Page 33 of My Cowboy Valentine

I reset the building’s alarm, cameras clicking around me, and voices yelling questions and provocative statements. What a fucking nightmare. Turning around, I point towards the group of parasites who make their living off candid images of other people’s drama, promising, “If you follow me onto my property, I will shoot your ass for trespassing.” Their eyes round, and I smile with satisfaction.Welcome to small-town USA, dipshits.

Fighting my way through the small, persistent crowd of journalists screaming questions and shoving cameras in my face, I jump into my dually and drive away.What a fucking shit show.

Chapter Fifteen

ROWDY

Shelley’s bizarre story and even stranger actions swirl in my head as I gain distance from Jameson & Cash’s headquarters. My eyes flicker to my rearview mirror, frowning at the string of paparazzi pursuing in their ratty cars. They better not test me. Using my hands-free device, I call Ned, ordering him to change the locks ASAP and keep Shelley off the property until further notice.

Red was right about her, after all. I should have listened. I overestimated Shelley’s professionalism while ignoring countless red flags. I sure as hell can’t overlook that weird, forced kiss or the convenience of the paparazzi presence, though. Kind of like the PR stunts Red and I discussed the other day. What Shelley’s ultimate goal is remains anyone’s guess. But the sinking feeling my stomach tells me it’s not good.

I have to tell Red everything before this spirals out of control. I should’ve never agreed to meet with Shelley in the first place. But how could I deny a general employee-wide appeal to address recent changes? Especially knowing full well I am in the wrong when it comes to communicating with the team over recent events.

Instead of leading, I’ve been obsessing over the lovely, talented, mouthwatering Lesley Cash. That woman is my Lex Luther and kryptonite rolled into one. Fortunately, she’s a whole lot sexier and naughtier than your average arch enemy.

Guilt washes over me in thick waves. I hope Red won’t think less of me for this infraction. She takes her business deadly seriously, and I’m afraid I just proved my incompetence to her. But she has to give me another chance because she’s my fucking world now.

My scarlet-haired lover greets me in the kitchen, wearing one of my fluffy white robes, and holding a sturdy, white ceramic mug of black coffee. Her hair is damp from the shower, and she smells like my spicy body wash. My eyes glance at the ring on her finger, and I incinerate from pure joy. Everything about Lesley screams mine.All mine.

She smiles radiantly, a look I’ve seen ever since we traded hating for loving, and I know that despite everything that happened this morning, Red remains my solace and my haven, the one person I can trust and count on in this world.

“Well, you’re the most beautiful sight I’ve seen all day,” I croon, my voice getting emotional as I sweep around the kitchen island to pull her tightly against me for a kiss. My rod instantly firms, recognizing his mistress.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, picking up on the raw nuances in my voice.

“Something weird just happened.”

She slides her hands down over my ass cheeks, squeezing me tightly against her and stoking the fire burning inside me. “I saw your note, cowboy. Does it have anything to do with that something weird?”

I nod.

She looks up at me, and then her green eyes flicker to my white Stetson. “What’d you do to your hat? It’s all wet and dirty.”

“Sit down, Lesley.” I motion towards the stools lining the kitchen bar. “We need to have a serious business-related conversation. One that can’t wait.” I furrow my brows, leveling my gaze on hers.

Her face remains open, but she presses her lips tightly together, moving to one of the stools. I take the one next to her, turning to face her, and she does the same. Rubbing my hand over my chest, I tell her everything, feeling like the dumbest idiot in the world on the retelling.

Her red eyebrows shoot sky-high when I get to the part about the kiss and the paparazzi. By the end, she looks down, her face flushed, and her fingers clutched tightly in her lap.

Silence.

My heart pounds in my chest, and the air feels so thick I can’t breathe. I’d take Red’s fiery anger any day over this odd quiet. The calm before the storm…

Suddenly, she bursts into a torrent of tears, and I’m off my stool, wrapping my arms around her and whispering soothing words in her ear. But she fights me off, standing up and pacing back and forth along the divide between the kitchen and the living room, her face stormy and wet like a hurricane. She looks up, stopping in her tracks and opening her mouth, only to burst into more tears and return to frenetically pacing. I had no idea she’d be this mad.

“Now, Lesley, I know you’re pissed at me and all. But for as bad as this looks, I never meant any harm. I’m sorry if I didn’t act as a business partner should, but I’m also their employer, the one who hired them. So, I felt I owed them an explanation. I had no idea Shelley would be there alone. I see the fault in my careless decision now, and I’m sorry…”

“God, you’re only making this worse!” she exclaims roughly, wrenching her hands and looking like a woman livid with grief.

“What is it then?”

“Shelley was telling you the truth.”

I choke on the air that tries to enter my lungs, my head reeling at her words. “What?”

Red stands in front of me, her cheeks splattered with tears, breathing hard between sobs. “She heard me talking to Raphael Pharrell on the phone. My biggest investor and head of Red’s board. He’s like the devil, Rowdy, and he owns me.”

“Owns you?” I manage, my throat still raw and tight from coughing on my own spit.

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