Dancing With Danger: Book 8: Dancing Moon Ranch Series (4 page)

"
That's because the reason for doing so is complicated." Deciding she didn't want to get into a lengthy discussion about something that wasn't even clear to her, she said, "Meanwhile, there's something I've wondered about ever since the first time I had to medicate your bum."

"
Okay, I'll go along with this for a few minutes," Josh replied. "What do you want to know?"

"H
ow you got into rodeo bullfighting in the first place. Well, two questions, actually," Genie corrected. "The other one is why, after a bull busted your bum and temporarily left you with testicles the size of grapefruits, you keep doing it?"

Josh eyed her with wry amusement.
"To answer your first question, a few years back I was entered in three rodeos in one weekend, and with the last one the clown didn't show. I was with my buddies when a stock contractor asked if any of us were interested in filling in. My first reaction was to say 'no way,' because until then my buddies and I got a kick out of needling the clowns and blowing their punch lines, but when the contractor said he'd give the same pay he would a professional clown in addition to paying turn-out fees, I said I would, and the next thing I knew I was wearing a vest and facing a freight train with horns. Riding bulls after that paled in comparison, so I was hooked."

"And the answer to my second question?" Genie asked, though she realized she was being foolish getting personal with Josh. When he was in the hospital it was routine keeping icepacks on
his swollen testicles. She was his nurse and it was all in a day's work. At least that's what she tried to tell herself. But the fact was, she'd been affected by the sight of Josh's muscular male body and to counter it she went into Nurse Ratched mode. It worked. Until then Josh had been flirting with her, but once she set him straight, along with the ice water bed bath, he backed off, and she remained Nurse Ratched…

Josh still had the hint of a smile when he said,
"The answer to your second question is I jump rope a lot and I keep my butt out of the bull's face."

"So you didn't learn anything from that experience
?" Genie asked.

"Sure," Josh replied. "Stay out of Nurse Ratched's ward. It's the best incentive I
know for staying out of the way of a bull's horn."

Genie couldn't help but feel exasperat
ed with Josh's lack of concern for his own safety, and frustrated because there was nothing she could say or do to change things, so she made the decision to ask him one more question, then let the whole subject of rodeo clowning die on the vine, along with her irrational feelings for a foolish man. "And your ultimate goal now is?" She waited, knowing already that Josh would not come up with a reason that could put him in the running for husband and step-father.

"
Besides being chosen as a bullfighter for the National Finals Rodeo, I want to be a contracted bullfighter with the CBR—Championship Bullriding Circuit. They're a great group, with personnel that work hard but have fun putting together the best riders and the best bulls. It's also good pay so I could support a family."

"While also serving yourself up as a target to tons of bucking beef," Genie added. "So what do bullfighters do when not waving red flags at bulls
, other than jumping rope?"

"
Are you interested, or just making polite conversation?" Josh asked.

"Call it curiosity," Genie replied. "I'm trying to find some logic in this ludicrous profession you've chosen."

"Then I'll give you a little heads up that might surprise you," Josh said. "I happen to agree that bull riding's ludicrous, but since I have brothers and rodeo buddies who like it, I want to make sure they stay safe, and acting as a bodyguard for those guys gives me a lot of satisfaction. So when I'm not waving red flags at bulls to stay on top of things, I get together with other bullfighters for contests where we work one-on-one with a bull, but we also lose points for getting run over by it, which is why I jump rope."

Josh's words were thrown out casually, like the scenario was inevitable.
"So you never worry about ending up in emergency with a busted spleen, cracked sternum, multiple fractures, concussion, broken collarbone, toes, arms and fingers, all from the same incident?" Genie asked, her words dripping with irony.

Josh shrugged
. "If it's your passion and you do it to help other guys, those injuries are simply battle scars."

"So, the
bigger question is," Genie pondered aloud, "how far are you willing to go, and how many battle scars are you willing to sustain before you're willing to quit?"

"I'm not a quitter
," Josh replied.

"Which means the bull will have to end it for you
," Genie concluded.

"There's an age limit," Josh said. "After
around age forty the reflexes aren't what they used to be so I might consider backing off some. For now, when it's all going well and I'm responsible for every bull rider at the rodeo getting out of the arena without major injuries, there's no better feeling in the world."

"And if
it isn't going well and a rider is permanently injured, or dies in the arena because you didn't get the bull to come after you in time, would you just write it off as a bad day at work and keep going, or would that be enough reason to quit?"

"I've had
that happen," Josh said, "no deaths, but there have been serious injuries. The whole scene goes through my head over and over, but then I have to catch myself when I start asking if the guy might have been okay if I'd done something different because the reality is, when anyone enters the rodeo arena, whether it's on top of the bull or on the ground, there's a 50-50 chance the bull will win, and the bull rider knows the risks just as I do."

