Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(111)

“Understood.” He smirked. “Come on. You can ride with me.”


“Wouldn’t it be better if I drove? So if it gets too uncomfortable I can leave?”


“Why do you think I wanna give you a ride? That’ll give me an excuse to leave too.”


Ainsley convinced him to stop and pick up flowers for his mother, so they were late.


As he sensed the questioning looks from his family members, Ben realized it’d been

f*cking idiotic, lying to Ainsley, telling her that he didn’t want to show up at his

folk’s place, acting like she was his girlfriend. He wanted to hold her hand and lead

her through the maze of relatives, introducing her as his. He wanted to sneak a kiss

from her in the food line. He wanted…so much more than she did, apparently, because

his question about her going just as his friend had been a test of sorts, but he wasn’

t sure which one of them had failed it.


He watched as she made the rounds with his family, so beautiful and confident and real.

For the first time he allowed himself to wonder what would happen when the month was

up. Would Ainsley be interested in seeing more of him? And if so, did she want him as

Bennett, the man who took great pleasure in awakening her darker sexual needs? Or would

she want Ben, the rancher? Maybe she’d want neither and she’d just walk away. That

made him want to punch something.


Ben stared out the dining room window to the darkness beyond, mentally planning his

weekly to-do list instead of obsessively watching Ainsley. A hand clapped him on the

back and he stiffened. He hated Steve Talbot’s fake show of camaraderie.


“Ben. Good to see you.”


“Talbot. Thanks for comin’.”


“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Steve tossed a glance over his shoulder. “But I

’ll admit I’m surprised you brought my competitor to a family event.”


Ben couldn’t very well point out the fact Steve wasn’t family and he was here. “The

community event was Ainsley’s brain child, so she should be here. Besides, Chase

wouldn’t have had any local recognition if not for Ainsley’s efforts on behalf of

National West.”


“She is…determined to fit into the community right away, isn’t she? That might be

seen as trying too hard. Being too aggressive. Few folks around here like a pushy woman

like that.”


His brain urged him not to take the bait, but his mouth had already gulped the hook. “

That’s a damn sight better than not tryin’ at all.”


Steve’s laugh was forced. “I see the lovely Miss Hamilton has a champion in you, Ben.

”


“I just don’t find fault with supporting a hard worker—regardless of gender.” A

phrase that had never applied to Steve Talbot. With that, Ben walked away.


Hopefully his prickly behavior with Talbot wouldn’t bite him in the ass if he needed

to call on the man for a loan. Made Ben shudder to give that man more power and

leverage over him.


He snagged a soda and found a spot in the dining room where he could keep an eye on

Ainsley in case she needed rescuing.


Right. You just wanna watch her ass wiggle in that sexy tight skirt.