Page 29 of Mud, Love, and Chemistry

“What? Seriously?” She sits up to peer over my head toward the door. “What do you want to do? Do you want to leave?”

My eyes dart back and forth across the countertop. If I leave now, I’ll avoid interacting with him, but I’ll also be running away. I’ve let him ruin enough of my day, time to put my foot down. “No,” I say, lifting my head and squaring my shoulders. “It’s ladies’ night, so I have way more of a reason to be here than he does. Plus, this was my bar first. So no, we won’t be leaving.”

“That’s my girl!” Lisa claps her hands and waves the bartender down. “Two shots of tequila!”

I fight the urge to crinkle my nose. I’m already drunk, so doing shots isn’t the best idea, but since I’m already drunk, I feel invincible.

As we down our shots, the DJ’s voice comes over the loudspeaker, “All right, ladies and gentlemen, bull rides are open in ten minutes. Get your waiver signed now, and good luck!”

A huge grin spreads across my face as Lisa rolls her eyes. “You’re really going to do that thing again?”

“I do it every time!”

“Okay, but I have to pee first.” Lisa slides off her stool, giving me a pointed look as if to say, ‘are you coming?’

I shake my head. “I want to get in line.”

“Fine. I’ll meet you over there.”

I practically bounce all the way to the mechanical bull ring, which is a good thing because it hides the fact that I can’t walk a straight line. The vodka-cranberries course through me at full force, but that tequila shot did me in. As I stand in line, I sway from side to side. I hope it seems like I’m enjoying the music.

“I knew you liked to be on top, but didn’t know you liked it rough,” a voice says close to my ear. Not any voice, though. This one is deep, smooth, and it sends a shiver right down my spine.

I straighten my posture and turn my chin over my shoulder. “Well, I have to make up for the last ride I got.”

Sam cringes sympathetically, but keeps his stupid smug smirk. “Ooh, nice burn.”

I give him a mocking sneer before turning back around, and thankfully, country music fills the space between us instead of tense silence. The line moves quickly, and I’m signing my waiver before I know it. I’m beginning to think I’ll get through this line without further issue, but Sam has other ideas.

“So, do you come here often?”

I finish my signature with a flourish. Spinning around, I’m ready to tear into him about how he doesn’t get to talk to me anymore and how he had his chance to get to know me, but chose to be a jerk instead, when the room spins rapidly and I lose my balance.

Sam catches me by the elbow and rights me. “Whoa, easy there. How much have you had to drink?”

“Enough.” I rip my arm from his grip.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and juts his chin toward the bull. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Never stopped me before.”

His mouth ticks up on one side. “You sure are stubborn, you know that?”

“Hmph.” I fold my arms across my chest and turn to face the bull ring.

As hard as I try, I can’t stop myself from swaying back and forth. It doesn’t help that I’m watching people ride a bull that’s spinning, rocking, and bucking out of control. It’s dizzying. I slump to my right and hit something warm and hard. When I turn my chin, I find Sam’s chest against my shoulder and his stupid adorable face grinning at me.

I wrench myself upright, planting my feet firmly into the floor.

“It’s okay to lean on people, you know?”

Anger seethes through me. I hate how soft his voice sounds. I hate how it makes me want to sink into his chest and let him cocoon me in his strong embrace. I hate that he smells so good right now, like lavender and sage. I refuse to let him in again.

So, as the bull ring employee waves me up for my turn, I look at Sam and say, “Too bad the last person I leaned on turned out to be another liar.” Then, I’m stalking toward the bull. I don’t even glance back to see if my words had any effect on him.

My hand wraps around the horn of the fake leather saddle as I put my left foot in the stirrup. Swinging my right leg over, I situate myself in my normal bull-riding position. I raise my arm in the air, and right before the bull starts moving, I find Sam. I don’t mean to look at him, but my eyes betray me.

He’s watching me intently as he shakes his head. It’s like he’s admiring me, yet admonishing me at the same time.

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