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Rodeo Romance

Strangers In The Night

By Shahnee HunterPublished 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 5 min read
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Praying to God, he’d stay on for longer than those 8 seconds, Reuben held onto the ornamental clasp at the end of his bolo tie, it was his mama’s. As he held onto the rose covered clasp he asked his mama for guidance, a ritual he did each time he was about to enter the arena and he had worn it every day since her passing.

Reuben had blocked out the sounds of the Rodeo that were blaring around him. He couldn’t hear the announcer calling the riders before him, nor the food vendor's enticing people in. The sound of the sideshow alley games had faded into the distance and the crack of the whip cracking demonstration didn’t seem to bother him.

Reuben exhaled loudly and as he opened his eyes, he saw her standing there, she was so beautiful, her sandy blonde hair sat idly past her shoulders. She had on a matching brown cowgirl hat and boots.

She was eating a Hot dog, as the sauce dripped out from the end she giggled to her friend who was trying to hurry her into getting to the grandstands. She saw Reuben staring at her and flashed him a smile before disappearing into the crowd.

Reuben got up on his bull and prepared himself for the fight ahead, he fixed his hat and tightened his grasp on the rope around this machine beneath him.

He looked up to the grandstand only to see the woman and her friend fumbling to find a seat. Just then a breeze blew through the arena and the wind lifted up her white skirt. With one hand she held onto her hat before it blew away and seemingly didn’t want to let go of her hotdog with the other, instead letting her derriere go on display. Reuben smiled a cheeky grin and before he realised the shoot had opened he was already being bucked around in circles by this huge grey beast. The crowd cheered as Reuben managed to find his rhythm and lean into the flow the bull had him in.

The buzzer sounded and the crowd roared for Reuben as the bull bucked and he was flung to the ground, rolling into the dust as the rodeo clowns entertained the bull behind him. He looked up and gave her another smile as her gaze followed him out of the arena.

That evening the cabaret was in full swing, laughter and music echoed through the campgrounds and the smell of fresh horse manure, hay and burlap filled the air. The woman’s curiosity got the better of her and she left her friend and went off to where the riders were.

The smell of the campfire led her to a group of men sitting around laughing and drinking beer and there she saw Reuben. She gave him a little wave and mouthed the word ‘hi’ as he left the men to talk to her.

“I saw you today, I just wanted to come and say hi.” she said.

“I saw you too, I’m glad you said hi.” Reuben muttered shyly as he got lost in her big green eyes. “I’m Reuben.”

She hesitated for a moment before holding out her hand “I’m Brony”.

He asked if she wanted to dance and as she happily obliged he led her back to the band where she giggled and had a great time being twirled around by this rugged cowboy.

The band began to play a slow song and Brony pressed up against Reuben’s body. His jeans, still smeared with dirt, now rested comfortably next to her white skirt. Brony smiled on his shoulder and Reuben got lost in all her beauty as he held her close.

Brony told Reuben she was tired and Reuben being a perfect gentleman offered to walk her to her car or her tent, wherever she was headed but she insisted on returning to Reuben’s camp

Reuben was unsure about taking Brony back to his camp with him, he was more sensitive than others. He held her hand and led her to the empty arena. They hopped the fence and standing in the middle he asked her for one last dance. Seeing how there was no music playing, Brony laughed but Reuben brought her into his arms and he began to sing for her. Beneath the stars it was just the two of them and they melted into each other’s arms.

Brony stared into Reuben’s eyes, desiring for him to kiss her. As she leaned in, Reuben turned his head away.

“You promise you won’t break my heart in the morning?”

Brony stepped back and thought to herself for a moment. Then she smiled at him and kissed him ever so gently on his lips.

They made their way to Reuben’s tent and the two spent the night making passionate love with one another. Brony loved being with such a big strong man while Reuben just loved having Brony in his arms, kissing her, caressing her, holding her. Reuben laid there with nothing but his bolo tie on as Brony played with the rose clasp, she asked to try it on. Reuben placed it on Brony and she fell asleep in his arms, he soon fell asleep with a smile on his face and a warmth in his heart.

Early the next morning Brony rose with the morning dew. As she got dressed she looked at Reuben, lying peacefully in his sleep. She kissed his lips one last time and slipped out of his tent, zipping it up as quietly as she could and left.

Making her way through the campground she heard the faint sound of her friend calling out.

“Rosie! Rosie! Where have you been? I was looking for you all night!”

“I was dancing, I lost track of time. Do you have my bag?”

“Yes you left it at our table when you wandered off. Steven would have killed me if I didn’t bring his Bride-to-be home safely. Honestly. I’ve heard of a runaway bride but Rosie you really had me worried!”

The pair walked to their car as Rosie fetched her phone out of her bag to see the missed calls from her fiancé.

Reuben awoke to the sound of laughter passing by his tent as he felt the cold swag next to him. He thought it was something more than a one night stand. ‘Brony’ left Reuben with his mama’s bolo tie around her neck and an emptiness in his heart.

Love
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