Page 23 of Saddle and Bound

My phone vibrates insistently on the nightstand. I grab it, sighing when I see it's the 'Cowboy Stallions ????' WhatsApp group of the guys.

Chris: Hey cowboy, how's your princess after the midnight swim? ????

Diego: I bet you kept her "warm" all night, huh? ????

Fran: Guys, don't make him blush! Our tough Alex has a soft heart after all!

Me: Go to hell, idiots. Nothing happened.

Chris: Sure, and I'm the king of England. We saw you, champ. Diego: Speaking of longing looks... Fran, tell us about how you were drooling over Aurora last night.

Fran: Fuck off, Diego. Don't talk bullshit.

Chris: Hey, that's my sister you're talking about. Watch where you put your eyes, Fran.

Fran: Relax, Chris. I didn't do anything wrong.

Me: You're a bunch of teenagers. Get back to work, idiots.

Diego: Yes, boss. Can't wait to see how you "work" with the princess today ??

I toss the phone on the bed, running a hand through my hair. The guys can be real assholes sometimes, but they're right about one thing: I can't get Rosie out of my head.

I get up and move to the window, looking out at the ranch fields. The sun is just rising, painting the sky pink and gold. Usually, this view fills me with peace, but today I feel restless.

Rosie.

Her name evokes a storm of conflicting emotions within me. That night swim, the dance under the stars... I can't stop thinking about it. The way her body fit perfectly against mine, her scent, her smile...

What you were about to do...

But then I stop myself. What am I doing?

I barely know her. I don't even know if she's single, for heaven's sake!

And even if she were, what would change? She belongs to a completely different world from mine.

I realize that, despite the time we've spent together, I know practically nothing about her. About her life in Los Angeles, her dreams, her fears.

Is she really happy there? Sometimes she seems so tense, so out of place here at the ranch. But then there are moments when I see her relax, when I see a glimmer in her eyes that makes me think that...

I have to stop this, damn it!

I don't even know what kind of life she leads in Los Angeles.

Is she one of those city girls who spend their time in expensive restaurants and exclusive clubs?

And then there's the most important issue: she'll go back to Los Angeles. This isn't her life, it's not her world.

And me? I'm tied to this ranch, to this land. It's all I've ever known, all I've ever wanted.

I sigh, resting my forehead against the cold window glass. Why am I tormenting myself like this? Rosie is just a temporary complication in my life. Soon she'll be gone, and everything will go back to normal.

Yet, as I prepare to face another day at the ranch, I can't help but feel a twinge of... something. Regret? Desire? I don't know.

What I do know is that I need to focus on my work, on my duties. I can't afford distractions, especially not in the form of a city princess with eyes that seem to hide a thousand secrets.

As I leave my room, I vow to keep my distance. To treat her like I would any other guest at the ranch.

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