Page 7 of Saddle and Bound

Val: Welcome to the club, Rosie! Ready for the craziest night of your life? ??

Aurora: We can't wait to get to know you better! ??

Rosie: Thank you! What do you have in mind?

Lexy: A bit of wine, lots of gossip, and tons of laughter. ??

Val: And maybe even some embarrassing secrets to share. ??

Aurora: Like, who has a crush on who and who has the worst taste in men. ??

Rosie: Sounds interesting! I definitely need a distraction.

I’m still fuming over Alex’s announcement about my red panties. Every time I replay the scene in my mind, with that smug, mischievous grin of his, my face heats up—half with embarrassment, half with rage. I can’t believe I actually wasted more than a passing thought on how sexy he looked. It must have been exhaustion because now all I find him is utterly infuriating!

?

I solemnly swear I will not think about Alex fucking cowboy in the shower again.

I solemnly swear I will not think about Alex fucking cowboy in the shower again.

I solemnly swear I will not think about Alex fucking cowboy in the shower again.

Despite my mental rants… this is the mantra I’m muttering to myself barely ten minutes later.

And you know what?

I’m even angrier at that damn cowboy!

I'm getting ready for the evening with Vale, Lexy and Aurora. When I arrive, they are already comfortably seated with glasses of wine in hand, laughing and chatting.

Aurora, Chris’s younger sister, is his complete opposite: straight blonde hair, gray eyes, and the elegant, regal poise of a ballerina. She’s younger than us, but the age difference hardly shows… the girls seem to have formed a very close-knit group. She's sitting in a position that looks anything but comfortable. She's checking her phone, but as soon as she notices my entrance, she greets me with a smile.

"Rosie, finally!" exclaims Vale, getting up to greet me with a warm hug. "Come, sit down and relax. This evening is all for us."

Lexy hands me a glass of wine. "Welcome to our secret haven. Here we can talk about anything and anyone without censorship."

Aurora smiles conspiratorially. "And by 'anyone' we mean just about anyone. Even certain guys who work at the ranch and pull stupid pranks."

I laugh, finally relaxing a bit. "Thank you so much, girls. I really needed this evening."

Lexy raises her glass for a toast. "To Rosie, our new friend, and to girl nights without filters!"

We all clink our glasses and the atmosphere immediately becomes lighter.

"So," Vale begins with a sly smile, "Rosie, tell us a little about yourself. We're curious to know how you're settling in here."

I smile, trying to relax. "Well, it's been a big change coming here. I'm still a bit out of my element, but I'm getting used to it. And you're all helping me a lot."

Aurora nods enthusiastically. "And don't worry, it will just take a little time. Then it will all feel natural."

Lexy looks at me with a mischievous smile. "By the way, Rosie, how was your first close encounter with the 'prankster' side of the ranch?"

I sigh, laughing a bit. "Oh, you mean the red underwear prank? It really caught me off guard."

Vale shakes her head, laughing. "Alex has always been a bit of a prankster, but don't worry, we'll get our revenge."

Aurora nods with a knowing smile. “Exactly. We’ve got a long list of little pranks in the works, and we can definitely add this one to it. But I have to admit, Alex doesn’t usually act like this with strangers.” She glances at Val, who raises an eyebrow, then adds, “With us, he’s playful and relaxed… but he’s my adoptive brother. I know him well, and he takes time to open up to new people.” She shoots me a pointed look, her smile almost too knowing. “I’d say you’ve gotten under his skin.”

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