Wild Ride: BBW Western Romance (Under Open Skies Saga Book 2) (10 page)

“
I pay attention
.”
Wyatt smiled and leaned in towards her.

“
What else do you pay attention to
?
”

She should
n’
t have asked that question and she regretted it from the moment it left her lips.

“
You mean the way yo
u’
ve been looking at me all night? Or the way your little black dress hugs your curves just right? If you were
n’
t otherwise spoken for, I would ask you to go dancing
.
”

She blushed, it was
n’
t what she meant, but she could
n’
t deny it.

“
I do
n’
t know what you mean by being
spoken for
?
”

“
Daniels
.”
He gave her a dark glance as he threw his napkin up on the plate he finished.

She swallowed. She told him that she was his, but had she meant permanently? Or in the moment.

“I’
m not owned by anyone. Anything more than that is personal, Wyatt.
I’
m not going to discuss it. Besides, we trust each other
.
”

At least that was all she was going to admit to. Even to herself.

“
Are you sure about that? Because he has been eying you all night from the bar
.”
Wyatt pointed over her shoulder in the direction of the bar. She turned and sure enough, he was there, nursing a beer. Narrowing her eyes, she turned back to face Wyatt.

“
I make my own decisions
.”
Her smile was dangerous as she leaned in closer to him.

“I’
m getting that about you
.”
He matched her smile, his hand reaching up and threading through her hair
.“
Wanna get out of here
?
”

She had to make a choice. If she went home with him it would be the end of Hunter, she knew it.

“
She is
n’
t going anywhere with you
.”
Hunte
r’
s voice was hard and strong. He was just behind her.

“
Why do
n’
t you let the lady answer for herself
.”
Wyatt rose to meet Hunter. They were ready to fight, like two bucks during rutting season. Whatever friendship these two had evaporated in that moment.

“
Enough. I can certainly speak for myself, thank you, Wyatt. I will have to provide you with a rain check for a night when I feel more like dancing
.
”

Wyatt gave her a curt nod and then looked directly at Hunter but addressed her
,“
I will be sure to take you up on that. Now if you do
n’
t mind,
I’
m going to be on my way for the night
.
”

He grabbed his cowboy hat and put it on his head. Reaching up with his thumb and forefinger, he pulled it down over his face. He walked passed them both, taking the time to reach out and give her hand a squeeze before he continued on, through the door.

Once he was gone Kat scooped up her purse and coat and hurried out the door, ignoring Hunter, refusing to even look at him. H
e’
d done enough.

She burst through the door, her heels hitting the gravel in the parking lot with a crunch. Her heels sunk, causing her to brace just a little. Continuing on, she refused to look behind her to see if he was following along.

When she finally reached her car she heaved a sigh and threw open her car door, throwing her purse in the passenge
r’
s side.

“
Kat
,”
She turned as soon as she heard his voice.

“
What do you want, Hunter
?”
She was tired and she just wanted to go home and get into a bath. Besides, he was not on her list of favorite people at the moment.

“
I think you know what I want
.”
Hunter stood only inches from her, his jaw clenched hard as he stared at her.

“
You mean other than humiliating me in a restaurant filled with people while
I’
m trying to create relationships you told me to go after
?”
She put her hand on her hip, a challenge in her eyes.

“
Dammit, Kat. I asked you to talk to them, not flirt with them
.”
Hunter spat the words.

“I’
m not, I was
n’
t flirting with them. Wyatt was being kind. That is all
.
”

“
Bullshit
.
”

He called it, and he was right. She braced herself but she did
n’
t know if she could handle what was coming next.

“
I want you for myself.
I’
ve been living in a fantasy, thinking you would just see how much I want you. So
I’
m telling you
,”
He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into him
.“
I want you. Not just in my bed. In my life
.
”

She failed to brace herself for his kiss. When his lips touched hers she melted against him, leaning into him like nothing had ever happened between them. His touch, it felt exactly like what she needed in that very moment.

“
Why
?”
She breathed once she finally came back to reality and pushed him away from her.

“
Because you are smart, you have great instincts, you care. It is
n’
t all that easy a combination to find. I wo
n’
t give up
.”
Hunter threaded his fingers through her hair, tugging lightly on a strand before it fell away.

“
Come home with me
.
”

She wanted him, and she wanted him now. He was right, a man like Wyatt was
n’
t what she wanted, Hunter was. Every last drop of him.

