Bulldozed (9 page)

Trey followed her to where the drag queens towered over Alex.

“Hello, ladies,” Dolly said. “I’m here to steal my girl. We’re going out for supper, Alex.”

“Party pooper. What about the Hoedown Showdown? We were counting on Alex.” The drag queen with orange tinsel hair pouted and tossed her head to flip her hair.

“You’ll manage without me,” Alex said. “I can’t miss a night on the town with my honey, even for the rainbow sherbet punch.”

“Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.” The ruby drag queen winked. “Let’s go, girls.” The drag queens turned in unison and filed away.

“Yeah, I’ll be sure to stay out of the men’s room!” Alex giggled when seven rainbow-hued birds flipped up at her at the same time.

“Do they do everything together?” Dolly asked.

“I don’t know. They never told me anything about their sex lives,” Alex said. “Where’s pretty boy?”

Trey spotted Smoke leaning against the fence in the arena, talking to Rowdy Stetson.

He averted his eyes, but Dolly pointed. “There he is, and that little boy-heifer Rowdy has Smoke penned again.”

“And you let it happen?” Alex’s voice was outraged, and she glared at Trey.

“He’s a grown man. He can decide who he wants to hang with,” Trey said stiffly. “We’re not picking out china patterns.”

“You are not on your hustle, dawg,” Alex said in the whitest white voice that ever whited.

“Dawg?” Trey’s voice rose in disbelief. “That what we say, all right. You down with my people’s lingo, girlfriend.”

“Watch whose girlfriend you’re calling girlfriend, girlfriend,” Dolly said.

“You just let him go off with that Rowdy Stetson!” Alex snorted. “I’ve never heard a worse stage name.”

“You think it’s fake?”

“Gosh, I hope so. I hope his mother wasn’t crazy. You think Smoke’s mother named him Smoke?”

“Probably. He’s got that cowboy swagger. I bet he was probably the most smokingest hot baby she ever saw—”

“He’s not too in love, oh no,” Dolly interjected.

Trey ignored her. “His real name is Roy.”

“Yeah, he’s got good reason to go by Smoke,” Alex said. “But you just let him go prancing off with that little bitch. Get your ass over there and tell him we’re all going out to eat and to lose the loser.”

“Smoke is not my boyfriend, and he can do whatever he wants.” Trey’s chest felt tight. Resolutely he turned his back on Smoke and started toward the exit.

Alex grabbed his arm. He kept walking and pulled her along.

“Shut the fuck up! Of all stupid men, you are the stupidest. Rowdy might be pretty, but you give off sex fumes, or didn’t you know it?”

“I’m usually a pretty good sport, but this is off-limits,” Trey growled.

“Even that growling thing you do is hot,” Alex declared. “Am I right, Dolly?”

“Not that my heart ever speeds up for a man, but you’re pretty much sex on legs,” Dolly admitted.

“You done yet?”

“No. You stand right here and take it like a man.” Alex yanked him to a stop and pointed at the ground. “Some days you’re so smoking hot even I have a hard time keeping my jeans from hitting the floor.”

Trey didn’t dare move, but he giggled nervously. “Damn, girl, better get a belt and a buckle to hold them up, ’cause I’m not catching them for you.”

“Oh, shut up.” Alex stabbed him in the chest with her fingertip as she spoke. “You probably haven’t seen yourself when you’re on the prowl, but when you swing those hips in those chaps and the fringe starts dancing around your naughty bits, damned if even I don’t start thinking about cock. If you want Smoke, go out there and get him.”

Fascinated, Trey rubbed the sore spot where she’d been trying to dig a hole with her finger. “Who says I want him?”

“I used to think you had a brain! You’re so blind you can’t see he wants you! Pretty isn’t all there is. Compared to you, Rowdy Stetson is a damp paper towel with a pretty little floral design printed on it. No absorption.” Alex gave him a dirty look. “
I’ll
let Smoke know where we’re going. Then I have to change. Either this fucking wig is giving me a headache or you are.”

After a stunned moment, Trey started toward the exit again, hoping Smoke hadn’t seen any of that.

“Where’s the fire, cowboy?” Dolly hurried to catch up, but Trey kept walking.

“Leave it alone, Dolly.”

“Not a chance. You promised me a riding lesson.” They were outside the arena now, and Dolly crowded him against the wall. “Wait for my honey to catch up. And yours.”

“Not mine,” Trey repeated stubbornly. “Look, Dolly, I don’t have time for a relationship. It doesn’t fit in with my plans, and I don’t have to explain it to you anyway.”

