He meant fresh, as in the way the grass smelled after a spring storm.
So why was everyone giving him a hard time?
“Nachos are on me,” he said, indicating the platter with a wave of his glass. “Actually, the whole tab’s on me.”
“What’s up with you?” Angus, a friend and rival bull rider from Billings, asked. “You worried you’re going to lose in the ring this weekend and feel like making good on our bet early?”
“Naw,” Colton said. “This is the last nice thing I do before I kick your scrawny ass this weekend.”
A combination of laughter and groans followed by five hungry guys, demolishing a plate of chips, cheese, salsa and hot peppers. “But I’m cutting you off in a half hour. I don’t need a bunch of sorry-assed, hung-over rodeo clowns blaming your shitty rides on me tomorrow.”
“You talk big. Too bad it’s all coming out of your ass.”
Colton grabbed the last bunch of chips off the plate just before Rider, a calf roper from Butte, had a chance. “Sorry,” Colton said with a smile. “Too slow. Hope that’s not shades of things to come.”
“Ahem.”
He shoved the whole handful in his mouth and chomped.
“Um...excuse me.”
The guys around him grew quiet, their knowing smiles making him turn. Ashley was standing behind him, a very serious expression on her face.
“Can I talk to you for a sec?”
He removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair. “Sure.”
Her eyes roved from his face to the faces of the men behind him. “Not here.” Angling her head toward the back exit, she said, “Outside. If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind one bit, darlin’.” Draping his arm across her shoulders, which caused her to stiffen, he maneuvered them through the crowd to the back door, opening it so she could pass through first. On the other side of the door was a couple groups of smokers, leaning up against the side of the building, looking up as they passed, but not paying much attention to them.
“Over here.” Tugging on his sleeve, she pulled him toward the alley and the quiet side of the building, out of earshot.
“You angling for another kiss?” he asked once she’d stopped and turned to face him.
She scowled. “No.”
He stepped closer. “You want something else?” She was tiny, seemed even smaller looking up at him in the dark. “Something more?”
She shook her head hard. “Of course not.”
He took another step, moving her until she was backed right up against the brick of the building. Colton didn’t know why he did it, exactly. Probably because he was enjoying making her mad. “Then what are we doing here, sweetheart?”
If making her mad was his reason for lording his size over her, his action had the desired effect. She threw her head back in exasperation and gave him a shove. “Oh, my God. You’ve got to stop calling me that.”
“Sweetheart?”
“Yes. I’m not your sweetheart.”
He propped a hand on the wall above her head and leaned. “But I thought you wanted to be my sweetheart. Just for tonight.”
She wet her lips and his gaze dropped. While she may not be a beauty queen, Ashley sure as hell had nice lips. Particularly in the dim light where her tongue had left a bit of a sheen after licking.
“About that...”
“Uh-huh?” He forced his gaze up from her mouth.
“Um...”
Except then she started chewing on her lip and his gaze dropped right back down.
“C’mon. Spill.”
“You know how I asked for just tonight?”
“Yep.” God, he wanted to touch her lips. Why? He couldn’t say.
“Well...”
Now those little lips parted, and she was breathing through them. He could feel her little pants against his cheek.
“See, I’m around all weekend. And, you’re around all weekend.”
“Let me guess,” he said, propping his other hand on the wall, leaning in. “And your friend’s around all weekend. That about sum it up?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“So...you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend for the whole weekend, is that it?”
She blinked rapidly a few times. “Maybe.”
Colton smiled. He couldn’t help it. The woman was a weird combination of pissed off, turned on and a little scared all at the same time. The confusion flitted right across her ordinary features. Which was satisfying in a degenerate sort of way.
As much as he was enjoying himself, he wasn’t a complete jackass. He eased back a smidge. “So, you want to hire me? Is that it? Like a cowboy gigolo?”
“Yes...no,” she quickly corrected. “I’m just asking if you’ll do it.” She paused to swallow. “You know. Pretend we’re together. That’s all.”
“So, pretend, huh? What exactly does that mean?”
“Well, I’ll be at the rodeo and fairgrounds tomorrow, taking pictures. So, if I run into you, you act like my boyfriend.”
“Uh-huh.”
She waved a flustered hand between them. “And we don’t have to do any more kissing, if you don’t want.”
Colton rubbed his jaw. “Seems like the kissing part is one of the perks.”
“Okay, well...” She shrugged. “A little, then.” She cleared her throat. “And then tomorrow night, I’ll be here again, so if you happen to be here, same thing.”
“Right. And then?”
She downright gnawed on her lip. “And then...there’s the formal on Saturday night. I’m supposed to be there taking pictures. I assume you’ll be there, too.”
The truth was, he hadn’t planned on going. He’d never gone to Half Moon High because his parents had moved after his and Dillon’s oldest brother died. But Colton wasn’t about to tell Ashley that. He had a warped need to hear where this was heading.
“Yeah, I’m going,” he said.
