Page 51 of The Hearts We've Broken
Once I had made it to safety, I trained my gaze on the big screen where my score would be displayed.
“Now that’s how you do it, folks! Ninety-three points!” the announcer called out just as the numbers flashed on the screen.
I pumped my fist as the score came in, pride washing over me. Now I just needed to take this momentum through the entire year and to the NFR.
The minute I stepped out of the arena after the buckle ceremony, press and media flocked to me.
“Mikey! How does it feel to be the RodeoHouston bull riding champion?”
“Was your girlfriend in the audience?”
“How serious is your relationship?”
“Is she going to come on the road with you?”
“Do you think you’re going to be competing at the NFR this year?”
Question upon question was fired at me, but all I wanted to do was get to Juniper and the rest of my friends. I pushed through the reporters, ignoring them as they demanded answers.
“Nice ride out there, buddy.” Jake clapped me on the back when I finally got to them.
Colter and Reid were nowhere to be seen, probably doing a few interviews of their own. They were much better at handling the press than I was, but then again, they didn’t have reporters and influencers hounding them every two seconds. And the ones who did talk to them weren’t out for blood with personal attacks and ammunition for their gossip websites.
“Thanks, Flynn.” I nodded at him before turning to Juniper and saying, “Just stay with me, all right? They’ll have to go through me first to get to you, and I’m not going to let that happen.”
She nodded, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as I wrapped the dark-gray leather jacket I’d gotten from the NFR last year around her shoulders.
“Let’s go.” I grabbed her hand and started to walk through the sea of cameras, Jake and Hayden flanking our sides.
“Juniper! Tell us more about you! How did you meet Mikey?”
“Mikey, why does it seem like you’re keeping her a secret? Are you embarrassed by her? What is this going to do to your playboy image?”
I bit my tongue, fighting back a response. I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of blowing up. Icouldn’t. Not when all attention was on me after the championship win.
“I hate that this is happening to you,” Juniper whispered. “What can I do?”
“Just keep your head down. They’ll have to leave us alone eventually.” I shook my head, trying to ignore the flashes and questions coming from all directions, engulfing us like flames.
“What if they don’t?” she asked.
I couldn’t admit it, but that was what I was afraid of. I was worried the media wouldn’t stop until they got answers, or would start speculating themselves, spreading rumors around until there wasn’t a single speck of truth remaining.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get them to leave you alone,” Juniper said, again in a low voice.
Fuck it, then.
I stopped in my tracks, much to the confusion of everyone around me. Loudly, I announced to whoever would listen, “I’m not embarrassed of her. She’s my girlfriend, and I don’t care what it does to myplayboy image, so please leave us alone.”
I pulled Juniper to me, cupping her face in my hands and pressing my lips against hers.
Once the shock wore off, she kissed me back, our mouths fitting together like puzzle pieces. Juniper’s fingers tangled in my hair as photographers snapped images, the flashes of their cameras going off like fireworks.
That was what this kiss, even if it was mostly for show, felt like. Fireworks.
Electricity hummed within my body, creeping up my spine and through my limbs to the tips of my fingers.
I slid my tongue past her lips, deepening the kiss, notstopping to come up for air, even when she let out a gentle moan.
