“So what is the deal with your friend Trevor? You failed to mention that she was smoking hot.”
Trevor didn’t know how to describe his best friend. Mia was complicated and he knew that Mia would break his friend’s heart. “She is not for you Clint, trust me.”
Clint didn’t seem to get the reasoning and he wasn’t going to give up on it, asking more questions about if she was single. “Yes, she is always single. I don’t think I have ever heard of her dating a guy more than once or twice.”
“Why, does she like chicks or something?”
Trevor laughed and fixed the rope that would be his life line. While many riders would tie themselves down, he never did, too afraid that he wouldn’t be able to let go when needed. “Nothing like that, she just doesn’t believe in love.”
Clint thought he liked the sound of it. “Who was saying anything about love?”
Trevor just shook his head. “She would eat you up, you know that right?”
“It’s like you don’t know me at all. You know how much I like a challenge Trevor.”
“And I know Mia. I will give you my blessing to give it your best shot, but I am just telling you now as a friend, you are wasting your time.”
Clint liked a challenge, more than the prize itself on occasion. It was why he had started in the rodeos. He had thought, how hard could it be to hold on for eight seconds, no matter how bad it was? It was the challenge that brought him back each and every time, but the copious amounts of women when he won was enough too. He didn’t need Mia, but the fact that she didn’t want him, made him want her more. Now that Trevor was almost daring him to try, he had no choice but to give it a shot.
“Why do I feel like you aren’t joking?”
“I’m not. Mia is my best friend and I even loved her at one point more than just that, but she is cold when it comes to men and her heart. I just don’t want you to be heartbroken like I was. It’s rough. I’m not even going to lie.”
Clint had never heard him talk like that before. He had known about a girl that had broken his heart when he was in high school, he talked about it a couple of times when they were drunk, but it gave different perspective to know that it was Mia. “How could you be friends with her after that?”
“Because her as a friend is better than nothing at all. I have moved on, but I still wonder.”
“Well I won’t even attempt it if you are still in love with her.”
Trevor sat down and shook his head. “It’s not like that anymore. I love Ana. With Mia, it was just an obsession; she has that effect on men. I am just warning you, and if you do try, don’t make it weird between you guys. You are both my friends and I don’t want to get in the middle of it.”
Clint agreed, but it made him wonder as well. If he had wanted to take up the challenge before, there was even more reason. Trevor had described her as a flame that shouldn’t be touched, but he liked to play with fire and she was burning beautifully.
His friend shook his head again, sure that he was going to have to hear him whining about Mia soon enough. He didn’t have a chance, Trevor was sure of it.
***
Mia watched the barrel races and the several other competitions before the bull riding started. It was always one of the last competitions and the stands had filled up considerably in the hour since she’d first sat down. Her dad and friend were both going to be in the last competition, the teenagers and newbies were going at the moment. She watched them get thrown and the bull coming close to stomping a couple before someone was sent in to distract them so that the rider could get away. Mia had flashbacks from before and she looked away when it was time for her dad to go. It was his last ride, but even then it was hard to watch.
Her eyes were closed for the 8 seconds and then the buzzer sounded. She counted another ten and listened to the announcer and the cheering before she reopened them. It was hard for her to watch him run off from the bull. The crowd was cheering and when she looked at the center ring, Richard was on the fence with his hands up. He was so happy, Mia felt a little wetness come to her eyes. He was going to miss it and she was too in a way.
She left her seat to go find him and was stopped by a familiar voice. “Mia, right?”
Mia turned and saw Trevor’s friend that she had met before. “You speak.”
“Yes, well I was caught off guard before. You are very beautiful. Trevor never told me that you were gorgeous, when I heard all the stories of you two when you were younger.”
She looked down and blushed before she knew what she was doing. Mia liked the idea of him thinking her gorgeous and her body responded to him like the mere touch of his hand from before. “Yes well Trevor always was a liar. I am sure he has filled your head full of nonsense.”
Mia turned to leave back towards where she was going in the first place. He hurried up to walk with her through the throng of people. “Do you mind if I go with you? You are going to see your dad right?”
She nodded and tried to ignore him walking next to her. He was big like Trevor, towering over her and as she was quite tall, it was a feeling that she didn’t get to feel very often. “So how long have you and Trevor known each other?”
“About three and a half years. We started the circuit at about the same time.”
“You look older than him.”
“I am by a couple of years. I used to work on the oil rigs, but went to a rodeo and never went back. I figured it had to be better than being in the middle of the ocean for weeks at a time. Pay is better too.”
“I guess, if you aren’t afraid of get trampled by a bull one of these days.”
“That’s just part of it. I have always looked up to your father. He was the rider that made me want to try. You know he got me into bull riding, found me a trainer and everything.”
