Vetting the Bull Rider

"Welcome to the PBR!" The speakers thundered so close to her ears that she was internally screaming, afraid her ears would start bleeding. She was also afraid of the cowboy who had her pinned to the side of the stands. The rest of them watched as he slammed his fist into the wood, breaking through in a shower of splinters, right next to her head. This time she ducked and screamed out loud but the noise was drown out by the yelling of thousands of rodeo fans.

"Come on, Belle. Don't run from me!" He spoke in soft tones as he turned around. His green eyes sliced into hers as she coward against the bull gate. None of the men moved, however, they were fixed on the situation going on below them. Alex placed her self against another barrier, hoping that a bull would come through and the event would start and he would forget about her in the droves of screaming women and the money he was trying to win. She picked up her chin and pulled the back of her pony tail.

"Leave me alone!" she hissed. He walked towards her in a way that would remind you of John Wayne, his fringed chaps making his gait wide and long. His bull rope was swung over his shoulder and the white cowboy hat hid every part of his face above the wicked smooth smile. In every way he was the most attractive man she had ever seen, they all were for some sick and girl crazy reason. But he was dangerous and he pointed it out to her every single day.

She didn't want to run. She wasn't going to run, because if she kept running from this man, he would only keep chasing her. Maybe he would chase her all the way back to Michigan. Maybe he would chase her until she couldn't run no more. Or maybe he would just kill her like he kept acting, maybe he would use that bull rope and and the glue that clung in the fibers and strangle her finally. He dropped the bull rope on her boots and grabbed the same ponytail, but he pulled the band out. Alex's nostrils flared as the smell of his leather glove came so close to her face. That same glove tangled its self in her long brown hair as it fell, his grip tightened in a painful way as he now had her trapped. The other one repeated the motion. The noises of the crowed became quiet and the bull riders sucked in their breath. Everyone but them were still oblivious to the situation in the shoots. He lowered his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, but his grip stayed in her hair. Lines appeared around his mouth and she felt his eyebrows pull together.

"You have no idea, How hard it is to fight myself everyday...and love you." He whispered. Alex sucked in her own breath, he didn't smell like any substances. She grabbed his wrists and tried to free herself but his grip only tightened and got more painful. Tears burned her eyes as she felt the fascia separate from her skull. Why is he doing this? "I am killing myself, trying to get close to you and hold you away!" He growled at her. He opened his eyes to see the tears over flow and cascade down her cheeks.

what are you doing!?

His insides screamed and his heart began to break. The nerves in his hands began to itch as he held her hair trapped between his fingers. Time was slowing down, the blood vessels around her face were breaking, the lights were dimming, and the sound of gates being released filled his ears.

Let her go, you are hurting her!

He pulled her closer, and smashed his lips into hers. They were both stunned at first. Seeing this as possibly her only chance to escape, Alex kissed back with all she had. No...That is only half of it. Alex kissed him out of fear, out of hate, and out of pitty. Maybe at some point they crossed the line, at some point this broken and dangerous person won her heart. With a sudden whoosh he let her go.

He let her go.
The bull gate clicked.
He ran.
The bull entered.

......And JB Mauney disappeared.