Her Outlaw Cowboys: A Reverse Harem Romance (Cowboy Desires Book 2)

by Asha Daniels

  “Not three men.”

  Jessica dumped the coffee and pulled out the wine. “Don’t give me that look. I’m on vacation and Shane is picking me up later.”

  Georgia watched as she poured a full glass of wine, tapping her fingers on the counter.

  “You forget that we’ve shared more margaritas together than most humans. I know every one of your dark fantasies and you can find them all here. Go for it. If you don’t, I’ll tell everyone that you’re a school teacher.”

  “You wouldn’t!”

  Jessica took a sip of her wine, swinging her hips back and forth. “Try me.”

  “I hate you. Just so you know.”

  “Sure, you do. You’ll thank me later.”

  “Do you know what the jerk said to me?” She heard the haughty sound in her voice yet again.

  “Do tell, sunshine.”

  “And don’t use that word! That’s what he calls me.” Georgia shook her head.

  “What did he tell you? Come on. You can tell little ol’ me.” Jessica leaned over the counter.

  “I almost ran him over, totally accidentally. It was dark, and I didn’t seem him standing right there in the parking space, but I was driving too fast. He told me that if I was his girlfriend that he’d give me a hard spanking.”

  “You need one. Actually, you need one every day. In my humble opinion.”

  She wasn’t expecting the comment and burst into laughter. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I do. I even had a sexy dream about him spanking me.”

  “Now, we’re talking. You’re getting with the program. Finally.”

  Georgia pretended to strangle her. “I have to change. These boots are killing me.”

  “Could have told you that.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh all the way into her bedroom. When Richard had told her about working with Savage very closely, she found herself in a fog. Then the other shoe had dropped. A ride along with the sexy, arrogant hunk to see the entire property, mountain areas and all. Just perfect. Her day was complete. At least the late morning function would allow her to change into comfortable tennis shoes.

  Her reflection was happier given the shorts, the logoed shirt in red, no less and her favorite tennies. “I’m leaving now.” She could only smile as she walked out the door. Jessica was back on the phone and she knew exactly who the girl was talking to.

  She checked the note Richard had scribbled. She was meeting at one of the warehouses and they’d leave from there to tour the facility. At least she was a solid fifteen minutes early this go around. Finding the location easily enough, when she climbed out of the car, she took her time surveying the property. Mountains surrounded the entire resort, some even with snow remaining on the caps. The clouds were wispy, floating across the rocky surfaces like in a dream. There was so much pasture land, horses and cows peppering the landscape. She was mesmerized by the beauty.

  “I could live here,” she whispered. The ride might be the exact thing she needed to break her sullen mood, as well as her luck. She could tell that Richard had a lot on his mind and wanted nothing more than to develop a kick-ass program. While she had a few ideas, she needed inspiration in order to formulate a plan. Plus, she’d make a few suggestions regarding the resort itself. The guilt regarding lying to the poor man remained but she was determined to make this summer the best the resort had ever seen.

  “That’s what a lot of vacationers say.”

  Another male voice. When he flanked her side, she realized the trio was complete. “You’re Josh. Right?”

  “You remembered, sweet Georgia” he said as he wiped his hands, before holding out his arm. “Sorry. I’m the new mechanic and the boss asked that I make certain the jeep was ready for special guests to take a drive of the property.”

  “I’m guessing there’s a lot of equipment.” The handshake was no different than the one she’d had with Toby. Heat crested along her jawline, forcing her to yank back her hand. The look in his eyes was also similar.

  Carnal.

  “You have no idea,” he said then laughed. “Doesn’t appear they’ve had regular maintenance either, which surprises me. And don’t you dare go tellin’ Richard on me either.”

  His dark hair was shaggy, hitting below his collar and his eyes were the same color as the sky. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. Show me around?”

  “Well, a tour of the mechanic’s warehouse isn’t that exciting,” Josh teased.

  “You have no idea what I find exciting.”

  “Touché, but I think I’d like to.”

