to know.” Without looking at him again, she disappeared into the
locker room. That cold shower was waiting.
Chapter Four
“I want to know what you are doing
in this line,” Logan said to Cassidy, “instead of that line.” With the tip of
his calloused finger flying through the air, her brother pointed first at the men's
line followed by the women's line. Rachel was behind him pushing Storm in his
umbrella stroller.
After Cassidy's new sister-in-law
read the signs and figured out what was going on she smiled. While her husband
continued to frown at his baby sister, Rachel gave Cassidy two enthusiastic
thumbs up followed by a, “You go girl.”
“I'm paying my entry fee,” Cassidy
told Logan with
a quick smile at Rachel. Cassidy was really starting to like this woman the
rodeo called the naked protester. She had her priorities straight because who
cared if a girl rode with the cowboys or the cowgirls?
On the other hand, Logan continued to scowl.
“In which division?” he demanded to know. The new father didn't need to get his
chaps in a cinch. What did it matter where Cassidy rode? It was the same bulls
anyways.
“The men's,” Cassidy answered
calmly. She lifted her index finger and poked her brother in the chest. She had
every right to ride with the men because she'd won the last four women's
competitions in Tulsa,
Albuquerque, Odessa, and Fort Worth. In other words,
she was mopping up the field and feeling pretty damn good about herself.
Plus, she'd been strong on other
fronts. After that first sizzling but sloppy kiss, she'd been able to avoid
John Risk's advances, even though he showed up practically everyplace with that
swoon worthy smile on his face.
“Ouch,” Logan moaned rubbing at his pec . “Why'd you do that?”
Sometimes Logan could be dense and needed a good jab to
get the neurons firing. But Cassidy wasn't going to enlighten him to that
problem of his, instead she poked him again. He tried to swat her hand away but
she was too fast and he missed. The more Cassidy competed the quicker her
reflexes got. She was at the top of her game and there was nothing more life
affirming than getting on a bull and riding its wave of fury for eight seconds.
Redemption was another word she used to describe the euphoria.
“Because you weren't listening to
me when I told you my goal was to ride with the men.” With a smile and another
poke Cassidy teased her brother. Finally Bret Bodner recognized she was good and grudgingly offered her an opportunity to compete in
Colorado.
While driving north he told her on speaker phone, “There aren't any more girls,
you've bested them all.” Reluctantly he added, “So you'll have to compete
against the men.” And he didn't suggest she ride in a bikini.
“In this
competition?” Logan
asked eyes wide. They were at the Pikes
Peak or Bust rodeo. It was a big one and
attracted bull riders from all over the world. “You're going to ride with the
men just when I'm making my comeback.” He pulled on his ear. “You'll ruin my
return. There's lots of excitement surrounding me and you'll take all the
attention away with this first ever female bull riding thing.” He was talking
really loud.
“Bret offered me a spot,” Cassidy
answered quietly. She wasn't poking at her brother anymore. She didn't like the
idea of raining on Logan's parade, but this
was her opportunity to fulfill her dream. Even Kevin
was showing a little excitement. When she asked him how he felt about it in the
car, he told her it was pretty cool. Then he advised her, “To not get her hopes
up because he was still embarrassed by her.” At least she had been demoted from
mortified.
“My overall score is as good as
some of the middle-tiered male riders,” Cassidy told Logan.
“But the bulls are bigger and bred
meaner in the men's division.”
“You don't know that,” Cassidy
argued.
Rachel stepped forward. “I've never
heard of that either. I can ask Matt. He
locker room. That cold shower was waiting.
Chapter Four
“I want to know what you are doing
in this line,” Logan said to Cassidy, “instead of that line.” With the tip of
his calloused finger flying through the air, her brother pointed first at the men's
line followed by the women's line. Rachel was behind him pushing Storm in his
umbrella stroller.
After Cassidy's new sister-in-law
read the signs and figured out what was going on she smiled. While her husband
continued to frown at his baby sister, Rachel gave Cassidy two enthusiastic
thumbs up followed by a, “You go girl.”
“I'm paying my entry fee,” Cassidy
told Logan with
a quick smile at Rachel. Cassidy was really starting to like this woman the
rodeo called the naked protester. She had her priorities straight because who
cared if a girl rode with the cowboys or the cowgirls?
On the other hand, Logan continued to scowl.
“In which division?” he demanded to know. The new father didn't need to get his
chaps in a cinch. What did it matter where Cassidy rode? It was the same bulls
anyways.
“The men's,” Cassidy answered
calmly. She lifted her index finger and poked her brother in the chest. She had
every right to ride with the men because she'd won the last four women's
competitions in Tulsa,
Albuquerque, Odessa, and Fort Worth. In other words,
she was mopping up the field and feeling pretty damn good about herself.
Plus, she'd been strong on other
fronts. After that first sizzling but sloppy kiss, she'd been able to avoid
John Risk's advances, even though he showed up practically everyplace with that
swoon worthy smile on his face.
“Ouch,” Logan moaned rubbing at his pec . “Why'd you do that?”
Sometimes Logan could be dense and needed a good jab to
get the neurons firing. But Cassidy wasn't going to enlighten him to that
problem of his, instead she poked him again. He tried to swat her hand away but
she was too fast and he missed. The more Cassidy competed the quicker her
reflexes got. She was at the top of her game and there was nothing more life
affirming than getting on a bull and riding its wave of fury for eight seconds.
Redemption was another word she used to describe the euphoria.
“Because you weren't listening to
me when I told you my goal was to ride with the men.” With a smile and another
poke Cassidy teased her brother. Finally Bret Bodner recognized she was good and grudgingly offered her an opportunity to compete in
Colorado.
While driving north he told her on speaker phone, “There aren't any more girls,
you've bested them all.” Reluctantly he added, “So you'll have to compete
against the men.” And he didn't suggest she ride in a bikini.
“In this
competition?” Logan
asked eyes wide. They were at the Pikes
Peak or Bust rodeo. It was a big one and
attracted bull riders from all over the world. “You're going to ride with the
men just when I'm making my comeback.” He pulled on his ear. “You'll ruin my
return. There's lots of excitement surrounding me and you'll take all the
attention away with this first ever female bull riding thing.” He was talking
really loud.
“Bret offered me a spot,” Cassidy
answered quietly. She wasn't poking at her brother anymore. She didn't like the
idea of raining on Logan's parade, but this
was her opportunity to fulfill her dream. Even Kevin
was showing a little excitement. When she asked him how he felt about it in the
car, he told her it was pretty cool. Then he advised her, “To not get her hopes
up because he was still embarrassed by her.” At least she had been demoted from
mortified.
“My overall score is as good as
some of the middle-tiered male riders,” Cassidy told Logan.
“But the bulls are bigger and bred
meaner in the men's division.”
“You don't know that,” Cassidy
argued.
Rachel stepped forward. “I've never
heard of that either. I can ask Matt. He
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