Espino, Stacey - Hogtying the Cowgirl [Ride 'em Hard 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (2 page)

Chapter Two

Clay settled his accounts with the registrar and went out back to prepare his trailer for the two new horses he’d acquired. A good riding gelding, and a stallion he had no business buying. It was an unprofessional buy on his part, but he’d been lured by the majesty of the beast, a symbol of nature’s power and beauty wrapped up into one. He should have stopped at three grand, but the little minx next to him kept outgunning him, spurring him to bid higher.

He’d seen the malice in those ocean-blue eyes, an untamed nature similar to the horse he was bidding on. Her honey-blonde hair was kept natural, falling heavily down her back. No need for makeup. He’d like to ride her as much as the stallion, but she was too young, too innocent for the likes of him.

Clay didn’t have time for women any more than he had for quiet reflection. Now he’d have to spend the extra time to green break the wild beast when his schedule was already taking over his life. Maybe it would do him good to take an hour or two off each day to spend with the horse, getting back to his roots, and skipping the office drama. He felt a flutter of excitement in his gut. Ever since his feed business had taken off, making him wealthy and in demand, he hadn’t been able to enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

After collecting the horses and loading them securely in his trailer, a familiar voice shattered the comforting silence. “Mr. Roberts, can I please have a word with you?”

“Angel Garner, I presume.” He turned around, and there she stood, her hands proudly perched on each rounded hip. The girl was too fit and curvy to be holy. “I thought I made it clear I wasn’t interested in your
services
.”

“What is it that you want, then? Every man wants something.” She peered to the side, trying to see the horses behind him. “You bought two? What’s so special about the stallion that you can’t sell him back to me?”

“Same reason he’s special to you, I suppose.” He bent low and hoisted up the tailgate, sliding and locking the chains into place. Her face seemed to pale as the lock clicked shut. “Now, why don’t you head back in before the auctions end and bid on another animal? There are plenty of fine specimens still available.”

“I don’t want another horse. I want
that
one.”

This filly was used to getting her own way. Spoiled little cowgirl if he ever saw one. They seemed a common occurrence in a town where sons outweighed daughters three to one. But he had no plans on humoring Ms. Garner. She could just go and find another horse because the black stallion was now the property of Clayton Roberts, Inc.

“Darlin’, the foundation of most cowboys’ lives is disappointment. It either destroys them or pushes them to be better men. I expect it’s the same for a cowgirl. If you’ve escaped this long without experiencing it, call this a favor.”

Her full, pretty lips morphed into a tight line, her eyes narrowing into a vicious scowl, arms crossed stubbornly under her breasts. “You’re a dirty, rotten horse thief!”

As much as he wanted to toss her over his shoulder and dump her in the nearest rain barrel, he kept his cool and boarded his truck. The air was increasing in humidity. The storm he’d seen coming would be here soon. His new ranch was just on the outskirts of town, and he wanted to settle the horses in their new barn before lightning struck and spooked them. He hadn’t had enough time to check the condition of all the perimeter fencing since moving into the old century home. Although the place needed a lot of TLC, it was close to town, where his new distribution center was being established. Little did the local farmers realize how much he’d be helping their economy by choosing their town over another as his center of operations.

He dropped the ramp of the trailer with an echoing boom when he’d arrived home. After securing his new riding horse, he eased his prize out, slow and steady. “That’s it,” he coaxed. “Welcome to your new home.”

As he led the stallion to the barn, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. That cute cowgirl had been desperate to buy the horse off him. But Clay didn’t get where he was in life by being weak and easy to walk over. When he wanted something, he worked hard and got it. Ms. Garner would have to learn that not everything came served on a silver platter. And, as he’d told her, disappointment was a natural part of life.

The distant rumble from the sky sent a chill up his spine. He settled the horse, closed the bay doors to the barn, and headed to the house. In the span of a few minutes the air went from warm and stale to gusty and cool. He’d start up a fire to stave off the chill and keep the living room in light in case the power failed.

The wall was lined with cardboard boxes. There was still so much to do since moving in the old house—unpacking, cleaning, and countless renovations. Then he had to sort things out at the office and warehouse in town, get to know the new employees, farmers, and distributors. He didn’t have time to stop and think, and the chaos had him feeling out of control.

He arranged some of the logs in the fireplace and set the kindling ablaze. The scent and sound of the soon crackling fire instantly soothed him, pulled him out of his reality, and forced him to revel in the days of his youth. It always amazed him how a scent could take him back in time, spark memories of people and places long past. During his youth, he only had the worry of hard work, sweating and straining under the sun. Now he had to delegate, strategize, and had numerous people relying on him for their livelihood. He craved a release from the stress, but his kind of escape would have to wait.

The young cowgirl had unwittingly started an avalanche of need within him. She unleashed his dormant dominant side with her sass and forked tongue. Just like the stallion, she’d be a challenge to break. He’d enjoy every step of her submission, savor the day she begged him to make her come. But it wasn’t meant to be. He had to uphold a solid reputation and leave his unsavory sexual appetite at the borderline of this small town.

