Page 26 of Chasing the Wild
Guilt gnaws at me that I haven’t found the right way to explain my situation here. Which is one hundred percent me being caught in my own head about it all. Surely I can just casually mention that I’m working for Kayce’s father withoutrevealing my decidedly non-innocent thoughts I’ve been having about him?
I’m so busy getting in the groove of sweeping up that I don’t notice anything behind me until I feel one of my braids lift off my back. Whipping around, I’m expecting to see Colt’s dark features, only, my face falls as my eyes meet with an unfamiliar sight.
A man with short, crew cut brown hair is smiling at me with white teeth, and hungry eyes.
“What’s this we have here?” His breath smells like cigarettes, and I rear back in shock.
My eyes dart around the barn, and I pull my earbuds out.
“Who are you?” And where the fuck is Colt.
“Old Colton, eh? Thought he always went out of town to find himself a hot, young piece of ass.” The smug look on his face widens as he leans up against the stall. His blue eyes are icicles, and he’s busy looking me up and down like a slab of meat. “Obviously, this winter, he’s decided to ship in a perky young thing to bounce up and down on his cock at night.”
Oh my god. This guy is crude and gross, and I feel violated after twenty seconds in his presence. He looks to be maybe thirty, and probably turns girl’s heads wherever he goes. But his personality is foul. Is this one of the supposed beasts who lives up the mountain? Because he sure as shit seems like one.
“What do you want?” My grip tightens on the handle of my broom. If I really needed to, I could smack this guy in the balls with it if he tries anything. What I would give right now for cell phone reception and the ability to shoot a quick text to Colt to find out where he is or how far away he might be from the house.
“Name’s Henrik. I’m just calling in for a welfare check with the snow and all. Usually, we don’t worry too much about old man Wilder, but now I know there’s a pretty young thing like you running around up here, I might just have to drop by morefrequently.” He lets out a laugh. “Make sure you’re being fed right.” He raises his eyebrows suggestively, and I fight the urge to gag.
Ugh. This guy is a sleaze and makes me want to go take a shower.
“I’m working the ranch this winter as an employee, and I’d be more than happy to find Mr. Wilder if you need to speak with him.” I’d like to shove this broom so far up his ass, it comes out his nose. How dare he talk to me like I’m some kind of winter fuck-bunny shipped in to occupy his time.
“Well, if you’re not Colton’s property, then I’d love to take you out on a ride sometime. See how good you look in a saddle.”
Ew. Not in a million years, jerk off.
“No, thanks.”
“Aw, come on, I’ll take you out to the Ridge. Show you a real good time.”
“Well, I’m not interested, so if you don’t want to talk to Mr. Wilder, then I’d better get on here, and I’m sure you’ve got other properties to carry on to with yourwelfarechecks…” I jerk my head in the direction of the open barn doors.
The horses stamp, and one of them lets out a low whinny.
Even they’ve had enough of this guy.
“You sure, girlie? How can I help change your mind?”
“Give me one fucking reason why I shouldn’t beat your skull in for harassing my staff, Pierson.” Colt’s growl echoes through the barn like thunder.
A flutter of butterfly wings kicks up in my stomach at the sound of his voice.
Colt easily has a head on this guy, and it’s clear who would win in a scrap between them. But whoever this dickhead is, he doesn’t get the message that it’s time to leave.
“Just making conversation is all. This sweet little thing was about to give me her number.”
“No, she fucking wasn’t.” Colt has put himself directly between the man and where I’m standing, and my pathetic little heart is doing skips and jumps at the way he’s protecting me.
It’s ok, I still have my feminist card tucked in my back pocket. Having fought, and won, plenty of battles like this on my own in the past, this sure as hell feels nice to have someone standing up for me for a change.
“In fact, she was pretty clear when she turned you down the first time, or were you too busy sucking yourself off to hear her.”
My cowboy protector is bristling. I’m sure he’s grown at least a foot in height.
Pierson raises both hands. “Jeez, whatever. Girls like her are probably lesbian and shit anyway.”
Oh my god. If Colt doesn’t kick this guy's ass, I will.