  The look was full of heat, similar to what she’d seen at the bar. She followed behind him as he pointed out various pieces of equipment, laughing as he explained that he’d only taken a cursory examination.

  “So, you and Savage?” he asked, almost sheepishly.

  “There is no me and Savage,” she insisted. “I know you’re his friend but don’t push us together.”

  Josh leaned against one of the tractors. “There’s a lot more to Savage than you know. He’s had a tumultuous past and takes everything on his sleeve, even though he has a difficult time showing emotions.”

  “We don’t seem to get along.” At least the man had two friends who cared about him.

  “My guess is that you do. At least from what he’s told me.” A grin popped on his face.

  “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “Don’t be. He thinks you’re beautiful, which I do as well, and he thinks you’re intelligent, full of fun.”

  “Funny how his words are different.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I also bring out the rather argumentative side of him, but I have a tendency of doing that.”

  Josh shook his head. “He’s an ex-Marine, a man on a mission to save the world. He had nothing growing up and he’s also a dreamer. If you can look past the boulder he’s carrying on his shoulder, you’ll see that he’s really a great guy.”

  “The three of you are close?”

  “Have been since we were kids. Shared everything together over the years.”

  Georgia allowed her mind to slide into a concept of passion shared. “Everything?”

  He leaned over, winking. “Everything. We’ll all cut from the same cloth.”

  Before she had a chance to ask anything else, she noticed the deputy’s car pulling up. “Great. The trip hasn’t gone according to my plans. First, a run in with Mr. Officer of the Law. Then a pretty screwed up day. I’m terrified what tomorrow will bring.”

  “Almost got yourself arrested, huh?” Josh teased. He followed her out of the building as Deputy Marshall climbed out of his car. “Deputy, what can we do for you?”

  The deputy didn’t bother acknowledging Josh as he approached, his eyes firmly locked on Georgia. “Sorry to interrupt. The folks at the main house told me you were here.”

  “Did I do something else wrong, officer?” She’d noticed the fact the deputy had ignored Josh’s question and it pissed her off.

  “I’m off duty so you can call me Dylan.” He gave her a sideways grin before glancing all the way down the length of her body.

  “Okay, Dylan. What do you need?” she asked, trying to remain cordial.

  “Will you give us a minute, boy?” Dylan shot out of the side of his mouth.

  She furrowed her brow and nodded toward Josh, who rolled his eyes before walking away. “I was in the middle of a conversation with Josh.”

  “I’m sorry. I know you’re going out to tour my brother’s property. I just wanted to see if you’d like to catch dinner tonight. We can have that discussion we were talking about.”

  The way he asked the question was more like he anticipated an immediate ‘yes’. “My girlfriend is in town for a few days. I think I’m going to spend the evening with her. Thank you for the offer.” Over my dead body. Hell no, she wasn’t going out with the man. She immediately turned away, stopping short when she noticed Savage standing in the doorway. The look on his face was blank but his eyes held anger. “You’re
here. I’m glad.”

  “I told you to stay away from those boys,” Dylan stated as he followed behind her.

  “And I’m not very good at following the rules, Deputy Marshall. Now, we’re on the clock so if you don’t mind.” Her irritation was increasing, along with her blood pressure.

  Dylan kicked his boot into the dirt then yanked his sunglasses from his breast pocket, giving both Josh and Savage a hard glare. “I have your number. You’re not going to ruin this ranch.”

  She noticed when Josh’s hand snaked around Savage’s arm, holding him back. The bad blood between them was nearing the boiling point.

  “Duly noted, Deputy Marshall,” Josh answered.

  Dylan turned his head in Georgia’s direction, offering a smile. “Until later, Miss Taylor.”

  Georgia waited until the deputy had left before walking toward them. “What hold does he have over you?”

  “What hold?” Savage hissed.

  “Oh, come on, boys. I’ve now heard two sets of insinuations regarding all three of you, so if you want to keep our friendship going, you’re going to tell me the truth.” Georgia wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to know the answer.

