Page 21 of Buck ’Em Cowgirl

He shrugged, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Got other things to eat tonight,” he said with a wink, then shut the door behind me before I could respond.

I blinked, then banged on the door, glaring at him through the window. “Asshole,” I muttered.

As I settled into the seat, I caught his grin out of the corner of my eye, and a tiny part of me couldn’t help the slight tug of a smile. He was trouble—obnoxious and cocky. The perfect distraction that I needed for a night of forgetting.

He slid into the driver’s seat, and we turned out of the lot toward a row of hotels on the other side of the arena.

“Where are we going?”

“Well,” Beau said as he kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, “If I take you too far from my hotel, I’m betting you’ll bolt. I’ve spent enough time today chasing down bulls—I’m not about to spend my night chasing you.”

I snorted, crossing my arms. “So, what? The hotel bar?”

“Exactly,” he said, shooting me a quick grin. “Close enough to keep you in check, and I won’t have to waste energy hauling you back when you decide to try out what I got you for dessert.”

“Wow,” I said flatly, shaking my head. “You sure know how to make a girl feel special.”

We pulled into the lot, and he shoved the truck in park. He turned toward me and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his deep brown eyes. When he leaned in closer, his scent hit me like a punch—musk, sweat, and a hint of warm amber that clung to him like a second skin. It made my pulse race. I swallowed hard, but the heat between us was already impossibly thick.

“Wanna feel special, Cowgirl? Let me get on my knees and use my mouth until you can’t stand, until all you know is me. I’ll make you forget your own damn name.”

“Ew,” I spat and turned my head away from him, shaking out of his grip.

But it wasn’t gross—not in the way I was used to gross. It didn’t feel dirty. Mike never talked to me like that. There were never any words, no heat, no anticipation—just get in there and get it done.

This was different.

I liked this.

No, I wanted this. Every part of me was roaring to life, waking up in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. The usual anxieties that clung to me, of being unclean, were shoved somewhere far back in my mind.

Beau laughed and climbed out, slamming his door shut before rounding the truck. I watched him carefully, suspicion flickering in the back of my mind. I didn’t know him. Yet, somehow, I felt comfortable around him.

The way he carried himself reminded me of the way he’d looked earlier, climbing onto that bull. Fearless. Untouchable. Like nothing in the world could shake him. I wanted that. I wanted to feel that kind of freedom, even if for just a little while.

Before I knew it, he was opening my car door and holding out his hand.

“I can get down myself,” I grumbled.

He shook his hand as he continued to hold it out. “Will you stop being so stubborn and let me help you?”

I watched him, hand raised as he waited for me. Mike would’ve walked away by this point. He’d have been so sick of my antics, but Beau was waiting for me.

“Come on, Cowgirl. One drink.”

I nodded and reached toward his hand. One corner of his mouth kicked up, and he pulled me across the parking lot, eager to get us out of the cold.

“Why the fuck would you ever pick a place like this to live?”

I laughed, but he never let go of my hand.

When we reached the door, he finally let go, long enough to pull it open and nod me inside. “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a bar. It’ll do.”

I stepped past him, the warmth of the place hitting me immediately. “I don’t care,” I said, and I meant it.

The hotel bar was small but sleek, tucked into a quiet corner off the lobby. Polished wood gleamed under soft, ambient lighting, and the faint hum of music played in the background. The crowd was sparse—just a few travelers scattered at the far end of the bar, sipping drinks and murmuring in low voices.

We slid onto two stools near the end of the bar, away from the others. Beau leaned back comfortably, like he’d been here before, and gestured for the bartender with a nod. He ordered a beer, then turned to me.