Page 20 of Live, Ranch, Love

Honestly, kill me now.

“I need another drink,” I announce, scrambling out of the booth and dragging a still stunned Duke with me. The other boys are creasing with stifled laughter as we march away.

***

“Game got a bit intense for you, huh?” Aurora slides next to me, leaning forward on the bar, where I’ve been taking a breather for the last couple of minutes and grabbing another beer. I’m going to need more alcohol if I’m going to make it through any more rounds.

“Sorry if the vibrator thing made you uncomfortable.” Innocence paints her face—all wide-eyed and sweet smiling—but I can see the smirk trying to escape through. “I’m sure you’ve got plenty more never have I evers stored up to take the piss out of me with.”

“Hundreds. But it’s cool,” I admit, turning around to relax back against the bar and people watch. “It’s Sawyer I should blame anyway, he’s the one who suggested the game knowing Cherry was there. Something was bound to come up.”

Aurora orders another cherry cocktail from Duke, watching with sheer fascination as he shakes and pours. Once she’s supplied, she twists round and takes a long sip.

I’m just about to suggest we head back to the booth when she hits me with, “Never have I ever chopped wood shirtless.”

Okay, she’s getting me back now, I get it.

What’s wrong with chopping wood shirtless anyway? It’s basically summer, and I didn’t want to get my shirt covered in sweat and wood chippings. It was never a problem before she turned up.

“It was hot,” I reply, narrowing my eyes at her as I drink from my beer. Her brows are raised smugly as she watches, stirring her drink with its swizzle stick, looking very conniving.

And I’m not one to turn down a competition.

Getting one over on her will definitely make my night.

I shuffle around so I’m properly facing her, having to tilt my head down. “Never have I ever… not ridden a horse.”

“That’s an awful one.” Aurora’s nose crinkles. But I just shrug and point at her drink, pressing my lips together as I watch her down a third of it. An unnecessary amount but it seems like she definitely needed a drink tonight.

“Never have I ever worn a cowboy hat.” Aurora nudges my bottle up to my lips, not letting her fingers off the beer until I’ve taken a few gulps. I’m not sure how this will ever end, all I know is that I want to win. Even if it does mean getting too drunk.

I settle my beer on the bar. “Never have I ever created an Instagram business just so I can show off how great my ass looks in my tight little gym outfits.”

Tipping her head back with silent laughter, Aurora closes her eyes. When they shoot open, her face melts into a far too menacing expression. She takes a step towards me, drink close to her strawberry lips as she bats her lashes.

“You think I have a great ass?”

Damnit, I just lost.

nine

Wyatt

“You really didn’t have to walk me all the way to my front door, you know? I haven’t had that much to drink,” Aurora says as she fumbles in her bag for her keys. Her voice is a little raspy from talking all night. And the whole car journey home with Cherry, who just left after dropping us off.

I have a key to the main house attached to my own set of keys that Grace gave me when she got ill, but I don’t tell Aurora that in case it seems a bit creepy. I’ve already outwardly called her hot and said she had a great ass, neither of which she probably wanted to hear from me.

Instead, I try not to lose my patience as Aurora continues searching through her bag and lean against the wall. “Don’t go thinking I’m a gentleman now. It’s not exactly a trek back to mine, is it?”

Aurora flashes me a look that’s half scowl, half smile, amusement dancing in her eyes.

“Gotcha!” she shouts, yanking the keys out of her bag, turning to smile at me like she’s expecting a gold star for such an achievement.

I raise a brow at her. “Besides, I’m actually here to make sure you don’t start playing The Fray all night while sobbing again. I’d like to get a few hours of sleep at least.”

Aurora groans and leans her head against the door. “I was kind of hoping you’d forgotten about that.”

She stays silent as she rests there, save for her soft breath, and I’m worried she’s going to start crying again.

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