Gone Country (Rough Riders #14)(97)

“You don’t want to meet the people they hang out with,” he snapped. “For Christsake, Tyler is twenty-three. He’s been in jail. The only people who are around him are his loser jailbird buddies and his sister’s high school friends who don’t have any other place to drink.”


“Then why are you here?” she demanded. “Are you one of his loser friends?”


“Fuck no. I showed up because I heard at school you were here last weekend.”


“Bull. I haven’t seen you in school for weeks, so I doubt you heard anything.”


“I only need one credit to graduate so I’m only there for one class in the morning, so yeah, I heard.”


“Why do you give a shit what I do anyway?”


“Because I also heard you’re some kind of party girl now.”


“So?”


“So you don’t need to head down this road again, Sierra. Making bad choices like you did in Arizona.”


Maybe he was right. But he had no idea how alone she felt. And it wasn’t like he called to check up on her like he’d said he might. He had no business judging her anyway. They weren’t anything to each other.


Closing her eyes, she slumped against the door. “You’ve done your good deed, protecting me from Tyler. Thank you. You’ve made it clear I’m a f*cking idiot. So go away.”


“I’m just supposed to what? Leave you here?”


“I’ve got a car.”


Boone’s hands were on her arms. “You think you’re gonna drive after you’ve been drinking? Bullshit. What the f*ck is wrong with you?”


She twisted out of his hold. “I wasn’t gonna leave right now, *. I’ll be sober enough to drive in a couple of hours. I’ll just hang out until then.”


“Listen to yourself. Do you really think Tyler will let you hang out? Especially after I convinced him that we’re together? What exactly do you think the people out there think we’re doing in here? Talking?” he half-sneered.


She opened her mouth to deny it, but Boone was right. “Fine. You can stay in here with me. That oughta add to your stud reputation. That you banged me for two solid hours.”


Boone blushed. Then he got pissed off. “Right. Because that’s all I give a shit about. My reputation as some kind of stud. Even if we stay in here, that doesn’t deal with the problem when we leave the bedroom.”


“Which is what?”


“We’ll have to act like we’re together at least a little while, so Tyler doesn’t track me down and beat the f*ck out of me for pulling one over on him. That’s the kind of guy he is. Making him look stupid turns him psycho.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Dammit. This is the last thing I wanted.”


Meaning, I’m the last one you wanted to be tied to—in reality or even pretend.


“You know what, Boone? Fuck off. You don’t have to act so disgusted that people will think we’re together.”


Boone whirled around. “That’s what you think? That being with you would be an embarrassment to me? God. You are drunk.”


“Shut up.”


“Think about it. If we’re a couple at school the news will spread like wildfire through the McKay and West families.”


“Then we will have a very loud and public breakup on Monday morning. Or better yet, let’s have a big fight now. Want me to scream and storm out?”



“Jesus. I’m not doing this with you.” He gave her a once over. “Where’s your coat?”


“In the living room.”


“Do you have snow boots?”


“No.”


“Gloves?”


“Yes, I’m not a total idiot.”


Boone scowled at her. “Did you even check the weather before you went out tonight?”


She blinked at him.


“I take that as a no. The road conditions were shitty an hour ago. They’ve gotta be worse by now.”


“Did you ride your bike here?”


“No.”


“How’d you expect to get home?”


“How’d you expect to get home?” he countered. “Or did you tell your dad you were spending the night someplace?”


“No. My curfew is midnight.”


He glanced at his watch. “It’s only nine thirty. Give me your keys.”


“They’re in my coat.”


He blew out a frustrated breath. “When we get out there, go ahead and act like you’re mad at me.”


“Won’t be an act,” she flashed her teeth at him.


Boone jammed his hands into her hair and messed it up. He popped the button on his jeans. Then he pulled her shirt down her arm, exposing her bra strap. “There. At least it looks like we’ve been going at it.”


Her head pounded and she just wanted to leave.


He held out his hand for hers and opened the door.