Page 12 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

The air was so clear up there.

Bracingly cool. Cold, even, compared to the warmth here.

I craved the chill in that air fuckingbadly, right now.

On the back of Veil’s saddle, riding at dusk on my property up north, there was nothing closer to feeling like a king.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, my chest tightening at the thought of my favorite Friesian mare. I’d rescued her three years back from a failed breeding operation out East. Right now, it was late afternoon, so Veil would be in her stall, probablylistening for wild turkey as they crossed the ridge outside the stables.

I clenched my jaw. Veil was safe and well cared for back in Montana. But I couldn’t fucking stand being away from my animals and my land.

And I will destroy every person who’s come between me and that land.

Every lost ride with Veil.

Every day spent down here in the heat, forced to flee my own world?

I’ll ruin their lives because of it.

No matter what bloodline they’re from.

Mr. Marsden coughed as another dust plume floated off from the exterior of the house.

He could have been anywhere between 80 and 200 years old, as far as I could tell, but he tried to move around like he was still 18. His denim was covered in dust now after the tour, where he’d been sure to kneel down and show me the exact places in the kitchen that needed the most repairs, and he’d even shimmied up into the attic for a minute to warn me about insulation.

“Your son was going to fix this place up?” I asked him.

He gave me a wry smile, his wrinkles rearranging in the afternoon sun. “Was going to. Until he ended up U-hauling down to Texas to marry his third wife.”

I hummed. “And now all of this could be mine.”

“Said you’re from Montana?” Mr. Marsden asked as he leaned over to pluck a few weeds by the foundation of the house.

“Born and raised,” I told him.

“What’s bringing you out to Bestens?”

I glanced at the gravel path that led to the dirt driveway. “Also for a girl.”

“Ahh, movin’ in together?”

Not exactly.

“This house will be just for me,” I said.

I set my jaw. I wasn’t going to explain that Lily and I weren’t together. Not in that way.

The more complicated answer was that Lily deserved some peace and quiet, and time away from me. I didn’t know if she’d ever truly loved me, but after she finally ended things with me right when we got to town, there were many reasons I knew shecertainlydidn’t love me now.

“If you want it,” he said, giving me a wide shrug. “In about a month it should be ready. Got to let the wife come by and take what she wants off the walls, do a walkthrough or two. But it’s about ready.”

I frowned at him from under the brim of my hat. “I’m going to need it much sooner than that.”

Mr. Marsden waved off a fly. “Like I said. The Missus?—”

“I’ll be paying cash. We can close on a deal tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Sir?—”

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