Page 44 of Buck ’Em Cowgirl

But Beau just kept walking, his grip firm, his strides purposeful. “Not a chance, Cowgirl.”

We burst outside into the cold night air, and Harleigh doubled over, clutching her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably. When she finally caught her breath enough to look up, she saw me slung over Beau’s shoulder. That only made her laugh harder.

Beau barely glanced at her, his focus unshaken. “You at your dad’s or with Kline?”

Harleigh straightened up, still giggling but trying to compose herself. “I’m staying at my dad’s.”

“Good. That’s in the other direction,” Beau said firmly. “I’m next door to Kline, so I’m taking her home.”

“Put me the fuck down,” I screamed, kicking my legs as I pounded on his back. “You’re not taking me anywhere.”

“See you tomorrow for dinner,” she called back to me, completely unfazed. Then she grabbed Gatlin’s arm, tugging him along. “Come on, Gat.”

They turned and started walking off, leaving me to my fate.

“Traitors,” I shouted after them, my voice echoing into the night. “Fucking traitors.”

Harleigh just waved over her shoulder, still laughing.

Beau carried me to the truck, opened the door, and set me down in the seat with a level of frustration that matched the tight line of his mouth. The world tilted for a moment before settling upright, everything snapping back into place.

“Wait,” I blurted. “You can’t drive. You’ve been drinking.”

His jaw ticked, and he stared at me, his eyes burning with restrained anger. “Two beers,” he bit out. “The last one was hours ago.” Without another word, he pushed my legs into the truck and slammed the door shut.

I sighed, leaning back against the seat, the exhaustion of the night catching up to me. My heart was still pounding from his intensity, and before I could gather my thoughts, he slid into the driver’s seat and turned the car on.

As he reached for the gear shift, I grabbed his hand, stopping him. The second our skin connected, warmth flooded through me. My hands tingled, not because they felt dirty, but because his touch was addicting. His hand was rough and his grip was strong.

I yanked my hand back, shaking off the sensation. “Why are you doing this?” I demanded, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions. “Why do you care? I was . . . fucking around⁠—”

The words hung in the air, his silence louder than anything he could have said. His gaze stayed locked on mine, dark and unreadable, his presence filling the truck like he was daring me to look away first.

“Because I cannot have you with Gatlin.”

“Is he a dick? He seemed nice.”

“No,” Beau snapped, his tone sharper than I expected. “He’s fine. He’s just⁠—”

I waited, the silence between us stretching thin as I leaned forward slightly.

“Fuck,” he shouted, slamming the truck into reverse before peeling out of the parking lot, gravel spitting behind us.

“You just can’t be with him,” he growled, gripping the wheel tightly, his knuckles white.

“That’s dumb,” I mumbled, turning away from him with a huff. I shifted my entire body so my back was to him. “You’re dumb.”

I stared out the window at the dark, empty stretch of road. The hum of the tires was steady, almost soothing, and before I knew it, my eyes drifted shut.

14

Beau

She’d been everywhere—her voice, her laugh, her touch—all of it tangled up in my head, making me crazed. Watching her with Gatlin, the way she leaned into him, her hand brushing his arm, the way she laughed like he was the funniest damn guy in the world—it ate at me. Every glance, every word, it stroked something ugly and raw in my chest.

When she said Gatlin was taking her home? That was it. The straw that broke the bull’s back. Hell no. I didn’t think—I just acted. Something primal kicked in, and I hauled her over my shoulder like I was claiming her in front of the whole damn bar. I didn’t care how it looked or who was watching. The only thing that mattered was making sure I was the one bringing her home.

She was snoring softly in the passenger seat of my truck, her head tilted toward the window. Her hair was a mess, a few strands sticking to her cheek, and she looked peaceful, like she hadn’t just turned my whole night upside down.