He took off his hat and ran the crown through his fingers.His hair was thick, dark, and to his shoulders.
The bull rider.Potentially his brother.
“Name’s Cash Hunter.I’m here to see if we just might have something in common.”
*
Ayana approached thebar, feeling like she was in a play.She hated they’d surprised her.She’d trained to always be aware.A week with Telford Crow, one hour married, and she’d sailed into the Graff Hotel with no thought except to brazen through unexpected nerves.
And now she was being selfish.Not thinking of Telford face to face with his brother.
The two cowboys—one of whom could practically be Telford’s twin—likely weren’t here to brawl.They wanted information.So did he.
She ordered the drinks while the three men faced off before Telford broke and stalked over to help her.
“I can handle four drinks,” she said calmly.“Serving is in my DNA,” she said to keep things light.
“Only if you want it to be,” he said in a low, dark voice, surprising her.
Her heart warmed, but work was work—all of it had value.She wasn’t ashamed of her jobs in restaurants, bars, and cruise ships when stacking them up to his corporate god of whatever.
“You and Cash have the same spectacular eyes and lashes.Same as…”
“Don’t say it,” he said, clearly not handling this as well inside as he seemed to on the outside.
She got it.They’d anticipated a prep time they no longer had.
“The timeline’s sped up, but stillwewanted this.”Maybe emphasizing their unity would help him settle.“We don’t need anything from these men, Telford.”She glanced at the men who watched them closely.
It was as hot as it was intimidating.
She tossed her head and then smiled at Telford like she’d won the lottery, and to a lot of women, she definitely had.“Think of this as a fishing trip.”
He stared at her, not totally with her yet.
“Or improv,” she encouraged.
“Huh?”
“We talked about this in your office,” she reminded him, ruffling her fingers in his hair because she wanted to and now the action suited the role she played.His hair was fantastic.She wished he’d grow it out from the tight corporate cut.Could she, as a wife, encourage that?
What are you thinking?His hair.This is a job.
“First rule.Go with it, whateveritis.Say yes.”
“Hell no.”
She laughed, picked up two of the drinks and nibbed his jaw before turning to face the two sexiest cowboys she’d seen outside of a book cover orYellowstoneshow.
“That’s the spirit,” she said, wondering if she’d be able to keep her hands off her husband if he ditched the suit for a pair of beaten-up wranglers and a Carhartt tee.The image nearly caused her to purr.“Watch and learn.”
Chapter Ten
“Explain.”
“I don’t owe you anything,” Telford said, not prepared to give an inch, and if any of these men looked below Ayana’s jawline to her plunging neckline—something he was finding damn impossible not to do—he’d throw the first punch.Who knew a woman would wear a sexy AF wedding dress to an impromptu courthouse wedding?And why did he have these primitive feelings?Their marriage was a business arrangement.
He needed an icy shower and probably a kick in his balls to get his head back in the game—whatever game these two cowboys thought they were playing.
