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.
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
