Rylin loves being out on the rodeo circuit. Now traveling with Wyatt's girlfriend is fun as it is. She knows Rob personally and thinks of him as another older brother. She barrel races and helps out with the other horses traveling with her and her t...
All throughout breakfast we laughed and talked. Jase kept quiet only smiling every now and then. I gripped his hand under the table hoping he'd squeeze back. When he did I rubbed the back of his calloused hand.
Once breakfast was over Jase and I got into my truck after hugging everyone and hit the road after loading my horses up. We stopped for diesel before getting onto the highway. I looked over at Jase who had fallen asleep in my passenger seat. He tossed his head to one side before the other. I reached across and took his hand in mine.
He opened his eyes and looked at me. "Dream again?" I asked. "There's no way I can sleep after what happened last night." He said. I wanted to say something to make him feel better but what am I going to say?
Once to Salt Lake City I backed the rig into a space and put the brakes on. Then got out. Jase was already unhitching the trailer so I went to unload my horses. I got Gambler and Blaze out then tied them to the side. Jase came over with two brushes and handed one to me. We brushed them down then cleaned their hooves. "Which one are you going to use tonight?" Jase asked.
"I'm going to see how Gambler does tonight. He should perform like he did last time." I said. "Wanna practice with him before tonight?" He asked. "Can. He more or less needs to get use to different horses and rowdy people." I said. "So he's still in training." Jase said. I nodded. "Guess you can say that." I said.
I grabbed a hackamore and went back to Gambler. "Have you ridden him like that before?" Jase asked cautiously. "I train my horses bareback then get them use to saddles after they get use to someone on their back." I said putting it on the black horse.
Gambler snorted as I untied him and led him away from the trailer. Jase quickly put a hackamore on Blaze and followed. We walked to the arena side by side. He tied Blaze to the railing and set the barrels out while I warmed Gambler up. Once he was good to go I backed him down the alleyway. "Ready?" Jase asked from the fence.
Once Gambler was still I kicked him into a gallop. I barely moved the reins on his neck and he turned. Around the first barrel then the second. Once around the third I gave him full reins and he burst forward. Once back in the alley I slowed him down. Then rode over to the fence where Jase and Blaze were. "Not bad. At the end there I thought you'd fly off by how fast he was running." Jase said.
"I have fallen off when going to fast. That was not a fun night in the ER." I said. "Then I hope you don't fall off again." He said.
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Riverton, WY
It was the last rodeo in July. I just got a shower and was crawling into bed. Jase had gotten into the shower after me. I heard the water turn off and the door slid open. A few minutes later Jase was going towards the couch where he started sleeping every night before he had a nightmare.
Then I would go in there and drag him to the bed. I went in there and saw him facing the couch back. I went over to him. "I don't wanna hurt you Rylin." He said. "You haven't hurt me, Jase. I don't think you can." I said. "But I will you don't know when or how. I'd hate myself if I caused you to get hurt." He said.
I wrapped my arms around him the best I could. "Come on. I know tonight you won't." I said pulling on his arm. He reluctantly got up off the couch and followed me back to the room. I laid down on the bed and so did he. His back to me like always. I put an arm over him and pulled myself to his broad back.
He tensed a little when I nuzzled into his back. I then put a leg over the lower part of his legs. His even breathing told me he was sleeping. After a few minutes of dozing he started to whimper. I hugged him tighter. He quieted for a second. I lifted my head to look at him when he suddenly jerked his legs away from me. Then sat up. He rolled over suddenly still whimpering. I laid down beside him putting my arms around him.
His arms slowly wrapped around me. I put my leg over his holding him to me. He stilled, his arms were tight around me. I kissed his cheek. He sighed setting his head in my hair. I finally fell asleep holding him as close to me as possible.
I woke when I felt him move his legs. He rolled over taking me with him. The leg I had on his was now trapped under his. I tried to pull it free not getting anywhere. "Jase." I whispered. He didn't move. My leg was starting to hurt. "Jase." I said a bit louder. He moved his head a little. "Jase." I said in a regular voice. He stirred more.
"Jase." I said a little louder than my normal voice. He finally woke. I tried pulling my leg out again. "Sorry. I didn't mean to." He said moving his legs off mine. He rolled over and curled up. I sat up and partially crawled towards him. "Jase you didn't know you did it until you were awake. It's not your fault." I said. "I could have rolled over completely on you." He said sounding like he was about to break.
"I've had a horse fall completely on me at least three times your weight. That would have been nothing compared to that horse." I said. I heard a sniffle come from him. I put my head in the crook of his neck. "If you want the honest truth, I've had a horse almost break my femur in that leg when it fell on me one time. Course that was another trip to the ER and I really didn't want to go." I told him. I kissed his cheek.
"It takes a lot more to hurt me than your dead weight on me. Non of it was your fault, Jase, your a great guy. You just need someone to keep an eye on you and make you feel better about anything."
