Page 2 of Ride Me

The distraction costs me.

Choke seizes his moment and lunges. Before I know it a razor-sharp beak meets my shin. I yelp and flail in a desperate attempt to escape. But the damn bird is relentless. I turn away from him and in a horrifying twist of fate, he tangles himself in my hair.

Oh. Hell. No.

I don’t recognize the guttural sound that escapes me. "What the hell is he?!" I shriek and my limbs move on their own. It’s a full-body panic taking over.

"Hold still, darlin’." Bowen and his doppelgänger stride toward me.

They exude an infuriating amount of calm that is somehow contagious. The panic in me subsides just a bit. It’s like this is just another routine ranch disaster, but fighting roosters isn’t something I’ve signed up for.

Bowen reaches me first. He grips my shoulders and steadies me. I can’t deny the feeling of safety his touch brings. We lock eyes and the ghost of a smile still plays on his lips.

His twin-like counterpart expertly snatches the rooster by the talons and tucks him under one arm like a football. It’s easy to see that he’s done this a hundred times before. With the demon bird secured, I exhale.

Bowen’s hand glides down the back of my hair, smoothing it into place. The gesture sends goosebumps erupting across my skin. Day one on the job, and I’ve already been rescued by two ridiculously good-looking cowboys.

"Oh, it looks like he got you just a tiny bit." Bowen’s voice is softer now, his gaze washing over my face.

Before I can respond, he reaches out, brushing a stray strand of hair from my cheek. Then, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, his fingers linger and he cups my chin. He holds me there for a split second too long and the whole world disappears around us.

It takes every ounce of self-control not to melt into his touch. The warmth of his skin sends a current of electricity zipping through my veins; it's hot and undeniable. My breath catches in my throat.

A sharp cluck snaps me out of my thoughts. The rooster puffs up in Callum’s grip, chest swelling with indignant rage. I flinch at the sight of the wing flapping in my direction and it pulls me back to reality.

I’m going to have to watch myself around Bowen Kingridge. It’d be all too easy to fall for him.

"Callum, get that damn bird out of here. That isn’t the way we welcome our new employees.” Bowen’s mouth pulls into a slow, knowing smile.

It’s like the man can read my mind and I wonder if he feels our connection too.

Bowen continues with a wink. “I have a feeling Choke might be around longer than our new city girl anyway."

Callum smirks. "Doesn’t that make her perfect for you, bro?"

Ouch.

The daydream shatters. I pull away from Bowen’s touch just in time to keep my shit together.

CHAPTER 2

BOOTS AND BITCHING PODCAST

Things in SagebrushCreek are drier than Preacher Brown’s Sunday sermon, and let me tell you—there ain't a damn thing funny about that. The drought has this town holding onto every drop of water like a toddler with the last juice box at daycare.

But you know what hasn’t dried up? The gossip. And honey, today the pitcher is overflowing.

It’s your favorite anonymous source for all things Sagebrush Creek—the scandals, the sweet tea, and the cowboys who don’t know how to mind their damn business. We’ve got a lot to cover, thanks to the boys over at Kingridge Ranch always finding themselves in one mess or another. So y’all pull up a chair and let’s get right into it.

Rumor has it the guys out at the ranch are scrambling after their new arrival threw a wrench in things. The mystery man lurking in the shadows for the last week finally has a name… Danner. With a D, y’all.

Now, I’ve always found it peculiar that the Kingridge boys were named alphabetically, well almost. Alexander, Bowen, and Callum are followed by Fallon, Geoffrey, and Holden.There’s a gap where D and E are concerned, but maybe that’s just a coincidence.

Oh, and here’s the real kicker… Pa Kingridge has hired Danner to work the ranch full-time. No job posting, no interviews, no nothing. Just an out-of-the-blue, full-time hire. Suspicious? You bet your boots it is.

I’ve been asking around, but mum’s the word. The official story is that Danner is here to modernize the operation, but they’ll need to spin a better tale if they think they can fool me. Please. You don’t bring in a stranger to shake up a ranch unless there’s something deeper going on.

So, I gotta ask—what’s the real story here? Has Pa’s past finally caught up with him? Because from where I’m sitting, this doesn’t feel like a regular ol’ business decision. This feels like unfinished business.

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