Page 3 of Cowboy's Way

“I am. I have no idea who you are, who told you my name, or why you think this is my problem, but …”

“I’m Faith,” she replies, cutting me off before I can tell her where to go. “And when I called the police …”

“You called the police?” I shake my head, thinking I misheard her.Who the hell calls the police over a veggie garden?I wonder but keep that opinion to myself.

She looks down at Bruno before they both turn their eyes back to me, like I might be the crazy one. Then Demo’s words from the day before ring in my ears and I grin, taking a step forward.

“Well, this is a new approach,” I chuckle, quickly wrapping an arm around her and slamming my mouth over hers.

She isn’t my usual type, but I was already reacting to her fresh-faced girl next door look, so I decide to go with it. It’s been a while, but I’ve got to get back in the game eventually, so why the fuck nothave a little Faith?

“Oww! What the hell?” I garble the words after she bites my tongue. Then Bruno lets out a lowwoof!and pushes between us.

“What thehellare you doing?” she says, throwing my words back at me before looking down where her hands are pressed against my chest and as if in slow motion, she pulls one back to lightly slap the skin she had been lightly caressing a moment ago.

“Demolition didn’t send you?” I ask, feeling all kinds of disappointed.

“What are you talking about?” she snaps back, and we both seem to realize that our constant barrage of questions is getting us nowhere. “I told you, some of your animals have destroyed my property. I came here to get you to deal with it!”

“Huh, well, that’s too bad.” I shake my head regretfully and turn back to my house. “My animals didn’t destroy anything of yours. If you’re up for a fuck, follow me. Either way, I’m going back to bed. Come on, Bruno.”

“When I called the police—”

“Yeah, who the hell calls the police for a ruined garden, anyway?”

“Who else am I supposed to call? I had all that work done and now it’s trashed,” she answers, nearly running to keep up with my longer stride. “Look, regardless, there must be an animal on the loose, and who can help with that?”

And that’s when it hits me.

I stop in my tracks, causing Faith to run into my back, earning us another concernedwoof!from Bruno. This time when I study her, I realize her cowgirl boots didn’t earn the distressed look and while her sweatshirt looks well-worn and stretched out at first glance, I belatedly realize that both items came out of the box that way. The sunglasses holding her hair away from her face have some designer logo that’s lost on me and the Jeep on the other side of my gate can’t be more than a year old.

“You’re a city girl,” I announce the conclusion I came to.

“Yes, I am. I told you, I just moved here.”

“Are you from the north?” I ask, swinging my gaze away from her Jeep and narrowing my eyes down at her heart-shaped face.

“No, I’m from Vegas,” she answers. “What difference does that make?”

“Vegas? Where are you really from?” I’ve never heard of anyone beingfromthere.

“Los Angeles.”

My jaw drops. “Stick with Vegas, or the north, that’s not nearly as bad.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? What am I supposed to do? And how do you know your animals weren’t the ones that caused the damage?” she asks, putting her fists on her hips and jutting her chin out.

“Look, I got chickens and horses. All the goats I own are rented out. Bruno, myguarddog here, doesn’t go past the barn without me,” I tell her, reaching for my door and signaling Bruno to go ahead. He gives her a mournful look before proceeding me and heads straight for his water bowl. “I’m sorry for your troubles, but I got a long day ahead of me. Maybe call the people who did the work in the first place.”

“Did you say yourented outyour goats?” While Faith struggles to keep a smile off of her face, she spectacularly fails at hiding the amusement in her eyes.

“Are we gonna fuck, or are you gonna leave?” I volley back, hoping that my bluntness pays off—one way or another.

“I guess people in the backwoods are just as big of assholes as those in the city,” she bites out the words before turning and stomping across the yard to her shiny red Jeep.

I gotta admit, five-foot nothing of righteous indignation looks fucking hot on her.

Bruno nudges me with his head, and I let out a sigh at the look in his eyes.

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