Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
RHYS
T he day of the rodeo comes around quick enough. Things continue to shift between Morgan and I. Small things. A selfish part of me wants to ask her to stay, but another part, the part that is falling for Morgan knows, I can’t keep her here. Even she said it, she’s not cut out for a life up here.
She rarely sleeps in her own bed, which is fine because the one night she stayed in her own, I ended up in there because she had a nightmare. She still doesn’t know she has them, or that I crawl into her bed to stop them.
It’s six am when we all pile into the cars.
Miles and Dani ride with Brent and Molly.
Molly’s teacher slash nanny stays behind.
She’s quiet, and when she speaks, she’s very softly spoken.
She seems so out of place here, and I see the way she tries to hide her own flinching when one of us men raise our voices.
She has her own demons, I just hope Brent knows what he’s doing.
We decide to leave Esky, Tia offered to take her.
Morgan agreed and ran through everything as if Esky was a child and not an animal.
Morgan and I are with Beau and Davis, which I think is by design.
The rodeo is past the other side of Burra Point.
It’s about a four-hour drive, which is why we’re leaving so early.
Morgan is in the front with me, pillow up against the window and sunglasses firmly in place while she sleeps a little more.
Davis and Beau are in the back, not speaking to each other.
A spat in lovers paradise maybe? They’re always so hot and cold.
The crackle of the radio comes through. “We’re going to stop in Burra, I promised Molly Macca’s.”
“Coffee.” Morgan sits up like she just rose from the dead.
I pick up the receiver and tell Brent we will follow.
We all order something, so we decide to park up and eat together.
Molly, Dani and Morgan sit on the hood of one of the cruisers, while the rest of us stand around.
Molly talks about the rodeo last year, with Morgan hanging onto every word, giving Molly her full attention.
We talk about a couple of the events and the riders.
Brent uses rodeos as a networking event, while the rest of us use it as a couple days off to have fun.
Before we know it, we’re all done with our food and coffees, so we get back into the car’s and are back on the road.
Morgan is sitting crossed legged, hunched over her sketchpad.
Food seems to be all Beau and Davis needed because they’re now talking to each other.
I turn up the music, Ice Nine Kills comes on and with the opening notes, Morgan snaps her head up to look at me, grinning at the selection.
I return her smile and focus back on the road.
We all chat, sing along with the music and laugh, and soon enough we see the signs for the Rodeo approaching .
“Oh my God!”
“Yeah, it’s not just bull riders.” I tell her.
There are rides, food trucks, three arenas, and a couple of makeshift bars with dance floors.
Once we’re parked, we all get out and meet at the entrance. Molly is bouncing with excitement, Dani and Miles are holding hands, Beau and Davis are with Brent, while I walk with Morgan, and when the back of her hand brushes mine, I have an urge to hold her hand.
Almost as if sensing my inner monologue, Morgan looks up at me and beams her smile and wraps her hand in mine. It takes me a whole of a second to realise what she has done. I look down at our joined hands, and wrap my fingers around hers having no intention of letting go.
“Morgan, Morgan, come on!” Molly has broken away from Brent and is pulling Morgan in the direction of the rides.
Morgan is laughing while allowing herself to be pulled away by a five-year-old. I groan as I watch her walk away. She is in a tight pair of jeans which hug her arse perfectly. Her and Dani went all out with their outfits.
Basic enough but it’s all planned. Blue denim jeans, tan Ringers Western cowboy boots that have white stitched in patterns, topped off with a singlet top thing.
All I know is I’m going to be knocking some guys out, because the top is gathered at her breasts, showing them off and stops at her midriff. She is fucking gorgeous.
“Wait for me, you two.” Dani is running off after them.
We all stop and watch them leave.
“We’re not going to see them for a while, are we?” Miles asks as he watches his wife run after Molly and Morgan.
I shake my head, “Probably not. ”
We decide to check out the barrel racing, after getting a much-needed beer.
We find the arena and take some seats about halfway up and get transfixed on the riders. They’re fast, and the way the horses move around the barrels, following the lead of the rider, amazes me. Being a station manager, you’d think I’d have experience with horses, but Brent didn’t want them.
“Oi, food?” I nudge Davis.
He does his typical head nod and motions to Beau. “Fucking aye.”
We approach the food trucks and spot the girls, who have their own food.
Food is a loose term. Molly has fairy floss as big as her head, Morgan is eating a pluto pup, and Dani is sucking away at some sort of drink, which I’d bet has alcohol in it.
“Girls.”
“Rhys. Tweedle-dee. Tweedle-dum.”
Beau rolls his eyes, Davis nods, “Barbie”
“You can’t even call me that anymore. I’m no longer blonde and cut all my hair off.”
Davis shrugs and throws an arm over her shoulders. A part of me wants to tell him to fuck off, but I swallow that down. Friends with benefits, no commitment, no strings.
Beau starts to laugh, and I turn to face him. “Something funny?”
“You like her. As in, like her like her.” He emphasises the like her like her with head bobs.
“I do not.”
“Oh yeah, strong defence.” He sarcastically retorts, before following Davis and Morgan.
Eventually, we’re all gathered around a table that has something from each truck .
Morgan eyes the food and places a hand to her cheek. “We might have gotten too much.”
“No such thing.” Beau tells her while throwing a chip into his mouth.
