Page 77 of Rough Ride

“Go take a break,” Liz said. “I’ll cover until he’s gone.”

“I’m not afraid of him,” I insisted.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Why would you be afraid of that poor excuse for a cowboy?” Eli asked.

Johnny was looking at me intently. He could tell something was wrong.

“Well well well!” Appleton boomed when he reached us at the bar. “If it isn’t my least favorite competitors, all in one spot.”

“Surprised to see you here,” Johnny said. “Seems like you only show up for the cameras before slinking back to Ted Salmon’s penthouse.”

“Ted’s a friend. Why would I turn down his hospitality?” Appleton turned those eyes on me. “Besides, you offered to buy me a drink. I’m here to cash in that offer.”

“You said you wouldn’t share a drink with me if you were dying of thirst,” Johnny said, voice devoid of emotion.

“I say a lot of things.” Appleton was still smiling at me as he spoke. “Besides, I heard you two talking about Sophie. You spoke of her with a kind offamiliarity. Almost like y’all are friends.” His eyes brightened with an intensity that was anything but friendly. “Or an item.”

“My love life is none of your business, asshole,” I bit off.

Appleton’s smile deepened, but there was an evil glimmer in his eyes. “Come on now, sweetheart. Is that any way to speak to your ex?”

34

Sophie

It took every gram of willpower in my body not to lose my shit at him.

Eli whirled around to look at me in shock. But Johnny looked like he had figured it out a few seconds earlier.

“Not my ex,” I bit off. “You were a fling.”

Appleton’s laugh was every bit as fake as the rest of him. “Three dates and nine nights together is more than a fling, surely.”

His voice was like nails scraping on a chalkboard to me. A calculated amount of country twang to go with the rest of his false personality. It was like he was manufactured in a marketing department to be the perfect charming cowboy. And the worst part was that it worked on most people.

But not me. Not anymore.

“Fling might be too strong a word,” I said. “If I’m being totally honest, you were nothing more than a vibrator in cowboy boots to me.”

Eli barked a laugh. Appleton’s smile wavered for a second, but he recovered quickly.

“Not surprised to hear that from a woman working at a place like this,” Appleton said, eyes scanning down across my cleavage. “You always were a—”

Johnny was on his feet and in his face in the blink of an eye. “I’d caution you to thinkveryhard about the word you’re about to call her.”

Eli was gripping his empty whiskey glass so hard his fingers were white, like he was ready to smash it against Appleton’s face.

“I was going to say, you always were a fiercely independent woman,” Appleton replied with a shit-eating grin. “I guess that answers whether John boy here is a friend, or an item.”

“Like I said: my love life isn’t any of your business. If you aren’t going to order a drink, you’re going to have to leave the bar.”

“I’m not buying a drink,” he replied, raising his voice. “I’m buyingeveryonein this bar a drink! Next round’s on me!”

Everyone in the room roared their approval, and crowded around Appleton to thank him. He held out his arms wide, like he was the savior of Billy Bob’s.

And he kept that stupid grin aimed at me the whole time.

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