“Who’s up next?” someone called as the mechanical bull wound down.
The question broke me from my stupor and suddenly all the blood rushed to my face. Thank goodness Hunter hadn’t caught me staring at him like that. He would’ve known each and every forbidden thought running through my head.
And I would’ve had to die.
“I’ll go next,” I said, raising my hand high in the air. Maybe the best thing to do was violently shake these impulses out of my head.
Hunter turned around, his eyes lighting up when they landed on me. “Hey, Char. You here to dominate like you promised?”
“Always,” I said, scrunching up my face. That powerful need in my stomach hadn’t gone away yet. Hunter’s hazel eyes slowly trailing over my body wasn’t helping things, either.
“Nice outfit.” His gaze darted back up to my eyes, warmth glinting in them. “I like the boots, too.”
I smiled at him. The lacy cream dress and leggings had been hand-selected by Lexi herself. She’d maintained that this was still a Rodeo Queen event and that she had to dress me. I’d gotten her to tone down the eyeshadow and height of my hair by promising to wear my mom’s old tan cowgirl boots. For the first time in a long time, when I’d looked in the mirror tonight, I felt really good about myself. No more worries about bleating sheep and burnt pies and evil frenemies.
For once, it felt like I could actually relax.
“Thanks.” I came up beside him and leaned on the railing. “Tonight was a good excuse to get dressed up for once. Think I fit in?”
“Well, you definitely look like a cowgirl.” His gaze slid down to my boots again and his nostrils widened as he took a deep breath. “A really...sexy cowgirl.”
I just about fell over the railing. A sexy cowgirl? Hunter had never said anything like that to me before tonight. He couldn’t have been serious. No, it was definitely a joke. He was probably just hoping to mess with me. To get into my head before the competition.
Righting myself, I laughed softly and pushed him playfully on the shoulder. “You’re trying to get me all flustered before I beat you on this beast,” I said, nodding toward the bull.
He chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks reddening. “Ha...yeah. That’s the strategy. Is it working yet?”
I leaned toward him and poked his chest with my index finger. “It’s never going to work. You can’t get to me, Hunter McNally.”
“That’s too bad, Charlotte Hale.” He captured my finger with his hand and held it tight, his gaze searing into mine. Emotions churned in his hazel eyes. “But...at least I tried.”
My teasing smile melted from my face as that need in my stomach came roaring back, stronger than ever. The feel of his fingers wrapped around mine was sending electric shocks down my arms. I bit my bottom lip, unsure whether to pull away or melt into him.
The tiny twitch of his lips into a frown made me wonder if he knew about the tug-o-war raging in my head. I was surprised he didn’t run away scared. Or at the very least, give me a serious lecture about the sanctity of friendship. I could’ve used that right about now. Something to pound some sense into me.
“Come on up, little lady, we’re ready,” the man standing by the controls said, capturing my attention.
Hunter dropped my hand suddenly and stepped away, as if he’d been caught doing something wrong. I glanced back over at him, but his gaze was firmly glued to the floor, his brow heavy with thought.
Maybe he really did know what I’d been thinking.
Somebody needed to muzzle my hormonal brain.
“All right, I’m coming,” I said, turning away from Hunter.
Anything was better than standing there, wondering just how awkward I was making things for him. Hustling a little more than necessary, I walked down through the gate and climbed onto the thick mats surrounding the bull.
The strange-looking animal had been covered in dark tan leather, with soft, white horns, and was missing any legs. The leather was a bit worn and the seat rubbed smooth from repeated use. My hands shook a bit as I grabbed the rope behind the bull’s neck and pulled myself up. It was nerve-wracking enough to try this with a dozen people watching along the railing. I couldn’t imagine how Hunter felt for a rodeo competition.
“Charlotte, you’ve just got to last eight seconds,” Hunter called. I looked over to see him leaning far over the railing, pointing at the bull. “Hold the rope with your right hand. Grip hard with your knees. Rock in the opposite direction of its movements. You can do this!”
A spattering of cheers followed his notes of encouragement. I shot him a beaming smile and then nodded to the bull man. “Okay. I’m ready. Let’s do this.”
My heart had morphed into a hollow tin cup shaking a rock around. It pulsed erratically, beating against my chest. The machine inside the bull began to whirl, causing it to move slowly in a circle. My knees clenched tighter on its thick girth, keeping me steady. I started to rock against it, just like Hunter had instructed.
Time seemed to slow. The bull’s movements became more unpredictable and my arm strained with the effort it took to hold on tight. Loose curls fell into my face, but I did my best to ignore them. All I could do was focus on the motion of the bull and the sound of the crowd cheering. For all I knew, I’d been on there an hour already. Every muscle in my body protested, my eyes dizzy from the spinning. When a shrill alarm finally sounded, the bull began to wind down and I could finally see again.
“That a girl!” Hunter hopped over the railing to come toward me. He grabbed my waist on both sides and lifted me off the bull with impressive strength, setting me gently on the mat beside him. “Eight
