Jade does Stampede

So, Stampede has come to an end for another year. I did manage to get down to the grounds on Friday though, and since it was decent weather there were  144,000 that came through the gates that day alone. It was beyond crowded. But, hey, I keep doing it every year :) Yeehaw!

I was also a little inspired…so, here’s part 2 of my little rodeo adventure.

Rodeo Queen Part 2
©2009 Jade Buchanan, all rights reserved.

Peter stared around himself in fascination. If he’d thought the gay rodeo was a spectacle, this was something else entirely.

A warm hand pressed to his back. “Don’t get lost, now. I have plans for later that involve you.”

Peter grinned up at his cowboy. He honestly hadn’t known what to expect when Mitch had invited him to the Calgary Stampede, but now he was glad he’d accepted. Of course, just the sight of Mitch all duded up in tight Wranglers, a pair of ropers, black and grey plaid dress shirt and black cowboy hat was enough to make him drool. And then get down on his knees and praise whatever God was out there for creating cowboys for little rodeo queens to enjoy. Hot Damn, the man was fine.

“Is it always this busy?” Peter didn’t know what to look at. This was insane. It was pretty much wall to wall people in front of him. The smell of fairground food was tantalizing his nose, and he could practically taste the mini donuts already. Ooh, he should get a corndog too. Maybe he could tease Mitch with it. The man certainly liked his mouth. Not that he’d actually used it yet. Mitch was way more old-fashioned that Peter was used to, even if he was a card carrying member of the local leather bar.

It was nice, though, to get to know each other. Heck, they’d only known each other for a week anyway, and this was only their second date. Well, second if you counted the day they met at the gay rodeo out in Strathmore.

Still, this was the weirdest second date he’d ever been on. “Where to?”

“I’d like to head over to the barns first, if you don’t mind. We’re early enough that we have time before the rodeo starts, and unless you want to go on the rides later, we can always check out the marketplace when the rodeo lets out.”

“Hmm…I don’t mind rides…if you’re offering one.” He batted his lashes, gratified when Mitch growled low in his throat before ushering him forward.

“Careful, little one. I might just take you up on that.”

“Why do you think I offered?” He laughed, turning in the direction Mitch indicated. Peter quickly realized there was no way he was getting through this crowd. Luckily, Mitch took the reins and plowed through the people, directing them past a stage with a hypnotist working a massive crowd and along a path lined with food stalls. “Eww, deep fried jelly beans? Who would eat those?”

Mitch slanted a glance his way. “You want to try one?”

“Hello, of course!”

Not even bothering to hide his chuckle, Mitch stopped by the vendor, getting a bag of what looked like Timbits, just like the little donut holes. Peter reached in, grabbing one and biting into it. “Huh, tastes like a jelly Timbit. What’s so great about that?”

Mitch leaned down, eating the other half of the treat right out of Peter’s hand. His tongue brushed over Peter’s finger before he straightened. “Hmm, you’re right.”

Peter couldn’t move. He blinked up at Mitch, lips parted. He swayed toward the other man but a cautious glance around made him stop. Gay marriage may be legal here but they were still in conservative country and some of these folks might not appreciate an up-close-and-personal view of Peter crawling all over his own cowboy.

He’d just save that image for later.

They kept moving toward what Peter assumed were the barns. He couldn’t see anything but people, though, so he had no clue where he was going. The Saddledome appeared on his left, and yep, it definitely looked like a pringle chip. He wasn’t going to admit that to Mitch though, the man was cowboy enough that he’d probably argue it was most definitely shaped like a saddle.

To their right was the midway, and Peter nearly lost his lunch when he saw a big yellow ride fling people around and around, like a demented Ferris wheel with only two buckets on each end of a giant arm. “Who would do something like that?”

“Hey, it takes all kinds.”

He nodded, agreeing with Mitch.

They passed a couple stalls selling clothing, and he was momentarily distracted by the cowboy hats. He hadn’t gotten one when he went to the gay rodeo, pretty much because he wasn’t sure if people actually wore them here or if that was just a rumor that passed around Vancouver. Glancing around him, he realized about half the people here at Stampede were wearing them. Including his own personal cowboy, of course. He’d probably look stupid though. Peter started walking again.

“Hold up.” Mitch grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the stand. “Which one were you looking at?”

“Oh, no. I…”

“Peter.” Mitch folded his arms across his chest, just staring at him.

“I honestly don’t know.” He glanced over at the hats, way more variety than he’d assumed. Heck, didn’t they only come in black or white. Or straw, he’d seen them in movies before. But there were dozens upon dozens of different styles and colors here.  His inner shopper gave a big yeehaw at the sight.

