Page 106 of The Rancher's Secret Relationship

"I'll take the car if I were you," his friend advised.

"That bad?"

"Depends," was all the billionaire said before hanging up.

Thornton flipped the store sign toClosedand was parking his truck outside the cafe a mere ten minutes later. He stepped inside and immediately saw what the problem was.

"You!"

Or rather, the problem saw him.

She waved him to come over, and when he joined her and her friends in their table, Thornton saw right away that she was absolutely smashed.

"How long has she been like this?" he asked Frankie.

"Longer than I can bear," Blake's friend answered with a shudder, "so if you don't mind...I'll leave her to you?"

"I...um...have to start working, too." Elizabeth quickly got up as well.

The speed with which the two girls left had Thornton blinking.

"You!"

He turned back to his girlfriend.

"You!"

He nearly smiled. "Is that all you can say?"

"Don't you be smart with me, boy."

Interesting.

"I'm the woman you love," Blake said haughtily, "and you should treat me like a queen."

"Is that so?" He was beginning to see why her friends had all been in such a hurry to leave.

She gave him a regal nod. "That's so!"

He leaned back against his seat. "How do I do that?"

"First..." She pointed to his lap and flashed him an approving smile when he obeyed her silent command by scooping her off her seat and depositing him on his lap.

"Good boy."

Someone behind him choked at hearing this, but Thornton didn't mind. No one had ever had the guts to order him around like this, and it was quite...fun.

"Anything else?"

"Mm..." Her gaze narrowed at him. "I think you should fix your tone."

"My tone?"

"It has to be more...suburban."

More choking.

"Do you mean...subservient?"

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