the excess to tighten it around his grip.

He jerks his right hand a few times before appearing to be satisfied.

Jesse looks up, our gazes connecting immediately, and gives me a smile I can’t help but reciprocate.

Glancing back down at his hand, he nods, and the door flies open.

My thumbnail finds its way between my teeth on its own accord as the bull leaps out of the chute and starts to spin as he tries bucking Jesse off his back.

With each twist and leap, Jesse keeps his left arm in the air, his body moving with Titan as if they are one, even as he continues to get closer and closer to the rails instead of further into the ring.

My heart rate increases as the buzzer sounds, and I leap to my feet, watching as Jesse tries to remove his hand from the rope.

He struggles for a moment before finally breaking free and getting launched into the dirt.

I swear I stop breathing until he jumps to his feet and his eyes meet mine.

I’m cheering loudly now, and the smile on his face increases tenfold as he runs toward the rails on the other side of the platform and climbs them while the rest of the men redirect Titan out of the arena.

I climb down the ladder and meet Jesse behind the chute. He gives me a cocky, boyish grin just as the announcer comes over the loudspeaker. We both look up at the screen as the scores come in, and I have to bite my lip as I reconnect my gaze with Jesse’s.

“Well, would you look at that,” he says, taking a step closer to me. “A near-perfect score.”

“I guess all that effort you put into getting me that nook just went to waste,” I tease, my hands on my hips.

“Looks like I’m going to have to convince them to build you your own special platform.” I continue to fight back a smile. “You looked like you belonged up there.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah, don’t push it, Pretty Boy. You already got me.”

“Do I?”

My smile falls as I stare up at him, a sudden seriousness in his expression.

I spin on my heel and begin to walk away from him, avoiding whatever conversation was about to transpire, when I practically feel the letter he wrote me burning a hole in the front of my bag.

I stop, turn back around to face him, and say, “I like lilies and daisies,” before I disappear toward the media room.

But I feel his gaze on my back the entire walk there.