Wrangling the Cowboy Read online

  How could I forget?

  Still doesn’t mean I want to admit it.

  Denial, denial, denial.

  That’s my motto.

  It wouldn’t be that hard if he’d just stay out of my way, but he shows up at the B&B every damn day looking like a Southern temptation. If I don’t push him away with my attitude, I’ll end up right back in his bed.

  And that cannot happen.

  The last time I let a smooth-talking cowboy sweep me off my feet, I paid the price. Seeing him every day afterward was hell, and I won’t allow it to happen again.

  But tonight, I’m going to let loose and drink away my thoughts of Gavin Fox. It’s no wonder they called him “The Fox” when he was bull riding. Not only was he talented, but he had the looks to back it up too.

  The worst combination.

  My phone dings with a text, and I see it’s my sister.

  Kenzie: You coming soon? It’s starting to fill up!

  Kenzie and Ethan are bartending tonight, so Elle and Rowan are supposed to meet me there to drink and hang out.

  Maize: Be there in 30.

  I finish getting ready, leaving my hair down in beachy waves, then put on some red lipstick. It’s a contrast from my everyday look, which consists of a ponytail and mascara. It’ll be nice to dress up and hang out with the gang.

  Before I leave, I find my mom in the kitchen and wrap my arms around her. “Happy New Year, Ma.”

  She pats my hands before spinning around with a smile. “You headin’ out?”

  “Yep. Gonna keep Kenzie company.”

  She snickers. “I doubt she’ll need it at the bar.”

  “True.” I laugh. “Dad at the B&B?”

  “He should be home at any moment. I told him the house would be empty tonight, so he better hurry. And hopefully, he’ll bring wine.”

  I exaggerate a gag. “Gross, Mom.”

  “What? You think just because we’re older, we don’t need alone time?” She quirks a brow. “We had to get creative when you girls were younger.”

  “Aaaaaand that’s my cue to leave.” I kiss her cheek, then grab my bag and hop in my truck.

  By the time I arrive at the bar, the parking lot is packed, and I have to park on the street. I enter and squeeze my way through a ton of people drinking and dancing.

  “Finally!” Kenzie scolds when I manage to find a seat. “Thought you were gonna bail on me.”

  “Are Rowan and Elle here yet?”

  “No, but they’re on their way. Hopefully, this crowd weeds out soon, though.”

  Ethan comes up and hands me a coaster. “They will. Most of them stop in and have a few drinks before they go to house parties.”

  “Start me off with a Jack and Diet,” I tell her.

  Moments later, Elle walks in, and I hug her. “I’m so happy you could make it.”

  “Only because Dr. Dickhead gave me off tomorrow.” She rolls her eyes like she’s surprised.

  “Which means you need to take full advantage and drink!”

  She orders a cocktail, then turns to me to catch up. “So, you gonna tell me more about this Gavin?”

  “There’s nothing to tell.”

  Kenzie snorts, then strolls to the other side to help a customer. After Kenzie embarrassed me at Thanksgiving, I told her to butt the hell out. She’s the only one who knows the whole story, and though Elle is aware of the one-night stand, I’ve kept the details to myself. I was with her and Rowan the morning after it happened. Elle begged us to help birth a calf, so I arrived hungover as hell and asked them if they knew anyone named Gavin. Since they didn’t, I had hoped he was just passing through, and I’d never have to see him again.

  My luck would have it otherwise.

  “When we were officially introduced at the ranch, I acted like I didn’t know him, and he’s been torturing me ever since,” I say quickly before sucking down half my drink.

  “But you do know him.”

  “Yes, but I don’t want him to know that! I want to pretend our night never happened, but he’s hell-bent on not letting me.”

  Elle laughs, sipping her own drink. “Well, it sounds to me like Gavin wants round two.”

  I groan, shaking my head. “Not happening. I’m already embarrassed enough.”

  “Perhaps you’re just so memorable, he can’t get you out of his head.” She shrugs with a cocky grin. “I mean, you are a total babe.”

