Page 15 of Burnin' For You
Eight seconds.
Eight seconds to lose the fire inside, to break free of the fist of regrets. Failures.
Grief.
Eight seconds to remind himself of who he was, who he’d become. Maybe even be proud of himself.
He released his hand.
Launched himself off the bull.
He took a breath—cauterized, even cleansed—as he landed, then scrambled through the dirt while the clowns caught the bull.
Then he jumped onto the rail and raised his hat to the crowd, breathing hard.
He spotted Gilly. She was on her feet, cheering, whistling.
For him.
He couldn’t swallow, his heart hammering as he hopped over the rail into the corral area, waiting for his score.
Pete met him there. “Are you kidding me? That was fantastic!” Pete, with his long surfer blond hair and charmer blue eyes hadn’t a smidgen of cowboy in him. He spent his off days in epic sports that were probably every bit as dangerous as bull riding. BASE jumping, free-climbing, even white-water rafting.
Still, Pete understood the rush of adrenaline after a challenge. Probably had his own residual hum to work off after this week.
They announced Reuben’s score, and it landed him at the top of the leaderboard. He hopped the rail, waving his hat again.
He wanted to look for Gilly, but didn’t know what he’d do if she were looking back at him, so he simply scanned the crowd.
He must have worn a sort of dazed expression because Pete gave him a strange look as Reuben took off his hat, rubbed the inside sweat rim.
“You okay, dude?”
“Did you see Gilly?”
He didn’t know why he asked that—wanted to take it back when Pete glanced over his shoulder, scanned the crowd. Gave a whistle of appreciation.
“You mean Legs McGee over there in a blue dress? As Conner, our former green beret would say,hooahand it’s about time.”
“Okay, Romeo, that’s enough,” Reuben said, but found her too, now that the crowd was focused on the next rider.
She wore her hair in a soft, messy bun, sipped a fountain drink from the Hotline, cheered for the rider who went down in the dirt.
“Reuben—when are you going to ask her out?” Pete moved over to the rail, one foot on the bottom rung.
“What—no. I can’t...she wouldn’t...”
And now Pete was looking at him, a quick glance of confusion.
“Listen,” Reuben said. “I’ve known Gilly since, well since I moved here seven years ago, when I was a greenie hotshot. She’s not interested in firefighters—and especially not me. We’re just coworkers. Trust me, there’s no spark there on her side. Besides, her dad’s a preacher, for cryin’ out loud. And I’m not exactly a saint.”
“Aw, c’mon, Rube. When’s the last time you went out with a girl—seriously. The dawn of time?”
Reuben watched as the next bull rider settled into the chute. “What are you, my matchmaker? I promise, I’m no monk. I’m just not—it wouldn’t work. We’re all over the place in the summer. It’s not the right time to start a relationship.”
“Dude—you don’t need tostart a relationship. Just take a girl for a whirl on the dance floor.”
Reuben’s mouth closed, tightened. He looked away. “I’m not you, Pete. I don’t know how to... I’m no Casanova.”