Page 20 of Fake Christmas Date Cowboy

Ethan wasn’t here for the ranch experienceorfor the kids. He had something up his sleeve.

She darted a sideways look at Declan and found him staring straight ahead, his focus off her for the moment. That gave her a chance to rack her brain for things that her criminal ex might do.

He had an unhealthy obsession with heists. Maybe there was an heiress with a priceless diamond in attendance. She wouldn’t put it past him to stoop to the level of petty thief.

But on the other hand, the Wynton Ranch housed something much, much bigger.

Such as the WEST Protection security agency.

Not everyone knew about the agency, but she did.

When Declan looked at her, she saw that he wanted to ask a question or say more. Luckily, she’d been born and raised among social events. She knew how to shut down questioning and redirect attention just as well as her mother.

A tendril of hair blew across her eyes, and she directed it away. “Have you ever parachuted?”

Declan’s shoulders didn’t relax, but he chuckled. “Jumped out of planes with the Army Rangers.”

“Nice.” Now that he’d said that, she pictured him in uniform, looking hot, buffanddangerous. “The Army Rangers is one thing, but…” She flipped her hair flirtatiously. “I’vebeen parasailing.”

“Parasailing? Damn. I’m not sure I can top that. Why would you ever take that risk? It’s so dangerous.”

Their banter made her laugh, and the tiny creases of amusement around each of Declan’s eyes gave her the hope that they’d successfully shifted the topic off Ethan and his attempts to drag her into a life of crime.

She hadn’t told Declan all of it.

Or even the worst of it.

How could she ever tellanyonehow Ethan had called her to pick him up outside the bank?

God, she was so naïve.

To think she ever bought that story about his BMW being in the shop and that he just needed a lift. She only thought she was helping him out, but when he came running out of the building in a ski mask with bags in his hands and told her to drive, he made her into a co-conspirator.

Then how he threatened to slit her throat, and her parents’ too, if she told anybody about it.

Nope—that wasn’t something she ever wanted to discuss. Not at a Christmas charity weekend, and especially not with her hunky companion. Declan was obviously a nice guy. He got bonus points for being in the military.

A man like Declan could never understand why she’d actually stomped on the gas and driven the getaway car after a bank robbery. How could he, when she didn’t understand how it happened either?

ChapterFive

Boisterous laughter and the loud chatter of several guests echoed through the big horse barn, but Declan and Belle hadn’t exchanged many words since her revelation about her ex.

Declan already disliked the guy. Now that he knew how he’d treated Belle, he wanted to go back to his military roots and use a few torture tactics on the asshole. Currently, he was considering shoving an entire Christmas tree up the man’s ass, ornaments and all.

His boots thumped lightly on the barn floor as he walked to a bin of grain and filled the scoop to dump into the horses’ feed troughs.

A few feet away, Belle stood at her horse’s stall, cooing softly to the mare.

The woman was a puzzle. One minute soft and sweet. Sometimes even unsure of herself. The next slamming back the whiskey in his flask and delivering the most demanding kisses.

One thing was certain—she seemed happier to be on her own two feet rather than on the back of an animal with four, though she’d handled the experience with the poise he was starting to see was part of her personality.

When he dumped half the scoop of feed in his horse’s trough, Belle stepped aside to allow him to empty the remainder into her mare’s.

The horse nosed Belle’s pocket and then a tearing noise made her look down. The horse had taken incentive and ripped her pocket most of the way off her jacket.

He guessed she was right that trouble followed her.

---