Page 43 of Blue Moon Cowboy
He pranced around the arena, swinging his big head as though he listened to his own personal heavy metal soundtrack. Jason threw a loop and caught the bull around the neck. Lainey watched his familiar movements as he wrapped the rope around his saddle horn and turned his horse toward the gate.
One moment, the bull was docilely following while Shaun flanked him. The next, the hulking bovine lunged forward and hit Jason’s horse so unexpectedly, it knocked the gelding off his feet.
The horse squealed as it went down, covering Jason in a flurry of arena dust.
People screamed. The announcer began barking orders into the microphone, and Shaun darted his horse in front of the bull before it could charge Jason and his mount a second time.
Billy Clark and Hagen Laramee, the two bullfighters, along with Cooper, all dashed to get between Jason and the bull while others hustled over to lend a hand as Jason’s horse got to his feet.
Lainey jumped up and had taken two steps when she realized she still held a sleeping Addie Kate. She turned and handed the baby to Keller, then raced down the steps of the stands, intent only on making sure Jason hadn’t been gravely injured or worse.
Clarity settled over her as she raced through the crowds to reach him.
She loved Jason Price.
Loved him so much she couldn’t imagine taking the next breath in a world where he didn’t exist.
It was time for her to stop hiding from her feelings and open her heart. Whether she had five minutes with him or thirty years, she wanted every moment she could grab onto to be with Jason.
He wasn’t just the man she loved.
Hewas where her heart had finally found a place to call home.
Chapter Nine
Jason wasn’t sure what had happened. One moment, he’d been heading toward the gate with a bull that wasn’t ready to leave the arena. The next, he woke up in the arena dirt with a blazing headache, stars shimmering behind his closed eyes, and voices murmuring around him.
Slowly, he opened one eye, and the first face that came into focus was Lainey’s. She looked like an angel, with the sun shimmering all around her.
He did his best to grin—to reassure her he was fine—although the effort made the pain in his head increase.
She squeezed his hand, smiling and crying all at the same time.
“I’m not dead,” he muttered through lips that suddenly felt thick and dry.
“I’m really glad you aren’t,” she said and leaned down to brush her mouth over his, dripping tears on his face.
“Dad, can you feel your legs?” Shaun asked, coming into view when Lainey moved back, although he could feel her fingers wrapped around his, as though she couldn’t bear to let him go.
Jason moved one foot, then the other. Movement was good news, although he was still trying to recall what had happened.
“Stroker?” he asked, as a vision of the bull coming at him and his horse filled his thoughts. He’d been nearly to the gate when the bull had lunged at him and Stroker, sending the horse off his feet and onto his side. No wonder Jason felt like he’d been hit by a truck.
“He’s fine, Dad. The vet checked him over, and nothing is damaged. He’s not even limping,” Shaun said, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “You must have hit that hard head of yours because you’ve been knocked out for almost five minutes.”
“I have?” Jason asked, wishing someone would give him a drink of water. His mouth felt as parched as the Sahara. He started to struggle to get up, but both Lainey and Shaun held him down.
“Just wait, Jase. They’re pulling the ambulance around,” Lainey said in a soft, soothing voice.
“I don’t need an ambulance. Just give me a minute to …” He wasn’t sure what he needed a minute for, other than to perhaps be sick. The waves of pain in his head were making him feel queasy.
Before he could give it more thought or ask questions, many hands were there to move him onto a hard plastic backboard. He knew it was easier to carry someone out of the arena on it than to try to push a stretcher through the dirt.
The crowd cheered when he lifted a hand to wave as he was carried out of the arena.
Lainey walked beside the men packing the backboard. When he refused to let go of her hand, she climbed into the ambulance with him. He heard Shaun say he’d meet her at the hospital.
“This is not how I planned to spend my evening,” Jason said, mustering a smile for Lainey.