“
Not until you tell me that yo
u’
re mine
.”
He tugged her tighter to him, her soft flesh pressing against his hardened muscles.

She knew she had to make a decision.

“
It does
n’
t change the fact that I am irritated with you
.
”

“
Just say it
.
”

“
I a
m…
yours
.
”

Kat released her grip on Hunter and backed away, sliding through the car doorway and into the drive
r’
s seat.

“
If you want me, get in the passenge
r’
s seat. I
t’
s my turn to take you for a ride
.”
She tapped her left foot and waited.

Hunter walked around the car, slid into the passenge
r’
s seat
,“
Show me what yo
u’
ve got
.
”

She took off down the road. It faded from an urban route to a country road quickly, buildings giving way to fields. Red lights gave way to pastures empty from harvest, and livestock still milling about.

Kat had never had a lover in her home before. It was personal. A private retreat that she only shared with select family and friends. But if she was going to make a decision to let him in, she had to let him completely into her life.

They followed a twisted and winding road for miles until she turned off onto a smaller, unpaved road. It led them out to a background littered with trees and fields in the mid stages of turning over for the winter. Muted autumn colors greeted them as twilight fell and the night sky came into view.

After a little while, they came upon a small home. Her home. It was
n’
t much, just a small, whitewashed cottage, but it was hers. Never one to rely entirely on her paren
t’
s wealth, Kat had saved all the money she had earned and purchased it outright when it was obvious that she was going to have to move from the lake out here, towards the end.

“
You live all the way out here
?”
He asked as she pulled into the driveway and parked
.“
Do
n’
t you have some fancy mansion you inherited or something
?
”

“
I like my privacy
.”
It was the only answer she had to give him. The truth was she could
n’
t stand to be in that house. She did
n’
t grow up there, it was
n’
t hers. This little place, it felt more like home than anywhere she ever lived before.

“
I see
.
”

She slid out of the car and walked towards her home, not waiting for him to catch up. She wanted inside the house, especially now that the chill of fall was whipping through the trees. His long strides meant he caught up with her quickly, his tall frame overwhelming her as she fished her keys out of her purse and fumbled with the lock.

A quick key turn and a moment later she was in her own home. Without thinking of her guest, she removed her shoes by their heel and sighed as her bare feet hit the carpet. She had decorated the home in a shabby chic style and nothing was particularly fancy. No one would ever guess, from looking around, that she was the daughter of a millionaire.  Used furniture that had been repainted to match her taste was scattered throughout the home and a simple couch completed the living room.

Thankful for the reprieve from her heels, she padded through her living room towards the kitchen.

“
Feel free to make yourself at home. Wine
?”
She asked from the kitchen as she dug into the refrigerator, reaching for a bottle of sweet white wine she had been saving for an emergency. This definitely counted as one.

“
Beer if you have any
.
”

She grabbed a can of beer that was sitting in the door, poured herself a glass of wine and made her way back to the living room.

Hunter slouched on her couch, his strong, large frame just a bit too big to look natural on her sleek piece of furniture. She fought back a giggle as she handed him the beer. She was still mad at him, after all. She handed him his beer and slunk into the chair next to the couch.

“
So, how did it go? Were they receptive
?
”

“
Eh, I think so. Even the guff one
,”
she answered, taking a bigger sip than she probably should have.

“
Samue
l’
s just an asshole. He probably is tickled pink that you even thought enough to talk to him. Been complaini
n’
for months about his facilities
.”
Hunter explained as he took a sig from his can.

“
Why
?
”

“
I think he feels slighted just being in broncs, you know. Not as popular as bulls, not as much money in it
.
”

“
How slighted
?”
she asked, her mind churning.

“
I dunno, pretty slighted. Complains about it a lot when he is drunk. His wife is thinki
n’
about leaving him. He was put under probation by your dad for his work ethic
,”
he shrugged his shoulders and reached over towards her, grabbing a bit of her hair and twirling it between his fingers.

“
You get drunk with him
?
”

“
Yeah, we get into a scuffle now and again, but he likes a man who fights instead of talks. Makes him respect me more. I get along well with all of the facility managers, Kat. Well almost all
.”
He was obviously referring to Wyatt, but she could
n’
t concentrate on that now. Wheels were turning in her mind.

“
How much influence do they have over pay
?”
He had motive.