Two To Wrangle (Hotel Rodeo #2)(32)

Monica shut her eyes on a silent prayer. Please God, don’t let him be dead.

When she opened them again, a team of people were crouched over Ty. She recognized both Zac and Kade among them. A medic appeared with a stretcher that Zac dismissed with a shake of his head. A moment later, he reached down to help Ty to his feet. Holding his ribs with one hand, Ty reached down with the other to pick up his hat. The moment he set it back on his head, the crowd went crazy with applause. Ty turned toward the chutes with a wide grin stretching his mouth.

Is that sonofabitch laughing?

A few minutes later, he limped back to take his seat beside her. Stunned and infuriated, Monica turned to Ty. “That is what you chose to do for a living?”

“It’s a lot harder than it looks,” Ty smirked.

Monica gave an involuntary shudder as she reimagined Ty half-buried in the arena dirt. The vision had almost made her heart stop beating. She exhaled, willing away the horrific vision with a long, shaky breath.

“What’s wrong, sugar?” Ty asked.

“What’s wrong?” she snapped. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong! I thought you were dead, you crazy, reckless bastard!” Her eyes burned, and her throat felt like sandpaper as she jabbed a finger into his sternum. Ty winced. She poked him again. Harder. By the third stab she was blinking back tears.

He grabbed her hand. “Damn! That hurts, Monica.”

“Hurts?” she released an incredulous, almost hysterical laugh. “You just got plowed into the ground by a fifteen-hundred-pound bull, and my poking you hurts?”

“Yeah, it does,” Ty said. “I think I cracked some ribs.”

“That’s it.” Monica snatched up her purse. “I can’t take this kind of insanity.”

Ty grabbed her arm with an almost panicked look. “What are you doing?”

She raised her chin and swallowed hard. “What does it look like? I’m leaving. I can’t take any more of this, Ty. I’m not watching any more of your suicidal antics.”

“Wait just a damned minute, Monica. I get that you’re upset, but what the hell did you expect me to do? Sit here with my thumbs stuck up my ass while that bull trampled all over my best friend?”

“Upset? You think I’m upset? I’ll show you upset!”

“Were you really that worried over me?”

“Of course I was,” she said. “I’m shaking like a leaf and still so furious that I can’t even see straight. What would you feel like if the person you loved threw themselves in front of a freight train?”

His gaze narrowed. He answered softly, “I wouldn’t let you do it, sugar.”

She gave a vigorous head shake. “What?”

His mouth twitched at one corner. “I wouldn’t let you jump off a building either.”

“What the hell are you saying?”

“I think I’m saying I love you too. Now sit your pretty ass back down in that seat.”

She opened her mouth and closed it again, unable to believe she’d heard that right. “What did you just say?”

“I said sit down. You’re obstructing the view.”

“No, Ty. I mean that first part. I’m not quite sure I got it.”

He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Give it a few minutes and I’m pretty sure it’ll all sink in.”

She continued to stare in disbelief. The logical side of her brain warned her that the situation was too emotionally charged to take seriously, but her heart wanted to believe that Ty meant what he’d said. “We need to talk about this, Ty.”

“We do,” he agreed evenly.

“There’s a lot we need to discuss.”

“There is,” he replied levelly. “I promise we’re going to have a long talk very soon. But we’ve done enough talkin’ for one night. Now, if I swear not to jump in front of any more bulls, will you please sit back down?”

His tone was light, but his eyes were earnest. She was still mad as hell about what he did, but how many other men would risk their lives for a friend without the slightest hesitation? She couldn’t think of anyone, except perhaps Tom. She knew he would have done it for Ty in a heartbeat and that Tom would have been damned proud of Ty for doing what he did today. That realization put a whole different spin on things.

Feeling emotionally drained, she replied with a sigh of surrender. “Yes, Ty. I’ll stay.”



After the bull riding, Ty and Monica returned to the hotel bar, joined by Kade and Zac, who was now in full celebration mode. As expected, Alvaro had the high point ride and won the championship, but to everyone’s surprise, Zac McDaniel took third, even with his hang-up.

“The drinks are on me,” Zac called out to Gabby. “Ty saved my ass tonight.”

“I saw it on the television,” Gabby said. “I can’t believe you did that, Ty. With no protective gear? That bull could have killed you.”

“That’s exactly what I said,” Monica remarked with a dark look.

“It didn’t,” Ty replied. “I’ll have a beer.”

“What’s everybody else having?” Gabby asked.

Zac and Kade each ordered a whiskey.

“The usual for me,” Monica said, and then excused herself to the ladies’ room.