When Genie said nothing, because there was really nothing more to say, and she was exhausted with the subject, Josh said, "So does your silence mean you're through grilling me?"

Genie shrugged. "I wasn't grilling. I was just trying to clarify a few things."

"Things like what?"

"Like why I give a damn about a man like you in the first place."

Realizing she'd
said more than she intended, Genie turned and rushed out of the barn.

Maybe Annie could set her straight about staying away from rodeo cowboys the way she'd tried to set Annie straight when
she was deliberating over what to do about Ryan when he was intent on riding bulls. But for Annie, Ryan simply gave it up. With Josh, there didn't seem to be any chance on God's earth he'd give up what he was doing, so the sooner she got that through her very thick skull, the better. She just wished she could get the exasperating, wearisome, annoyingly frustrating man out of her mind.

***

Ryan intercepted Josh as he was walking between the barn and the bunkhouse. "Hey bud," he called out. "Genie came rushing out of the barn and you look like you've been run over the coals. Is there something you want to talk about?"

Josh let out an
exasperated snort. "Yeah, I want to know how one damn woman can have me ready to boot her out of my life in one minute and wanting to take her home to Mama the next."

"Umm, you might want to explain that one."

"I would if I could," Josh said. "The woman drives me crazy. And no, I refuse to give up bullfighting for any woman, not that I'm anywhere close to having to make that choice, but when I think I've about had my fill of hearing her rant about what a stupid idiot I am for doing something I love, she throws me a curve like telling me in a convoluted way that she likes me."

"Okay," Ryan said, "I won't try to convince you of the obvious, so I guess my only advice is to stay away from her and let it all die down. You've
had the hots for the woman for years and that won't go away as long as you make yourself available."

"I don't make myself available," Josh said. "She's the one who keeps popping up in my life.
And what do you mean by trying to convince me of the obvious?"

"It's simple. Genie
likes you… actually more than just likes you according to Annie, and she's fighting it as much as you, but it's more important to you to have bulls in your life than a woman who cares about you, and in Genie's mind it's more important to have a functioning male in her life than one in a body cast, so you've both reached a deadlock. I can tell you from experience that she's not going to change, and since you think giving it all up for a woman is tantamount to her wearing the pants in the family then kiss it all goodbye and give it no more thought. Meanwhile, Annie's expecting you for a barbecue, and no, it's not veggieburgers. I'm grilling a salmon. Annie's anti beef, pork, lamb and chicken, but fish don't have fur or feathers and big hopeful eyes."

"
Annie's expecting me and who else?" Josh asked.

"You guessed it
," Ryan replied. "You can pass if you want. I'll explain to Annie. When you don't show up it would also send a message to Genie that you're not available."

"I'll go for that," Josh replied. But even as he said the words, he knew they were a bald faced lie. He'd show up for the barbecue and sit across the picnic table from Genie and
fixate on how it would be if all those female curves were in his arms and she was kissing him with the same passion as when she was telling him what an idiot he was, and he'd ask himself,
ad nauseam
, why the woman had such a hold on him.

CHAPTER 4

Genie was both relieved and disappointed when she learned that Josh wouldn't be coming to the barbecue. She hadn't heard it directly, but she did overhear Ryan tell Annie that Josh passed
on the invitation because he knew she'd be there. She decided that was a good thing because after the jump rope session she was more confused than ever. The confusion came with the reality that she was becoming increasingly attracted to Josh, yet after their exchange about rodeo bullfighters she also understood more clearly why the relationship would be a dead end, now that she was entrusted with Abby's care. Why she couldn't shove thoughts of this particular man aside she couldn't began to understand. Every time they shared the same space, sparks flew.

"I'm glad you came western," Annie said. "That's one of my favorite shirts,
but it is a little snug across the front on you too since you're about the size of me when I'm nursing."

Genie glanced down at the shirt and saw that it was snug, but most shirts were on her. "At least it's not
stiff and new like the guests are wearing," she said. "If I don't ride a horse they might think I'm one of the gang here."

"You
are
one of the gang. Now have some veggies," Annie said, pushing a platter of baby carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower florets in front of her. "The veggies are lightly steamed so the fibers break down more readily, and the stuff in the bowl in the center is a vegetarian dip made from tofu and herbs, and this…" she pushed a small bowl toward Genie "…is quinoa with mustard greens and herbs. Ryan loves it. He's actually become almost entirely vegetarian now, although he sneaks over to Mom and Dad's on occasion and has a steak."

Ryan
, who was standing at the barbecue brushing melted butter over two large slabs of salmon, turned from the grill and kissed Annie on the temple, and said, "Honey, I do it for you. You want lots of kids so I need to keep my testosterone level up and that takes lots of protein."

