Hanging On (Jessica Brodie Diaries #2)(105)

After a handful it was time for William’s breeding project. He was trying a few new bulls tonight. Ty tried the first and rode the crap out of it. He finally hoped off on his own accord and shook his head. William kicked at the ground in frustration.

“He’s good,” Lump said, now leaning against the fence holding the bars.

“That bull wasn’t great. Although, yes, he is really good.”

“How long has he been doing it?”

“I don’t know. Never asked.”

She obviously needed to be in an extreme sport club. Maybe that is what she was missing in her life.

Next up was Adam. He rode a massive brindle that bucked as high and wildly as the ones I saw in the rodeo. Adam lasted longer than I thought he could, but I doubted it was the needed eight seconds. When he was flung off he landed on his shoulder, his legs toppling over his own body. It looked painful.

Ty danced around, waving his arms, trying to catch the bull’s attention, then ran as the bull charged after him.

I heard Lump say, “Oh my God!” a couple times at the bull’s awesome display. Then a muttered curse as Adam was thrown.

“He’s really good, too.” Lump’s voice was a bit more breathy than usual.

I laughed. Lump turned bright red and cleared her throat, resuming her “unaffected” face.

“He’s hanging onto his shoulder, though. It probably hurts,” I said, clutching the bars with her. I risked a glance across her at David.

His eyes were squinted, all his focus on the other man. He didn’t know Lump and Adam’s history, so he didn’t know that her spurts of sexual desire made her as uncomfortable as it made him. As it made Adam.

He wouldn’t be around long enough for the explanation, though.

William was up next. He road another brute that kicked like a mad hatter. William stayed on a touch longer, but was thrown, landing in a heap. He jumped up, experienced, and ran for the side.

I met him at the back, Lump and her man following.

“Are you hurt?” I asked as I got close.

“No, but Adam might be.”

We followed William to Adam, sitting on a dirty table with some discarded coffee cups, still clutching his shoulder. Seeing us, he smoothed over the pain lancing his face.

“How’d that ride go?” William asked, standing next to the table.

“Did you see me? How high did I get?” Adam asked with strain in his voice.

“High enough that you should have bought airfare. How’s that shoulder?”

“Hurt’s like the devil! That bull was somethin’! You need to have Ty ride it. I think a couple more rides to make sure, then get ‘em in!”

Adam noticed Lump off to the side with her man. He smiled. “How’d you like it? First time, right? Exciting?”

Lump smiled and her eyes glimmered with expectation. “I want to ride one.”

Adam’s smile slipped and he looked at William.

“No,” David said loudly.

Lump turned, meeting David’s eyes with a straight face. Without comment, she turned back to William. “I want to ride one.”

I grimaced and shifted uncomfortably.

William looked from Lump to David, then back. He was uncomfortable, too, but trying not to show it. Finally, he looked at me, wanting someone else to get involved so he didn’t have to.

“She could just ride a steer like I did, right? I’ve been meaning to try again, anyway. I think I can do better!”

William gave me a dark look and sighed. “Women aren’t all that bright,” he said to the guys.

“But men are, right Adam?” Lump said with disdain. “They never do stupid stuff like ride big bulls, right? You want me to fix that shoulder for you?”

Adam looked at her in disquiet. “Why? What are you going to do?”

“She’s good at sport’s injuries,” David commented, looking at the bulls with his hands in his pockets.

“Yeah, she is great with massages,” I added. “Not that she doles them out often.”

“Depends on what I’m messaging,” Lump said with a smirk.

“Ew.”

Lump walked behind a nervous Adam. “Remove your shirt, if you can.”

“I’m fine with it on.”

“Everyone is happier with you clothed, yes. You still stink. However, I can’t see the muscles I am working with. I won’t hurt you unless absolutely necessary.”

“Oh that is comfortin’.” Adam said as he looked at David. Apparently seeing nothing to scare him away, he laboriously took off his shirt, wincing with each movement.

Lump examined what looked like a normal shoulder. “Okay,” she said, lightly placing her hands on the shoulder blade, “you need to be honest with me. If it hurts, even a little, if it is tender anywhere, you need to speak up. Okay?”

Adam nodded. Goosebumps were spreading across his skin. Lump muttered something that sounded like an apology about the temperature of her hands.

She pushed in various places, lifted the shoulder slightly, moved it this way and that, all the while listening for Adam’s cues about pain. Ty wandered off to get more people riding bulls. William did the same, saying if we needed anything to shout.

Lump, now knowing where all the painful spots were, started to message.