Roping Her In

Chapter: 17

"Where are we going tonight?" I asked Cox as he drove straight through Burleson. "Past Fort Worth. Up to Dallas. Why not?" He asked. "Just curious. And remember that Dan will hurt us both if we don't make that midnight curfew." I said. "No worries baby." He said as he drove. I watched out the windshield as we went through Fort Worth.

He navigated the city perfectly on the interstate. It's been a while since I've been to Dallas. About thirty minutes later, he was pulling into Raisin Cain's. "Want to eat before we go?" He asked. It took us about thirty minutes to eat before we went to a place called Red River: Dance hall & Saloon.

"Don't worry baby. I'm not a drinker." He said. He paid for us to get in and we found a table for a minute. When a fast dancing song came on, Cox pulled me onto the floor. Backwoods Bump was the song. We followed along to when the artist said how to move and did our own thing. It was so much fun. He spun me around multiple times during the song.

A slow song came on after it. He definitely slow danced me around the floor. A line dance came up next. He was next to me all night. At about eleven, we decided to leave. Some guy followed us out to the parking lot. It was the same guy that was cat calling me all night. Cox kissed my forehead. I wrapped my arms around his torso acting like I was tired.

He held onto me even when he opened the truck door. I finally let go of him and got in. He closed the door and went around to get in. "I know what you were doing baby." He said. "What was that?" I asked. "That guy that followed us out was trying to get closer to you since he saw you earlier." He said. I nodded.

"He creeped me out." I said. "I'm glad he didn't put his hands on you." He said. "Same. For my sake and his." I said. "You would have let me handle it wouldn't you?" He asked. "Yeah." I said nodding. He got me home fifteen minutes before my curfew. I was asleep for the most part of the ride home.

He had carried me to the door and set me on my feet. Dan pulled up just as I unlocked the door. "Night baby." He said. "Night. See you tomorrow at the rodeo." I told him. "May the best win." He said. "Love you." I said. "Love you too." He said back. He leaned down to kiss me. It was brief before he had to go since Dan was coming up the walk.

I went inside and got a quick shower and went to bed. I completely crashed. When my alarm went off, I got up and dressed. I found my school hoodie and pulled it on over a tank top. It's going to be warm this afternoon. I did my morning routine before going to the school. At ten, they called school out because of a threat.

I texted Cox saying I was bringing him lunch. He sent me an ok and texted me what time to bring it by. I ordered something he didn't have at his school and took it to him for lunch. I swapped my hoodie for his and met him at the doors. "Thank you." He said before kissing my cheek. "I'll see you tonight." I told him. "I'm buying." He said.

"Definite plan." I said. He kissed my cheek again before going back into the halls. I exited and went off to practice with Zeek before tonight. The rodeo will not be called off because of what happened at Joshua today. For a fact. Around three we started getting ready to load up.

"I would really appreciate it if you didn't talk to your boy until after the rodeo." Zeek said. "Ok. How bout after I eat dinner with him? He respects us and does not even ask about how we are doing when practicing." I said. "Really?" He asked. I nodded slowly. "He doesn't care because of us being competitors in the ring. I don't ask him how his practices are going with his teammate. It's a "I don't want to know how you are doing during practice, but I will beat you in the ring." That's how he thinks when we go out or bring each other food. I am the same way. I want to beat him as badly as you do. I know though that he will try to beat us." I said.

Zeek didn't say anything. "Just watch tonight. He won't pay attention to me until after we go against each other." I said. "Dinner included?" He asked. "Nope. Right after we eat together we part ways to get ready and do not talk to each other until after team roping." I said.

He shrugged. We both loaded our horses up and went to the grounds. I unloaded Twister and groomed him before tonight. I plaited his tail and combed his mane out. He shook as I finished. Then stood still as I put his saddle on. I left the back cinch loose until I was ready to ride.

I put his bridle on and led him to the ring. There is barely anyone here. It should go by quickly. It did. Soon it was time for team roping. Zeek and I had a nice run. Turn around and Burleson was tied with us. Rerides were after everything. We went again getting the same score.

I glared at Cox. He smirked. We went again. And again. Everyone was watching now. I finally did what no one wanted to. My roping partner may have deserved this for how he's treated me. I backed Twister into the box and took a deep breath. "Destroy it." I whispered to him.

I called for it and twirled my loop. I threw it and hit the horns. When I pulled it, it came off. I made it look like I had truly missed it. It also showed Zeek's true colors.