Read The Cowboy's Summer Love for Free Online

really have enjoyed this evening. Thank you for bringing me.”
    “Anytime, Tess,” Brice said. “Unless of course I find a hot date, then you are on your own for filling up your social calendar.”
    “I guess I don’t have a thing to worry about,” Tess said with a playful smile. “You do realize as close as we’re sitting any girl that might have been interested in you will assume you’ve already got a date?”
    Brice sat up and looked around to see if anyone was watching them. “I think the coast is clear. Besides, you’ll just make them jealous in that bright pink outfit of yours. Not everyone could carry it off, you know.”
    “Right,” Tess said, thinking again what a spectacle she had to make in the scrubs.
    The announcer got the crowd excited as the bull riding began. Travis was next to the last to ride and true to his word he looked Tess’ direction when he came out of the shoot. She waved at him with a warm smile as she and Brice cheered him on. He rode for the full eight seconds but when he dismounted, the bull turned and knocked him flat on his back, then got in a good kick to his leg before the clowns drew him away.
    Tess screamed his name as she and Brice plowed out of the bleachers toward the arena.
    Travis’ blood began pumping as he sat on the bull waiting for the chute to open. He could feel the bull shift beneath him and kept up a steady conversation with the animal under his breath, letting him know he planned to ride him for the full time. He didn’t care if he won or lost the event, but he wanted to master the challenge of staying on. That was part of what gave him a rush.
    When the gate swung open, he shot his gaze up to the stands where he knew Tess and Brice were sitting. The smile she gave him flew straight to his heart. Travis felt like he could do anything and focused on riding the bull, shifting his attention away from the girl he loved to the animal he would conquer. As the buzzer rang, he knew he’d made it, loosened his grip, and slid off the side of the bull. Thinking he was in the clear, he turned to look at Tess and the next thing he knew, he was flat on his back with his right thigh feeling like it had been through a meat grinder.
    With the breath knocked out of him, all he could do was lie in the arena dust and wait for air to find its way back into his lungs. Before that happened, he sensed Tess next to him, could smell her wonderful citrusy scent, felt her hand soft and gentle on his cheek.
    “Trav, can you hear me? Travis? Where’s it hurt? Can you move?” Tess asked, her voice heavy with fear and concern.
    Brice knelt next to her, holding Travis’ hat that had flown off his head when the bull knocked him down.
    Now that he could breathe, Travis took a moment to assess the damage. He had feeling in his hands and he could wiggle his toes in his boots, although his right leg was killing him. His chest was a little tender where the bull hit him, but nothing felt broken. Opening his eyes, he looked into Tess’s face and watched tears fill her eyes and run down her cheeks.
    “I told you to be careful,” she whispered. “Can’t you ever listen to me?”
    “Nope,” he said, forcing a smile through the pain searing up from his leg. Afraid to look down and see if bone was sticking out, he made himself glance. His jeans weren’t even torn and a hand to his thigh confirmed that no blood was pouring from a gaping wound.
    By this time, the medics arrived and asked Travis a few questions. Deciding to see if he could walk, they helped him to his feet and the crowd clapped and cheered. Leaning his weight on Brice and another guy, they helped him shuffle out of the arena to the medical tent. Tess followed along behind, carrying Travis’ hat.
    “Let’s take a look at that leg,” the medic said, motioning Travis to sit on a table. “Take off your chinks, pull down your jeans and let’s see what you’ve got.”
    Travis took a look at Tess and glanced back at the medic,