49 - Sophie
49
Sophie
There was a weird delay in the arena prior to the award ceremony. The podium had been rolled out, along with a table bearing shining medals inside padded boxes. Board members for the Fort Worth Rodeo stood in a line, waiting to congratulate the winners.
But then everyone stood around for a while, waiting for something. Even the rodeo employees down on the arena floor glanced around in confusion.
What was going on?
Finally, after several minutes, the door opened at the end of the arena and a line of cowboys came marching in. The crowd applauded as every single participant of the rodeo emerged, walking around the outside of the ring, then turning to face the podium.
“And now,” the announcer finally boomed over the loudspeaker, “the winners of the Bull Riding event. In third place, with a score of 93, Elijah Hawkshaw!”
Eli skipped into the arena like an excited little boy, grinning widely. He leaped onto the podium, kicking the dirt off his boots and making finger-guns at the other cowboys.
“In second place, with a score of 94, your previous Fort Worth Rodeo champion… Chris Appleton!”
There was mostly polite applause for Appleton, with a scattering of boos mixed in. But there wasn’t any movement down at the arena entrance. Two of the rodeo clowns standing by the entrance ramp peered down into the darkness, then turned back and shrugged to each other.
Oh my God , I realized. He’s too sore of a loser to show his face .
More boos replaced the cheers as the audience in the stands realized he wasn’t going to appear. I smiled at the sound. It felt like validation.
Then the lights in the arena cut off, plunging the space in darkness.
“AND NOW!” the loudspeaker thundered. “WITH A FORT WORTH RODEO RECORD SCORE OF 97. YOUR NEW BULL RIDING CHAMPION. JOHNNY ARMSTRONG!”
Spotlights swirled across the interior of the stadium, finally snapping into place at the entrance to the ramp where Johnny stood. Tears ran down my cheeks as he slowly walked toward the podium. Cheers and roars of approval rained down on him as he stepped up to the middle spot. A cameraman ran up to him, shoving a shoulder-mounted camera in his face. Johnny tipped his hat to it.
Then his head tilted up, eyes locking onto me despite the darkness.
Once again, my breath seized in my chest. Somehow, he made me feel like I was the only spectator present. Like I was cared for in a way I hadn’t experienced in a long, long time.
This was the beginning of something special. Of a deeper feeling. I wasn’t going to say the L-word, not yet, but it was the burning ember of it.
It was a start.
I tried not to think about the fact that the rodeo was now over… which meant they would be leaving.
*
We celebrated at Billy Bob’s that night in the main room, which had been reserved by the rodeo coordinators. Beer flowed and whiskey shots were poured as dozens of cowboys toasted to the end of the rodeo.
And when Johnny and Eli arrived, the place went nuts . It was like they were war heroes returning home for the first time—everyone wanted to shake their hand and give them a few words of congratulations.
“I don’t like sharing my cowboys with all these adoring fans,” I told Liz.
She snorted.
“What’s so funny?” I demanded.
“You don’t like sharing them,” she observed. “Yet they’re fine sharing you .”
Yeah, okay. I didn’t have a snappy retort to that.
“I’m still mad I got third place,” Eli told me after making his way through the crowd to hug me by the bar. “My performance was better than Applesauce’s. Right?”
“It definitely was,” I agreed. “You got robbed.”
“Good thing Johnny’s ride was too good to cheat!” Eli said, clapping the blond winner on the arm. “Look at that bling around his neck. First place. Beautiful. You should’ve worn your Steer Wrestling medal, too. Show it all off tonight.”
“Let’s not get carried away,” Johnny replied with a smile.
They both joined the line dancing group on the dance floor, which was hilarious to watch because Eli had no idea what he was doing. But he didn’t care about looking ridiculous—he just grinned and shrugged while trying to keep up with everyone else’s moves.
Johnny, meanwhile, looked like he’d been dancing since he was old enough to walk. And when he tipped his hat to me from across the room, I couldn’t help but blush.
It’s okay to swoon , I told myself. I’m already sleeping with him, after all .
The party had been raging for an hour when Jessica, my manager, came around the bar. “Two things,” she said. “One, you can take the rest of the night off. We have plenty of staffing, and you deserve to relax a little. Especially after what happened the other night with Chris Appleton.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, looking around at the crowded room.
“Positive.” Jessica tapped her code into the computer behind the bar, clocking herself in. “And second, you have a special visitor.”
I started to ask who, but then Sawyer strode up to the bar with a wry grin on his face.
I turned to Jessica. “I thought he was permanently banned from Billy Bob’s.”
“I used my managerial discretion to let him in,” Jessica replied. “Just for tonight. By the way, cowboy, I told the police you weren’t the aggressor in the fight. I also told them you never reached for your knives or threatened to use them. I don’t think the cops cared, though.”
“Thanks for trying,” he told her.
“Thanks for defending Sophie. I can’t officially support customers getting into bar fights, no matter the reason…” She poured a glass of whiskey and set it on the bar in front of him. “But unofficially, tonight you’re drinking for free.”
Sawyer raised the glass. “Mighty kind of ya.”
I poured myself a pint of beer, then left the working side of the bar to join Sawyer. “I heard about what you did at the rodeo. Defending Johnny and Eli.”
He shrugged. “Any cowboy would’ve done the same.”
