Page 17 of Cowboy SEAL Homecoming

And then he had to say shit like that. “You will sit there, and you will be silent as I talk to her. You offer nothing unless I directly address you. Do you understand?” It was the most forceful she’d ever been with anyone, including her mother. Who was usually the only one she ever stood up to.

But this was important, and she had to draw on that well of determination and certainty and, yes, forcefulness. She had to be a woman she’d never been before. This wasn’t about Alex; it was about her.

“I’m not going to agree to those terms,” he said, leveling her with a stare that surely worked on Navy SEAL subordinates.

“Then you are not invited,” she returned, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I don’t need to be invited. This is our business.”

“The therapeutic horsemanship is mine. I won’t tell you how to raise the cattle. You don’t tell me how to do this. Deal?”

“No deal.” He poured the coffee calmly and she wanted to scream, but she didn’t. She took a deep breath. She counted inwardly to herself until she was calm—an oasis of ease and happiness and light.

An oasis that wanted to punch him in the junk.

She opened her mouth as Alex filled the tray with three mugs full of coffee, but before she could speak, Alex did. “But I will give you one concession.”

“Oh, and what’s that?”

“I’ll let you lead.”

Whoopdifuckingdoo.