  Savage let out a long breath then walked out of the warehouse as another car pulled up.

  She turned her attention to Josh, closing the distance. “Trust me enough to tell me. I’m not like the deputy or I suspect others in this town. What hold does he have?”

  Josh shoved his hands into his pockets, his gaze shifting toward Savage. “Not the way any of us wanted you to hear this but Toby, Savage and myself were just released from prison a few months ago. This town holds grudges, especially since Dylan was the arresting officer.”

  Prison. This she hadn’t expected. “Okay. What were you in prison for?” She realized she was holding her breath.

  Wincing, Josh took her by the arm, pulling her out of Savage’s line of sight. “We, um…”

  Seeing the pain on his face, the way he couldn’t look her in the eyes was disconcerting enough. The words he said were a crushing blow.

  “We killed a man.”

  Chapter 6

  “You’ve seen all the buildings and there were two planned extensions, but at this point, all construction is on hold.”

  Their tour guide was one of the oldest employees of Lone Wolf. He was thorough in what he pointed out, able to give a history of the ranch. Savage had known the man in his previous life, respectable and honest to a fault. John was also a damn good story teller.

  And Savage could give a shit.

  “Really beautiful,” Georgia said.

  There was no lilt in the girl’s voice, no inflection of joy. Savage knew Josh had spilled the secret, telling her all the gory details of their incarceration. No wonder she hadn’t been able to look him in the eye.

  “We’re heading up the mountain now, but the best way to see the entire ranch is by horseback. You do ride horses, don’t you?” John asked, tilting his head so he could see Georgia in the backseat.

  “Born to ride a horse,” Savage answered. He’d wanted to tell her that she looked far more comfortable in her tennis shoes and shorts than the ridiculous boots and jeans, but why bother at this point?

  “Not even a clue,” she whispered the answer.

  “Well, my guess is that Savage here can show you a thing or two. Seen him on a horse more than once. He’s a damn good rider. Granted, not quite like that rodeo star friend of yours. Shame his career was cut short,” John said under his breath as he pressed down on the accelerator, moving up the mountain. He continued to steal looks in the rearview mirror, studying Georgia.

  Savage didn’t need to glance in Georgia’s direction to know she was absorbing every word.

  “Say,” John’s eyes lit up. “I know you want to take some pictures, so there’s a perfect place. We’ll head back after that. I might even drop you off at the corral.”

  Was the man an instigator? Did everyone on the damn ranch know they’d sparred more than once? Savage glared out the open window, blinking as the wind stung his eyes. He was tired of being angry, of anticipating the worst in situations as well as people. Life was too short, or so his buddies continued to remind him. Still, the damn deputy would forever piss him off. And he obviously had his sights set on Georgia.

  Christ. He was jealous.

  “There are a few caves up in these mountains, beautiful lakes and rivers. There’s even a waterfall.” John laughed. “Not like in Niagara Falls, but nice additions to the property. There’s a lake close to the main function area. Very few people know it’s there. Private. Secluded. Beautiful.”

  “You don’t have to sell the place, John. We work here,” Savage muttered.

  “Well, there hasn’t been a lot of pride in the last few months within the ranks of the hired help. Shame too, because this place is a gem. The right person needs to take it over.” John coughed. “There I go again, speaking out of turn. Richard is fantastic, but at some point he’s going to need to retire.”

  Savage could sense there was a hidden meaning.

  Georgia clung to the back of the seat. “I heard the ranch isn’t doing very well.”

  John shrugged, his hand gripping the steering wheel. “Richard is a damn good businessman, but he’s got a lot of opposition from certain citizens.”

  “Who want to turn Lone Wolf into a housing development,” Savage answered. He’d only been able to take about an hour to look at the computer files, but red flags were already raised. He’d need several additional hours before coming to any particular conclusions.

  “That’s right, son, and there’s more but that’s not my story to tell,” John stated as he rounded a curve. “We’re not very far up the mountain but I think you can get some beautiful shots from here. Just take your time.”