He couldn’t decide, though. There was just too much to choose from and the ones that really caught his eye he wouldn’t be able to wear in public here.

“Excuse me, can you take down that white hat.” Mitch flagged one of the people behind the counter. “The one with the turquoise.”

Peter stared in shock when one of the hats he’d been admiring appeared in front of him. He opened his mouth, closing it with a snap when the hat was pressed down onto his head.

“Perfect.” Mitch’s voice was a raspy growl, sending tingles down Peter’s spine.

“It’s a girl’s hat,” he whispered.

“So? You were eyeing it. How much?”

It took a moment for Peter to realize that hadn’t been directed at him. It took him an even longer moment to realize that Mitch was paying for his hat. He lifted a hand, rubbing the turquoise cabochon at the front of his hat. Wow, he didn’t know what to say to that. Nobody had ever spoiled him like this before. What made it all better was that he could tell Mitch wasn’t doing it as some kind of trade off.

“Thank you,” he said, shy all of a sudden.

“Welcome. It suits you.” Mitch smiled, a crooked grin that made Peter’s chest ache at the sight. He was all out of sorts now.

They finally made their way to the barns, walking through and seeing all the animals. He laughed at the sight of the sheep wearing little rain coats with hoods drawn over their heads like batman or something. Mitch had just grinned at him and then laughed when Peter had to stop and look at a sheep with the biggest balls he’d ever seen. He might have been a bit wide-eyed, but man… biggest balls ever.

Mitch picked up his pace when they reached the horse stalls. He made his way through until they entered an area with a sign that said Heavy Horses.

“Christ, Mitch, how big is that horse?” The beauty was pitch black, in a stall that was nearly the same size of the horse. Just calmly standing in there, blinking one dark eye at the two of them.

Mitch reached a hand between the bars to rub the horses nose. “This guy must be close to 19 hands. He’s a Percheron. Beauty, isn’t he?”

“Do you have horses?”

“My cousins do. Raise Shire horses just outside the city.”

“Man, that must be cool.”

Mitch just grinned again, leading him out of the building and around to a separate area. They passed the military boys with all their big machines on display. Kids were climbing all over the tank under the watchful eyes of army men wearing cowboy hats. Well, didn’t that just hit two of his weak spots in one go.

Mitch rested a palm on his lower back, dragging his attention back to the man he was with. Peter sheepishly smiled up at him, blushing when he spotted the possessive glower in the man’s gaze.

They reached a big tent, walking in to see even more horses lined up in stalls. “What do these guys do here?”

“These babies are Belgians and they’re just resting in their stalls until their events. The heavy horses all compete in the pulling competitions, and those Percherons back there are show beauties that come here to demonstrate driving.”

“Hmm…” Peter walked along the stalls, amused when Mitch crooned to a few of them. Even more amused when the horses turned their big heads and tried to get closer to the bars.

“Oh my God!” Peter stopped dead, hoping he hadn’t shouted that. Man, and wasn’t that a sight. One of the big Belgians was very very happy to be here. Very happy.

A big body crowded his back, a hand placed on his hip. “Is someone being naughty?”

“I’m not being naughty. Horse boy in there is the one that’s being all pervy,” he whispered.

Mitch laughed, moving away. He reached over, grabbing Peter’s hand and making him walk with him down the rest of the aisle. Peter couldn’t help looking back, it was like a car accident. You just couldn’t help but look.

He was suddenly outside, spun around and pressed up against a wall.

“You’re adorable.”

Peter smiled up at his cowboy. “You think so?”

Mitch grinned in return, his head slowly lowering, probably giving Peter time to stop him. Either that or Mitch just liked doing things slow. And guh, that brought up naughty images in his mind.

His lips were brushed, once, twice, before Mitch settled in to stay. Peter moaned, reaching out and grasping Mitch’s arms, feeling the hard muscles under his hands.

Mitch drew away, their lips clinging for a moment. The other man held out a white cowboy hat, offering it to Peter. He stared dumbly at it until Mitch chuckled and placed it back on Peter’s head. Hey, when had that come off?

“I’m starting to like this whole Stampede thing.”

“Good. I’m starting to like you.”

Well, didn’t that just make everything sweeter? Yeehaw.

Written by Jade Buchanan

Jade Buchanan is currently trying to find balance between work, writing and grad school, which makes for some interesting conversations over the dinner table. Her writing is as eclectic as her reading tastes, with over twenty gay and bisexual novella's currently published, and she has been known to accept writing challenges from friends and family just to see their reactions. Jade lives in Calgary, Alberta, where she’s hard at work on her next story.
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