Page 53 of Bronco

“Yeah, thanks for that. Not only do men have to compete with vibrating toys that have thirty fuckin’ speeds, and suction roses that aren’t from the garden variety like I once thought, but now we have to be inferior of vegetables, too?”

I slap him on the chest lightly. “Stop it!”

“What? It’s true. A man’s penis is like the least appealing thing on the menu these days.”

He’s ridiculous, but he still makes me laugh. “That isn’t true.” I pat him on the chest. “Don’t worry, your manhood is still safe with me.”

Our eyes lock and something passes between us. I step back, removing my hands from him, clearing my throat.

“You ready,Princess?”He speaks before I get the chance.

“I’m ready to eat my bodyweight in hotdogs and scream for Alvarado to beat his best score or rebound record.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“Ye of little faith.” He lets me walk ahead of him as I grab my door key and shove it into my bag. I lock the house behind us, send a quick text to Indi to check on Olive, and then Bronco is shoving a helmet on my head, fastening it before he hops on first.

I don’t know how I feel.

A little numb. A little nervous. After my admission, I’m realizing that I have deep shame when it comes to my past, and maybe that will always be a part of me. I thought I’d buried it, but clearly I still have some work to do.

My gut clenches remembering his face when he thought he’d made me sad.Why does he have to be so freaking perfect?I know he’d lay his life on the line for me, and has done before, for so little in return. If he’s not into me like a potential girlfriend, then what is his endgame? Does he have one? I know deep down in my heart that Bronco doesn’t have a mean bone in his body where I’m concerned, or the ones he cares about. But I’ve seen him in action. I saw what he did to those two goons who stalked me, and I never want him finding out about Vince. Not that I think he’d travel to Illinois, but I wouldn’t put it past him.

That’s what it is. The past. It has nothing to do with where I’m at right now.

I slap a smile on my face as I press my body against his, enjoying his warmth as I wrap my arms around his waist. It shouldn’t feel so comfortable. It shouldn’t feel like my safe space because I don’t want to put that on him, but I ignore my feelings and tell myself it’s okay.

It’s okay to feel good, and it’s okay to enjoy the company of a man who doesn’t expect anything in return. We joke around about sex toys and penises, but I know that’s just our sense of humor. Bronco would never force me to do anything I didn’t want to. The question is, do I want to? And if so, what do I do about it next?

11

BRONCO

Tonight already hasme reeling and we’ve only just taken our seats.

I knew Amber had a rough past, but a religious cult? Is she for fuckin’ real? My blood boils just from the way she reacted to my comment that this part of her past hurt her. I saw the fear in her eyes, the flash of cruelty she remembered suffering at the hands of her ex. I admit, I don’t know much about him, but I do know that he’s a dead man if he put his hands on her… Who am I kidding? Of course he did. She hasn’t told me in so many words, but I’ve gotten the gist of it from tidbits she’s told me over the years. I just don’t know why she didn’t tell me sooner about the cult.

Still, as I rest the tray of food on my knees, I’m trying to see past the anger I’m really feeling in order to have a good time. I lied to her. I put on a front so she wouldn’t get even more upset, but I’m raging deep inside. I want her to bring it up again so I can find out more. So I can locate this asshole and wipe him off the face of the earth. I’ll do it, she knows I will, which is why she brushed over his whereabouts. What are best friends for if not to stalk your ex-boyfriends and give them an ending they deserve?My temper is nuclear when it comes to women being treated like shit. I’ve got my mom to thank for that because she instilled in me and my brother that it is not okay to treat women like trash. It is also not okay to put your hands on a woman in anger. Period. I’m murderous when I think about someone hurting her, or that she could’ve possibly lived in fear from this asshole.

I’m thrown. This is the secret part of her life where the walls are still so high, there ain’t no way anyone’s getting over the moat or anywhere close, and that part makes me sad. I’ve always been the life of the party, the idiot who says the wrong thing, but a smile always ensues. The deep, dark part of me knows what I’m capable of when it comes to protecting the people I care about; I will not hold back.

“Oh, my God!” Amber groans as I look sideways, knocking me out of my reverie. She’s stuffing a very large hot dog into her mouth, and I can’t help but chuckle.

“You know, I can always order out if you want hotdogs anytime. When was the last time you indulged?”

She shakes her head, chewing until she swallows the huge mouthful. “I don’t eat this stuff usually, and it’s not the same unless you’re at a game, ya know?”

I wave the huge popcorn bucket at her. I’ve also got two hotdogs, and a side of fries, plus our Giant sodas which are stationed at my feet. “Duly noted,” I say, stuffing a handful of delicious popcorn into my mouth. “The Nuggets aren’t gonna know what hit them.”

“Especially when it’s our home turf.”

“It’s been ages since I’ve been to a live game.”

She glances at me. “We’ve got Ben to thank for it.”

I try not to stiffen at the sound of his name. “Not a good sign that he’s still sick. You don’t want a dude with a weak immune system.”

“Is that right?”

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