  “What about Shane? Isn’t he supposed to take over?” Georgia pushed.

  Hesitating, John’s lips were pinched. “I don’t think Shane has much interest in taking over and if he did, things would be a hell of a lot different, and not in a good way either. Just my opinion and I’ll ask you kindly not to repeat that. I care about my job. No one else is going to hire an old man such as myself.”

  His laugh seemed so bitter to Savage. What secrets were hiding underneath the sophisticated exterior?

  “Anyway, see what you can do with that camera, son. We need all the marketing help we can get.” John gave a half smile.

  Savage had no real interest in taking pictures, but he’d promised Richard. He grabbed the camera, one of the few things left from before going to prison. The old style Nikon had been with him for years, taking some of the best pictures. He even had a thought a hell of a long time ago about using his camera for a living. How things changed. As he eased out of the jeep, he glanced up at the top of the mountain, shielding his eyes.

  “This is a little like paradise,” Georgia said as she flanked his side.

  “There’s no such thing as paradise, sunshine. Trust me, I know.” He walked ahead of her, moving through a group of trees. When he came to the other side, he blinked several times. A babbling stream was in the background, the gurgling sounds as water rushed over craggy rocks peaceful. The trees had simply parted, making way for a field of green and gold, rose and heather, pristine in every manner.

  “Oh my God. This is incredible.” Georgia moved past him, her arms out as she walked into a field of wild flowers. She turned in a circle, laughing as she stared up at the sky.

  He watched her for a few seconds before removing the lens cap. As he began to take pictures, keeping still as she danced among the flowers, the way he saw her through the lens was entirely different than the woman she tried to portray.

  She was free, floating on air, laughing as she twisted and turned. Picture after picture, he captured her beauty, her essence and the backdrop couldn’t have been more perfect.

  Georgia cradled her arms as she stopped, her gaze still locked on the mountains. “When I was a little girl, my father took me an
d my mother into the mountains of West Virginia camping. I hated it. I wanted to go to Disneyworld, but my parents couldn’t afford a trip so grandiose. We were there for a solid week, my father insisting that I explore. I learned to hike and climb rocks, I swam in this crystal-clear river almost every day and when my parents told me it was time to leave, I pitched a fit. I didn’t want to go. I’ll never forget that trip.”

  “Sounds amazing.” Savage walked toward the stream, capturing picture after picture, but all he wanted to do was photograph the stunning woman standing in cut offs and tennis shoes.

  “Amazing is the word. I feel more at home out in the open than in a classroom.”

  He heard the glitch in her voice, noticed the way she pressed one hand over her mouth, as if she’d told a secret on herself. “You’re a teacher?”

  She darted a look in his direction, laughing. “Sixth grade. I love what I do but there’s no real freedom any longer in teaching. The joy has been stripped away given all the mass shootings, the parents who fear for their child’s safety. And the kids aren’t what they used to be. They’re angry, some even violent. I don’t like what I’m doing any longer and I really hate saying that. All I ever wanted to do was teach.”

  “Hence the temper tantrums?” The words flew out of his mouth before he could stop them. Cringing, he wasn’t certain he wanted to see her reaction.

  A blush crept up from her neck, the flush of pink rising to her cheeks. She bit her lower lip and gave him a fleeting glance. “Maybe so.”

  An awkward silence settled in.

  “All I ever wanted to do was be a veterinarian.” The words came out so easily, unexpected given the circumstances.

  “You know what? My guess is that you would have been amazing as a veterinarian. Granted, someone is going to have to strip away all that rough and tumble exterior.” She gave him a respectful nod, but her nose wrinkled.

  Savage fiddled with the camera. “You obviously know I have my reasons. We don’t always get in life what we want, no matter how hard we try.” The sentiment was merely the truth and one he had to face. No more pipe dreams. He didn’t want her to stare at him, especially with pity in her eyes. Turning away, he took a few landscape shots. Hiding. That’s all you know how to do.