Page 6 of Ace of Spades (Hidden Creek Ranch #1)

HAILEY

I fall backward onto my bed, my phone still open to another rejection email from a job I’d applied for. It was starting to feel like I wasted four years away at college, receiving endless rejections since I began applying over a month ago.

I didn’t get it—I had a degree in social media marketing, I obviously had experience managing my own socials considering my follower count, and I had orchestrated plenty of brand deals and collaborations for myself—What more could I do to prove my worth to them?

What a downer to end the day on, especially after I had such a great run earlier. I hated to admit it, but Weston’s advice had actually worked. I had been skeptical, but I brought Casino back down to the basics, just as he had said, and we ended up having our best time yet this afternoon.

Not only did I break my own personal record, but it felt better. I could feel the control, could feel Casino listening to me and actually letting me guide her, rather than rushing full speed ahead without thought. It was… incredible.

Thankfully, I hadn’t run into Weston in nearly a month. I still saw him around, as was expected considering we both followed the same circuit and ended up at most of the same rodeos. I had somehow avoided bumping into him, and a very small part of me actually… missed it?

The thought was absolutely crazy, and I was fully aware of that.

I threw on my puffer jacket and boots over my pajamas, stepping out of my trailer and into the Utah snow. It felt like it was gearing up to be one of the coldest weekends of the year so far, the mid-February storms causing extra maintenance for the horses and quite the hassle for travel.

I shoved my hands into my pockets to keep them warm, Gypsy trailing behind me in her matching puffer jacket and snow boots, her thick fur underneath keeping her small body warm.

Thankfully the stables at these rodeo grounds were indoors, offering some semblance of heat, though it wasn’t much. I blanketed all three of my horses, making sure the heater water troughs were turned on to prevent the water from freezing overnight.

“Hey, Hailey.”

I turn to find Rafe leading both of his horses in, a bay gelding and a beautiful red roan mare .

“Hey,” I smile, stepping out of my stall and closing it behind me as Gypsy comes to sit at my feet. “I actually got to watch you and Beau rope today, you guys are amazing.”

“Oh, thanks. I heard you did great too, congratulations.”

“Thanks. So um… I noticed that Chance and Weston aren’t here this weekend. Did they decide to sit this one out because of the weather?” I ask, trying not to make my disappointment too obvious.

“Chance got hung up and sprained his wrist at practice the other day, so he’s back home letting it rest. Weston’s here, though.”

“He is?” I ask.

Rafe turns to glance at me from where he untacks his horse, and I desperately hope that he didn’t catch on to the excitement in my voice. It’s not like I want to actually hang out with Weston, or spend any time with him. A part of me just wants to see him.

I’d noticed myself putting on a little bit of extra makeup on the days that I knew we might run into each other, I even wore jeans that were a little bit tighter in hopes that I might be able to make him drool.

In reality, I was no better than some middle school girl wearing her prettiest dress to school to get her crush to notice her. Geez, I was becoming pathetic.

“Yeah, he rode down here by himself. I offered for him to camp out in the truck with me, Beau, and Chels, but he insisted on roughing it in his truck instead. Damn thing doesn’t even have a working heater. ”

“What?” I ask. “How? It’s well below freezing, that’s not even remotely safe.”

“Don’t look at me, I tried. Wes is a stubborn little fucker, good luck getting him to accept help from anybody.”

“Ugh, how do you guys even put up with him?” I ask.

Rafe chuckles, putting his mare away and tossing some hay into each of his stalls.

“I mean—yeah, he can be a stubborn son-of-a-bitch. And hot-headed. And a flat-out dick sometimes. But he’s about as loyal of a friend as they come. He’s not all bad.”

I let that sink in as Rafe bends down to pet Gypsy before clapping me on the shoulder and walking off.

“Night, Hailey. Stay warm out there.”

But it wasn’t me that I was worried about staying warm as I walked back to my camper. I laid in bed for what felt like forever, going back and forth in my head. Did I like Weston? No. That being said, did anybody deserve to freeze to death? Also no.

I tossed and turned to the point that I was surprised I hadn’t formed a hole in my bed, before I finally grew the nerves to get up and throw on my boots.

Leaving Gypsy in the warmth of the trailer, I throw my jacket on and step out into the windy Utah night, my cheeks and nose instantly turning red at the assault.

It was late enough that everyone had long turned in for the night, nothing but the sound of my crunching footsteps in the snow as I made my way around the vast grounds in search of the restored first-generation Dodge that I had seen on Weston’s Instagram .

And yes, I had stalked him on all socials. Everyone always said to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, so I felt it was pretty justified. Consider it recon, if you will.

I was full-blown shivering, my teeth chattering when I finally spotted the vehicle parked between two trailers.

Letting out a breath, I trudge to the driver’s side door, peeking inside and finding Weston laid across the bench seat, a pile of blankets covering him from the neck down and a cowboy hat perched over his face.

Knocking on the window, I watch as he stirs, knocking once more until he finally removes the hat and looks around, becoming more alert as he spots me.

The door creaks as I open it, shoving myself inside and shutting it behind me as he fully sits up.

“Sorrels, what the fuck?” he drawls, his voice low and gravely. I rarely see him without a hat, and his currently disheveled black locks were practically begging for someone to run their fingers through.

What was wrong with me? I mentally shake myself, reminding myself of why I was here in the first place.