Annie tipped her head back to receive a kiss
directly on the lips and said, "Sweetheart, that's a terrible excuse. Your testosterone level is definitely not lacking. Besides, I make a point of combining vegetables so their amino acids make up whole proteins."

Ryan winked at Genie then returned to the grill, and Genie wondered why
Ryan's younger brother couldn't find love the way Ryan had, and love so deeply he'd be willing to give up his foolhardy dream of tempting fate and live a normal life with a woman who could love him back just as deeply. She'd never felt that way about any man before, not even Cal, she realized in retrospect, but she could see herself feeling that way about Josh. It was perplexing and disconcerting the way things were happening, especially since beneath it was no logical basis.

"Well, look who decided to show up," Annie said, glancing beyond Genie.

Genie turned to find Josh walking toward them. He was again wearing his usual jeans, boots and a western shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and muscular chest. The sober expression on his face when he looked at her told her he wasn't exactly glad to be there, which made her wonder why he was. Then he caught Annie's eye and his expression changed as he said to her, "Ryan said we'd be having salmon instead of veggieburgers so I decided to chance it. Is it the kind of salmon that swims in the ocean or is it something pink that's shaped like a salmon and comes in a package labeled imitation?"

"It swam," Annie replied. "We're
all glad you came."

Josh's eyes darted to Genie, like he was waiting for her
to either agree or disagree, and when she made no comment, he said, "Grilled salmon beats having canned beans in the bunkhouse."

H
e sat beside Annie and across the table from Genie, which Genie found unsettling. When neither of them initiated any conversation, Annie said to Genie, "Dad brought Abby over on the horse. She was riding in front of him and she had a grin that stretched from ear to ear. Josh will definitely have to take the two of you for a ride in the hills. She'd love it."

Genie
shifted her gaze to Josh, who didn't look too happy with the suggestion, and she said to Genie, "Abby doesn't need to ride in the hills."

To Genie's surprise, Josh eyed her across the table, and
replied, "Actually, it's a good way for her to learn to ride. She'd be in front of me so I could show her how to hold the reins and turn the horse. You'd learn something too."

"Then we'd be going
on the trail ride with the other guests?" Genie asked.

"No,
we'd go after I get off work tomorrow," Josh replied. "I can't have a kid with me when leading guests because I have to be free to take off if a horse bolts with an inexperienced rider."

Genie looked at Annie, who had a smug smile on her face
, then at Ryan, whose back was to them, but from his profile she could see that he too was smiling, which made her wonder what this was all about. She didn't think they'd put Josh up to it, but she was beginning to think they were a couple of matchmakers, which, in a convoluted way, made sense. If something got going between them, Annie would have a half-sister on the ranch, and Ryan would have a brother, except that Josh had no intention of settling in one place because his goal was to trail along after rodeos like a vagabond cowboy.

Annie stood. "While you t
wo figure it out, have some veggies and I'll stir the beans." She shoved the platter between Genie and Josh and went over to where Ryan was basting the salmon, leaving Genie staring across the table at Josh, which was awkward because he was waiting for her answer to his suggestion about going riding, and she was fighting the urge to say she would, knowing it was a bad idea. She was already far too enamored with the man for her own good.

While she was deliberating,
the sound of Cody crying came from inside the house.

"I'll get him," Josh said
. He left the table and went into the house.

Genie
eyed the closed door for a moment then looked at Annie, and said, "Is Josh always like that with Cody?"

"Yes," Annie replied. "He takes his role as uncle seriously."

Genie tried to picture Josh with a baby in his arms, which wasn’t all that hard now. He'd looked comfortable with Abby, maybe too comfortable, like he could be a potential step-father someday, the someday being once he gave up dancing with bulls, which of course he wouldn't do, which brought her back to reality. "Cody's bound to be wet after a nap. Will Josh change him?" she asked, curious.

"
It's no problem if Cody's wet," Annie replied, "but if he's pooped that's where Josh and Ryan draw the line."

Ryan
looked askance at Annie standing beside him, and said, "I've done my share of pooped diapers."

"
Only when you're into forced servitude because I'm not around," Annie replied, "but when I'm handy he's definitely passed over to me. That's okay though, honey, I'm not complaining, just clarifying."

A few minutes later
, Josh returned with Cody nestled in the crook of his arm and sat in a chair angled not more than a foot from where Genie was sitting. Cody immediately started nuzzling Josh's chest, to which Josh laughed, and said, "I'd whip out a boob if I could, little buddy, but you'll have to settle for a bottle instead."

Annie turned from the grill, and said,
with a chuckle, "One more month and the whipping out of boobs will be over, though it's been a good thing. I firmly believe in breast feeding."

