Page 2 of My Cowboy Date
I clear my throat. “He reminds you of someone?”
“Oh yeah. That prick. He thought he was a gift to womankind. I couldn’t exchange that bastard fast enough.” She shakes her head like she’s shaking off those memories. “And if you think you’re not the type to want revenge, think about the ugly deeds he did.”
I guess maybe I onlythoughtI wasn’t a vindictive person. I remember what he cost my sister. Because while I can deal with what he said and did to me, she’s another story.
When Arizona was offered a scholarship to help with college tuition from a well-known editor in New York, he was able to get the offer rescinded because he knew that family. I didn’t know what happened with that until the day we broke up and he’d crowed about what he’d done.
I feel that same anger rising up in me and raise my eyes to meet Claudia’s steady gaze. “I think you’re right. Getting revenge is sweeter.”
She laughs and claps her hands, “Karma is beautiful when it’s put into motion, my dear.” Then she leans forward, “And the best part of karma is that you can love again. You can love better because there are a lot of good men here in Lucky River.”
“There are a lot of good men here,” I agree. Like Wilder, one of the brothers in charge of running the Richford ranch. He’s sort of my boss. And though my heart feels brittle, I can’t help but take a lot of long looks at that cowboy.
In spite of the shadows I see in his eyes sometimes, he has a great sense of humor. And though I find humor appealing in a man, it’s his broad chest, sculpted in all the right places, and his too-handsome-for-work face that I keep thinking about.
But I learned a tough lesson about mixing business with pleasure so I’ll keep my thoughts about Wilder strictly business. I think about his muscular thighs as he’d swung himself onto his horse yesterday.Dammit.I’lltryto keep my thoughts about him strictly business.
Chapter 2
Wilder
The cows aren’t cooperating. They’re restless, and it fits my mood perfectly today though my restlessness started when Aspen took over as the ranch manager.
The moment her sister introduced her, I had to clench my jaw together to keep from gaping at the brown haired, blue-eyed beauty. I don’t recall ever being so stunned looking a woman before.
We were at the wedding where her sister married my brother. Her dress had whipped around her endless legs, showing a peek at her thighs and I had to walk off lest me and my boner both welcome her right there in front of everyone.
“I can’t find this one’s vaccine record,” River says, and I’m mentally pulled away from Aspen. My brother tries swiping the tablet, then says, “Nothing’s working right.”
“I had a problem earlier trying to get the grazing system to load,” Marshall says. “Probably because the connection or the software has been buggy all damn day.”
Could be. Or it could be that we need to upgrade the older model tablet but there’s no money in the budget for anything like that. Before Aspen and her sister came along, our last ranch manager that we’d known and thought of as family tookout loans and cleaned out the bank account by forging Dad’s signature.
The betrayal stung deep. We damn near lost the ranch.
All of us brothers came home to work together to save it. And we’re barely scraping by. It’s one of reasons why we all have side gigs. Well, except for Flint. He’s the one running around trying to keep all the irons straight in the fire.
On the weekends, I hook the stock trailer to my pickup and head out before the sun rises for day worker gigs at various ranches. It’s hot, physically draining work but I’ll do anything to help my adoptive parents protect the only true home I’ve ever known.
They saved me and my brothers by bond from childhoods of hell and poured love over our scared minds and broken bodies.
River shoves the tablet at me. “You need to take this to the office and get it figured out.” He lifts his Stetson and wipes his eyes with the crook of his arm.
“Why me?” I try to hand the device to Marshall, but he won’t take it.
“Because all the girls like you, pretty boy, and if you interrupt Aspen’s work, she won’t care the way she would if it were one of us. You get a smile, and we get a frown.” River’s nodding like he believes every word he’s saying.
But it’s not true. “She’s not like that,” I defend her. “I’ve never seen her be anything but sweet.”
Marshall snorts. “To you she’s like melted sugar but to the rest of us, she’s briskly business.”
I doubt what they’re saying is true because though she and I have had some sexy back and forth conversations, she’s never given a hint that she’s interested in anything more. And I respect that. She works for the ranch, and I reckon technically I’m her boss so taking it to the next level wouldn’t be smart.
That’s a directive I keep having to remind my cock because every time I’m around her, he acts awfully interested in every word she says. In how she smiles. In how she tucks her hair behind her ears. In how that sexy ass of hers?—
“What?” I ask when Marshall gives me a light push and I stumble sideways.
“That expression on your face is the same one both Leo and Flint had before their bachelor cards were torn up and they got married.” My brother grins, then he glances at River. “It’s the same look I’ve noticed on River’s face when he’s around Courtney.”