“This one needs to sober up.” Miles puts his arm around Dani who leans into his touch.
We all laugh, then dig in. Everything is deep-fried. I don’t think I can see one piece of fruit or vegetable.
These are the moments I really enjoy; all of us together around a table, laughing, sharing stories, and eating way too much food.
I sneak looks at Morgan, she’s laughing and being carefree.
I fight the way the corner of my lips tips up every time I see her throw her head back to laugh at something Dani has said, or the way she argues back with Beau.
“Tell her.” Davis says.
“Tell her what?”
He doesn’t reply, just shakes his head. He knows I know what he means.
We all watch the bull riders, which is followed by roping.
Morgan loudly protests, but I quickly kiss her to shut her up before we get booed or asked to leave.
And what was meant to be a quick kiss to distract her, turns into a deep kiss.
I swipe my tongue along the seam of her lips, and she parts them, granting me access.
A clearing of a few throats has us stopping and pulling apart. Morgan licks her lips and looks up at me, pupils blown wide.
“Later, Princess.”
She frowns or at least tries; her lips tip up at the corners.
Eventually the day turns to dusk which has the bars opening the dance floors and turning the karaoke machine on. I try to avoid that bar because I just want to sit back and have a beer, not listen to people sing off-key. But Morgan and Dani insist.
Brent excuses himself, using the excuse of Molly needing bed.
We all order some drinks, and find a high-top table, and watch as people get up and sing.
Some aren’t terrible, others not so good, but it’s fun.
Dani and Morgan even get up to dance to the off-key singing.
Someone is singing Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again by The Angels.
Which I can promise is being played at every bar, event, and nightclub across Australia tonight.
The line we all wait for gets absolutely belted out by every person here: No way get fucked fuck off.
It’s almost un-Australian not to sing that one line.
Dani is a little more drunk than we thought, so when she comes back from her dancing/swaying, Miles drags her to bed as well. Leaving just me, Morgan, and the boys.
“That’s not fair. I was having fun dancing.”
“Beau will dance with you.” Davis says throwing Beau under the bus. Beau glares at him.
“Really?” Morgan asks, and before Beau can reply, I’m joining in with the bus throwing. “Of course! He’d love to.”
When Beau turns that glare towards me, I point to Morgan. “Look at that smile, be the reason it’s there.”
Beau groans and she ups the ante, pouting and putting on the best sad eyes I’ve seen other than Molly.
“Fine,” he says through gritted teeth, allowing Morgan to drag him to the dance floor. But he turns and shouts, “I’ll get you back.”
“Oh God, that was a bad idea, look at him.” Davis laughs .
I was focused on Morgan, but when I look towards Beau, I can’t help but join Davis.
Not only is the singing out of key, but so are Beau’s dance moves. I’m watching Morgan in awe. Just the way she’s dancing like no one is watching, singing along. Beau whispers something in Morgan’s ear, and she nods pushing him to go do whatever it is he told her he was going to do.
I then watch as some guy approaches her. She turns around, and the minute his hand is on her hip, I’m standing. She puts a hand up and takes a step back. I’m not sure what she’s saying, but the asshole isn’t listening, because he tries advancing on her.
I close the distance. Fast. “Back up.” I growl out as I get to her, running my hand over the small of her back and around to her hip. I pull her into my hold, holding her maybe a little too possessively.
The guy throws his hands up in surrender, and backs away saying he doesn’t want any trouble. And just as Morgan opens her mouth to say something, our names are getting called out.
“Next up we have Rhys Donovan and Morgan Elliot, singing That’s Why We Fight by Ella Langley.”
I catch a cocky Beau walking back over to Davis, who is full belly laughing and holding his phone. Well, I’m glad they're having fun and got a kick out of it, but I’m not doing it.
I turn and walk myself back to Beau and Davis. Beau meets me halfway. “Look at her smile, be the reason it’s there.”
The prick uses my own words against me, and when I turn around, Morgan is up on the stage taking the microphone. Beau is right, her smile is bright and infectious .
Fuck. I huff out a breath and turn back to walk to the stage. Looks like I am doing it.
I thought she’d hate something like this, but when the first notes of the song come on, she starts, “You know it pisses me off…”
Good song choice for us, I guess.
As she sings, I weave my way through the crowd. I step on to the stage as soon as it’s my part, “You know we don’t work…”
The crowd cheers. Morgan dances and jumps and twirls around while singing. I hold my hand out to her, and she does some sort of strut walk thing to me. “…I drive you crazy, you drive me out my mind. But, baby, we do one thing right...”
When her body is flush with mine, I hold her hand up and she twirls in her place. When she’s back facing me, her chest to mine, we both sing, “…I take it out on you, take it out on me too…”
She pulls away from me but doesn’t let go of my hand. Turning to face me, she puts the microphone to her mouth, and we finish the song, “…that’s why we fight…”
As the song fades, we’re both panting, and when she drops the microphone, leaping into my arms, I drop mine and wrap my hand around her holding her in place. Our lips crash together.
The tension has been building all day, then the song has put us both on edge. The crowd breaks out in a cheer. Slowly we pull apart, I lock my gaze to her and lower her back to the stage.
“Holy shit! Morgan and Rhys everyone!” The MC announces .
The crowd cheers again. And that seems to break Morgan out of whatever she was just feeling, because she turns on her heels, hops down, leaving me to watch after her.