  “Well, he can find another babe because it’s not gonna be me,” I say matter-of-factly.

  Elle smiles and chews on her straw, looking behind me. “Speakin’ of the devil.”

  I quickly glance over my shoulder and see Gavin with Grayson, Diesel, and Rowan behind him.

  Fuck me.

  Of course they’d invite him. Dammit.

  “Hey!” Rowan rushes toward us and wraps her arms around us.

  Kenzie squeals and takes their drink orders.

  “Hey, Maize.” Gavin’s hoarse voice makes me shiver.

  “I see you’ve turned your obsession into stalking.”

  “Is it really stalking if this is the only pub in town?”

  I turn and see his flirty grin, which causes me to look away and motion for Kenzie to refill my glass.

  “Let me buy you a drink,” he says, taking the seat next to me.

  “That’s not necessary.” I inch away from him.

  “Maize, shut up and order the expensive shit.” Kenzie waggles her brows.

  “Round of shots?” Gavin asks, and I relax my shoulders. “For everyone,” he confirms.

  “Vodka,” I say. Gonna need it if he’s determined to bother me all night.

  Kenzie pours the liquor, and soon we’re three shots in. Diesel and Rowan are in their own little world as Grayson taunts Kenzie at the other end of the bar. Elle is playing pool with some guy, leaving me alone with Gavin.

  “Looks like you’re stuck with me.”

  “I’ve noticed.” I groan, taking a sip of my drink. At this point, I can’t taste the Jack or the Diet Coke.

  “C’mon, I’m not that bad. You should give me a chance like you did four months ago.”

  I nearly choke and hope he doesn’t notice, but by the sly grin on his face, I know he does.

  “You’re delusional.”

  “You keep sayin’ that, but I’m not buying it, Maize Bishop.”

  I roll my eyes, not giving in to this little game. Maybe if I keep drinking, I’ll be able to tune him out.

  “Hey, we’re all going to Wyatt’s for the ball drop,” Rowan tells me. “Wanna come?”

  “Y’all leavin’ now?”

  “Yeah, we’re gonna drink and eat snacks there,” she confirms.

  I look at Kenzie, then back at Rowan. “No, I’m gonna stay with my sister.” Though she’s a grown-ass woman and can take care of herself, I don’t want to leave her here without company on New Year's Eve.

  “Okay, babe. Text me if you change your mind.” She kisses my cheek, and I watch as all the guys and my cousins walk out the door.

  “You aren’t going with your friends?” I ask Gavin, shocked he didn’t even consider it.

  “You’re all the company I need.” He smirks before taking a drink and looking at me over the neck of his beer. It shouldn’t be sexy, but as I watch the way his throat tightens, I realize I must be drunker than I thought.

  “I’m not here to entertain you, so go to the party.” I wave my fingers toward the door. I can’t be trusted alone with him.

  “Who said I expected you to? You’re quite presumptuous.” He turns his body toward mine so our knees touch.

  “I’m presumptuous?” I balk. “I beg to differ considering I keep telling you to go away and you never do.”

  “I’m just sittin’ here,” he says calmly, motioning for Kenzie with his empty beer bottle. “You’re the one who keeps lookin’ at me like I’m your next meal.”

  I shake my head. “You’ve lost your mind.”

  “That’s not what you said the first ni
ght we met.”

  “Okay, now I know you’ve lost your damn mind.”

  “What can I get you lovebirds?” Kenzie asks casually, and if looks could kill, she’d be dead.

  “Maize and I are gonna shoot some Fireball.”

  “No, we are not,” I interject.

  “It’s no fun playing drinking games by myself,” Gavin says, giving me a sly grin. I want to slap it off his sexy face. “You only have to drink if you lose anyway, so what do ya say?”

  Kenzie waggles her brows when I glance at her. I sigh with a shrug, giving in. “Fine.”

  She lines up four glasses, then fills them full. “Have fun, you two.” Flashing a wink, she moves to the other side to help more customers.

