Page 36 of Riding Into Love
Who does he think he is, marching in here and trying to run my life like I’m some helpless kid who doesn’t know her own mind? The man’s got a nerve the size of Texas, and I swear, if I think about it any longer, I might just ride Linux straight into the horizon and never look back.
I could leave. Just saddle up and hit the road. But I know I won’t. No matter how badly I want to.
There are a lot of things in my life that have been a constant, and my dad is one of them. He’s the one person I’ve always been able to count on, and his opinion means the world to me. He’s never steered me wrong. He’s been friends with Colby for years, so when he tells me the man isn’t right for me, there’s a part of me that thinks maybe he’s right.
But there’s another part that wants to scream and yell and fight until he understands. Until he accepts the fact that I’m an adult, and I can make my own decisions, and if I choose Colby, there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.
The truth is, my dad isn’t the only problem. Sure, his attitude sucks, but the real issue is Colby. What is his angle? The man made me breakfast. And not just cereal or Pop Tarts. He went full-on cook, and when I saw him standing in the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of sweats and holding a bowl of scrambled eggs, my ovaries nearly exploded.
It was the most wholesome thing I’ve ever seen, and if my dad hadn’t been there, I would have tackled him and had my way with him right there on the kitchen floor.
Instead, he and Dad had it out, and I retreated to my room.
I didn’t come out until after Richard was gone, and when I did, Colby was preparing our plates like nothing happened. Like it was a totally normal day. And I didn’t want to ruin the moment, so I went with it.
But the longer we went on pretending like everything was fine, the harder it was. There was an elephant in the room, and the weight of it was suffocating. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. So, I excused myself, got dressed, and went for a ride.
Linux and I are a team. A dynamic duo. We have this connection, and sometimes, it’s the only thing that keeps me sane. When the rest of the world feels like it’s closing in, Linux and I just keep riding.
But today, my trusty steed isn’t cutting it. My thoughts are all over the place, and as hard as I try, I can’t stop thinking about my dad. His reaction stung. A lot. And it has me second-guessing everything.
It’s not that I don’t want to be with Colby. God, I’ve wanted him since the first time I laid eyes on him, and I thought that once we slept together, it would be out of my system. That this obsession would end, and things would go back to normal.
But it didn’t.
If anything, I want him more. And I’m afraid of what that means.
Because if there’s one thing my mom taught me, it’s that men are untrustworthy. They say what they think you want to hear, and they lie through their teeth. They manipulate and coerce. They cheat and steal.
What the hell makes me think Colby will be any different?
But then I remember the look in his eyes. The way his hands felt on my body. The way he kissed me like no one had ever kissed me before. Like he couldn’t get enough.
Like I was all he needed.
Linux slows to a trot as we close in on the barn, and the other ranch hands are milling about the yard.
“Come on, boy. Let’s get you cooled off and settled.”
I dismount and lead him into the stable, but just before we get inside, the sound of crunching gravel draws my attention. Looking over my shoulder, I see a truck rolling up the dirt drive. A truck that looks a hell of a lot like the one I used to see parked in my driveway.
The brakes squeak as it pulls to a stop, and when the door opens, I watch in horror as Christian steps out. He walks around the hood and leans against the bumper, watching me as I lead Linux toward the barn.
“Nice ride,” he calls out, and all of Colby’s men turn to look at him.
I don’t answer. I can’t. My throat is so tight it’s like a hand is wrapped around it, choking the air from my lungs.
“Hey, I’m talking to you. Or is your hearing as bad as your manners?”
“River, are you okay?” Lewis calls out.
“Stay out of it,” Christian says. “This is between me and River.”
“Yeah, well, the lady doesn’t seem interested, and if she’s not, we don’t want you here. So why don’t you get back in your fancy-ass truck and go back where you came from.”
“Fuck you,” Christian snaps.
Lewis pulls his gloves off his hands and shouts over his shoulder, “Get the boss.”
