Read Online Rodeo Blues by Karen Michelle Nutt - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Michelle Nutt
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it was about to
take by being jolted in every direction with enough force to make
him feel like a ragdoll in the hands of a five-year-old. Heck, he
had a new appreciation of what the ragdoll had to endure. He rolled
his shoulders back and shook out his hands.
He wore his lucky felt hat that he only wore
when he rode, his well-worn Wranglers, a long sleeved cotton shirt,
and his worn buffalo hide boots. In riding, luck had always been on
his side. He'd never broken any bones, but he visited the emergency
room with a hyper-extended elbow, and he'd torn his bicep a few
times over, but he still craved the excitement those eight seconds
gave him. What a rush.
"Next up is number two," Toby announced over
the loudspeaker. "He thwarts death, he rides like nothing can touch
him. Whooshes in and whooshes out. That's right, folks. We have us
the honest to goodness Ghost Rider, and he's a local man from way
back when. It's our one and only rodeo star from Skeeter Blue. Give
it up for Tye Casper, ladies and gents, and give our boy a welcome
home howdy-ho !"
The crowd roared with a howdy-ho.
Tye took his position, mounting the bull in
the bucking chute, and gripping the flat braided rope with his
gloved hand. He had drawn Blazing Smackdown. Not the meanest bull
he'd ever ridden, but if he made the eight seconds, he should score
big. The bull snorted and bucked in protest at the added weight on
its back. Definitely not at all happy to have him perched there.
Tye inhaled deeply, taking a deep breath as he nodded to indicate
he was ready. The chute opened and the bull shot out into the arena
as if catapulted from a cannon. He held onto the leather rigging
with his left hand, while making sure the right didn't touch any
part of his body or the bull's either. The bull kicked up his hind
legs and twisted in an effort to throw him off. He could hear the
crowd roaring his name like a chant, but he was listening for the
buzzer to tell him when he completed his eight seconds. Eight
seconds of a pure adrenaline rush. Out of the corner of his eye, he
caught a glimpse of Buddy, dressed in his outrageous clown outfit,
ready to aid him to safety once he jumped from the bull's back.
Buzzzzz…
The long drawn sound of the blow horn was
music to his ears. He let go and jumped clear of the bucking bull
as Buddy, the best bullfighter he ever had the honor to work with,
did his job and distracted the bull, as two others ushered him to
safety.
The crowd cheered louder and there was
nothing sweeter, or so he thought, until he caught sight of Jolie
standing there. Yep, he'd been wrong. There was nothing sweeter
than having her see him ride. Hadn't expected her to, but there she
stood, looking as beautiful as ever. Funny, how the cheers from the
crowd seemed to fade away.
"Good ride, Casper," another rider said as he
strode over to the chute to take his place.
"Thanks," he said.
"A good score for the Ghost Rider," Toby
announced over the loudspeaker. "Eighty-seven ladies and gentlemen.
A tough score to beat."
Tye brushed back his hair and placed his hat
back on his head and headed over to where Jolie stood waiting for
him.
"Not bad, cowboy." Her lips curved. "I can
see why you've come home a winner.
"It's only the first go-around," he said with
a shrug.
"You're being modest."
He flashed a smile. "Are you trying to butter
me up for something, Jolie? 'Cause you haven't been all that
friendly since I arrived in town."
"I've been friendly," she defended
herself.
"We'll, kissin' and other things don't
count," he said in a lower tone.
His comment sent a flush of scarlet over her
cheeks, and didn't that just make him want to kiss her right then
and there, but her next slew of words were like a slap of reality
he wished to do without.
"I'm going to speak to Mayor Dirkly," she
said, and didn't even have the decency to look him in the eye when
she told him she planned to put an end to their marriage. Sure,
she'd been threatening to do this all morning, but
take by being jolted in every direction with enough force to make
him feel like a ragdoll in the hands of a five-year-old. Heck, he
had a new appreciation of what the ragdoll had to endure. He rolled
his shoulders back and shook out his hands.
He wore his lucky felt hat that he only wore
when he rode, his well-worn Wranglers, a long sleeved cotton shirt,
and his worn buffalo hide boots. In riding, luck had always been on
his side. He'd never broken any bones, but he visited the emergency
room with a hyper-extended elbow, and he'd torn his bicep a few
times over, but he still craved the excitement those eight seconds
gave him. What a rush.
"Next up is number two," Toby announced over
the loudspeaker. "He thwarts death, he rides like nothing can touch
him. Whooshes in and whooshes out. That's right, folks. We have us
the honest to goodness Ghost Rider, and he's a local man from way
back when. It's our one and only rodeo star from Skeeter Blue. Give
it up for Tye Casper, ladies and gents, and give our boy a welcome
home howdy-ho !"
The crowd roared with a howdy-ho.
Tye took his position, mounting the bull in
the bucking chute, and gripping the flat braided rope with his
gloved hand. He had drawn Blazing Smackdown. Not the meanest bull
he'd ever ridden, but if he made the eight seconds, he should score
big. The bull snorted and bucked in protest at the added weight on
its back. Definitely not at all happy to have him perched there.
Tye inhaled deeply, taking a deep breath as he nodded to indicate
he was ready. The chute opened and the bull shot out into the arena
as if catapulted from a cannon. He held onto the leather rigging
with his left hand, while making sure the right didn't touch any
part of his body or the bull's either. The bull kicked up his hind
legs and twisted in an effort to throw him off. He could hear the
crowd roaring his name like a chant, but he was listening for the
buzzer to tell him when he completed his eight seconds. Eight
seconds of a pure adrenaline rush. Out of the corner of his eye, he
caught a glimpse of Buddy, dressed in his outrageous clown outfit,
ready to aid him to safety once he jumped from the bull's back.
Buzzzzz…
The long drawn sound of the blow horn was
music to his ears. He let go and jumped clear of the bucking bull
as Buddy, the best bullfighter he ever had the honor to work with,
did his job and distracted the bull, as two others ushered him to
safety.
The crowd cheered louder and there was
nothing sweeter, or so he thought, until he caught sight of Jolie
standing there. Yep, he'd been wrong. There was nothing sweeter
than having her see him ride. Hadn't expected her to, but there she
stood, looking as beautiful as ever. Funny, how the cheers from the
crowd seemed to fade away.
"Good ride, Casper," another rider said as he
strode over to the chute to take his place.
"Thanks," he said.
"A good score for the Ghost Rider," Toby
announced over the loudspeaker. "Eighty-seven ladies and gentlemen.
A tough score to beat."
Tye brushed back his hair and placed his hat
back on his head and headed over to where Jolie stood waiting for
him.
"Not bad, cowboy." Her lips curved. "I can
see why you've come home a winner.
"It's only the first go-around," he said with
a shrug.
"You're being modest."
He flashed a smile. "Are you trying to butter
me up for something, Jolie? 'Cause you haven't been all that
friendly since I arrived in town."
"I've been friendly," she defended
herself.
"We'll, kissin' and other things don't
count," he said in a lower tone.
His comment sent a flush of scarlet over her
cheeks, and didn't that just make him want to kiss her right then
and there, but her next slew of words were like a slap of reality
he wished to do without.
"I'm going to speak to Mayor Dirkly," she
said, and didn't even have the decency to look him in the eye when
she told him she planned to put an end to their marriage. Sure,
she'd been threatening to do this all morning, but
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