The officer saw me standing close to Bucky. "With the way she's talking, she doesn't want to." He told Sawyer. Sawyer glared at me before walking off. "If he gives you any more trouble, let me know." The guys nodded, and the officer walked away.
"I bet he'll try something during games." One said. "Several have something to do with horses. That much I can tell you."
"Bareback barrel racing is about to begin. Anyone can enter."
My eyes lit up. "May I ride Copper?" I asked Bucky. He had to see it coming. "Be careful." He told me. He released his hold, and I ran over to his horse. Hackamores and bridles were the only things accepted for the event. No halters with leads.
I unhitched Copper and jumped onto his back. "You let her ride your horse? She must be special then." He came over and led Copper over. I could have, but I wanted him to.
Copper was anxious to go. Everyone in it warmed their horse up in plenty of time. No one knew I was a champ in barrel racing except the Ray family.
"First up is Callie Zane." The mayor announced. It was a twelve-year-old girl on a pinto pony. After a few more girls, a boy went. He took the lead in the small competition.
Sawyer went after him and nearly fell off the poor horse. The hat rule wasn't in effect here, so the only deduction was knocking a barrel over.
"And finally, Ali Marie." I went up to the line ready. Copper pranced in place as they set the last barrel up after Sawyer knocked it over. "When you're ready." I nodded and got Cooper into a gallop.
Cutting around the first barrel clockwise. Then the second counterclockwise. Finally, around the last barrel and kicking it home. Copper sprinted back to the start line.
We crossed it and I cooled him down. "With a time of 10.5, Ali Marie has swept the competition away."
I could pull that in Salt Lake City easily. It helped to practice bareback to get more footing with a saddle. I rode over to Bucky. I slid off Copper into his arms.
"Now I knew what you meant by ERA barrel champ." He told me. He kissed my forehead and led Copper back over to Dusty. Rusty was sitting next to my horse, tied.
He's the best. Then another game was played. I stood next to Hedli while Bucky and Colt competed in this one. "One or the other always wins it, but they never let victory get in the way of being brothers." I smiled as Bucky jumped over the fence and onto Dusty.
He had to have the cattle in the pen in record time. A few seconds later, the five steers were penned. Colt was the last one to compete. Bucky came over to me and wrapped his arm around my waist.
I leaned on his shoulder and put an arm over his. He had taken his hoodie off before the event and was in his tee that matched it. I could see myself having a life with him. Right now, he looked so good I wanted to drag him to the truck for a quick make-out.
Bucky won the comp, and Colt came in second. "You should let someone else win besides your brother." "Tell him that." He whispered in my ear.
We got our lunch and I sat next to him. "Buck, you never introduced us to her. That's shameful of you." He shook his head and smirked.
"All these are the guys that helped me from pounding Sawyer's face in throughout high school." "Seriously, dude? I'm Bobby." The dark-haired one said, nodding.
"Yeah and that's beavis and butthead," Bucky said as the other two looked up. "Ryan. Or what he calls me, Beavis." "Harold, or Butthead." The last one said. "Ali."
"A pleasure to meet you," Bobby told me. I shyly smiled. "He's trouble," Ryan told me. I giggled. Bucky pulled me closer. I tried to scoot away, but he pulled me closer, almost onto his lap.
"Where are you going?" He asked, starting to tickle my side. I chuckled, trying to get away. He pulled me onto his lap and continued. "She's more trouble than I am." He told them as I tried to get away from him, as he tickled me.
Finally, I threw my leg over and ran. He caught up to me and we both fell in the grass laughing. He kissed my cheek, holding me tighter. "I love you so much." He told me. "I love you, too," I told him.
He kissed my lips, adding his tongue to the mix. "Hey, love birds, time for the next game." Bucky looked into my eyes. "We'd better go back." He told me getting up. He helped me up, and we walked over to the next event.
"Oh, it's the egg race," Bucky whispered as he stood behind me. I could tell he wanted to do more than he could here for me. "We can go to the truck real quick after this game."
He chuckled, pulling me closer. "I love how you're thinking." After the game, we snuck away to the truck. Before we got there, he picked me up and pressed me against it. Attacking me with his lips.
We broke apart. "I've been wanting to do that all day." He told me. I put my lips on his. He moved his hands along my body down to my hips. I didn't want him to stop.
Then several whistled and shouted. He turned to look as I did. His buddies were there with a few others. "Their crazy." "We'll finish this tonight. My house." He smirked and put me down.
"Yes, we will." He kissed me once more. We were caught sneaking away for that and had to walk in front of them.