Page 127 of Reckless
Willa blabs to Loretta about how she met Cade when she dropped her panties in public. “Shh!”
“Okay,Mom.”
I ignore the dig. She can run her mouth after this is over. Right now, Theo is lowering himself onto the broad back of the bull, running his gloved hand over a rope methodically, in time with whatever heavy drumbeat must be playing in the arena.
Or maybe it’s just my heart thumping in my ears.
He wraps his hand. Tugs a couple times. His shoulders rise and fall on a heavy exhale.
Then he nods.
The gates fly open and the bull lurches into motion from a standstill. The timer at the top of the screen flicks through the seconds. He only needs to stay on for eight.
But seconds have never gone by so slowly.
I push up to stand above Vivi. Even she seems to feel my tension because she’s watching the screen raptly after ignoring it for the past hour.
Hands gripped on my knees, I don’t know what to do with myself as I watch the bull spin and leap and try to kill the man I want to spend the rest of my life with.
He better not fucking die on me.
The thought jolts me for a minute. It came so easily. So naturally. Like being with Theo is the most obvious thing in the world. Like,of course,we’ll be together. Who the hell else would I be with?
Who would put up with my moody ass?
Who would love Vivi the way he does?
Who would lovemethe way he does?
The answer is no one. Not a single other person would ever love me the way Theo does. No one will ever show up for me the way he has—protect me the way he has. I know it because it’s taken me thirty-one years to find someone who will.
What more proof do I need?
He’s artistry on the back of the bull, and I can’t take my eyes off them. My hands cover my mouth as the seconds tick down.
Left.
Spin.
Right.
Dip.
Buzzer.
“Yes!” I jump up and shout, hands in the air. I don’t even care if I look like a lovesick idiot.
I am.
Loretta lets out a relieved laugh and claps her hands.
Willa and Sloane seem interested, but not all that excited. So, fuck them. In a friendly way, of course. I’m too excited. No one can ruin this night for me.
“What a ride!” Summer humors me by joining in with my cheering as Theo easily leaps from the bull and pumps his fist in the air. He doesn’t take his helmet off, and he doesn’t take his eyes off the bull. He beelines it for the fencing and immediately climbs up. Once he’s safely over, he gets some hearty back pats from Rhett.
When his score flashes on the screen, I know it’s a good one from the internet stalking I did. Ninety-five point seventy-five is not just good. It’sgreat. It’s what he needed.
And goddamn, I am so proud. I don’t even know how to react. So I pace, biting my thumbnail while I watch him.