  “Alright, Cowboy. What’s this game?”

  “Ever heard of two truths and a lie?” he asks.

  “Unfortunately, yes. You really wanna play this game with me, though? I’m pretty good at reading people,” I say matter-of-factly, but it’s the booze talking.

  “So you keep sayin’. And now I’m even more certain I do.” He chuckles, scooting my shot closer. “If you don’t guess the lie, you drink.”

  “And if I do, you drink.”

  “Let’s play. Ladies first.” He gestures toward me, and it takes me a minute to think.

  “Okay. When I was six years old, I fell off a four-wheeler and sprained my ankle. I’m left-handed. And…” I tap my lips, thinking of the final one. “I’ve never had a one-night stand.”

  The corner of his lips tilts up, and I wonder if he’s going to guess right or not.

  “Jesus, you’re playin’ dirty. Alright, well, then I’d have to say your lie is the last one.” The corner of his lip tilts up.

  “Wrong. I was eight, and it was a horse.” I glance down at his shot then back at him.

  Gavin shakes his head “Oh, I see you’re really doin’ me dirty. Two can play that game, darlin’.” Without arguing, he downs the shot.

  The alcohol is definitely buzzing through my body because I can’t take my eyes off him. His buff biceps, the way his veins pop in his arms, and how his eyes focus on me as if I’m the only one in the bar are hypnotizing.

  “Your turn.”

  “Okay, get ready to lose.” He flashes an arrogant smirk. “I rode my first bull when I was nine. I won my first championship when I was nineteen. I’ve never had a one-night stand, then left the morning after without as much as a goodbye.”

  I glare at him, knowing he purposely said that last one to see how I’d react. Well, too bad for him it won’t work.

  “Nine years old? Bullshit. More Fireball for you,” I tell him confidently.

  Gavin grins, placing it to his lips, but then sets it down in front of me. “Wrong, sweetheart.”

  “No way! Nine years old?”

  “Yep. Believe it.”

  Groaning, I swallow down the shot. If I’m not careful, I’ll drink too much and let my guard down, which cannot happen.

  “Well, we’re one and one. What’s the tiebreaker?” I ask, noticing two shots left.

  “How about I ask you a question, and if you tell me the truth, I take both of these.”

  “And if I lie?”

  “You kiss me at midnight.”

  I sit up straighter, keeping my eyes focused on his. Is he for real?

  “How will you know if I’m telling the truth?” I ask.

  “Because I already know the answer.”

  “I might be drunk, but I’m not stupid,” I tell him.

  “Never said you were, but you wanted a tiebreaker, and I gave you one.”

  “How about we each take one and call it even?” I grab one of the glasses and hold it up.

  “Why? Afraid you’ll actually have to be honest for once?” he challenges, and I can hear the hurt in his tone.

  Instead of answering, I down the whiskey, then slam the empty glass on the bar. “You don’t know me, Gavin.”

  He leans in close, causing heat to ripple through me. Then his mouth lowers to my ear. “I know enough to know you like your ass slapped.” Gavin licks his lips, then continues, “Hard.”

  I squeeze my eyes shut, and flashes of our night resurface. Every time he’s near, memories flicker through my mind, and as much as I’ve tried to ignore it, with him so close, it’s impossible.

  For a second, I want to give in to the desire and have a round two, but nothing good would come of it. He’s older, more experienced, and more likely to break my heart. It won’t end well.

  “Excuse me,” I say, pushing off my stool.

  I rush to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror. I’m completely red and flushed, and I’m pissed at how my body reacts to him. Our night together was the hottest sex I’ve ever had, but I’ll be damned if I give in to his good looks again.

  After I wash my hands and steady my breathing, I step into the hallway and gasp when I see Gavin leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

  “What are you doin’?” I stutter.

  “Making sure you weren’t running off on me again.”

  “Again?”

  Gavin moves toward me, closing the gap between us. “Yes, again. The morning after we had sex, you bailed on me. No note, no explanation, just up and left. And I want to know why.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about.” I hold my ground, not giving in. “Perhaps you have me confused with another girl you slept with.” I shrug, acting as if his accusations don’t faze me.

