Page 1 of Protected By the Cowboy

Chapter One

Dolly

I stare across the table at the man I’ve been lusting after for months. On paper, he’s everything I could ever want. He’s tall, dark featured, handsome, and covered in ink. He wears his jeans tight and keeps his boots dirty. He works hard, and he commands attention when he walks into a room.

Yesterday, I’d have wondered what more there was to a man.

Today, I see it.

“Are you always so rude?”

“Rude? Ma’am I’m not rude.”

“Ma’am? I’m younger than you,” I roll my eyes, “by a lot.”

“Is that what’s botherin’ ya tonight? I’m callin’ ya ma’am?”

“No. What’s bothering me is that you don’t have a clue of how to be on a proper date.”

He leans in and scruffs his big hand down over his beard. “Is this a proper date? We’re at the coffee shop and you invited me.”

I roll my eyes and drag in a deep breath. It’s true I invited him, and it’s also true that this isn’t technically a date. I’m letting my anxiety get the worst of me. I’ve been on edge all week. Yesterday I cursed out my toothbrush because the battery died. I’m pretty sure that’s my fault, not the toothbrush’s.

“Sorry.” I gulp down more caffeine as though that’s the cure to my vibrating nervous system and glance up toward the giant man on the opposite side of the table. “I’m losing my mind.”

“What’s wrong?”

“My mom is getting remarried to this super fancy asshole. Apparently, he’s worth like two million dollars or something. He’s the one building that mansion between here and the Springs. It has its own tennis courts and a huge pool. Who has a pool in the mountains? It’s like below zero most of the year.”

“What’s he do?”

“Buys and sells real estate,” I roll my eyes, “or so he says. Anyway… they’re getting married this weekend and I don’t have a date.”

“You’re stressed out because you don’t have a date?”

“Are you judging me for my stress?”

He laughs under his breath before adjusting his Stetson on his head. God, he’s hot! If my friend hadn’t set this up for me, there’s no way Austin would even look my direction.

“No one’s judgin’ you ma’a—Dolly. Gotta know, though, is that why I’m here?”

I stare down at the table and then back up again. It’s embarrassing enough that I can’t find a date. Groveling for one is even worse. “Yes. I did want you to go with me, but I don’t know. I’m not feeling the chemistry. Are you?”

“Do we need chemistry? This is fake.”

“Well, kind of. My mom is super perceptive. She’ll pick up on bullshit immediately and call me out on it. You have no idea how awful my family is.”

More laughter leaves his lips as he says, “You’re makin’ this sound really appealing.”

I sigh, scanning through my brain for who else I could possibly invite, but there’s no one. My list is empty, unless I hire some actor to play the part of my boyfriend, which I can’t imagine I’d be able to swing in the next day.

I’m desperate. If I weren’t, I wouldn’t have allowed my friend to set this up and I wouldn’t be sitting here ready to grovel.

“Look, it’s one weekend. My friend Lark said you were looking for some extra cash. I can pay.”

He grins again. This time it’s more of a cheshire, got me over his lap, kind of grin.

I didn’t realize I was this amusing.

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