“So...we go together. That’s it. That’ll be the end of it, I promise. We could even have a big blowup and break up by the end of the night.” Her eyes lit up with a bit of fire and not of the angry kind. Like the thought of breaking up with him gave her pleasure.
Huh.
“So, you get what you want—a boyfriend. What do I get out of this?”
“I’ll cover your pub tab for the weekend.” A cringe flashed across her face...and then it was gone. Interesting. Colton considered her offer, but there was obviously something about it that bothered her. That was fine, he had other ideas, too. “I think the payment needs to suit the job, don’t you?”
She got a cute little wrinkle in between her brows. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, the tab’s fine for tonight. But what about tomorrow?”
“Umm...more beer?”
“I don’t like to drink much when I’m competing.”
“What then?”
Colton rubbed the back of his neck, and a slow smile inched across his face as he gazed down at her. “You have to do whatever I say.”
“What? No.”
“No?”
“Well, like what kinds of things?”
He leaned right in. “Haven’t decided yet. But I’m sure I can think of something.”
“Well, it can’t be too crazy.” She swallowed. “Or illegal.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll like it, I promise.”
Her eyes narrowed as she regarded him. She chewed on one side of her lower lip and then the other. “I don’t know...”
“Hey.” He stepped back, holding up his hands. “You’re the one who needs the boyfriend. I don’t need a girlfriend.” Don’t want one, in fact, he almost said. “You don’t like my terms? Find another stooge to play the part.”
Taking a
deep breath, she straightened her back, which brought the top of her head to right below his chin. God, she was just a little thing.
“You’re right. Beggars can’t be choosers. So, it looks like you’re it.”
Huh. That sounded suspiciously like an insult.
“I agree to your terms.” She thrust her hand forward to shake.
He took it, and she pumped once before quickly releasing it. She pushed away from the wall and strode toward the back entrance without so much as a backward glance in his direction, as if she had complete control of this situation.
Colton grinned in the darkness because there was a certain amount of perverse pleasure to be found in playing this game with this woman. She thought she knew what was what. Well, he’d show her, and by the end of a pretend relationship with him, she wouldn’t know what hit her.
3
THE BAR HAD finally cleared out, and the Ozark girls were busy cleaning up and counting receipts. Because of the two-hour time difference between Chicago and Montana, Jazz had faded around midnight, and Ashley had forced her to go up to her room at the hotel and go to bed. “We’ll catch up tomorrow,” she’d assured her before Jasmine left.
The back door banged, and Ash, Beth and the twins looked up. Brandi came striding in, her hair mussed, her lipstick smeared, an unrepentant look on her face.
“Where the hell have you been?” Beth asked, hands on her hips.
“Saying good-night to an old friend.” Brandi dumped her apron on the bar, giving Beth a withering look from beneath her lash extensions. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
“We’d all like to get out of here tonight, so, yeah, it is my business.”
“Seems to me that the one you should be worrying about is our precious youngest sister.” Brandi narrowed her gaze at Ash, and Ashley’s stomach cinched. She knew where this was going.
“What the hell are you doing with Colton Cross?”
“We’ve been seeing each other.”
“Since when?”
“Since a while ago. We just—I just didn’t want anyone to know.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not going to be here much longer, and I didn’t think it was anyone’s business and...”
“She’s just using him for sex,” Beth said, ever the helpful older sister.
“You’re sleeping with Colton Cross?” Zoe asked, glancing at Chloe, asking silently whether she knew about this.”
Before Ash could answer, Brandi spoke up. “As if she’s having sex with him.”
Ash propped her fists on her hips. “Of course I am.”
“Right.” Brandi stuck her elbows on the bar and leaned close. “Tell me about it.”
Glancing from Brandi to the twins, then to Beth, Ash said, “No. It’s none of your business.”
Brandi shrugged and went back to counting her money. “Because you’re not doing it. I can tell when someone’s getting some. You—my uptight little sister—are not getting any.”
“You’re disgusting,” Beth said. “Mom and Dad sure dropped the ball on the class gene when they had you.”
Brandi ignored Beth—as usual—and poked Ash in the shoulder. “I don’t know what you’re up to, or why, but as far as I’m concerned, Colton Cross is still fair game.”
“Oh, my God. You’re jealous,” Beth said, throwing her arms up in outrage. “You think you’re the only one who can attract a man around here? Seriously, Brandi. Just because Ash doesn’t dress like a tramp, she’s just as pretty as you. Plus, she’s way nicer.”
“Yep,” Chloe concurred. “Way nicer.”
Ashley appreciated the support, but what she really wanted to do right now was change the subject, finish cashing out and get home to bed.
“Oh, what a surprise. Everyone gang up on me and defend poor Ashley.”
“You’ve just been outside with someone, doing who-the-hell-knows-what, and now you’re moving in on Ashley’s guy?” Beth shook her head, muttering obscenities beneath her breath.
The perpetual fights between her two older sisters was reason number 4,392 for why she needed to get out of Half Moon. Her family drove her bananas, and as long as she stayed, it would be high school forever.