  “Trust me, I’d never forget you, Maize. We drank, I kicked your ass in a game of pool, and by the end of the night, I had you screaming my name in bed.”

  His words have a shiver running down my spine. Damn him.

  “So you wanna tell me why you keep denyin’ it?”

  “Because it didn’t happen.” I snort.

  “It’s almost midnight.”

  I nearly get whiplash with his topic change. Kenzie shouts that there are thirty seconds left.

  “Yeah?”

  “Since you’re so hell-bent on refusing we were together, then perhaps I should remind you what it was like.” Gavin flattens his palm on the wall next to me, and when his mouth moves closer to mine, my breath hitches. “Let me kiss you,” he whispers.

  “That’s not a good idea.”

  “Everyone should get kissed on New Year’s Eve. Even a frustrating, gorgeous woman like you.”

  “Maybe I want someone else to kiss me.” I shrug, mocking a smile. “You’re not really my type. No offense.”

  “You sure about that? I was your type the first time.”

  “Again, that never happened.”

  People chant the countdown, and we’re only seconds away.

  “Ten, night, eight…” he says. “The opportunity might not come around again, Maize.”

  Five, four, three, two…

  Without thinking, I fist my hands in his shirt and pull his face to mine. Our lips collide, and Gavin quickly catches on, reaching down and gripping my waist. As our bodies mold together, he slides his tongue inside my mouth. I taste cinnamon and inhale his musky scent as fireworks erupt between us. His hand cups my cheek, and he tilts my head back to deepen the kiss. Every nerve sparks with electricity as our mouths battle for more. We release moans as we devour one another, similar to the first time but more heated and desperate. Memories of how he touched me and satisfied my every need rush through me, and it’s then I know I’m losing my resolve.

  Slowly, I pull away and lick my lips. I blink, unable to look at him as we stand in the dimly lit hallway and try to catch our breaths.

  “This doesn’t mean anything’s changed between us,” I blurt out, finally glancing up at him.

  He slides his tongue along his bottom lip. “I beg to differ.”

  “After a bad experience, I don’t get involved with men who work on the ranch, so get whatever thought you have in that head of yours out because it’s not happening,” I say sternly, though by the smug look on his face, he’s not buying it. �
�We had one night. Let’s just end it at that.”

  “So that’s why you’ve been lying?”

  Inhaling a sharp breath, I finally nod. “Fine, yes. I froze the day you showed up at the bar and decided to bail instead. I never expected to see you again, especially not on my family’s ranch.”

  “Just to confirm, you do remember?”

  Nodding again, I admit it. “Yes, but like I said—”

  He dips his head and brings our mouths together again. Softly, our tongues tangle, and then all too soon, he backs away.

  “Nothing’s happening,” he finishes my sentence. “Got it.” He flashes me a mischievous wink.

  Hearing Gavin say those words is like a punch to the gut. Even though I’m the one who said them to him, knowing my secret is out in the open makes me feel more vulnerable than before.

  “It’s not you, Gavin. I mean, it is but not because I wasn’t attracted to you. You’re older than me, you work for my uncle, we both work long hours, and if shit hits the fan between us, we’d be stuck seeing each other all the time. Trust me when I say that isn’t a good time.”

  “Maybe if you’d give me a chance, it won’t end like your past relationship did.”

  “I can’t risk that. I’m sorry.” My heart couldn’t take it again.

  “Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” He bites his bottom lip. Damn those lips are gonna get me into trouble—more trouble. Considering we’ve already hooked up and now have kissed again, I’d say it’s already messing me up.

  “I’m sure you have no problem getting women. You had fun chasing me until I admitted I remembered you, but now that it’s all out in the open, you can stop this little cat and mouse game and go back to hooking up with belt buckle bunnies.”

  Amusement is written all over his too-perfect face. “You’re gonna be fun, aren’t ya?”

  “Excuse me?”