Clay kicked off his boots and unbuttoned his flannel shirt. As he crashed down in his worn leather recliner by the fire, he stared at the dancing flames. The house was too big. Too quiet. His sister kept telling him it was time to think about settling down with a good woman. He was thirty-two and not getting any younger. It made sense, but a happily ever after rarely fell in any man’s lap. He had no time to nurture a relationship and had never met a woman he’d choose to spend the rest of his life with. Forever was a long time, and when he committed to anything, he never walked away.

* * * *

Angel dreaded returning to the house. Hours had passed, and there was no way her brothers wouldn’t notice the trailer missing. She pulled into the yard, carefully backing up to leave the trailer in the same place she’d left it. If she was lucky, they were so busy with the branding they hadn’t even realized she’d left.

A light peppering of rain blew in with the increasing wind. It wouldn’t be long now until the clouds let loose and drenched the land, trapping her indoors. She hated being cramped behind four walls, not able to leave or breathe. Angel liked to work with her hands, feel the sun warming her face, and see the barley fields all the way to the horizon.

She slipped in through the side screen door, hoping not to be noticed.

“Going somewhere?”

Angel’s heart began to pound more frantically. Matthew stood in the center of the room, his arms crossed over his broad chest. “What?”

“Didn’t we tell you you’re not allowed to take the trailer?”

“You’re not my daddy, Matthew. Get off my case.” She attempted to walk past him, using her usual false bravado to keep from getting in trouble.

He chuckled—a dark, unpleasant sound that gave her the chills. “If I remember correctly, our daddy was the one to make the rule. How many trucks have you scrapped in the last couple years?”

He barred her escape. She tried to duck under his arm, but he only secured her by the shoulders and held her in place. Why did her brothers have to be so damn strong? When they were used to fighting each other or the
Carsons
’ on the next ranch over, she had no hope of overpowering Matthew. “Let me go!”

“Chase isn’t here to rescue you, Angel. You can’t just do whatever the fuck you like and get away with it.”

“I asked you and Grant to drive me into town, but you wouldn’t. What else was I supposed to do?”

“For the love of God, you can’t always have your way, girl. We’ve been breaking our balls branding all day. We can’t just take a break to chauffeur you around whenever you holler.”

She growled, angry that he was being so difficult. The truck was back in one piece. All she wanted to do was run up to her room and feel sorry for herself. She’d just lost the one thing she desired in life and wasn’t in the mood for a lecture. That infuriating Roberts man had stolen her horse. “Well maybe I should just leave. Obviously I’m an unwanted part of this family.” She pouted, hoping to appeal to his emotions. No matter how angry he was, she was still his little sister.

“Angel…” He twisted her around, tucked her head under his shoulder, and ran his knuckles over her hair like he did when she was younger. “You best behave, or I’ll have to tell dad. Now run off and get cleaned up for supper.” She smiled to herself as she jogged up to the second level. If only Clay Roberts was as easy to mislead.

She closed her door and crashed on her bed. There had to be a way to get the stallion back. If she couldn’t, the years of saving and working all those shitty jobs was for nothing. Her friends were few and far between. With such overprotective brothers her social life suffered, and a boyfriend was a luxury she’d never known. Why would she want another man in her life when she couldn’t escape them as it was? All her neighbors were cowboys. Half the time she felt like one of the guys herself, so hooking up with one of the men she’d grown up with would just feel wrong. Besides, there wasn’t a man alive she’d ever feel safe enough with to love.

There was a knock on her door. “What?”

She turned as Grant entered her room. He flopped down on the bed beside her, bunching up one of her pillows under his head. “You talked with Matthew?”

“Unfortunately.”

“You deserved it.” He could have gone on and on but stopped. He closed his eyes, his breathing heavy. Her brothers were always exhausted during a branding. The long hours and strenuous labor took its toll on a man. She understood the value of hard work.

She stroked his hair and massaged his shoulders. The Lord knew she loved her family and those close to her. She’d do anything for them. She had, and she would again. But she wasn’t one to wear her emotion on her sleeve. The men she knew said she should have been born a man, and some days she agreed. Working with horse shit and engine grease didn’t make her feel very feminine. She was glad of it. The only thing good about being a woman was the ability to use her body as a sexual weapon. It was a small consolation for being the physically weaker sex.

Angel devised a spur of the moment plan. “Grant, have you seen Landon lately?” She’d been close to Landon growing up because he was an only child and spent most of his free time visiting her brothers. In fact, all the cowboys in the region were like extended family.

“He’s helping the
Carsons
with their branding.”

Landon’s parent’s owned the small, local feel shop in town, so he often took jobs as a hired hand, and helped friends for free. She said nothing more to her brother, not wanting to rouse his suspicions. He didn’t question her, already close to falling asleep.

She combed her hand through his hair until she was certain he wouldn’t wake up, and then she slipped from the mattress. After draping a light sheet over his body, she snuck out of the room and went downstairs for dinner.

Chapter Three

The
Carson
ranch came into view around the bend in the road. She hadn’t been back to their place since they moved their woman in. Apparently she’d been shunned because she’d told Samantha to back off. Angel had only been looking out for the
Carson
brothers, not realizing what they had with the woman was real love—however unorthodox. They couldn’t hate her forever, could they? Today she was only interested in finding Landon, not reliving old dramas.