Page 22 of Chasing Bandit

My cheeks flushed as I took his large hand in mine, and I hated that my body reacted so instinctively. What bothered me even more was that I found myself comparing him to Wylie, feeling a pang of guilt as if I were betraying him by flirting with someone else.

It’s a marriage on paper only. I’m sure Wylie is still out there sticking his pogo-stick in women every night.

“Your home is incredible. Did your dad build this?”

Franklin nodded, “Designed and built himself. He built the barn out back, too.”

“It must have been fun growing up here.”

“Oh yes, we loved it,” Millie responded chiming in.

“Why don’t we head out to the deck, the view of the pond is phenomenal, and we can discuss our supply plan for Nourish.” Franklin gestured towards the front door where we followed.

Two hours later, Millie had taken a break from Franklin and I's planning to retrieve three Bud light Limes and was checking in on us still situated by the pond.

“So, Stevie, any fun Friday night plans?” she asked.

“Nash and Jovie suggested they take me out to Rex's bar to give me a proper welcome.”

“Ooh! Yes! Let’s do it! I wonder if Wylie is going, too” she said clapping and smiling that big, white smile excitedly while clutching at her chest. “Oh gosh, I hope that’s ok for me to say. I heard you two got married but that it was solely for legal purposes, and you weren’t actually together.”

Oh.

I smiled gently, realizing she hadn’t meant any harm and that she was right. “You heard correctly. Wylie needed to be married so that he could take over ownership of Cameron ranch. It was a requirement that was put in a deed over a century ago, so I figured I’d help him out.”

Franklin glanced at me for permission, his gentlemanly nature evident. “Would you like to go together?”

I shrugged; Nash hadn't mentioned Wylie joining us, but if Millie and he had some sort of a past, I bet he'd show up and it wouldn’t hurt to have some eye candy of my own in Franklin.

Besides, this was a marriage of convenience, and the lack of sex for the next six months was definitely not convenient. Maybe Franklin could help me with that.

“Sure, I’ll meet you all there.”

Chapter 17 – Wylie

Friday afternoon

I hated to admit it, but my dad was right.

And so was my great-great-great-grandfather, Homer Cameron—a man I'd never met, yet somehow, managed to pull the strings of my destiny like I was a damn puppet from wherever he lay in his grave.

The days were long, and nights even longer without my dad, Clay and Nash helping on the property and around the home. It would have been comforting to have a woman waiting at home on those nights when there just wasn't time to go out, and all you could manage to do was eat and go straight to bed.

I’d never felt like my bed was cold or lonely. I liked my time spent drinking beer and watching TV in the dark but now even that was getting to me and the prospect of another night of jacking off until I fell asleep didn't seem fun.

I kicked off my work boots and set down my cowboy hat, looking at the black one I’d worn today and thinking about the juxtaposition against the cream one that Stevie had worn the last time I saw her, four weeks ago when we married under the trees right outside my window.

It was probably some sort of symbolism for the difference in our personalities. Mine, dark and empty. Stevie's, light and airy.

I had intentionally kept my distance from Cameron ranch to respect her space and curtail the odd protective instinct that had surged within me since our rushed vows. And the more that I stayed away, the clearer my thoughts became.

Stevie didn't want this any more than I did; I was foolish to think I had any claim on her now that she was my wife on paper. It was just a legal maneuver to secure what I needed, and whatever her motives, remained a mystery to me, but it wasn't my place to care or ask. Over the next five months, we'd continue our separate lives as we had before this fake marriage, and then she would return to Houston and be out of my mind for good.

This was the right approach and nothing more could ever come out of our arrangement, I reassured myself as I walked into my home.

It was Friday night, and after another grueling day spent with Mitchell, roping a loose cow, and fending off wild animals that threatened our livestock, I finally holstered my gun and secured it in the safe in my dad's office. As I turned to wash up, contemplating how to unwind, my phone pinged with a text message.

Red: You coming to Rex's Rodeo House Bar tonight? Dove is singing a couple songs as a treat to the community and there's going to be line dancing.

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