Bullheaded

prove too. With a toss of its head, the bull went right, turning in ever-tighter spins and throwing in big jumps, rolls, and kicks.
    And it was all so easy. Cody wondered why he’d been having so much trouble in the last few months. Like magic, he remembered how to do it. He corrected easily, breaking at the hips, pulling himself forward well up on his rope after each jump. At a sudden change of direction, he felt himself sliding into the well and heard Johnny’s voice yelling.
    “Toes out, heels down! Keep on it! You can do it!”
    Instantly, Cody forced his free arm in front, dug down with his heels, and pulled himself back up again. “You’re not getting shut of me, you gol-durned bull,” he gritted out.
    He strained, tightening his abs to pull himself to center, so focused he barely heard the buzzer. He rode two seconds longer and then yanked the tail of his rope. The bull shot forward and he slid off the side and fell directly under the hooves. Cody curled himself into a little ball and prayed he wouldn’t get stomped. Miraculously, the rain of sharp hooves coming down around him didn’t hit him and he rolled out from under, assisted by a strong hand on his vest. He grinned his thanks up at Reese, who yanked him to his feet and shoved him toward the fence.
    “Get out of here, Cody!”
    Cody grinned as Johnny ran by, laughing and shaking his head, getting the bull to chase him to the gate. Cody grinned at the audience and raised both hands above his head. Suddenly he threw back his head, pounded his chest with his fists, and howled in triumph. The dismount might not have been pretty, but he made the whistle. “I am back, baby! Watch your step!” Cody shouted, although with the noise in the ring no one could have heard him. But it felt so damn good.
    Rex the reporter was waiting at the gate for him when he limped back. “Looks like you found your riding mojo again, Cody. What was different today?”
    Cody wanted to shout out, “I’m in love and he loves me back!” but of course he couldn’t. “Guess I’m out of the slump.” He knew he was smirking and he enjoyed the hell out of it.
    “First you have to make it through the fourth round.”
    “I’ll make it,” Cody said, his confidence surging.
    “Good luck with it,” Rex said, turning to his cameraman. “That’s the Cody Grainger people pay to see. It’s just like him to demand they bring out the same bull he just fell off and then nail the ride. Now we’ll have to wait to see if he’s able to ride at this level all the way to the finals.”
    Dub was waiting for him, looking as happy as if it had been his ride. “Back in the saddle again, Cody. How’s it feel?”
    “It feels so damn good I can’t even tell you.”
    “You’ve got it in the bag.”
    “There’s still the fourth round.”
    “Don’t turn modest on me all of a sudden. Don’t worry, you’ve got this one.”
    They climbed behind the fence into the stands in the rider area to watch the remainder of the rides. He would be up against nine other men who all wanted the buckle as much as he did, including his friend Dub. Cody studied his face while he watched the action in the ring. Somehow he’d never thought Dub could accept the knowledge he was gay, and here he’d known all the time.
    “Well, that’s all of them. Ready for round four?” Dub asked.
    A smile spread over Cody’s face. Was he ever. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
    “Show us how it’s done, cowboy.”

    R OUND four was a blur to Cody. He was still sitting low in the standings, so he had to ride first.
    Luckily he still remembered how to ride when his turn came. Zero Tolerance was an ornery bull, and big. So wide across it was easy to strain a groin muscle trying to stay on. For a moment, Cody’s courage failed him, and it struck him as totally crazy he should want to climb on the back of a one-ton animal to show the world he still had balls.
    Once up there, he nodded, and the gate swung open. The bull backed out and threw Cody forward, but he just managed not to slap. Zero seemed undecided; his head swung left, but when he jumped, he twisted in the air and turned to the right. Being a little extra cautious worked for Cody, and he wasn’t fooled. The bull settled into a pattern of jump and kick, spinning into his hand.
    His score was 85.75.
    Cody was grinning when he made it back behind the chute. He wasn’t going to win the round, his hip hurt, and it wasn’t his best go around, but it was a decent