Page 4 of Roped By the Cowboy
“Stop getting stuck in your head about it. It is just one day. We owe them a good time here at the ranch. Nothing more, brother,” Dean tells me with a clap on my shoulder.
Sure, he can say that. Everyone loves him. Tours request him, trainers bring their horses to him, even out at the bar he is the one folks clamor to. Showing someone a good time is what he does. I am not that kind of guy.
Having no true friends before means I am not exactly the life of the party. I do love the ranch and I won’t back out now. I am just not sure how I can give someone a good time worthy of six grand. Who would want to spend time with me badly enough that they blow that kind of cash?
“Besides, it is for a good cause. Folks throw money at charities.”
“Guess I could ask everyone who went on the block last year what they expected from them.”
“Well, in my case and few others,” Cody tilts his head at me, tugging his hat down as he smirks. “It was orgasms, brother. Lots of orgasms.”
“Wait,” I panic a little as they exchange knowing looks. “This wasn’t…. I mean did I just become an escort on accident?”
“No, no, I am giving you shit, Jacob. Some of us got really lucky with our auctions. I got Heather because of that auction.”
“And I got my Wynnie,” Wylder chimes in, shoving the last bite of his burrito in his mouth.
We’re sitting in the kitchen after lunch. All of us are filthier, sweatier, and more exhausted than the last. We’ve had high winds for days and it’s caused a mess in the paddocks and riled up the horses. Snickerdoodle was not about to take our morning ride with me.
It is a hot day out and I’ve spent most of it straightening up the paddocks. It was a rush to get everything in order. The auction went live earlier this week. Heather told us it was a hit, better than last year. All the winners start showing up tonight to claim their day with a cowboy.
Dean and I meet our winners tonight. Like the bios we put up, they submitted some information. Names, professions, where they’re coming from, that sort of thing. If I am being honest, I am a bit nervous. Turns out the woman coming to spend time with me is a bit older than I am, a new divorcee with a little girl.
What could we even talk about? We have no common ground.
“Do not go in expecting to find what some of us found. It is a single day out of your life. Doesn’t have to be more. Just show her a good time.”
Nodding at Wylder, I reach for another burrito. Cody smacks my hand and takes it away, pushing the serving dish towards me. Still giving me the grunt work. Laughing, I take the last burrito on the tray, shoving it in my mouth before they can take it back. Growling when Dean reaches for it anyway, I gather up the lunch dishes and get to work.
Show her a good time, I think as I work on cleanup and my dishpan hands. Take her out on the trails for a ride once the horses calm down. Show her some of the cute animals. Let her rope something over in the paddock. It does not have to be more. I do not owe her anything more.
“Hell, they’re here,” Dean hoots as his chair scrapes across the wood floor loudly.
As a dish slips from my hands to crash at my feet, I curse. I am not ready. I wanted to get cleaned up before I met her. Dean took time to go to town for a fresh cut and he’s wearing his best Stetson. Sure, we don’t owe them anything he said--sure looks as if he wants to give them something.
“Calm down, Jacob,” Wylder tells me again, giving me a clap on my shoulder. Smirking, he reaches into the sink, grabs a handful of water, and throws it in my face, soaking me.
Cursing again, I turn to glare at him, but he is gone. Not that I could go toe-to-toe with that man. I might do some big boy talking but I am not a fighter. I try to think my way out of situations my mouth gets me into. I wish I could get myself out of this stupid situation now.
Throwing down the dish towel, I take a deep breath before I head outside. I hear the ruckus outside and know they’re here. Before I push through the creaking screen door, I consider saddling Snickerdoodle up and riding off to the Iron Hills until this is over. Stepping outside, I stop in my tracks when I see what is waiting for me.
For the second time, I consider riding off to hide in the hills. Because no way this woman bid on me on purpose. It was a mistake. One I am going to let her out of. There is no way that woman came all the way here to spend a single day with me.
Jillian. When they told me her name, I had a little laugh. I give Snickerdoodle a treat whenever she hits a training mark. Her favorite? Jellybeans. I promptly thought one thing reading her bio--Jilly Bean. It is a cute nickname, sure, maybe for horses. Not for this stunning filly.
Little thing is the sweetest, prettiest thing I have ever seen. All I can think of when I see her is picking her up and taking her on a ride. The minute it enters my head, I am biting back a groan. Because why did I get a flash of her ridingmewhen I was thinking about a ride on the trails?
“There he is,” Cody calls, waving me over. “Jillian, this is your grand prize…no, I am kidding. This is Jacob. At your disposal now, darlin’.”
Jillian flushes as she gazes up at me, her golden hair billowing in the warm breeze. In a blush pink dress, I am convinced she bought to play cowgirl in, she is a vision. Freckles dust her cheeks, and her nose, and her bright green eyes stare up at me with a softness I’ve never seen.
Need to welcome her to the ranch. Tell her I am going to give her the good time she paid a lot of pennies for. I can’t speak. I can’t even consider talking to her. What would I say? How could I get it right? I have never been good with women, not that I have tried to be before.
“Jacob will take you to bunkhouse four. It will be where you’ll stay tonight, Jillian,” Cody speaks up with a pointed laugh, giving me a shove.
Nodding, I reach down to take her bag. At the same time, she moves. Our heads clash, almost putting her on her ass. I lunge forward to catch her. Her luggage gets caught between us, sending me tumbling. Ido notcatch her. No, no, I crush her soft little body as I slam us on the ground.
“Oof,” her breath punches out of her. “Way to greet a lady, cowboy.”
