Opposite of Close(short story)

Chapter 1

Setting the scene: This is when Ryan met WILD CHILD (yes i know you already know what happens but its cute to actually read it-at least I wrote it to be cute) (Also if you read my other books you may see some familiar characters...)

I sit in the front two stands with Brooke and Emma watching as our friend Sky was about to start her turn through the barrels.

Emma shakes her head, "I'm telling you Maya. Jake is not as good as Sedona was."

I shake my head, "No Jake is just as good as Sedona was. He can cut even better than her."

I watch as Jake sprints through the gate and heads towards the first barrel only to stop. Brooke behind me cusses and is already on her feet. Jake throws his head down and launches Sky right off his back. Sky tries to calm him but it was no use. She looks at me in the stands and nods. I rush down the stands and head towards one of the gates that was crowded with cowboys.

Garrett stands in front of me and shakes his head, "Whoa. No need for you to be back here. Josh will round him up." I shake my head at him and roll my eyes. I push him to the side to see the rest of the bull rider's start trying to stop me. Garrett yells, "Maya! Come on! You are a girl for goodness sakes!" I groan and shove past the last two bull riders. I start climbing the gate and then I feel a hand on my leg.

I look down and see a really handsome bull rider looking at me with an eyebrow raised, "You sure you want to jump onto an arena with a crazy horse bucking about?"

I couldn't help but smile and shake my head giggling. He had such a nice voice and his eyes blew me away. His brown red hair was hanging below his hat. He was beautiful. I laugh again and look up at Josh and wave at him. He only glared at me and shook his head telling me not to be stupid. He knew exactly what I was going to do because once upon a time he dared me to do it because he thought I wouldn't' do it, but he knows there's not a lot of dares I won't do. Jake now was running around like he was a wild untamed horse with no intentions of stopping.

I look back down to the handsome cowboy who still had his hand on my calf softly gripping it, "I don't plan to get into the arena and running around to catch this horse." I watch as he sighs in relief. I smile even wider and say, "I plan to jump onto it as it runs by."

His eyes widen and I finish my climb and swing my other leg over. Josh now was rushing to get to me, but Jake was already on his way towards me.

The announcer yells out in horror towards my supposed stupidity, "Someone grab her before she hurts herself."

Josh stopped already and waved at the announcer to give up, but nobody listened and continued to yell at him to do something. It was too late Jake was already heading towards me happy to see me.

"God dammit Maya!" Josh says starting to rush over again. I reach my hand out and right before Jake rounded the corner past me I slipped my foot in the stirrup backwards and grabbed the saddle horn. As Jake only seemed to speed up I reach down and tighten the saddle as much as I could. Which wasn't much. Josh rides beside me and I don't bother looking at him as I lean forward awkwardly reaching for the reins. Feeling a little fed up I grab the leather on the side of Jake's headstall and yank his face towards me to tell him that I was on him. Josh still beside me reaches down quickly and grabs the reins handing them over to me. I yank them over Jake's head and pull on them while leaning back. My foot was awkwardly in one stirrup while the other one was still searching for the other stirrup. Jake slows down to a stop and I sit there silently cussing him out.

Josh rides up next to us as we head towards the gate, "Maya you wild child."

I throw my head back and laugh at him, "You should know better than to underestimate me. Especially when you've seen me do it before."

He shakes his head and glares at me giving me a look saying we are going to have a talk after.

Being twenty has never felt so good. That was until Jake bucked me off. I look at where I am in the air and try my best to land on my feet only to continue turning and slide right off them. I use my arms to brace my fall and squeak at the impact.

A familiar voice that I recently discovered gives me butterflies speaks to me, "Are you okay?" I let out a sigh and get onto my knees. I look up at him and he smiles offering me his hand. I take his hand and see that his friend was getting a hold on Jake and was starting to calm him down completely.

He was still smiling at me, "That was pretty wild."

Nervously I laugh, "Unfortunately it wasn't my first time."

His eyes widen, "How about we go get a beer and you can tell me all about it?"

I look at him quizzically, "Don't you have to ride tonight?"

He shakes his head, "No. Not tonight. I already rode today. I ride again tomorrow."

Slowly I nod my head, "Then yes. I guess we can go get a beer." He smiles even bigger and we walk over to where some beer was and he hands me one.

He holds his hand out for me to shake, "I'm Ryan by the way. I already know you are Maya rather than wild child."

I laugh and nod my head, "Yeah, not always wild." He smirks and I tell him all about my community college days with Josh and Taaron. He laughs and nods his head enjoying the stories. He puts in some of his own as he's jumped onto running animals as well.

He was beautiful and he smelled heavenly.

Taaron comes up and nods his head towards me with Brooke under his arm. I look to Ryan and smile, "That's my ride. I have to go. It was nice to see you."

He smiles and holds his hand up to wave goodbye as I walk backwards away from him, "Nice to meet you too." The way he said it was as if he was curious.