The exact type of women we are currently being surrounded by. It hadn’t taken long for us to be noticed. Women of all types, most of them with their tits bursting out of their tops and too-tight jeans or too-short skirts, start surrounding us.
Buckle Bunnies.
The whole reason I hadn’t wanted to come to this place, or out to the bar at all, was these women who all press up to you, promising you a night offun, which, to be fair, could be pretty fucking fun. But that wasn’t what they were really after. It was a stereotype for sure, but this type of woman was looking to hitch their wagon to a prize-winning cowboy.
Shit.Now I was speaking incowboy.Or at least thinking it.
“I need a drink.” I take off through the crowd before Rex can respond, but I know he’ll be right behind me.
The bartender recognizes us right away and slides two bottles of beer across the bar top with a congratulations, before a roundof tequila shots shows up. That’s the thing about a cowboy bar in Vegas during the big rodeo, I guess.
I’m not complaining.
“Damn.” Rex lifts his bottle in a toast as we spin around to take in the bar and the dance floor that’s packed with bodies gyrating in time to the thumping bass. “Take your pick, champ.”
I clink my bottle with his before taking a deep slug. “Not interested.”
Rex almost chokes on his beer. “You’re what?”
“Not interested,” I repeat. “Not in this.” I wave my hand to encompass the debauchery that, up until very recently, was exactly what I was interested in.
The reality is that a hot one-night stand no longer holds the same appeal as it used to. More and more, I’ve been letting myself think about what it might be like to find someone and settle down, just like my buddies Cash and Wyatt, Rex’s older brothers, have. What they both share with their wives is special. It was never something I thought I wanted, but…
“I don’t know what that’s all about,” Rex says, shaking his head. “But I’m definitely interested. The only thing better than winning a buckle is beingrewardedby a sexy woman for that win.” He grins, and I laugh because I know he’s going to get exactly what he wants. “Check it out.”
I follow where he’s pointing across the dance floor to a group of women that’s obviously part of a bachelorette party. “Nothing quite like a group of horny women all hopped up on endorphins from celebrating love. Let’s go.”
“Told you.” I shake my head. “Not interested.”
Rex gives me a look. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for the wholelove is realbullshit my brothers have.”
I don’t need to tell him that’s exactly what’s happened. If I hadn’t seen it firsthand with Rex’s brothers, I wouldn’t believeit myself, but my buddies have never been happier. And for the first time in my life, I can’t help but wonder if I’m missing out.
I don’t know if I am or not, but what I do know for sure is that none of the women in this bar are what I’m looking for.
But then I seeher.The curvy, petitefillyfrom earlier. She’s standing on the fringes of the bachelorette group. She looks like she’d rather be anywhere else.
Maybe I will go and say hi.
I tilt my beer to my lips, right as a man in a rhinestone-studded tuxedo steps out on stage, grabbing the attention of everyone in the bar. “It’s time!” he all but yells into the microphone. “Who’s ready to meet the lucky bride and groom?”
“Can you believe this bullshit?” Rex says. “Who in the hell would be stupid enough to get married in a bar in front of a bunch of strangers?”
“Meet our bride,” the announcer’s voice interrupts us. “Maisey.”
Chapter Two
Maisey
The noise of the bar fades away as my name seems to echo through the room.
Maisey.
For half a second, I don’t move. I can’t. My brain refuses to catch up to what I just heard. I look around in confusion. Maybe there’s another Maisey who signed up to get married on stage in the middle of a Las Vegas bar surrounded by strangers, because it sure as hell hadn’t been me.
My stomach drops when I see Patty and her friends watching me.
And laughing.