She stopped and looked over at him. “Really? So you know my dad too?”
He nodded and she waved to Richard coming towards them. She hugged him in congratulations and then stepped back for him to greet Clint. “So I see you two have met.”
“Just, so how does it feel?”
His smile evaporated. “Good, but I am really going to miss this place. Johnny offered me a couple of gigs announcing for the circuit while it is close in town.”
“That’s sounds like a good idea.”
“Sounds like a desk job to me.”
Mia laughed and put her arm around him. “You’re getting too old for this kind of thing. Your body needs a rest before you break it. You know what the doctors said.”
He hushed her, not wanting to hear about it. “I know.”
Mia stopped to watch Trevor’s turn. He made it safely off and she finally let go of the air that she had been holding. “You alright?”
“Yeah, I just hate seeing my loved ones in danger.”
Richard understood, but he didn’t know why after all these years, Mia was so bothered by it. “It’s just a job, like any other job.”
She shook her head, but was still happier that the two men she loved were no longer in harm’s way. Clint had to leave for his own turn and Mia found herself looking to the ring when she heard his name called. His eight seconds felt like an eternity, her eyes riveted to the hard lines and muscled body. The jeans fit him far too well and she almost blushed when her dad called to her. “What’s wrong with you? You must be tired Mia, you ready to go to the hotel?”
Mia said she was, pulling her eyes from the man that she had been talking to before. There were already several women from the crowd surrounding him. She was not getting involved with a man like him, but it was nice to watch him work nonetheless. “Sure. I am ready for bed anyways.”
She followed him to the truck and drove the few miles to the hotel she had called ahead for. After the long drive and excitement of the rodeo, Mia was beat. When she got out of the shower, Trevor was calling and she invited him over. He was bringing the drinks and she had the cards. It had been too long since they had hung out just the two of them. Mia wished sometimes that life didn’t have to be so busy. While she was supposed to be enjoying herself in college – and she was – she missed home and her old friend.
When she answered the door and saw Clint with him, she sighed to herself. “Hey.”
“Well don’t look so happy to see me Mia.”
“I won’t.”
Moving back to let them in, she noticed the guilty look on Trevor’s face. “So who won? I didn’t even get to see.”
Clint started smiling and Trevor pointed towards him. “First there and second here. Not as big of a check, but big enough.”
She congratulated him as she took the bottle from her hand and started to pour shots. Mia matched them shots until the liquor was gone and everyone was feeling better. Trevor talked about Ana some and she had to laugh. Her friend had always been so sappy when he was drinking. Cards were a disaster and Trevor was too far gone to be helped.
“He never was good at holding his liquor.”
Clint laughed, “No he isn’t.”
“Help me get him to one of these beds, will you?”
Clint moved towards her and grabbed the man’s shoulders, while she grabbed his feet. “He wasn’t near as big last time I had to do this. I swear I don’t know what they have been feeding you guys.”
“You know what they say…”
“Yeah, yeah, everything is bigger in Texas.”
Clint grinned as he set Trevor down on the mattress. “Everything. You have been out east too long.”
She shook her head. “I see that you aren’t a sappy drunk.”
“No I am not.”
He was a horny drunk and it didn’t help that the more she had drank, the hotter she had become. Now she was standing there breathing hard in a thin tank top and his attention was riveted on her chest. It was hard to look away and the longer he stared, the harder and more pronounced her nipples became through the thin material. She was feeling the same way, he was sure of it, but when he leaned in to kiss her, she backed away. “What are you doing?”
“Just giving you a kiss. You looked like you needed one.”
“We shouldn’t. You are friends with Trevor and I don’t date riders.”
“I’m not asking for a date Mia, just a kiss.”
She bit her lower lip and looked over at her sleeping friend. Just one kiss didn’t seem that dangerous and he was right to think that she wanted to as well. He was handsome and had a way about him.
He could see the submission in her eyes and he moved towards her again, this time she didn’t move away. Touching the side of her face gently, he bent down and leaned in against her as their lips met. His lips were soft against hers and just a wisp of a touch. It caught her off guard when he kissed her and then pulled her against him harder. His tongue demanding entrance as her body melted against his hard chest and a small moan came out of her mouth.
Mia’s hands were pressed against his chest and she finally pushed away when she felt herself going to the place of no return. She wanted more, but knew that they shouldn’t. She was slightly panting when he finally pulled away and released her. Clint didn’t move away much, leaving their bodies touching until she finally gave him some distance.
“There is your kiss Clint. Now I am going to bed. You are more than welcome to stay.”
A smile crept over his face and she smiled back up at him. “Over there with Trevor.”
His face fell and she grinned even bigger. “Night, Clint.”