“Whatever. I’m no matchmaker,” Dolly said. “Nice and relaxing paddling up the river Nile by your lonesome, is it?”

“Not in denial. Just being realistic.”

Dolly snorted. “If you were realistic, you’d never ride another bull.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s against the odds that a man could ride a bull at all, but you still do it. Why is it so hard to believe that Smoke is just as into you as you are to him?”

“What
ever
. Shut the fuck up, Dolly.”

“Look, Trey, I know it’s been rough with your family. I know you fell in love and the guy walked away—”

“Ran,” Trey interjected.

“Bad shit happened to you, but everyone isn’t going to desert you. I’ve always been there for you, and believe me, it hasn’t always been easy.”

“Sorry.” That was the best he could do right now.

“Smoke’s been hanging in there three years. Give him a chance.”

Trey shook his head silently.

“Stubborn ass.” Dolly heaved a big sigh and looked back toward the ring. “Here comes Alex. She must have changed at the speed of lightning.” As always, Dolly smiled as she watched her girlfriend approach. “And her hair even looks good after that wig.”

The look of love on her face hurt a little, but he squashed it down. Not going to go there.

Alex was a little breathless when she caught up to them. “I told Smoke to come by and join us whenever he got done with his business.”

“Is Rowdy coming too?” Dolly and Alex stood on either side and talked across him.

Trey was grateful to Dolly for asking. He couldn’t have.

“No, he is not. I had to flat-out tell him he wasn’t invited.” Alex rolled her eyes. “What a brainless beauty.”

“And Miss Rowdy’s got a flat ass,” Dolly put in.

“And just what were
you
were doing looking at his ass for?” Alex demanded.

“Looking out for homie here.” Dolly punched Trey lightly on the arm. “And then I got to wondering where that flat ass oozed off to. I’ve never seen a gay man with a flatter butt. I don’t know about Rowdy’s exercise regime, but he must not do squats. Your ass is pretty awesome, Trey.” She grinned. “And now that the ego-polishing section of the evening has begun, how about fixing mine up a little?”

Trey was relieved to change the subject. “Yeah, let’s get you fixed up. To the mechanical bull.”

They started walking again, and he drew a breath of relief until Alex started talking again.

“So, how’s it feel to beat Smoke?”

“Beat him at what?”

“Weren’t you paying attention? You won the go-round. A point higher than Smoke.”

“Guess I was too busy with my striptease to count points,” Trey said sarcastically. However impassive he might appear on the surface, he didn’t beat Smoke often enough to ignore it when he did. His ego had gone wild, busting out in a secret break-dance earlier to celebrate his round win over Smoke, but the triumph had worn off when Rowdy showed up, and he’d forgotten. Now the thrill of triumph bubbled up again. He tried not to grin too wide.

“You did look fine in that bra.” Alex smiled as if fondly remembering his performance. “That was a great dance with those tassels a-swinging and a-swaying.”

“I can see I’m never gonna live this down.”

Alex held up her phone. “Pictures and video. In case you ever try to deny it.”

Trey grinned. “Publish and be damned.”

“Guess our blackmail scheme isn’t going to work, Dolly.”

Dolly didn’t answer her. They had reached the Double Diamond saloon, and Dolly stopped in her tracks, taking in a deep breath before she put her hand on the handle.

“Nervous?” Trey asked.

“Ya think? You’re going to make me fall off a fucking mechanical bull in front of a lot of people.”

“I’m not going to
make
you fall off. I’m trying to help you stay on.”

Dolly peered through the window at the couples at the bar. “Probably
straight
people.”

“So what? I admit most of the audience at the rodeo were gay, but you fell off in the ring earlier in front of a hell of a lot more people than would fit in that bar.”

“Wow, I thought gay men were more sensitive and empathetic.”

“Nope, we’re just as insensitive as straight men. Comes with the dick as a free prize. But if you would just listen to me, they’ll be cheering you before the night ends,” Trey said. “Besides, you’re the one who made me run around the ring in front of a thousand people in a sequined bra. If you ever expect me to take a bet with you again, put a little effort into it.”

“Touché.”

“Tell you what, you do what I say tonight, and if you fall off tomorrow, I’ll wear that bra again.”

“And if I don’t?”

“
You
wear it.”

“You fucker! You wouldn’t!” Dolly’s voice was shrill for the first time in Trey’s memory since she was six.

“With the matching panties.”

Alex was giggling her ass off as she listened to them argue, her head turning back and forth as if she was at a Ping-Pong tournament. “It’s called a thong, Trey. And that goes for you too.”