Drumming her hands along the bar top, Ash said, “I’m done and I’m out of here.” She grabbed her camera and purse from beneath the bar and waved to her bickering sisters. “Night, all.”
“Get some rest,” Beth called.
“Night, Ash,” the twins called in unison.
“This isn’t over,” Brandi called after her.
Ash tilted her head toward the ceiling and whispered, “Mom, wherever you are? Your fourth child needs an ass whooping.”
* * *
COLTON FINISHED UP the morning chores with the other ranch hand, Curtis, and then headed to the bunkhouse to shower before breakfast. He had taken over one half of the bunkhouse after the longtime ranch hand, Thaddeus Knight, had left. Turned out there was a lot more to old Thad than they knew, like he’d been hiding from the law for over ten years. Turned out he was innocent, and now he and his girlfriend were out east somewhere.
So Colton had offered to help out on the ranch on a temporary basis until they found someone more permanent. The Half Moon rodeo was always his first of the season before the rodeo season really got underway. He loved it. Different town every weekend. Riding, flirting, making a living doing the things he loved. Nothing to hold him or tie him down, just living in the moment every day of his life.
And this year was his year. This year he was aiming to qualify for the pro tour, which would mean competing professionally all year long.
After dressing, he made his way from the bunkhouse to the big guesthouse that his brother Dillon and his wife, Gloria, ran. It was already warm and it promised to be a perfect day for the rodeo.
“Where is everyone?” Colton asked as he sat down to a strangely empty dining room table. The guesthouse was fully booked for the weekend.
“Everyone went in to see the parade,” Dillon said.
“Right. Why aren’t you two there?”
“Too busy,” Dillon said.
“Too pregnant,” Gloria added, patting her belly. “What about you?”
“Parades aren’t my thing,” Colt said, filling his plate with bacon and eggs and helping himself to coffee. He turned to his brother. “Wish you were riding?” This would be the second year that his brother didn’t ride in the rodeo, and it bothered him. Dillon had always been his idol, living the life of a rodeo cowboy.
But now?
Colton eyed his older brother from across the dining room table. He’d turned into their old man overnight. Giving up the excitement of the road to run a ranch. And seriously, the way he doted on Gloria, it was hard to watch. Finding any excuse to get his hands on his wife’s growing belly.
His brother, the lone wolf Colton had always admired, had turned into a family man.
He never would have believed it.
“What time you heading in?” Dillon asked.
“Probably around noon. I’ll help out with the stock.”
“What time is your ride?”
“Three.”
Dillon reached in his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. He tossed them across the table to his brother. “Use the trailer if you want. I cleaned it out last year, but the propane tanks are full. You can stay in it for the weekend if you like.”
“Thanks. But don’t you need help around here?”
“Nah. We’ll be good.” Dillon glanced at Gloria before asking, “You seeing Ashley today?”
Holy hell. He’d almost forgotten. He was supposed to be Plain Jane’s boyfriend. “Yeah,” he said dismissively. “I’ll probably grab some lunch with her or something.”
Gloria, gl
anced at her husband and then set her female sights on Colton.
Oh shit. He knew that look. Let the inquisition begin.
“Ashley Ozark? Isn’t she the nice girl at Heart’s Bouquet, the flower shop?”
Colton had no idea if she worked there. “You know her?”
“Sure,” Gloria said. “She’s been so helpful with the last couple of weddings we’ve hosted.” She carefully set her mug of tea on the table. “So, where’d you two meet?”
“At the Prospectors.” Colton dove into his breakfast.
“She doesn’t seem your type.”
With fork midway to his mouth, he said, “I wasn’t aware I had a type.”
Dillon and Gloria looked at one another and then simultaneously broke into laughter.
“Why isn’t she my type?” Colton asked, not appreciating the laughter in the least.
“Um, she’s an artist. A feminist. A smart girl with a future.”
Okay. What the hell did people take him for? An idiot who wasn’t going anywhere? “You saying she’s too good for me?”
Gloria pushed herself out of her chair, leading with her baby tummy. “I’m just saying that she doesn’t seem like fling type material.”
“Hold on, now,” Dillon called after his wife as she made her way toward the kitchen. “Not to defend my depraved little brother, but it seems to me you tried to break up a fling last Christmas.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So, you didn’t call that one correctly.”
Gloria may have waddled like a nearly full-term pregnant woman, but she could still spin around with the grace of a ballerina if the moment called for it. “What did you say?”
“I’m saying you were wrong the last time you tried to break up a fling.”
She raised a single finger in the air and held it there, for effect.
Colton sat back in his chair, enjoying the show, glad the attention was off him.
“I was not wrong.”
“Well, now...”
The finger was now pointed severely at her husband. “Jolie was not looking for a fling. Neither was Thad. Might I remind you, they are still together. By definition a fling would have ended long ago. Therefore, I was right.”
Wild Seduction Page 3