Read Online Thrown: Studs in Spurs, Book 6 by Cat Johnson - Free Book Online
Authors: Cat Johnson
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been kicked off the tour?” Skeeter asked.
“No. But you know I was on the injured list for a few months. Felt like an eternity. It’ll be all right. You’ll be back.”
Skeeter let out another big breath. He’d been out on the injured list himself, but that had felt different than this.
Realizing the rest of the guys had gone quiet as Mustang spoke, Skeeter wished they’d change the subject. Go back to talking about sex or french fries. Anything so that he wasn’t the center of attention.
Slade slurped from a straw in a cup that looked like it contained mostly ice and then planted the hard plastic back on the table. “It’s consistency, kid. You don’t have to make every one a ninety-point ride. But you do have to ride every one. It all adds up. Get it?”
He was right, but it didn’t mean Slade’s lecture would reach from Skeeter’s brain all the way down to his spurs. Though it needed to. Bull riding was a mental game, yes, but it was also a full-body sport. Lately, Skeeter’s body parts hadn’t exactly been working as a team.
“Yes, sir.”
“Jesus, stop calling me sir.” Slade shook his head. “I’m not that much older than you are.”
“Eh, sure you are.” Mustang grinned at Slade.
“I think you need to train.” Chase joined the conversation, which seemed to have become more of a lecture for Skeeter’s benefit. Bull Riding 101. “Put together a workout to strengthen your core. That’s what helps you keep your balance on the back of a bull. Good strong core muscles. And not just sit-ups, I’m talking Pilates too.”
“Cowboy Pilates? Yeah, all right. Get right on that, Skeets.” Garret laughed.
Chase cocked a brow at his friend. “Hey, we’re way more than cowboys. We’re professional athletes.”
“That’s true.” Aaron nodded. “And I’ve heard of football players taking ballet classes to help their game.”
“Oh, yeah? Which football player took ballet?” Garret asked.
Slade snorted out a laugh. “And had the balls to admit it?”
“I don’t know. One of those famous guys. Anyway, that’s not the point.” Aaron frowned at his brother-in-law.
“Then what is the point?” Garret asked.
“Eh, shut up.” Aaron turned in his chair to glance at the counter. “Where’s the waitress?”
Chase rolled his eyes. “Anyway, back to what I was saying. We have to keep in top physical condition even if we are only working in our sport for eight seconds at a time.”
“Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll try anything. I’ll take ballet or Pilates or whatever damn thing I have to to knock myself out of this slump. But I’m not sure any of that is going to work.” For the first time in his life, Skeeter was truly scared.
If he wasn’t a bull rider, what was he? For a decade, reaching this level of competition had been his sole goal. The one thing he’d worked toward. If it were all over, what would he do? Who would he be?
Suddenly he wasn’t very hungry for those fries after all.
“Skeets, look at me.” Mustang leaned forward, focusing on Skeeter.
He raised his eyes to meet Mustang’s intense stare. “Yeah?”
“We’ll help you.”
“How?”
“We’re not that spread out. Slade and I are in Texas. Chase is in Oklahoma. You’re in Arkansas. Look at a map. We’re all close by. Right there to help you.”
“And we’re all on a break for the next few weeks,” Chase added. “We can work out together.”
Garret made a face. “That’s all well and good for you all, but Aaron and I will be in North Carolina.”
“Then you’ll just have to come to us. We outnumber you and there’s more places to ride out by us,” Chase pointed out.
He was a good friend, but Skeeter didn’t need their pity. Their pity made him not want their help. And to make Garret leave home and his wife in North Carolina to come help him work out was crazy.
He had to stop this plan of theirs before it went any further. “No. It’s fine, guys. I’ll be okay on my
“No. But you know I was on the injured list for a few months. Felt like an eternity. It’ll be all right. You’ll be back.”
Skeeter let out another big breath. He’d been out on the injured list himself, but that had felt different than this.
Realizing the rest of the guys had gone quiet as Mustang spoke, Skeeter wished they’d change the subject. Go back to talking about sex or french fries. Anything so that he wasn’t the center of attention.
Slade slurped from a straw in a cup that looked like it contained mostly ice and then planted the hard plastic back on the table. “It’s consistency, kid. You don’t have to make every one a ninety-point ride. But you do have to ride every one. It all adds up. Get it?”
He was right, but it didn’t mean Slade’s lecture would reach from Skeeter’s brain all the way down to his spurs. Though it needed to. Bull riding was a mental game, yes, but it was also a full-body sport. Lately, Skeeter’s body parts hadn’t exactly been working as a team.
“Yes, sir.”
“Jesus, stop calling me sir.” Slade shook his head. “I’m not that much older than you are.”
“Eh, sure you are.” Mustang grinned at Slade.
“I think you need to train.” Chase joined the conversation, which seemed to have become more of a lecture for Skeeter’s benefit. Bull Riding 101. “Put together a workout to strengthen your core. That’s what helps you keep your balance on the back of a bull. Good strong core muscles. And not just sit-ups, I’m talking Pilates too.”
“Cowboy Pilates? Yeah, all right. Get right on that, Skeets.” Garret laughed.
Chase cocked a brow at his friend. “Hey, we’re way more than cowboys. We’re professional athletes.”
“That’s true.” Aaron nodded. “And I’ve heard of football players taking ballet classes to help their game.”
“Oh, yeah? Which football player took ballet?” Garret asked.
Slade snorted out a laugh. “And had the balls to admit it?”
“I don’t know. One of those famous guys. Anyway, that’s not the point.” Aaron frowned at his brother-in-law.
“Then what is the point?” Garret asked.
“Eh, shut up.” Aaron turned in his chair to glance at the counter. “Where’s the waitress?”
Chase rolled his eyes. “Anyway, back to what I was saying. We have to keep in top physical condition even if we are only working in our sport for eight seconds at a time.”
“Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll try anything. I’ll take ballet or Pilates or whatever damn thing I have to to knock myself out of this slump. But I’m not sure any of that is going to work.” For the first time in his life, Skeeter was truly scared.
If he wasn’t a bull rider, what was he? For a decade, reaching this level of competition had been his sole goal. The one thing he’d worked toward. If it were all over, what would he do? Who would he be?
Suddenly he wasn’t very hungry for those fries after all.
“Skeets, look at me.” Mustang leaned forward, focusing on Skeeter.
He raised his eyes to meet Mustang’s intense stare. “Yeah?”
“We’ll help you.”
“How?”
“We’re not that spread out. Slade and I are in Texas. Chase is in Oklahoma. You’re in Arkansas. Look at a map. We’re all close by. Right there to help you.”
“And we’re all on a break for the next few weeks,” Chase added. “We can work out together.”
Garret made a face. “That’s all well and good for you all, but Aaron and I will be in North Carolina.”
“Then you’ll just have to come to us. We outnumber you and there’s more places to ride out by us,” Chase pointed out.
He was a good friend, but Skeeter didn’t need their pity. Their pity made him not want their help. And to make Garret leave home and his wife in North Carolina to come help him work out was crazy.
He had to stop this plan of theirs before it went any further. “No. It’s fine, guys. I’ll be okay on my
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