Cowboy Mine (3B Ranch Series) Book 1

2

**** Four pairs of eyes were glued to the flat screen tv. "Get off! Get off!" Eve jumped up and screamed.

"Jump! Beau, jump! Mom, his hand's caught in the rope!" Kassi yelled.

"Beau!" his mother said between gritted teeth. "Oh please let this be the last time! I can't do this any more."

Ava watched, horrified as her big brother tried in vain to get off and away from the furious bull. Her little fists were held tightly to her mouth as she began to softly sing, "The Matador" to her hero.

* * *

With the crowd roaring and clapping and words of encouragement fi)ing the air, Beau could have sworn as he was being thrown around he heard, "The Matador," on the wind. He saw Rowdy, the third bull fighter run in close and grasped his wrist as they moved together with the bull, frantic f
to be rid of them. Just as Rowdy freed his hand Beau flew through the air, but not with the greatest of ease.

He landed hard, even with Rowdy's help and the soft dirt. He lay stunned for a moment while getting his breath back. "I give my love once more to the Ma-a-ta-door," floated around him.

'Damn, I must be delusional.' He thought as he tried to breathe. Unfortunately, he had hit the ground hard enough to knock the breath right out of him.

"Dirt gets harder every year." he gasped and saw his best friend, Rowdy, rushing toward him and motioned for help.

"That was a heck of a ride, Beau." Rowdy grinned. "No way is anybody beatin' that score. Anything broken?"

"Physically....I think maybe a rib or two, not sure about the leg. Mentally, I'm not sure. I think I'm beginning to hallucinate from one too many head shots."

* * *

Beau, and Rowdy sat next to the 3B horse trailer, rootbeers in hand. Beau groaned softly as he adjusted in his seat. The bull had slammed him against the railing twice, ripping tendons and muscles, as well as bruising ribs, leaving one cracked. But he smiled smugly to himself, as he recalled how his step-father had laughed and jeered at his dream of being the Bull Riding National Champion.

"Not bad for the worthless no account Rodney called me. Huh, Rowdy?" Following the last ride, the friends carried out another tradition by saluting his father's memory. Although tonight, because of Beau's prescribed pain medication the toast was with Dad's rootbeer instead of their usual Light beer. Beau closed his eyes, repositioned his leg on the wooden crate and breathed away the pain.

Rowdy chuckled. "Man, I can just see your pop up there whooping it up right now. Dad said they always dreamed of making it this far together like us, but to have you make that dream a reality. Well, that would've made him a very happy man. Brett would be here too if he weren't on deployment."

Master Chief Brett A. Blanton Jr, was somewhere overseas on assignment, or he would have been standing in the crowd tonight. Beau had no doubt that his brother's voice would have been loudest of all. Brett, Beau, Rowdy and his twin brother, Brody, had always been his biggest fans, and best friends.

Beau grinned, "Brody would have been cheerin' you on as well, and you know that your sisters were watchin'." He looked at Rowdy who just pretended his twin's name wasn't mentioned.

Rowdy studied his friend closely, "Trish?! Ha! Nooo,, she hates me....has for years. Ever since...." he shook his head and changed the subjct, "How ya feelin', bro?" Beau would crash soon. He was on some high grade pain meds and was nearly nodding off. The new champ looked like crap and most likely felt like it as well.