The Bull Rider Wears Pink by Jeanine McAdam

talking while she settled the plates in front of them.
    “Why do you think he hates women?”
Cassidy asked after the server had refreshed their water. Finally the woman was
gone. Cassidy rubbed her nose and tried to keep a straight face as she studied
her brother and his wife. Memories of John worshiping her body in a number of
different ways flashed through her mind. She glanced down at her food. Between
her worry about Kevin and the absurdity of this conversation she had lost her
appetite.
    Logan turned to Rachel. “Well…” He put his hand out. “Not as much this season. He
hasn't said those things to you lately.”
    “I haven't run naked lately,” she
replied.
    “Just for me,” Logan
cooed. “Like you promised.”
    Okay, time out. Cassidy had already
seen the Logan and Rachel show once today. She couldn’t take anymore. She
picked up her jacket and purse and stood. “I'll see you guys later,” she said
fleeing the table. She could hear Logan calling out, “What,
what’d we do?” as she pushed the door open.

 
 
 
 
    Chapter Five

 
 
    The organ music played from an iPod
hooked up to speakers in the corner. The podium was a black metal music stand
and the pews were folding chairs. There wasn't a hymnal in sight just
photocopies of sheet music. One of the songs was Crosby, Stills and Nash's Helplessly
Hoping, the other James Taylor's You've Got a Friend .
    “These songs are really old,” Kevin
muttered as he slumped into a folding chair a little too close to the front. “I
bet Grandma Naomi sang them when she was doing that hippy thing back in the
day.” He reached into his backpack and proceeded to take out his laptop. They
were attending the rodeo service because Kevin wanted to hear John talk about Battlestar Galactic during his sermon on redemption.
    Cassidy rubbed her chin. “Maybe we
should move a few rows back.” She looked around as she nudged her son's leg
with her knee. “We're a little close to the podium, don't you think?”
    Kevin shook his head. “I want to…”
he started to say.
    “Cassidy Cooper,” John, the man
who'd been called a pervert a number of different ways by Rachel and Logan
yesterday, interrupted with his arms out wide. “The best female rider in the
west,” he added. In a long black robe and a starched white collar he rushed
over with way too much eagerness on his face. John never did eager.
    Cassidy put her hands up. Oh no,
she didn't want to hug him. Just smelling the man awakened desires in her that
she didn't want to feel. John wasn't going to back off, with his big smile,
sincere eyes and firm handshake he announced, “Welcome to the fold.”
    At least he settled on the
handshake instead of the hug but Cassidy was still uneasy. John never used
words like welcome. Plus, he seemed genuinely happy to see her and along with calling
her the best female bull rider, she was enamored , no
matter what Rachel and Logan thought.
    “It's really nice to have you here,”
John continued. He touched Cassidy lightly on the elbow. “You've found good
seats,” he added with a nod in Kevin's direction. Kevin saluted him. Whatever
John had done, Kevin came back from the interview with Mike Shannon safe and
sound.
    As a result of this man keeping her
son whole and his being so damn supportive of her riding, Cassidy felt her
bones soften, her blood warm, and her skin liquefy. She sat because the feeling
was close to crippling. Thankfully John drifted away as he greeted the other
parishioners.
    Cassidy leaned over and whispered
at Kevin. “As soon as this is over,” she told him, “we leave.” She amended her
words. “If there's a break in the middle,” she suggested, “we leave then.” Yes,
she was still waging a campaign against her desire.
    It was funny, last year her
yearning for John came from a physical place. Every pore in her body wanted him
hot, sweaty, and naked against her. This year it was from an emotional place,
her heart needed to hear the kind