“What the hell does she think she’s doing?” Tommy asked Vic as they watched, both shocked at her entrance and the fact that she was going to get onto the electric bull in a challenge to that asshole cowboy.
“She’s going to get hurt,” Vic stated.
“No, she won’t. She knows exactly what she’s doing, fellas,” Ava interrupted as she joined them.
Tommy stared at the scene before him. He didn’t like how that Tagart guy was looking over Elise. He didn’t like it at all.
Ava walked a few feet in front of them and waved to Elise. Tommy watched as she approached, and the crowd cheered for Tagart, who was stepping onto the blow-up mats done up in an American flag design that surrounded the bull.
He climbed onto the bull, and Ben and Quinn began to operate Hurt So Good. He started off real slow and then Tagart nodded his head indicating that he was ready as the loud music started and the sounds of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” filled the club.
Tommy couldn’t stand it. He was concerned over Elise. He stalked toward her, and Vic followed once he realized what Tommy was doing. The crowd was gathered around her and Ava as they watched Tagart riding the bull. It was getting harder and he was about to fall off.
Tommy reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked straight up toward him and his stomach clenched. Hot damn, did she look fucking hot. Her lips were glistening a cherry red. They were plump and ripe just asking to be tasted. Her damn aqua-blue eyes stood out like gems surrounded by the matching eye shadow, dark eyeliner, and long, sexy lashes.
“What, Tommy?” she asked him. But his eyes were initially drawn to the sparkles on her shirt and of course her large bust. She was well built. Then he looked down to her waist, the bare midriff, the belly ring, and just a hint of that tattoo he knew she sported as well.
“You are not getting on that bull,” he told her. He saw her eyes widen, and he felt his blood boiling beneath the surface of his dark skin, but even his natural tan couldn’t hide his anger with Elise.
“He’s right. You could get hurt. What the hell are you thinking?” Vic asked.
The crowd roared and just as she glanced back toward Tagart, she saw him fall off the bull and onto his ass. Twelve freaking seconds. What the hell?
One glance toward the booth where Ben and Quinn were, and she saw Carver, Tagart’s friend. He was ensuring that they wouldn’t go easy on Elise.
“Sorry, Deputies, but I have to go.” She began to walk away and Tommy went to stop her when Vic grabbed his arm.
“She’s gonna do it. You know how freaking stubborn that woman is. That’s why she’s still not in our bed.”
Tommy gave his brother an annoyed expression. He didn’t need the reminder, and as he looked at her greet Tagart, he had to hide his rage. Tagart offered his hand for Elise to get up into the saddle. The crowd whistled as she gripped his shoulder and used the boost he gave her to get onto the bull.
Tagart then proceeded to rub his hand along her thigh and she winked at him. The crowd ate it up.
They watched in shock and annoyance as she looked toward the booth and gave her hand a whirl. The music started nice and slow as she raised her ass up off the seat, put both hands in the air, and lifted her hair as the bull began to move in slow, circular motions. She moved her hips to the same beat, in a seductive motion that had the men in the crowd screaming her name and practically running toward the fenced-in area. She pointed at Tagart then turned her finger thumbs-down. Everyone screamed and hollered.
Tommy felt his cock grow thick and hard in his jeans and his gut clench. He was going to wring her pretty little neck the moment he had the chance. That body belonged to him and Vic. There was no way he and his brother were going to stand by and let another man, that Tagart, owner of International Promotions, have a piece of her.
She finally lowered herself to the seat and he gave a sigh of relief that was short-lived. Gus started playing “All Jacked Up” by Gretchen Wilson. The bull began to move a little faster. She threw her hand in the air, the other held on, and she rode that bull like a true medal-winning bull rider. Her long brown hair flew around her, and in the booth he could see the guy running the bull wasn’t Ben or Quinn. The timer passed fifteen seconds and the bull jerked quick to the right then quick to the left and she flew off. She landed on her rear and hopped right up as the crowd roared, knowing that she was the winner. Tagart wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her against his side.
He didn’t like that asshole one bit.
* * * *
“Honey, I think you scammed me and played me for a fool,” Tagart whispered against Elise’s ear after she received congratulations from the crowds of people.
She paused in front of him, thinking he was pretty good-looking. “Oh, I didn’t scam you, owner of TM International Promotions,” she teased back.
He lowered his eyes then licked his lips as he looked her over.
“So I don’t like to be known as the guy that owns the company. I’m still a bull rider, or at least I used to be.”
“That’s nice and I figured. How about we start all over.”
“If it means that you’ll have a drink with me, then fine.” He placed his arm around her waist and walked with her toward Juliet’s bar.
“Excuse me, but we’d like a word please,” Tommy Ollsen interrupted, and she wondered what his sudden problem with her was.
“What is it, Tommy?”