Page 27 of Ride 'Em Hard
“Underwear too?” Buck looks petrified.
“Hell no, you idiot. No need to scare the animals. Now, start walking.” I gesture with the gun, directing them back down the road they came up. I love the fact that they haven’t even realized their phones are in their jeans.
“But we can’t leave without our car.” Cletus seems genuinely stupefied, and I believe he is. He wears that same confused expression ninety percent of the time.
“It isn’t your car. Now, get moving. I’m losing my patience.”
With a look of resignation, Buck nudges Cletus’s arm, and they start heading down the road. Keeping my gun pointed at their backs, I dig my phone out of my pocket and call Ryder. He says it’s no problem to pick up Lexi’s rental. He’ll call Shane, who’ll drive him to the Fiesta, and they’ll meet me back at my place.
The idiots are now out of sight, but I keep my gun pointed in their general direction and walk backward, keeping watch. When I get past my Rover, I call out, “Lexi,” searching the area where I last saw her. The only sound I hear is my heart hammering in my chest. Where the hell is she? She should be right here. “Lexi,” I shout a little louder. “You can come out now, it’s safe.” Leaves crackle off to my right.
“Chase, is that you?”
She sounds like angels singing in heaven. “It’s me, honeypot.” I move toward the sound of Lexi’s voice, just as I get a glimpse of that beautiful woman stepping out of the bushes and into the moonlight. The tug in my heart releases. I blow out a breath of relief and at the same time know that I never want to let her out of my sight again.
“I heard a gunshot,” she says breathlessly, wrapping her arms around my waist and pressing herself against me.
I cradle her shoulders with one arm, holding the gun in my other hand off to the side, as far away from her as I can. I groan into her sweet-smelling shoulder. “I can’t wait to hold you properly.”
Lexi pulls back, angling around to see what’s preventing me from hugging her. Her eyes grow wide. “My, what a big gun you have...” she sneers at the Smith & Wesson, and then apparently lets the sight of my massive best friend roll off her back. She grabs my free hand and we head back to the Rover. “I thought something might’ve happened. I’m just so fucking happy you’re okay.”
I peek down at her, taking in her relieved expression. “You have a very pretty smile. Anyone ever tell you that?”
She stops with a limp and tilts her beautiful face up at me.
“What?”
“Are you serious? You’re flirting with me now? After almost getting killed out there, taking care of yoursituation, or whatever the fuck was going on?”
“Ha!” I grab her hand, nudging her along. I’ll feel better when we’re back at my place.
We come to the passenger side of the Rover and I open the door. “The situation is over.” I explain. “And it wasn’t me who almost got killed.” I grin, waving the gun before stashing it in the glovebox. “C’mon, let’s get the hell out of here while the night’s still young.”
Chapter Thirteen
It took a while forthe adrenaline to seep out of my body. I’ve never been so scared in my life hiding in those bushes in the pitch black. But it wasn’t me I was worried about. The thought of losing Chase, or having something happen to him, shredded me out there. He’s mine now. There’s no doubt about it, I’m in love with him. He’s my protector, and I feel a bond with him I’ve never felt with anyone before. If anything had happened to him tonight, I’m sure I would’ve died on the spot.
