Page 20

Still, she didn’t believe him. It was battle. Terrible things happened in battle.

If her father bought into his claim, Colton wouldn’t have lasted thirty seconds on the Gracey Ranch.

Her heart tripped at the sight of Colton—and then sped with annoyance when she saw the smirk on his face.

Damn him. He was enjoying her discomfort. The discomfort he had given her.

Why did that make her blood heat?

Should she walk over and talk to him? He’d probably just leave.

That left her with only one line of attack: She had to lure him closer. She already knew she turned him on. His impressive erection last night was proof.

There really was one way to get what she wanted…and she had every intention of making Colton Nox crawl to her.

Chapter Five

When Meadow paraded her horse around the ring wearing those skin-tight jeans and a tiny plaid country girl top, Colton could only shake his head. Why did he ever think some well-placed smacks on the ass would teach her a lesson?

Two guys paused in the shadow of the barn, watching her mount the mare and flick the reins with enough grace to make a grown man write love songs.

Colton knew better, though. They weren’t there to be impressed by Meadow’s skill with horses. They had their eyes all over her body.

“Marks. Webb.” He spoke their names as he passed by just so they knew he was on to them. Especially Webb. That son of a bitch had a thing for Meadow—Colton would bet his sidearm on it.

The pair jerked around. Colton grunted when he saw the deep black hue of the bruising beneath Webb’s eye and extending across his nose.

“Nasty bruise ya got.”

Glaring at him, Webb shifted his jaw but it must hurt enough to make him flinch.

“Fuck off, Nox.”

He lifted his jaw toward the training ring where Meadow was riding by in a small cloud of dust as if even the dirt couldn’t resist following the woman.

“You’re mighty invested in watching her.”

Webb spun on Colton, fists clenched.

Chest hammering with sudden adrenaline, he squared up to him. “Don’t think I don’t know what your motive is, asshole. If you lay a hand on her, I’ll give you a second black eye to match the first.”

Marks was a tall, lanky guy who stayed out of everyone’s business, from what Colton had seen. He took a step away from Webb, distancing himself.

Colton walked away, satisfied the guy had submitted to the real alpha on this ranch. Gracey didn’t know it yet, but Forest had. Colton had suspicions that Forest knew the ranch manager was a little too interested in his sister and sent Colton to fend him off the same way he’d fought off her attacker back at that high school party.

As he passed the training pen, he couldn’t help but glance over at Meadow. Her horse performed a perfect jump over a high bar. When it came down gracefully, Meadow scrunched her features in a display of discomfort.

He paused a moment, leaning against the fence, watching her closer. Then he realized he was the cause of her discomfort.

He’d struck her too hard. In his haze of anger that she took such risks with her safety, he’d not only lost control and spanked her but, caused her pain.

Goddamn if he didn’t want to bend her over his lap again.

His chest welled with that dark twist of desire that accompanied all of his unsuitable tendencies. What he wouldn’t give to inspect her plump, round ass in broad daylight to see if she bore his marks.

At that moment, she looked over. Their gazes locked for a beat too long. He broke contact first—something he’d never do with any man—and pushed away from the fence. In long strides, he reached the paddock, grabbed a horse and led it out into the field.

Riding came more naturally to him than he ever expected. This wasn’t his first time on a ranch, but he wouldn’t call himself a cowboy in any sense of the word.