Bull Riding: Part 1 -- The Promise

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"The answer is no, Angela Karen, and that is final."

Angie frowned across the table at Kyle. "Why, because I'm a woman?"

"Hell, yes, because you're a woman!"

"That's... that's sexual discrimination!" Angie pounded one small fist on the red checked restaurant tablecloth. "I should file a charge against you!"

Kyle, who was Angie's boss as well as her fiancé and a long time family friend, rolled his blue eyes. "You go right ahead, darlin'," he drawled, finishing the last of his coffee. "The answer is still no."

"But Kyle, lots of other rodeo shows feature female bull riders. And it draws crowds! You could put me on a little one -- they can't tell the difference much from the stands anyway, and..."

Kyle studied his pretty little fiancee as she continued to plead her case. He'd known Angie since she was five years old, and she never changed. He'd been best friends with her older brothers, and she had always chased after them, trying to do the same things they did, or better. He supposed it was a natural consequence of being the little sister to five Texas boys -- but he couldn't believe this latest idea of hers.

"Angie, just what the hell are you trying to prove, anyway?" he interrupted her tirade. His accent was growing thicker as he grew more agitated with her, "You're a grown woman. Why are you still chasing after your brothers and trying to show you can do the same as them?"

Angie's green eyes flashed at Kyle. "I'm not trying to prove anything! It's a challenge, that's all. And I want to do it. I don't care what my brothers think."

Kyle raised a golden eyebrow skeptically. Two of Angie's brothers were in bull riding currently, though they didn't work for his show. Her oldest brother, Cal, was retired from the sport, but had a ranch in Austin where he ran yearly classes teaching proper riding technique and offering help to novice riders.

"Your brothers would skin me alive if I let you do this...."

"They don't have to know!"

"...and I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt. Bull riding's a very dangerous sport, honey. You could get killed even."

"Oh, I'm not going to get killed!" Angie protested, clearly exasperated. "Barrel racing can be dangerous too, and for that matter so can driving a car, but you let me do those things!"

Kyle spared a brief smile for the waitress who brought them their check. After she had walked away, he glared at his pouting fiancee. "It's not the same thing and you know it. Now, I'm not going to say this again, Angela. You are not going up on a bucking bull. No way." He narrowed his sapphire gaze at her. "Do you understand me?"

Arms crossed, Angie scowled at him. Under the table, she stamped one cowboy boot. "Anything you say," she answered flippantly.

Kyle leaned across the table and lowered his voice. A chill crept up Angie's spine. "If you try this behind my back, you'll be in for it. I mean it. I'll blister your butt. And that's a promise. Do you hear me? And I don't mean the usual slap and tickle stuff you like."

Angie was surprised by the heated resolve in his voice. But she didn't take his threat seriously. Kyle had saved her from many a spanking from her brothers as she'd been growing up. Sometimes, they enjoyed some foreplay "slap and tickle" games as he referred to them, but she knew he would never actually hurt her.

Regardless, she figured she should give in to him. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, same as her brothers. Surely somebody from the show would be willing to help her learn to ride in his place. And then when she knew what she was doing and could keep her seat the eight seconds required, she'd surprise him with it. By that time, it'd be too late for him to change anything. And she was sure he'd realize she'd been right all along. He'd include her bull riding in the act for sure, then.

But for now, she sighed as in defeat and said, "Yes, I hear you. You win, okay?"

Kyle still looked suspicious, but he stood up from the table, settled his black Stetson on his golden head and took her hand. As they walked to the cashier, she pulled her hand free of his in a pointed show of her unhappiness, a firm pout on her face.

To her surprise, Kyle gave the seat of her jeans a loud crack with his open palm. Angie was sure every diner in the restaurant turned to stare at them. Her face flushed hotly and she looked down at the floor. "I don't want to look at that pout all afternoon," Kyle said.

She met his gaze and nodded, a bit nervously. She forced her mouth into a neutral line. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

He nodded once, paid their bill, and then ushered her outside and into his battered pickup truck. The ride back to their trailer was awkwardly silent at first. Angie was still thinking about the spank in the diner. Kyle had never done anything like that before. He was always playful and gentle, his swats more like extensions of his caresses. And he had never spanked her, not even one smack, in a public place.

Finally, he cleared his throat and motioned to her with his right hand. "Come here." Angie slid across the bench seat and cuddled against him, his arm circling her shoulders. He smelled pleasantly of horses and sunshine. He pressed a kiss onto her forehead. "I don't want anything to happen to you, sweetheart," he said. His voice was gruff. "You're very important to me. Okay?"

She nodded. "Sure. Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen."

"Promise me you won't try to do this on your own."

"Kyle..."

"I know you, Ang," he broke in. "You only agreed in the restaurant to get me to stop arguing with you. I want you to promise me."

Angie sighed. She closed her eyes and leaned her cheek against the soft, worn flannel covering Kyle's shoulder. She didn't want to make a promise she planned to break. Especially to this man.

She was glad they were in the truck and that Kyle was driving, so she didn't have to look him in the eye.

"I promise."

Find out what happens next in Bull Riding: Part 2 -- Lesson One

If you'd like to email OTKromance about Bull Riding, write: otkromance@cs.com