"Yeah,
so do I," Ryan said, and gave Annie a wicked grin.

Genie found herself glancing over
at Josh, but instead of smiling he was looking at her soberly, like he was pondering something serious, something that had her wondering if he too was thinking what she was thinking, not about husbands taking their turns with nursing mothers, but about her as a mother to a nursing baby, maybe his baby?

Catching herself, she reeled in
her absurd pipedream. They'd spent three days together in the hospital where she'd tended his body in the most intimate way a nurse was obliged to do, while at the same time fantasizing over the man. His family had also been there much of the time, and from their conversations outside the room she'd learned things about Josh she never would have known—
he'll do anything for anybody… he's always positive… I don't know anyone who doesn't like him… he makes people feel better and leaves them with a smile
—and everything she'd learned rounded him out as a man she knew she could love, except for the fact that he was, at that time she'd been hearing the comments, lying in a hospital bed because of a badass profession he'd never give up…

Josh, who
had Cody sitting up straight on his lap, with his little hands curled tightly around Josh's index fingers, said to Cody, "You've got a good strong grip."

"
Don't get any ideas," Annie said. "Cody will
not
be using that grip to hold onto a bullrope."

Josh laughed, and said to Cody, "In a few years you and Uncle Josh are going to have a man-to-man talk about
life, love, and female-dominance."

A long stretch of silence had Genie looking
over at Annie and Ryan, who were both glaring at Josh. It was obvious that Josh's comment hit a raw nerve with both of them, Ryan because it was an affront to his decision to give up bull riding for a woman, and Annie because she was standing by her man. When the silence became awkward, Josh looked over at them, then said to Cody, "Okay, little buddy, I'm outnumbered. We'll have a long talk about life and love."

"You haven't exactly struck pay dirt in those areas either," Ryan said
in a voice that held no humor. An inscrutable look crossed Josh's face, which had Genie wondering what that was all about. Whatever it was, there were definitely barbs being tossed between the brothers.

Deciding an intervention was needed, Genie said,
"How about you guys call a truce for now and I'll entertain you with a magic trick." Everyone looked Genie's way.

Fixing her gaze on Josh, she said,
"You guys think you're tough because you can ride bulls and play around with them in the rodeo arena, but how tough are you when it comes to little things like getting a shot when you see the needle coming?"

Josh let out a short laugh. "Are you kidding? Getting a shot?" He eyed her with amusement, like what she was trying to do was too
obvious to respond to.

"Okay then, how about giving yourself a shot?" Genie said. "Have you ever stuck a needle in your own arm?"

"No," Josh replied, "but that's nothing. I've cut myself when a snake bit me and prodded around with a knife to get thorns out of my leg."

"Then
it shouldn't bother you to watch someone else stick themself with pins," Genie said.

Josh eyed her with uncertainty. "I hope you don't plan on doing something stupid."

"It's magic," Genie said. "But why would sticking myself with pins be any different from you sticking yourself? Is self-infliction only reserved for macho men?"

"You said you were going to show us some magic," Josh said, his voice a blend of curiosity and irritation.

"I will," Genie replied, "if Annie will get me a packet of sewing needles and a handkerchief or a piece of cloth."

"I'll get them," Annie said, then disappeared into the house.

While Annie was fetching the needles, Genie reflected on her last visit to the ranch and the image of Josh bent over the pool table in the multi-purpose lodge and the shot he'd missed when she walked in, and said, "Did you ever learn to shoot pool?"

"I can shoot pool," Josh
replied. "When you walked in you messed up my concentration."

Genie reached across the table and took a carrot from the tray of vegetables
. "Then I assume you can run four balls in a row."

"Sometimes
," Josh replied. "It depends on the set up."

"You ever try shooting without aiming?"
Genie asked.

"Not if I want to
sink a ball in a pocket," Josh replied.

"Try it sometime," Genie said. "Let your subconscious mind take over. You might be surprised with what happens."

"Are you saying you can run four balls without aiming?"

"Something like that."

Annie stepped out of the house. "Here you go." She handed a packet of needles to Genie, along with a handkerchief with some uneven crocheting along the edge, like Annie might have tried her hand at it. "And this is for you, honey," she said to Cody. "How about you have your bottle in your playpen so Uncle Josh can have some veggies?"

She lifted
Cody off Josh's lap and put him in a playpen set off to the side, gave him the bottle, and sat at the table across from Genie.

Genie opened the packet of needles, slipped one out and studied it,
then returned the needle and passed the packet to Josh, saying, "Check these out so you know they aren't trick needles, then hand them to Ryan so he can take a look if he wants."

Josh took the packet
and pulled out a needle, eyed it closely, then slipped it back. "They're regular needles," he announced.