“You’re coming to sleep in my trailer tonight,” I state.

He lets out a dark chuckle, readjusting his feet so they lay on the dashboard.

“Pass.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer. You did me a favor by giving me those tips, and as much as I truly hate to admit this, they…

worked. Really well, actually–I beat my record time today.

But now I feel like I owe you a favor, and so you’re going to come sleep in my living quarters where I have an actual functioning heater. ”

“Glad the tips worked out. Now if you wouldn’t mind getting your pretty little behind back to that heated trailer of yours, I’d like to get at least a little bit of sleep before having to drive home tomorrow.”

He lays back in his seat, crossing his arms across his chest and getting comfortable before placing his hat back over his face, dismissing me entirely.

“Fine,” I state, leaning back in the driver’s seat and placing my boots on the dashboard alongside his, grabbing one of the jackets off of the pile and settling it over myself like a blanket.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“Sleeping,” I respond, closing my eyes as I pretend to do just that.

“Sorrels,” he growls, his voice sending tingles skating down my spine.

“If you won’t come back to my trailer with me, I’ll just stay right here.”

“I’ve gotta say, I’m flattered by the lengths you’ll go to get me into your bed, but this is a bit ridiculous, no?”

My cheeks flush, the blush having nothing to do with the cold outside this time.

“You’re so annoying, will you just come with me already? Are you really so stubborn that you would let both of us freeze to death?”

“So now I’m annoying and stubborn–you’re really persuading me, Sorrels.”

If there was one thing this man was proving to be talented at, it was pushing my buttons .

“Ugh!” I scream, sitting upright in my seat. “What do you want from me? What can I possibly do to get you to listen to me, dammit?”

His dimple creases, his teasing smile making an appearance, causing butterflies to take flight somewhere deep in my stomach.

“Say please.”

I purse my lips, glaring daggers at him as he only sits back with a comfortable confidence that tells me he knows he’s in full control of the situation. Taking a steadying breath, I shut my eyes, refusing to face him as I let him win this one.

“Please.”

“No.”

My eyes spring open, my blood boiling as I try to hold myself back from strangling him. I turn to leave the truck, my hand reaching for the handle as I admit defeat, ready to walk away with my tail tucked between my legs.

A firm hand grabs my arm, spinning me back around to face him.

“Look me in the eyes when you ask. Don’t try to hide from me.”

We were merely a foot apart now, both of our warm breaths visible in the air as my eyes locked onto his piercing green ones. They were so intense, so mesmerizing—as if they could penetrate my every thought.

Goosebumps prickle my arms, my heart racing at the realization of just how close we are.

I keep my eyes locked on his, looking between them and letting calm wash over me as I ask once more .

“Please, Weston.”

The sound of our breathing fills the truck, and I swear I notice his eyes dipping to my parted lips.

“Okay,” he whispers, his voice low and full of heat.

“Okay,” I repeat, somehow unable to pull away from his trance.

We remain locked like that for a few moments before he seems to snap out of it, backing to the passenger door and letting himself out of the truck. I pull myself together, meeting him around the back of the truck and letting him follow me through the thick snow back to my trailer.

Gypsy greets him instantly as we step inside, and he offers her a few belly rubs as he takes in the small space.

It isn’t nearly as big as some of the ones I had seen pros with, but I still realized its worth.

With room in the back for four horses, a small tack room, and living quarters large enough to contain a bed, couch, mini kitchenette, and tiny bathroom, it was plenty more than I could ask for.

It was actually my first grown-up purchase that I had made back in December after graduating college. It had taken years of teaching horseback riding lessons in high school, and then collecting winnings from the occasional jackpot event or local rodeo when I was at University.

I wasn’t about to tell Weston that, though.

I knew what he assumed: It was Daddy’s money, a present for a spoiled brat.

I didn’t feel the need to explain myself to him, and I didn’t exactly care to sit around and try to beg him to see my perspective.

I would let him continue to think what he wanted about me.

“Nice place,” he comments .

“Thanks. You can take the couch. The heater isn’t necessarily as hot down here, but it’s still pretty decent. Better than no heater, that’s for sure.”

I lift the couch cushions, opening the compartment beneath and retrieving a pile of blankets, placing them on the couch before reaching up to my bed space and grabbing one of my pillows for him.

He looks between me and the makeshift bed I had created, his face not revealing any emotion.

“Thanks,” he finally says.

I nod my head at him before turning to crawl up to my bed, pausing halfway up the steps before turning to look at him over my shoulder, finding that he hadn’t moved an inch.

“For the record, this is just because I owed you one. I don’t hate you any less, so don’t go getting any ideas.”

I try my best to convince myself of exactly that. I mean, even if I had found a stray dog out in the cold, I would’ve taken it in so it wouldn’t freeze. Weston wasn’t any different. Right?

“Wasn’t planning on it, Sorrels.”

“Good,” I confirm, crawling the rest of the way up and tucking myself in, Gypsy spinning in a circle a few times before settling in her typical spot at my feet.

I debate saying something else—maybe a goodnight, or something? But the more time that passed, the weirder it would be, until it had been long enough that I assumed he must be asleep.

I tossed and turned some more, this time not because I knew Weston was sleeping out in the cold, but because he was now in my tiny trailer with me .

I wasn’t sure at what point I fell asleep, but when I woke up the next morning, Weston was gone.