“Hey, if you made a score, would it be that bad? Besides, you can always call off the bet.” Trey grinned temptingly.

“I’m no quitter. Lead the way.” Dolly sounded grim, but at least she opened the door for him and followed him in.

Once inside, Dolly balked again, and it took both Alex and Trey to talk her down and get her into a booth.

“Lookit, see? Everyone’s falling off.” Alex pointed at the latest victim.

“Is that supposed to be comforting? A bunch of drunks? I’m a bull rider, and I better stay the fuck on,” Dolly said belligerently.

“First of all, calm down,” Trey said. “It’s a mechanical bull. No sudden lunges forward, and it can only jump so high. After every movement, it always returns to the same spot in the center. What I want you to do is feel what’s going on underneath you.”

“I said I would,” Dolly muttered gloomily.

“You can do it, Dolly!” Alex said. “I know you can!”

“You really are a great cheerleader,” Trey said.

“I wasn’t kidding!”

“Neither was I! Encouragement is what Dolly needs, and a little coaching, that’s all.”

Alex rooted in her purse and held out all the quarters she could find. “Go show them how it’s done, baby.”

“Thanks, babe.” Ignoring the quarters, Dolly stumped over to the small corral surrounding the bull.

“I’ll hold those. Don’t want Dolly to clank when she rides.” Trey took the quarters from Alex.

Trey followed Dolly and patted the fake bull’s head. “No horns. It’s a nice little muley bull. Won’t gore you if you go off over the head.”

“Don’t you dare turn up the speed until I say so.” Dolly pulled on her glove.

“I won’t. I’m not trying to make you look bad,” Trey assured her.

She got on and flinched as the machine wiggled under her. “It’s slippery. It’s got no hair.” She butt-walked closer to her riding hand and nodded.

“You ride horses. Pretend it’s a saddle.” Trey fed in the quarters, and after an introductory lurch, the bull slowly started to rock. As he watched, Dolly’s face suddenly aged ten years as she stiffened up. Her lips compressed into a thin line and tendons stood out on her neck. She held her free arm stiffly in front of her at shoulder height, and her riding hand was clenched tight even though the movements of the mechanical device were far from explosive. When the mechanical bull emitted a recorded bull noise, she gave a girly little shriek that she hastily turned into a modified cowboy yell.

When the ride came to an end, Dolly slid off with an audible sigh of relief. She smiled in surprise when two people at the bar clapped after her ride.

“White-knuckling it, Dolls.” Trey shook his head. “You’re supposed to squeeze with your legs, not your upper body.”

“Hey, those people applauded. They liked it.”

“What do they know? You’re probably the first person to stay on tonight. And probably the only one who tried it sober.”

“Not scared of the bull,” Dolly said gruffly. “Scared of falling off and looking like a fool.”

“You’re gonna fall off sometimes. Hell, even Smoke falls off once in a blue moon. Comes with the territory, but if you don’t love riding, why do it?”

“If you’re so great at it, you do it.” She glared.

He was afraid of that. He understood it even. He didn’t like looking like a fool either, and Dolly had an added burden. She’d made her personal goal into a public challenge by riding in the men’s division, and so far she’d only failed. “You’re trying to live up to an impossible standard, Dolls.”

“Shut up and get your ass up there and ride, cowboy. And I’m turning this thing up as fast as it can go.”

“Okay, do your worst.” Trey handed over the quarters and went to mount up. If he looked as confident as he felt, he hoped it might have some impact on her. She’d seen him fall off in the ring often enough, but a mechanical bull? No way.

Before he was even set, Dolly took unfair advantage by feeding in the quarters and cranking the speed up to high. Trey had to laugh. This was no way to get him into a sequined bra for a second time. He couldn’t understand how Dolly failed to feel the mechanical bull slide through the same center point twice each swing, once forward and then back. He relaxed into the movement, letting his spine roll and his hips rock with the movement.

The mechanical bull did have a few surprises built in. After rising high in the front, it dipped down and swiveled suddenly to the right. Then it came up fast while spinning in two complete circles. But the machine felt soulless compared to a real bull. The plastic form was hard and unyielding compared to a living, breathing, if angry, animal. Trey took the entire programmed ride in stride, although he had to admit the muffled bull call was more unnerving coming from underneath. When the bull began to slow, he swung a leg over in front and dropped casually onto the mat before sauntering over to Dolly. “Did it look like I was having fun?” he asked over a smattering of applause from the bar.