“No,” I insisted. “Most wouldn’t. Most didn’t want to stand up to Ted Salmon, in fact. Not until you jumped in.”
Sawyer seemed uncomfortable with the praise, and looked away while nursing his whiskey.
“I’m mad at you, by the way,” I said.
His bloodshot eyes cut back to me. “Oh?”
“I really enjoyed what we did in your hotel room. I didn’t want it to be a one-time thing. But then you basically ghosted me.”
Sawyer glanced down at his feet. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought he felt guilty .
“I’ve been going through some shit,” he finally admitted. “Salmon pulled some strings and got me fired from my ranch. Eight years working my ass off there… gone in a single fucking phone call.”
My chest tightened. “Oh no. Sawyer…”
“Been busy talking to my lawyer,” he said. “And calling other ranches to see if anyone will hire me. Seems like I’ve been blackballed. So I’ve been spending the rest of my time drinking.”
“I would’ve drank with you,” I said.
His eyes bore into mine. “Can’t tell you how many times I stared at my phone, wanting to call you. But I was in a bad place. You didn’t want to see me like that. I would’ve been bad company.”
I still disagreed with him, but didn’t say it out loud.
“I got it out of my system,” he said. “Got blackout drunk, felt sorry for myself. Wallowed in it for a few days. I’m ready to bounce back. Not sure how, since I’m unemployed, but I’ve got some prize money from the rodeo to work with.”
“That’s right! You got third place in the Steer Wrestling event.”
“And some smaller prize money from my lower finish in Saddle Bronc Riding,” he said.
“How much do you have?”
“Enough to coast for a few months. Not enough to change my life.”
“Bummer,” I said. “I’m really sorry about how everything went down here. I still feel guilty about it.”
Sawyer’s hand came up and caressed my cheek. I felt my entire body stiffen under his touch. “I’m pissed at Appleton for what he did that night. I’m furious at that billionaire cunt for getting me kicked out of the rodeo and fired from my ranch. I’m a goddamn hurricane of emotions right now, Sophie… but you’re the only thing keeping me calm. You’re the only good thing in my life. So don’t you fucking dare feel guilty about what happened.”
I smiled and leaned into his touch. “Okay.”
“Besides.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Punching Appleton led to the two of us finally hooking up. I still reckon I came out on top.”
He pulled my face toward his in a soft kiss. And just like that, it was as if no time at all had passed since we shared that morning in his hotel room.
“I’m still a little mad at you,” I whispered. “You can’t just fuck a woman that good and then leave her hanging.”
His lip twitched. “I guess I’ll have to make it up to you.”
“You’d better.”
We kissed again, more passionately than before, and suddenly it was like we were back in that hotel room. I closed my eyes and let his tongue slide into my mouth, tasting like whiskey and strong, masculine man .
“Get a room you two,” Eli said, leaning against the bar next to us.
Sawyer’s eyes stayed trained on me. “I plan to.”
“Wait,” Eli said. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just kiddin’ around.”
Sawyer’s lips pursed. “I wasn’t.”
“Surprised they let you in here,” Johnny said as he joined us. He waved to the bartender and turned back toward us. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Hell no!” Eli declared, wrapping an arm around Sawyer’s neck. “I’ll never complain about this sourpuss again. I want him on our side at every rodeo fight.”
“I’ll be there at Houston,” Sawyer said. “But I’d prefer it if I didn’t have to save y’all’s asses this time.”
“You’ll be there?” Johnny asked. “I heard you got let go, so I was wondering.”
“My ranch dropped me, but I signed back up as an independent participant,” Sawyer explained. “Cost me a pretty penny, so hopefully I’ll walk away with some prize money.”
“If you’re tryin’ to guilt us into lettin’ you win, I have some very bad news for you,” Eli said. “Johnny and I are men of unimpeachable moral character.”
Sawyer sneered. “Don’t worry. I plan on putting you both in your place at Houston.” He glanced at me. “Just like I’ve put you in your place regarding Sophie.”
“I don’t know about that.” Eli removed his arm from around Sawyer’s neck, and slipped it around my waist. “Johnny and I have pleased this woman in ways previously unimaginable to the average cowboy. Together.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “We had a threesome.”
“Thanks for spelling it out,” Johnny said dryly.
“Hope you’re not jealous,” Eli told Sawyer.
I waited to see Sawyer’s reaction. This was the first time all three men had been together and discussed… well, me .
“No jealousy here,” Sawyer said genuinely. “I’m glad you two joined forces. If it takes two of you to do what I can do myself, then that’s just fine.”
I covered my mouth to stifle a laugh.
“That… we… I wasn’t…” Eli sputtered. “I’ve pleased Sophie just fine by myself! Tell him.”
I smiled innocently. “Sure you have, big guy.” I patted him on the back for good measure.
Johnny barked a laugh. Sawyer just smiled in satisfaction.
“Fuck all y’all,” Eli replied with his own laugh. “Our threesome was fuckin’ amazing, and I won’t let you use it to insult my sexual prowess.”
“It was fantastic ,” I agreed, turning my eyes back to Sawyer. “If you ever want to try it, let me know.”
Something sparkled behind Sawyer’s eyes as he considered it. Curiosity mixed with lust.
“We’ll see,” was all he said, but I could tell he wasn’t opposed to it.
And I couldn’t wait to find out just how interested he would be.